How much protein you need a day given your weight and what you do, in grams and in calories. It comes out as a range because the guidelines give a range, not one exact figure.
Protein per day
—
Protein per day—
Per kilo of body weight—
Per meal, across four meals—
In calories—
Situation applied—
Roughly equal to—
How this was worked out
Indicative result. These ranges are the sports-nutrition guidelines for healthy people. With kidney or liver disease protein is restricted, and a doctor sets the target.
The formula
grams per day = weight × grams per kilo for your goal
Where it comes from
The minimum of 0.8 grams per kilo is what prevents deficiency in a sedentary adult, not what optimises anything. Someone training for strength needs 1.6 to 2.2 to repair and build muscle; someone losing fat needs a little more still, because protein is what protects lean mass during a calorie deficit. Past sixty-five the recommendation also rises, because the body makes worse use of what arrives.
How to work it out by hand
Note your body weight in kilograms
Find the grams-per-kilo range that matches your situation
Multiply your weight by both ends of that range
Split the total across the day's meals, keeping each one under about 40 g
What is worth knowing
Spreading protein across the day matters almost as much as the total: the body does not store amino acids, and one huge meal is used less well than three or four spread out. The ranges above apply to total body weight; with significant obesity it is better to work from lean mass or from a healthy weight for your height, or the figure runs away. With kidney disease the calculation is different and a doctor sets it, not a calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is too much protein dangerous?
In a healthy person with normal kidneys, the amounts in these ranges have shown no harm. With kidney disease it is a different matter and a doctor decides.
Total weight or lean weight?
Total weight in most cases. With significant obesity use lean mass or a healthy weight for your height, or the figure runs away.
How much protein fits in one meal?
Around 30 to 40 grams is used well in a single sitting. More is not wasted, but it works less efficiently than spreading it out.
Do I need shakes?
No. A shake is convenient food, not an essential supplement: the same protein from ordinary meals does the same job.
Why does the recommendation rise with age?
Because past sixty-five muscle responds less well to the same amount of protein. It takes more for the same effect.
Cookies
We use our own cookies to remember your preferences: country, number format and the calculators you use most. Analytics and advertising cookies are only switched on if you accept them. More information.