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Daily Protein Intake Calculator

How much protein do I need per day?

How it is calculated

The tool multiplies body weight by a fixed grams-per-kilogram factor that depends on the activity level you choose: protein (g/day) = weight (kg) × factor. The factors are 0.8 g/kg for a sedentary person, 1.4 g/kg for an active person and 2.0 g/kg for an athlete. The product is rounded to the nearest whole gram. Weight must be above zero and is entered in kilograms, not pounds. An unrecognised activity value falls back to the active factor. The figure is a general estimate of daily need, not a prescription: it does not account for age, pregnancy, kidney disease or other medical conditions, where a doctor or dietitian should set the target.

Worked example

A person weighing 70 kg chooses the active level, so the factor is 1.4 g/kg. Daily protein: 70 × 1.4 = 98 grams, which the tool shows as 98 g. With the sedentary factor the same person would get 70 × 0.8 = 56 g, and with the athlete factor 70 × 2.0 = 140 g, so the activity choice changes the answer far more than a few kilograms of weight.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Entering weight in pounds. The field is in kilograms, so 154 lb must be typed as about 70.
  • Choosing the athlete level for a few light workouts a week; it nearly doubles the sedentary target.
  • Treating the result as grams of food. It is grams of protein itself, and 100 g of meat or beans contains far less protein than that.
  • Applying the figure unchanged during illness, pregnancy or kidney problems, where needs differ.

About this calculator

This tool estimates daily protein requirement in grams from body weight and an activity or goal setting — protein needs scale with body weight, but the right multiplier per kilogram varies a lot depending on whether someone is sedentary, doing regular endurance or strength training, or actively trying to build muscle or lose fat while preserving it. General health guidelines set a baseline around 0.8 g/kg, but people who train seriously typically need well above that.

It is used by people following a structured fitness or bodybuilding program who want a concrete daily gram target rather than a vague guideline, by dieters trying to preserve muscle mass during a calorie deficit, and by anyone adjusting their diet after starting a new training routine. Nutritionists and trainers use the same weight-based formulas when setting macro targets for clients.

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