Protein Calculator Daily Protein Needs by Body Weight & Goal
Enter your weight, activity level, and goal to get your personal daily protein target — plus meal breakdown and food sources.
Your Details
Adjust each field to match your stats and goals.
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grams of protein per day
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g / kg body weight
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g / lb body weight
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kcal from protein / day
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g per meal (avg)
Meal Distribution
Meal
Timing
Protein Target
Top Protein Food Sources
How to Use This Calculator
Three inputs, one result.
1. Enter your body weight in kilograms or pounds. Use your current weight, not a goal weight.
2. Select your activity level honestly. Most gym-goers fall in the "moderately active" category (3–5 sessions/week).
3. Choose your goal. Muscle gain uses higher multipliers (1.8–2.2 g/kg). Weight loss uses a moderate target (1.4–1.6 g/kg) to preserve lean mass during a calorie deficit.
Meal distribution shows how to spread your total across 3–6 meals. Research suggests 30–40 g per meal maximises muscle protein synthesis per session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Evidence-based answers about dietary protein.
How much protein do I need per day to build muscle?
Research consistently supports 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.73 to 1.0 g/lb) for muscle gain. This calculator defaults to 1.8 g/kg for the muscle gain goal. Spreading intake across 4 to 5 meals with 30 to 40 grams each maximises muscle protein synthesis throughout the day.
Should I eat more protein on rest days?
Protein intake should remain roughly constant on rest days because muscle protein synthesis stays elevated for up to 48 hours after a workout. Consistency matters more than cycling protein. Carbohydrates can be reduced slightly on rest days, but protein targets should stay the same to support ongoing repair and adaptation.
What happens if I eat too much protein?
Excess dietary protein beyond what the body can use for muscle repair and synthesis is converted to glucose or stored as fat. In healthy individuals, high protein intake (up to 3.5 g/kg) has not been shown to cause kidney damage. However, intakes above roughly 2.2 g/kg provide diminishing returns for muscle gain and simply add unnecessary calories. Focus on hitting your target consistently rather than exceeding it.
What are the best whole-food protein sources?
The highest protein-per-calorie whole foods include: chicken breast (31g per 100g cooked), canned tuna (25g per 100g), egg whites (11g per 100g), Greek yogurt (10g per 100g), cottage cheese (11g per 100g), lentils (9g per 100g cooked), and edamame (11g per 100g). Animal sources provide complete amino acid profiles; for plant-based diets, combining legumes with grains (e.g. rice and beans) covers all essential amino acids.
Does timing of protein intake matter?
The "anabolic window" immediately post-workout is smaller than once thought. Total daily protein intake matters most. That said, consuming 30–40 g of protein within 2 hours after resistance training provides a small but meaningful benefit for muscle protein synthesis. A pre-sleep protein dose of 30–40 g (e.g. casein or cottage cheese) has also been shown to enhance overnight muscle recovery, especially for those training in the evening.