How much protein do I need?
Your daily protein target, from your weight and goal.
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How much protein do you need a day?
The official minimum for adults is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day. That covers basic needs for someone who doesn't exercise, but most research on fat loss, training and ageing points higher.
This calculator uses ranges from published research: 0.8–1.0 g/kg for general health (1.0–1.2 g/kg from age 65), 1.2–1.6 g/kg while losing weight, 1.4–2.0 g/kg if you exercise regularly, and 1.6–2.2 g/kg to build muscle.
Protein for weight loss
In a calorie deficit your body can break down muscle as well as fat. Eating more protein, roughly 1.2–1.6 g/kg, helps protect lean mass, keeps you fuller for longer, and costs more energy to digest than carbohydrate or fat.
If your BMI is 30 or more, the calculator works from a healthy weight for your height instead of your current weight, because per-kilogram targets assume most of that weight is muscle.
Spreading protein across the day
Your muscles use protein best in doses of about 20–40 g, so the result also shows a per-meal figure for three meals and a snack. Eggs, Greek yoghurt, chicken, fish, tofu, lentils and cottage cheese all make it easy to hit.
Tracking is the simplest way to know whether you are getting there. Diat reads protein, carbs and fat from a photo of your plate, so you can check your daily total without weighing anything.
