Protein Intake Calculator
How many grams of protein you need per day, from your weight and goal.
Where the ranges come from
The RDA of 0.8 g/kg is a minimum to avoid deficiency, not an optimum. Reviews of training studies converge on 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg for active people and 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg for building muscle, with intakes toward 2.4 g/kg useful in a calorie deficit to protect lean mass. Older adults need more than the RDA (1.2 to 1.5 g/kg) to counter age-related muscle loss.
Practical notes
Spreading protein over 3 to 5 meals of 25 to 40 g each beats one giant serving, and the numbers are per kilo of body weight, so a very high body fat percentage overstates the need; heavier people can compute from goal weight instead. For reference, a chicken breast is about 30 g of protein, three eggs 18 g, and a scoop of whey 20 to 25 g. These are guidelines for healthy adults, not medical advice for anyone with kidney disease.