Free tools · Daily protein math
Protein Target Calculator
Enter your body weight, training level, and goal to estimate a daily protein range in grams — plus a practical grams-per-meal target. When you're losing weight in a calorie deficit, protein needs go up, not down: the higher end of the range (toward 2.2 g/kg) helps protect lean muscle. The math is shown transparently so you can check every step. These are estimates, not a meal plan.
Read before you use this
This is an educational estimate, not medical or nutrition advice. Protein targets here are anchored to total body weight using common sports-nutrition ranges; if you carry a lot of excess fat, basing the number on a goal or lean body weight may be more appropriate, and a registered dietitian can help. Higher-protein eating is generally safe for healthy adults, but if you have kidney disease or reduced kidney function, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, or take medications that affect protein or fluid balance, do not raise your protein intake without talking to a clinician first. Use this number as a starting point and adjust based on your appetite, training, and how you feel. Before making a large change to how you eat, talk to a licensed clinician or registered dietitian.
Daily protein target
120–165g / day
that's 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight (75 kg). Aim toward the higher end while you're in a calorie deficit — eating more protein when you diet is one of the best ways to hold onto lean muscle.
Per meal (rough target)
≈36g / meal
splitting the midpoint of about 143 g/day across 4 meals. Most people absorb protein best in ~20–40 g servings, so very large or very small meal counts are less practical.
- Goal band
- 1.6–2.2 g/kg
- Fat loss
- Activity shift
- 0 g/kg
- Moderate
- Applied band
- 1.6–2.2 g/kg
- clamped to 1.2–2.4 g/kg
How it is calculated. Protein needs are expressed per kilogram of body weight per day. We start from a goal band — about 1.2–1.6 g/kg to maintain, 1.6–2.2 g/kg for fat loss or building muscle — and nudge it by training load (sedentary −0.1, very active +0.2 g/kg), clamped to a 1.2–2.4 g/kg window. Multiplying by body weight gives the grams/day range; the midpoint divided by your meals gives a grams-per-meal target. This is consistent with the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand (1.4–2.0 g/kg/day for active people; Jäger R et al., 2017) and with reviews of dieting athletes that recommend ~1.6–2.4 g/kg/day to preserve lean mass in a deficit. Worked example: 75 kg, moderate activity, fat loss, 4 meals → 120–165 g/day, midpoint ≈143 g, about 36 g/meal.
Hit your protein, protect your muscle
Knowing your number is step one — getting there without stalling appetite is the hard part. These honest, evidence-led reviews cover protein, satiety, and where supplements actually help:
Source. Per-kilogram protein ranges follow the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand on protein and exercise, which recommends roughly 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day for building and maintaining muscle in active people: Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. “International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise.” J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2017;14:20 (PMID 28642676). The higher fat-loss band (~1.6–2.4 g/kg/day to preserve lean mass during energy restriction) reflects reviews of dieting athletes (Helms ER et al., Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2014). This calculator is informational and not medical advice — it does not account for your individual health, kidney function, body composition, or clinical circumstances. Talk to a licensed clinician or registered dietitian before making large changes to how you eat.