Know your numbers
Protein calculator
Protein is the one macro where the evidence is clear enough to give a firm range. This calculator gives your daily target for your goal and splits it across your meals so each one does useful work.
Your numbers
Your protein target appears here
Enter your weight. Add body fat for a more precise target during a cut.
How it’s calculated
Building muscle
The largest meta-analysis to date (Morton et al., 2018) found the benefit of protein for muscle growth plateaued at about 1.6 g/kg/day, with the upper confidence limit at 2.2 g/kg. We target 1.8 g/kg and show that range.
Cutting
In a calorie deficit, needs rise. Helms et al. (2014) recommend 2.3–3.1 g/kg of lean mass for lean lifters — used here when you give a body-fat estimate.
Per meal
Schoenfeld & Aragon (2018) suggest about 0.4 g/kg per meal across at least four meals to maximise daily muscle protein synthesis. Two giant protein meals work less well than four moderate ones.
Higher body fat
Bodyweight-based targets overshoot for people with a lot of body fat, so above ~25% (men) or ~32% (women) we calculate from an adjusted weight.
Full sources and limitations are on the methodology page. Estimates are for healthy adults and are not medical advice.
Questions
Is more protein always better?
No. Above about 2.2 g/kg there is little additional muscle benefit for most people, though higher intakes can help with fullness during a cut.
Is high protein bad for your kidneys?
In healthy people, intakes in these ranges have not been shown to harm kidney function. If you have kidney disease, follow your doctor’s advice.