Protein Intake Calculator

The current research-backed guidance for protein intake depends entirely on what you're trying to achieve. Sedentary adults: 0.8g per kilogram of bodyweight per day, the long-standing minimum to prevent muscle loss. General fitness or maintenance: 1.0-1.2g/kg, slightly above the minimum to support recovery from regular exercise. Building muscle: 1.6-2.2g/kg, the range repeatedly validated in meta-analyses of resistance-trained adults. Heavy training or athletes: 2.0-2.4g/kg, particularly during high-volume training blocks. Weight loss while preserving muscle: 1.6-2.2g/kg, on the high end because protein protects lean mass when calories are reduced.

For an 80kg adult aiming to build muscle, that works out to 128-176g of protein per day, typically split across 4 meals at 32-44g each. The per-meal target matters because muscle protein synthesis appears to plateau at around 30-40g of high-quality protein in a single sitting, so spreading intake gets more out of the same total than dumping it all in one shake.

If your body fat is high (above 25% for men, 32% for women), calculating protein on total bodyweight overshoots the actual requirement because fat tissue doesn't need protein to maintain. The tool offers a body fat percentage option that recalculates based on lean body mass instead. A 100kg person at 30% body fat has 70kg of lean mass; their muscle-building protein target should be 1.9 × 70 = 133g, not 1.9 × 100 = 190g.

For people in normal body fat ranges (10-25% men, 18-30% women), using total bodyweight is a reasonable simplification and the difference is usually under 10g per day. The lean mass calculation matters most for people who are significantly overweight and trying to drop body fat while keeping muscle - the protein number from total bodyweight would be unrealistic to actually eat, while the lean-mass figure is achievable and effective.

Whole-food sources average around 20-30g of protein per 100g portion: chicken breast (31g), beef (26g), salmon (25g), tuna (29g). Eggs sit lower at 6g per large egg but are cheap and complete-protein. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese give 10-11g per 100g and add convenience for snacking. Plant sources: tofu (15g), lentils (9g), chickpeas (9g), nuts (6g per 30g serving). Vegan diets need slightly higher total protein (perhaps +10%) because plant proteins are typically lower in leucine, the amino acid most directly linked to muscle protein synthesis.

Whey protein powder is the cheap-and-fast supplement, providing 20-25g per scoop with minimal calories and complete amino acid profile. It's not magical - whole food does the same job - but it solves the practical problem of hitting 150g+ per day without spending hours preparing meals. The [TDEE calculator](/tdee-calculator) helps work out your total calorie target so the protein number sits within a sensible total intake.