Training and nutrition guide
Protein Calculator: How Many Grams A Day?
Enter your weight and goal for a daily protein range in grams, with each range tied to the study or position statement it comes from. Free, no sign-up, and your weight is not stored.
Short Answer
Most people who lift need about 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, which is 0.64 to 0.91 grams per pound. A 180-pound person lands between 114 and 163 grams. Enter your weight and goal below for your own range. Each range comes from a named study or position statement, not from a supplement label.
Updated
The calculator needs JavaScript. Without it, the table of worked examples below gives the range for six common body weights.
How does the calculator work?
It multiplies your body weight in kilograms by a grams-per-kilogram range for the goal you pick. Pounds are converted at 0.4536 kilograms each. The ranges are the ones in the table below, each tied to the paper or position statement that states it.
It uses the weight you type. The studies report protein per kilogram of body weight, so someone carrying a lot of extra weight may prefer to enter a goal weight. The studies do not settle that choice, so treat the result as a starting range, not a prescription.
Where does each range come from?
The adult Recommended Dietary Allowance of 0.8 g/kg is the floor for people who are not training. The International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand (PMID 28642676) says 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg a day is sufficient for most people who exercise, and that lean, resistance-trained people eating in a calorie deficit may need 2.3 to 3.1 g per kilogram of fat-free mass, not of total body weight, to hold on to muscle. This calculator asks only for body weight, so it has no fat-loss setting: applying that figure to total weight would overstate it.
A pooled analysis of 49 trials with 1,863 people (PMID 28698222) found that protein supplements stopped adding muscle once total intake passed about 1.62 g/kg a day. For people over 65 the PROT-AGE group (PMID 23867520) advises at least 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg, and at least 1.2 g/kg for those who exercise.
| Goal | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Not training, general health | 0.8 g/kg | The Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults, 0.8 g/kg (restated in PMID 27529275). For people over 65 the PROT-AGE group advises at least 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg (PMID 23867520). |
| Lifting to keep or build muscle | 1.4 to 2 g/kg | The International Society of Sports Nutrition says 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg is sufficient for most exercising people (PMID 28642676). For people over 65 who exercise, PROT-AGE advises at least 1.2 g/kg (PMID 23867520). |
What does that look like at common body weights?
The table is the calculator’s output for six body weights, so you can read your range without running it. Values are rounded to the nearest gram.
| Body weight | General health | Lifting |
|---|---|---|
| 120 lb (54 kg) | 44 g | 76 to 109 g |
| 140 lb (64 kg) | 51 g | 89 to 127 g |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 58 g | 102 to 145 g |
| 180 lb (82 kg) | 65 g | 114 to 163 g |
| 200 lb (91 kg) | 73 g | 127 to 181 g |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 80 g | 140 to 200 g |
Weight in pounds converted to kilograms at 0.4536, multiplied by the ranges in the sources table above. People over 65 use the adjusted ranges in the calculator.
How should you spread protein across the day?
The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests about 0.25 grams per kilogram of body weight, or an absolute 20 to 40 grams, of high-quality protein per serving, spread roughly every 3 to 4 hours (PMID 28642676). For an 80-kilogram person that is about 20 grams.
The same position stand says advice on the per-serving amount is mixed and depends on age and recent training. Treat 20 to 40 grams as a sensible target, not a threshold your muscles check.
Is more protein always better?
Not for building muscle. In the pooled analysis of 49 supplementation trials (PMID 28698222), total protein above about 1.62 g/kg a day gave no further gain in fat-free mass. The ISSN notes early evidence that very high intakes, above 3 g/kg, may help resistance-trained people lose fat, which is a narrow case.
Not everyone agrees extra protein is needed. A 2007 review (PMID 18577776) reports that the US and Canadian dietary reference panel suggested no additional protein for healthy adults who exercise. Sports nutrition groups since then have recommended more for lifters, which is why the calculator shows the sports ranges and labels them.
If you have kidney disease, ask your clinician before you raise protein.
What can a calculator not tell you?
It cannot set your calories, judge your food choices, or know your health history. Protein is one number in a plan. If food is where the plan keeps falling apart, Nutrition Only coaching is $200/mo and the application costs nothing. Steve “Doc” Ginevan, PhD reviews every application before any call.
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Sources
- ISSN position stand: protein and exercise (2017), PMID 28642676, read
- Protein supplementation and resistance training: meta-analysis (2018), PMID 28698222, read
- PROT-AGE position paper on protein in older people (2013), PMID 23867520, read
- Protein requirements during aging (2016), PMID 27529275, read
- Dietary protein requirements in athletes (2007), PMID 18577776, read
Titan Forge Fitness provides fitness and nutrition coaching. It is not medical care, and nothing here diagnoses, treats, or replaces advice from a physician, registered dietitian or physical therapist. If you have a medical condition, an injury, or symptoms that concern you, get clinical clearance before starting or changing a training or eating plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein do I need per day?
It depends on your goal. The adult allowance is 0.8 g/kg of body weight. People who lift are advised 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg (PMID 28642676). For a 180-pound person that is 114 to 163 grams a day. The calculator on this page does the sum for your weight.
How much protein per pound of body weight?
Multiply grams per kilogram by 0.4536. The 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg range for lifters is about 0.64 to 0.91 grams per pound of body weight.
How much protein do I need for body recomposition?
Body recomposition means losing fat while keeping or building muscle, so the useful range is the lifting range of 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg of body weight (PMID 28642676). Lean lifters in a calorie deficit may need more, 2.3 to 3.1 g per kilogram of fat-free mass in the ISSN position stand, which needs a body-composition measurement the calculator does not ask for. A pooled analysis of supplementation trials saw no further muscle gain above about 1.62 g/kg of total intake (PMID 28698222).
Do I need protein powder?
No. The total matters, not the source. Powder is a convenient way to reach a number. A pooled analysis of 49 trials (PMID 28698222) found that protein supplements added a small amount of muscle and strength during lifting programs, and that the extra stopped adding muscle once total intake passed about 1.62 g/kg a day.
Is high protein safe?
For healthy adults the ranges on this page are within what position statements describe for exercising people. If you have kidney disease or another condition, ask your clinician first. This page does not give medical advice.
Does the calculator store my weight?
No. Your weight is worked out in your browser and is not sent or saved. Like every page on this site, it is counted by the site’s analytics, and for this tool that includes which goal option was chosen.
Who Coaches At Titan Forge
Titan Forge Fitness is founded and led by Steve "Doc" Ginevan, PhD. He coaches training, nutrition, and accountability from an analytical, evidence-driven standpoint: assessment first, a plan built around real constraints, then weekly check-ins that adjust the plan from measured trends.