Protein Intake Calculator
How much protein do you actually need? It scales with body weight and goal — maintenance needs far less than muscle building or dieting. Get your daily range in grams, plus a per-meal breakdown.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your body weight in kilograms.
- Choose the goal that matches your training and diet phase.
- Set meals per day to see the per-meal split — spreading protein across meals aids muscle protein synthesis.
Formula used
The RDA (0.8 g/kg) is a minimum to prevent deficiency, not an optimum. Sports nutrition research (ISSN, ACSM) supports 1.6–2.2 g/kg for muscle growth, and higher intakes (up to ~2.4 g/kg) during calorie deficits to preserve lean mass.
Example calculation
A 75 kg person training for muscle: 75 × (1.6–2.2) = 120–165 g/day, midpoint ≈ 143 g.
Across 4 meals that's ~36 g per meal — roughly a chicken breast, a bowl of dal with paneer, or a scoop of whey with milk each time.
How much protein you really need
Protein needs scale with lean mass and training stress. The official RDA of 0.8 g/kg keeps a sedentary person out of deficiency; anyone lifting, running seriously or dieting benefits from roughly double that. During fat loss, higher protein protects muscle and blunts hunger — the double win behind high-protein diet advice.
Distribution matters modestly too: 3–5 feedings of 25–40 g each stimulate muscle protein synthesis better than one giant dinner. Beyond ~2.4 g/kg, healthy kidneys cope fine but additional benefit fades — more isn't better, enough is.
Why use this calculator?
- Get a goal-specific gram target instead of the one-size RDA.
- See the per-meal number that makes hitting the total practical.
- Anchor the target with real-food references (chicken, eggs, dal, paneer).
Frequently asked questions
Is 2 g of protein per kg too much?
For healthy adults who train, no — 1.6–2.2 g/kg is the evidence-backed range for muscle building, and studies show no kidney harm in healthy people at these intakes. People with existing kidney disease should follow medical advice.
Can I only absorb 30 g of protein per meal?
You absorb virtually all of it; the myth confuses absorption with the muscle-building response, which does plateau per sitting. Practically, 25–40 g per meal several times a day is the efficient pattern — larger amounts aren't wasted, just less additionally anabolic.
Do I need protein powder?
No — it's a convenience, not a requirement. Meat, fish, eggs, dairy, dal, soy and paneer can cover any target; powder simply makes 140 g/day easier on a busy schedule.