Calculator

Protein calculator

This protein calculator gives you a daily protein target in grams from your body weight and goal, using the same grams-per-kilogram rules Meal Planner Pro uses in your meal plan, next to the basic 0.8 g per kg recommended daily allowance.

Calculate your protein target

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Daily protein for your goal

126 g/day

1.8 g per kg of body weight

RDA minimum (0.8 g/kg)

56 g/day

Basic requirement for adults

Estimates for healthy adults, not medical advice.

How the protein calculator works

It multiplies your weight in kilograms by a factor for your goal:

  • Lose weight: 1.8 g per kg
  • Maintain weight: 1.6 g per kg
  • Build muscle: 2.0 g per kg (Meal Planner Pro uses 2.2 g per kg if you're building muscle while losing weight)
  • Gain weight: 1.6 g per kg
  • Reference: the RDA for adults is 0.8 g per kg (Harvard Health Publishing, June 22, 2023)

A worked example

At 70 kg, the RDA is about 56 g a day, a maintain-weight target is about 112 g, and a lose-weight target about 126 g.

Spread over three meals, 126 g is roughly 42 g per meal.

Easy ways to reach your target

  • Build each meal around a protein: eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken, fish, tofu, lentils or beans.
  • Add a protein snack such as yogurt, edamame or roasted chickpeas.
  • Combine plant proteins across the day, such as lentils and rice.
If you have kidney disease or another condition that limits protein, follow your doctor's or dietitian's advice instead.

Get meals planned to your protein target

Meal Planner Pro sets daily protein, carb and fat targets for your goal and plans every meal of the week to meet them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The RDA for adults is 0.8 g per kg of body weight, a basic minimum. People losing weight or building muscle often aim higher; Meal Planner Pro uses 1.6 to 2.0 g per kg depending on the goal.