Protein Intake Estimator
Daily protein target in grams from weight, body fat %, activity and goal, worked out from lean mass and split across 3 to 6 meals. How it works
Use the Protein Intake Estimator
About the Protein Intake Estimator
A 70 kg adult at 15% body fat with moderate activity needs 95 g of protein a day to maintain, 130 g for a lean bulk and 145 g on a cut, by this estimator. It works from lean mass, not total weight: protein = lean mass × goal factor × activity factor, rounded to the nearest 5 g, then split over 3 to 6 meals (four by default).
Daily protein target for 70 kg at moderate activity
| Body fat | Lean mass | Maintain | Lean bulk | Cut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 63 kg | 100 g | 140 g | 150 g |
| 15% | 59.5 kg | 95 g | 130 g | 145 g |
| 20% | 56 kg | 90 g | 125 g | 135 g |
| 25% | 52.5 kg | 85 g | 115 g | 125 g |
| 30% | 49 kg | 80 g | 110 g | 120 g |
| 35% | 45.5 kg | 75 g | 100 g | 110 g |
Goal factors 1.6 (maintain), 2.2 (lean bulk) and 2.4 (cut) per kg of lean mass, activity factor 1.0, rounded to 5 g.
How activity changes the target (70 kg, 15% body fat)
| Activity | Factor | Maintain | Cut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 0.8 | 75 g (1.3 g/kg lean) | 115 g (1.9 g/kg lean) |
| Moderate | 1.0 | 95 g (1.6 g/kg lean) | 145 g (2.4 g/kg lean) |
| Active | 1.1 | 105 g (1.8 g/kg lean) | 155 g (2.6 g/kg lean) |
| Very active | 1.2 | 115 g (1.9 g/kg lean) | 170 g (2.9 g/kg lean) |
| Athlete | 1.3 | 125 g (2.1 g/kg lean) | 185 g (3.1 g/kg lean) |
g/kg lean is the rounded target divided by 59.5 kg of lean mass. Above 1.8 the tool labels the target High, above 2.5 Very high.
The 95 g maintain target by meals a day
| Meals a day | Grams per meal |
|---|---|
| 3 | 30, 30 and 35 g |
| 4 | 25, 30, 25 and 15 g |
| 5 | 20, 20, 20, 20 and 15 g |
| 6 | 15, 15, 15, 15, 15 and 20 g |
70 kg, 15% body fat, moderate activity. Each meal is rounded to 5 g and the last one takes the difference, so it can be larger or smaller than the rest. Four meals are breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack at 25, 30, 25 and 20%.
How to use this tool
- Enter your weight in kg or lbs (30 to 300 kg) and your age (18 to 100; it does not change the result).
- Pick sex, which only sets the starting body fat: 15% for male, 25% for female. Replace it with your own estimate from a scale, calipers or a DEXA scan.
- Choose an activity level and a goal: maintain, lean bulk or cut.
- Pick 3, 4, 5 or 6 meals a day. Four meals use a 25, 30, 25 and 20% split for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack; the other counts share the target evenly.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take a GLP-1 medicine, or have kidney disease or dialysis, choose it under Your situation: the page adds a note to speak with a clinician and does not change the number.
- Use the links under the result: Space these meals through the day opens the Protein Timing Window with the target and meal count, and the Protein Calculator gives a grams-per-kg range from total weight.
Frequently asked questions
- How much protein do I need a day?
- For a 70 kg adult at 15% body fat and moderate activity, this estimator gives 95 g to maintain, 130 g for a lean bulk and 145 g on a cut. Its goal factors (1.6, 2.2 and 2.4 per kg of lean mass) and activity factors (0.8 to 1.3) are its own, not a published standard. The International Society of Sports Nutrition puts most exercising people at 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg of body weight a day; the maintain figure can sit just under that range because this tool counts lean mass only.
- Why does body fat change my protein target?
- The target is built on lean mass, and fat mass is left out. At 70 kg and moderate activity on maintain, 10% body fat gives 100 g and 30% gives 80 g.
- How much protein should I eat on a cut?
- This tool uses a goal factor of 2.4 per kg of lean mass for a cut, the highest of its three. The ISSN position stand says resistance-trained people in a calorie deficit may need 2.3 to 3.1 g/kg a day to hold on to lean mass.
- How much protein per meal?
- With four meals the tool splits the day 25, 30, 25 and 20% across breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack; with 3, 5 or 6 it shares the target evenly. Each meal is rounded to 5 g. The ISSN suggests 20 to 40 g, or 0.25 g per kg of body weight, every 3 to 4 hours.
- Does age change how much protein I need?
- Not in this tool: age is checked to be 18 to 100 and otherwise ignored. The factors are for adults.
- What do the Your situation options do?
- They add a note and leave the number as it is: the factors are meant for healthy adults, and in pregnancy or breastfeeding, kidney disease or dialysis, or on a GLP-1 medicine, protein is a question for your clinician. For GLP-1 medicines, a 2025 joint advisory from four obesity and nutrition societies says there is no consensus yet on how to set protein targets and recommends working with a registered dietitian.
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