Protein calculator: how much protein do I need a day?
If you exercise, aim for 1.6 to 2.0 g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day (0.7 to 0.9 g per pound): 1.6 to maintain, and up to 2.0 while losing fat or building muscle. The minimum for health, the RDA, is 0.8 g per kg. Put in your details for your own number.
By Jacob Chavez-Navarro, founder of ToneUpdated
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
About 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of body weight a day, alongside resistance training. The biggest meta-analysis found gains level off around 1.6 g per kg on average, with some people benefiting up to 2.2. Tone sets 2.0 g per kg for Build muscle, where protein matters most, and 1.8 for Gain weight, still well inside the range.
How much protein should I eat to lose weight?
More than usual: about 2.0 g per kg. In a calorie deficit your body is more likely to break down muscle, and higher protein protects it. Protein also keeps you fuller for longer than the same calories of carbs or fat. The ISSN puts the range for people in a deficit at 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg, and higher for lean athletes.
Why doesn’t the calculator just multiply my weight?
Protein need follows muscle, not total weight. At 2 g per kg, a 150 kg body would be asked for 300 g a day, which few people could eat or need. So above a BMI of 25 the calculator uses an “adjusted” weight: your weight at BMI 25 plus 40% of the rest. A kilo either side of the line moves protein by a few grams, not a jump.
Protein is also capped at 35% of the day’s calories, so there’s always room for carbs and fat.
How much protein is in common foods?
- A large egg: about 6 g
- Chicken breast, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz): about 31 g
- Greek yogurt, plain nonfat, 170 g (6 oz): about 17 g
- Canned tuna in water, drained, 100 g: about 25 g
- Lentils, cooked, 1 cup: about 18 g
- Firm tofu, 100 g: about 16 g
Figures from USDA FoodData Central. Brands vary, so check the label for packaged foods.
How do I hit my protein goal?
Spread it across the day, about 25 to 40 g a meal, and track it until you know what that looks like. In Tone you say the meal and see the protein straight away, with a running total for the day. Want the full plan with calories? Use the calorie calculator.
Sources
- Morton RW et al. Protein supplementation and muscle mass: a meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med, 2018
- Jäger R et al. ISSN position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2017
- Helms ER et al. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2014
- Iraki J et al. Nutrition recommendations for bodybuilders in the off-season. Sports, 2019
- National Academies. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids, 2005
- USDA FoodData Central
About the author
Jacob is a product designer and the founder of Tone. Before Tone, he co-founded Boba, an AI-native trading app, as its chief product officer, and designed products at Decrypt.
For healthy adults, for information only, and not medical advice. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, or have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing how you eat.
