Protein Calculator
How much protein per day: enter weight in kg or lb, activity level and goal for a daily range in grams. 70 kg, moderate, maintain gives 70 to 84 g. How it works
Use the Protein Calculator
About the Protein Calculator
A 70 kg person with a moderate activity level and a maintain goal gets 70 to 84 g of protein a day from this calculator, which is 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg of body weight. The ranges are its own: 0.8 to 1.0 g per kg for sedentary up to 1.6 to 2.0 g per kg for athlete, plus 0.4 g per kg to build muscle or 0.3 g per kg to lose fat.
Grams of protein per kg of body weight a day, by activity level and goal
| Activity level | Maintain | Build muscle | Lose fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 0.8 to 1.0 | 1.2 to 1.4 | 1.1 to 1.3 |
| Moderate | 1.0 to 1.2 | 1.4 to 1.6 | 1.3 to 1.5 |
| Active | 1.2 to 1.6 | 1.6 to 2.0 | 1.5 to 1.9 |
| Athlete | 1.6 to 2.0 | 2.0 to 2.4 | 1.9 to 2.3 |
This calculator’s own factors, not a published standard. Build muscle adds 0.4 g per kg to both ends of the range and lose fat adds 0.3 g per kg.
Grams of protein a day for the maintain goal, by body weight
| Body weight | Sedentary | Moderate | Active | Athlete |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 40 to 50 g | 50 to 60 g | 60 to 80 g | 80 to 100 g |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 48 to 60 g | 60 to 72 g | 72 to 96 g | 96 to 120 g |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 56 to 70 g | 70 to 84 g | 84 to 112 g | 112 to 140 g |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 64 to 80 g | 80 to 96 g | 96 to 128 g | 128 to 160 g |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 72 to 90 g | 90 to 108 g | 108 to 144 g | 144 to 180 g |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 80 to 100 g | 100 to 120 g | 120 to 160 g | 160 to 200 g |
Grams are the body weight in kg times the factor, rounded to a whole gram.
Protein in food terms for 70 to 84 g a day (70 kg, moderate, maintain)
| Food | Protein per serving | Amount for 70 g | Amount for 84 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large eggs | 6.3 g per 1 large egg (50 g) | 11 eggs | 13 eggs |
| Cooked chicken breast | 31 g per 100 g, roasted, no skin | 225 g | 270 g |
| Cooked lentils | 9.02 g per 100 g, boiled | 775 g | 930 g |
| Firm tofu | 17.3 g per 100 g, raw | 405 g | 485 g |
The In food terms table the calculator shows: the amount of one food alone that supplies each end of the range, eggs to the whole egg and other foods to the nearest 5 g. Protein values are USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) entries 171287, 171477, 172421 and 172475; brands and cuts differ.
Methodology
Grams per day = body weight in kg × factor, once for each end of the range. The factor is the activity range plus the goal add-on. Pounds are converted at 2.20462 lb per kg. The factors are this calculator’s own and are not taken from a published standard.
How to use this tool
- Enter your body weight and choose kg or lbs. A weight above 0 and up to 500 kg (1102.31 lbs) is accepted.
- Choose your activity level and your goal.
- Read the daily range in grams and the grams per kg it comes from, and the In food terms table for what that range looks like as eggs, chicken, lentils or tofu.
Frequently asked questions
- How much protein do I need per day?
- It depends on the factor you pick. This calculator gives 56 to 70 g at 70 kg for a sedentary maintain goal and 112 to 140 g for an athlete. The National Academies list 0.8 g per kg for adults as the Recommended Dietary Allowance, which is 56 g at 70 kg. The ISSN position stand gives 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg for most exercising people, or 98 to 140 g at 70 kg.
- How much protein per kg do I need to build muscle?
- This calculator adds 0.4 g per kg to your activity range. A moderately active 70 kg person gets 1.4 to 1.6 g per kg, or 98 to 112 g, and an athlete gets 2.0 to 2.4 g per kg, or 140 to 168 g.
- How much protein do I need when losing fat?
- This calculator adds 0.3 g per kg. Its highest row, athlete and lose fat, is 1.9 to 2.3 g per kg, or 133 to 161 g at 70 kg. The ISSN position stand says resistance-trained people may need 2.3 to 3.1 g per kg in a calorie deficit to keep lean mass, so the top of this calculator’s range is the bottom of that one.
- Are these factors from a standard?
- No. The activity ranges and the muscle and fat add-ons are this calculator’s own. The page prints the ISSN figures beside the result so you can compare. The sedentary and moderate maintain rows sit below the ISSN range for exercising people.
- How do I convert pounds to kilograms for protein?
- Divide pounds by 2.20462, or choose lbs and type the pounds: 154 lb is 69.9 kg and gives 70 to 84 g for a moderate maintain goal. A link that sets only the unit to lbs converts the number already in the field, exactly as choosing lbs does.
- How many eggs or how much chicken is my daily protein?
- A large egg has 6.3 g of protein and 100 g of roasted chicken breast 31 g, by USDA FoodData Central. So the 70 to 84 g range of a 70 kg, moderately active person is 11 to 13 eggs, or 225 to 270 g of chicken, if one food supplied it all. The calculator also shows boiled lentils (775 to 930 g) and firm tofu (405 to 485 g). A real day mixes foods, so read these as scale, not a menu.
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