Protein calculator
See how much protein you need each day in grams, from the recommended dietary allowance for adults to the higher ranges used for muscle gain and older adults, and what that looks like in food.
Per meal, 3 meals a day
- Spread evenly
- at least 19 g
- ISSN guide if you train0.25 g/kg a meal
- 18 g
For people who exercise, the ISSN suggests about 0.25 g/kg, or 20–40 g, of protein per meal, spread evenly every 3–4 hours.
Protein guidelines for 160 lb
- RDA, adults0.8 g/kg
- 58 g
- Dietary Guidelines 2025–20301.2–1.6 g/kg
- 87–116 g
- Age 65 or older1.0–1.2 g/kg
- 73–87 g
- Endurance training1.4–2.0 g/kg
- 102–145 g
- Strength training or building muscle1.6–2.2 g/kg
- 116–160 g
Protein in common foods
- Chicken breast, roasted, no skinhalf a breast (86 g)
- 27 g
- Lentils, boiled1 cup (198 g)
- 18 g
- Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat (one brand)100 g
- 10 g
- Egg, hard-boiled1 large (50 g)
- 6 g
Values from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy).
An estimate from published guidelines for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you have kidney or liver disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are managing a health condition, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian what is right for you.
- Free, no sign-up
- Works on phone and desktop
How to work out your daily protein
- 1
Choose US units or Metric and enter your body weight.
- 2
Pick the situation that fits you: most adults, age 65 or older, endurance training, or strength training.
- 3
Choose 3 or 4 meals to see how much protein each meal needs.
- 4
Compare your range with the other guidelines, and see how much protein a few common foods provide.
Features
Ranges from the research
Each situation uses a published range, from the adult RDA to the amounts studied for building muscle.
Adults over 65 included
Older adults need more protein per kilogram than younger ones to hold on to muscle, and get their own range.
Per meal, not just per day
See your daily range split across three or four meals, with the per-meal guide sports nutrition research uses.
Stays on your device
Your weight is never sent anywhere or kept in the page address.
How the calculator works
Protein needs are set per kilogram of body weight, so the calculator converts your weight to kilograms (pounds ÷ 2.2046) and multiplies by the range for your situation:
- Most adults: at least 0.8 g/kg, the RDA (National Academies, 2005), with the 1.2–1.6 g/kg goal from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 shown alongside.
- Age 65 or older: 1.0–1.2 g/kg (PROT-AGE study group, 2013).
- Endurance training: 1.4–2.0 g/kg, the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s range for most people who exercise (2017).
- Strength training: about 1.6 g/kg, up to 2.2 (Morton et al., 2018).
- Per meal = the daily amount ÷ the number of meals.
Daily protein by body weight
Grams of protein a day at common body weights, for four of the ranges above:
| Body weight | RDA (0.8 g/kg) | Dietary Guidelines (1.2–1.6) | Over 65 (1.0–1.2) | Strength training (1.6–2.2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 lb (50 kg) | 40 g | 60–80 g | 50–60 g | 80–110 g |
| 130 lb (59 kg) | 47 g | 71–94 g | 59–71 g | 94–130 g |
| 150 lb (68 kg) | 54 g | 82–109 g | 68–82 g | 109–150 g |
| 170 lb (77 kg) | 62 g | 93–123 g | 77–93 g | 123–170 g |
| 190 lb (86 kg) | 69 g | 103–138 g | 86–103 g | 138–190 g |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 80 g | 120–160 g | 100–120 g | 160–220 g |
The RDA column is a floor, not a target: it’s the amount that meets the needs of nearly all healthy adults.
Worked examples
- A 70-year-old woman who weighs 140 lb (64 kg) needs about 64–76 g of protein a day by the PROT-AGE advice, or more if she exercises regularly. Over three meals that’s 21–25 g each.
- A man who weighs 180 lb (82 kg) and lifts weights four times a week would aim for about 131 g a day, up to 180 g. Spread over four meals, that’s 33–45 g each, close to the 20–40 g per meal the ISSN suggests.
Protein in common foods
Protein per portion and per 100 g, from USDA FoodData Central:
| Food | Portion | Protein | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, roasted, no skin | half a breast (86 g) | 26.7 g | 31 g |
| Lentils, boiled | 1 cup (198 g) | 17.9 g | 9 g |
| Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat (one brand) | 100 g | 9.5 g | 9.5 g |
| Egg, hard-boiled | 1 large (50 g) | 6.3 g | 12.6 g |
Meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils, soy, nuts and seeds all supply protein, and the guidelines encourage a variety of them. Grains and vegetables add smaller amounts that still count toward the total.
When to ask a doctor first
These ranges are for healthy adults. If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before eating more protein: people with severe kidney disease who aren’t on dialysis may need to limit it. In pregnancy the National Academies’ RDA is 1.1 g/kg a day, and newer studies suggest needs may be higher late in pregnancy, so ask your doctor or midwife; breastfeeding, illness, recovery from surgery and some medicines change needs too. Children and teens have their own RDAs.
To turn your protein into a full plan, enter your calories in the macro calculator, which splits them into protein, carbs and fat. Work out those calories with the TDEE calculator, or the calorie deficit calculator if you’re losing weight. The body fat calculator estimates your lean mass.
Sources
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. The National Academies Press, 2005.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030. January 2026.
- Bauer J, Biolo G et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2013.
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017.
- Morton RW, Murphy KT et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018.
- Elango R, Ball RO. Protein and amino acid requirements during pregnancy. Advances in Nutrition, 2016.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central (SR Legacy).
An estimate for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are recovering from illness or surgery, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian how much protein is right for you.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need a day?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight, about 58 g a day for someone who weighs 160 lb. That’s the amount that covers nearly all healthy adults, not an upper limit. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 set a higher goal of 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg, 87–116 g at 160 lb.
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
About 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight a day for most people who lift weights. A 2018 meta-analysis of 49 studies found that protein beyond about 1.6 g/kg added no more muscle on average; the uncertainty around that figure reaches about 2.2 g/kg, so some people may benefit from a little more. The International Society of Sports Nutrition gives 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg for most people who exercise.
Do older adults need more protein?
Yes. The PROT-AGE study group recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kilogram a day for people over 65, 1.2 g/kg or more for those who exercise, and 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg for most older adults with an acute or chronic illness. The exception is severe kidney disease not treated with dialysis, where protein may need to be limited.
How much protein should I eat per meal?
For people who exercise, the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests about 0.25 g per kilogram of body weight per meal, or 20 to 40 g, spread evenly every 3 to 4 hours. For a 160 lb person, 0.25 g/kg is about 18 g.
Can you eat too much protein?
For healthy people who exercise, the ISSN’s 2017 review found that higher protein intakes had no harmful effect on blood lipids or on markers of kidney and liver function. That doesn’t apply to everyone: if you have kidney disease, diabetes or another condition, ask your doctor before raising your protein. Very high intakes also leave less room in your calories for other foods.
How much protein do I need when pregnant?
The National Academies set one RDA for pregnancy, 1.1 g per kilogram of body weight a day, higher than the 0.8 g/kg for other adults. A 2016 review by Elango and Ball points out that needs change as pregnancy goes on: newer studies estimate about 1.2 g/kg early in pregnancy and about 1.5 g/kg late. Your doctor or midwife can tell you what suits you.
Do I need protein powder?
No. Food can provide all the protein most people need. The ISSN notes that supplements are a convenient way to add protein for very active people, but they aren’t required, and this calculator doesn’t recommend any product.
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