What the protein calculator does
The protein calculator turns your body weight and goal into a daily protein target in grams. It uses the grams-per-kilogram ranges that sports-nutrition research and major dietary guidelines agree on, then shows you a low end, a midpoint and an upper end so you have a sensible range rather than a single rigid number. Protein is the one macronutrient most people under-eat, and getting it right is the highest-leverage change for body composition, recovery and appetite control.
How much protein you actually need
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 g per kg of body weight — but that's the minimum to prevent deficiency in sedentary adults, not the optimum for an active person. Once you train, the evidence supports a good deal more:
- Sedentary / general health: 0.8–1.0 g/kg
- Active / general fitness: 1.2–1.6 g/kg
- Endurance training: 1.4–1.8 g/kg
- Building muscle / strength: 1.6–2.2 g/kg
- Fat loss (preserving muscle): 1.8–2.4 g/kg
For a 75 kg person aiming to build muscle, that's about 120–165 g of protein a day. The upper figures during fat loss exist because protein both keeps you full and protects lean tissue when calories are low.
Spread it across the day
Total daily protein matters most, but distribution helps. Muscle protein synthesis responds best to roughly 20–40 g of high-quality protein per meal, so splitting your target across 3–5 meals beats loading it all into dinner. A practical pattern is a protein source at every meal plus one protein-rich snack.
Do you need a shake?
No — whole foods can cover the whole target. Chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, lean beef, tofu, tempeh, lentils and beans are all excellent. Protein powder is simply convenient: a single scoop of whey adds about 25 g for around 120 calories, which is handy if you struggle to hit the number from food alone or train fasted.
Is high protein safe?
For healthy adults with normal kidney function, intakes up to about 2 g/kg are well supported by the research with no harm shown. People with existing kidney disease should follow their doctor's guidance, as should anyone pregnant or managing a medical condition. There's also no benefit to going far above 2.2 g/kg for muscle gain — extra protein beyond that is just extra calories.
Use with the other tools
To set total calories alongside protein, use the calorie calculator. For a full protein/carb/fat split, the macro calculator builds on the same logic. To track what you actually eat, the food calorie calculator includes protein per item.