# Protein Calculator

> The RDA for protein is 0.8 g per kg of body weight, and the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg, which is 56 g and 84 to 112 g a day for a 70 kg adult. Pick a goal such as building muscle (1.6 to 2.2 g per kg) to see daily and per-meal targets.

- Interactive calculator: https://calculatorswithsteps.com/protein-calculator
- Category: Health & Fitness Calculators
- Last updated: 2026-11-10
- Publisher: Calculators With Steps (calculatorswithsteps.com)

## How to use the protein calculator

1. Choose **Metric** or **US** units and enter your body weight.
2. Pick the goal that fits you best, from the sedentary minimum to building muscle or losing fat.
3. If you are pregnant (second or third trimester) or breastfeeding, select it to add 25 g a day.
4. Choose how many meals you eat to see grams per meal.

The result shows your daily protein range, grams per meal, the calories it provides and a table of protein in common foods, including how many servings of each would cover one meal.

## How much protein do you need?

Protein needs scale with body weight, so targets are given in grams per kilogram (g/kg) per day:

| Goal | g per kg | g per lb | Basis |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sedentary minimum (RDA) | 0.8 | 0.36 | US Dietary Reference Intakes |
| Healthy adult | 1.2–1.6 | 0.54–0.73 | Dietary Guidelines 2025–2030 |
| Regular exercise or endurance | 1.4–2.0 | 0.64–0.91 | ISSN position stand, 2017 |
| Building muscle | 1.6–2.2 | 0.73–1.0 | Morton et al. meta-analysis, 2018 |
| Fat loss, keeping muscle | 1.6–2.4 | 0.73–1.09 | Hector and Phillips, 2018 |
| Adults 65 and older | 1.0–1.2 | 0.45–0.54 | PROT-AGE study group, 2013 |

**Daily protein (g) = body weight (kg) × target (g/kg)**

The RDA of 0.8 g/kg covers basic needs for almost all healthy adults, but it is a floor rather than an ideal. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans raised the everyday goal to 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg and ask people to include protein at every meal.

## Worked example

For a 70 kg (155 lb) adult:

| Goal | Daily protein | Per meal (3 meals) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sedentary minimum (RDA) | 56 g | 19 g |
| Healthy adult | 84–112 g | 28–37 g |
| Regular exercise or endurance | 98–140 g | 33–47 g |
| Building muscle | 112–154 g | 37–51 g |
| Fat loss, keeping muscle | 112–168 g | 37–56 g |
| Adult 65 and older | 70–84 g | 23–28 g |

At 84 to 112 g a day, protein provides 336 to 448 kcal, which is about 15 to 20% of a 2,200 kcal diet. Use the [macro calculator](https://calculatorswithsteps.com/macro-calculator) to fit protein into a full calorie plan.

## Protein in Indian and everyday foods

The calculator's food table uses values from USDA FoodData Central. A few useful figures: 100 g of roasted chicken breast has 31 g of protein, 100 g of paneer has 15.9 g, a cup of cooked dal (lentils) has 17.9 g, a cup of cooked rajma has 15.3 g and a large egg has 6.3 g.

Vegetarians can reach a moderate target without supplements. Two cups of dal (35.7 g), 100 g of paneer (15.9 g), a cup of curd (8.5 g), a cup of milk (7.7 g) and 28 g of peanuts (7.2 g) add up to about 75 g, before counting the protein in rice, rotis and vegetables. Soy foods such as tofu (17.3 g per 100 g) are the most protein-dense plant options.

## How much protein per meal

Spreading protein over the day works better for muscle than one large serving. The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests about 0.25 g per kg of body weight, or 20 to 40 g, per meal, every 3 to 4 hours. For a 70 kg person that is about 17.5 g as a minimum per meal; the calculator divides your daily range by the number of meals you choose.

## Pregnancy, breastfeeding and older age

- **Pregnancy and breastfeeding:** the Dietary Reference Intakes add 25 g a day in the second half of pregnancy and while breastfeeding, raising the RDA from 46 g to 71 g a day.
- **Older adults:** muscle responds less to protein with age. The PROT-AGE group recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg for healthy people over 65, and more for those who are active or recovering from illness.

## Is a high-protein diet safe?

For healthy adults, intakes up to the ranges above are considered safe. If you have chronic kidney disease, diabetes with kidney involvement or another medical condition, ask your doctor for a target. If you carry a lot of extra weight, base the calculation on a healthy goal weight from the [ideal weight calculator](https://calculatorswithsteps.com/ideal-weight-calculator), not your current weight, or the number will be too high.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much protein do I need per day?

The RDA, the minimum to avoid deficiency, is 0.8 g per kg of body weight, or 56 g a day for a 70 kg adult. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg, which is 84 to 112 g a day at 70 kg. Active people and those building muscle need more.

### How do I calculate protein intake according to body weight?

Multiply your weight in kilograms by the grams per kilogram for your goal. In pounds, multiply by the grams per pound instead (1.2 to 1.6 g/kg is 0.54 to 0.73 g/lb). A 150 lb adult aiming for 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg needs about 82 to 109 g a day.

### How much protein do I need to build muscle?

Most research supports 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg a day alongside strength training; a 2018 meta-analysis found gains levelled off around 1.6 g/kg on average. For a 70 kg person that is 112 to 154 g a day, or 37 to 51 g over three meals.

### How much protein should I eat to lose weight?

During a calorie deficit, 1.6 to 2.4 g per kg a day helps keep muscle while you lose fat. At 70 kg that means 112 to 168 g a day. Protein also keeps you fuller than the same calories from carbs or fat.

### How much protein does a 60 kg person need?

At 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg, a 60 kg adult needs 72 to 96 g a day, with 48 g as the RDA minimum. A mostly vegetarian Indian day of two cups of dal, 100 g paneer, a cup of curd, a cup of milk and a handful of peanuts supplies about 75 g before counting rice or rotis.

### How much protein is in an egg?

A large whole egg (50 g) has about 6.3 g of protein, according to USDA FoodData Central. Three eggs give about 18.9 g, a solid start toward a 20 to 40 g protein meal.

### How much protein do I need during pregnancy?

The US Dietary Reference Intakes add 25 g a day in the second and third trimesters and while breastfeeding, giving an RDA of 71 g a day. For a 60 kg woman following the 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg target, that becomes 97 to 121 g a day.

### Can you eat too much protein?

For healthy adults, intakes in the ranges above have not been shown to harm the kidneys or bones. People with chronic kidney disease are usually told to limit protein and should follow their doctor's target. Very high protein can also crowd out fiber-rich foods.

## Sources

- [USDA and HHS – Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030](https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf)
- [Jäger R et al. – International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand, protein and exercise (2017)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5477153/)
- [USDA FoodData Central](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/)

> Disclaimer: results are estimates for information and education, not medical advice. Confirm important decisions with a qualified professional.