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Protein Calculator for General Health
Calculate your daily protein needs for general health and weight maintenance. Based on the recommended dietary allowance of 0.8–1.2 g/kg body weight per day.
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Adjust the fields, then calculate your daily protein target below.
Understanding Baseline Protein Needs
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 g per kg of body weight per day for healthy adults. This is the minimum to prevent deficiency and maintain basic body functions, including immune health, enzyme production, and tissue repair.
Many nutrition experts now suggest that 1.0–1.2 g/kg may be more optimal for overall health, especially for active adults. Our calculator uses these updated ranges to provide a practical daily target.
Maintenance Protein Targets by Body Weight
| Body Weight | Baseline RDA | Practical Daily Range | Best Fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg / 110 lb | 40 g | 50-60 g | Smaller sedentary adults |
| 70 kg / 154 lb | 56 g | 70-84 g | Average active adults |
| 90 kg / 198 lb | 72 g | 90-108 g | Larger adults or regular exercisers |
| 110 kg / 243 lb | 88 g | 110-132 g | Use lean-mass adjustment if body fat is high |
Baseline RDA uses 0.8 g/kg. The practical range uses 1.0-1.2 g/kg for adults who want a more robust maintenance target.
When Maintenance Protein Is Not Enough
Part of your everyday.
Regular Training
If you lift weights, run, cycle, or play sport several times per week, use the recommended target rather than the minimum. Training increases repair demands even when your body weight is stable.
Dieting or Appetite Loss
Weight loss, low appetite, and skipped meals all raise the risk of under-eating protein. In those cases, use the weight-loss or senior calculator instead of a baseline maintenance estimate.
Older Adults
Adults over 65 often need more protein per meal to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. A target near 1.0-1.2 g/kg is a better starting point than the minimum RDA.
Medical Context
Pregnancy, kidney disease, recovery from surgery, and chronic illness need individualized guidance. Use this calculator as a screening estimate, not a medical prescription.
Formula Used for Maintenance Protein
Maintenance protein is the simplest calculation on the site: convert body weight to kilograms, multiply by the maintenance range, then divide by meals if you want a per-meal target.
| Input | Formula | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | body weight in kg × 0.8 g/kg | Matches the adult RDA baseline used to prevent inadequate intake. |
| Recommended | body weight in kg × 1.0 g/kg | A practical default for adults who want a buffer above the minimum. |
| Higher maintenance | body weight in kg × 1.2 g/kg | Useful for active adults, older adults, or people with uneven meal patterns. |
When body fat is high and entered in advanced settings, the calculator can use adjusted weight to avoid over-estimating.
Worked Example for Maintenance
For a 70 kg adult whose goal is stable weight and general health:
for this example
- 1. RDA baseline: 70 kg × 0.8 g/kg = 56 g/day.
- 2. Recommended maintenance: 70 kg × 1.0 g/kg = 70 g/day.
- 3. Higher maintenance: 70 kg × 1.2 g/kg = 84 g/day.
- 4. Across three meals, 70-84 g/day is about 23-28 g per meal.
A realistic maintenance target for this person is 70-84 g/day.
When to Use This Calculator
Use this page for a baseline
Best for stable weight, general health, and light-to-moderate activity.
Explore calculatorUse muscle-gain calculator when lifting
Better when progressive resistance training and hypertrophy are the goal.
Explore calculatorUse weight-loss calculator in a deficit
Better when calories are reduced and lean-mass retention matters.
Explore calculatorUse seniors calculator after 65
Better when age-related muscle maintenance changes the target.
Explore calculatorMatching Guides
Sources reviewed
- Dietary Reference Intakes summary tables - National Academies Press
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 - USDA Food and Nutrition Service
- International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise - Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 100g protein per day enough?
For many adults, 100g protein per day is enough for general health and moderate training. It equals about 1.4 g/kg for a 70 kg person and about 1.0 g/kg for a 100 kg person. Larger people, lean dieting phases, serious lifting, and some older adults may need more.
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
A strong evidence-based range for muscle gain is 1.6-2.2 g/kg body weight per day, or about 0.7-1.0 g/lb, alongside progressive resistance training. Start near the middle of the range if you train consistently and adjust based on appetite, calories, and progress.
How much protein do I need to lose weight?
During weight loss, many people do well around 1.2-2.0 g/kg body weight per day. The higher end is most useful when you are lifting weights, eating a larger calorie deficit, already lean, or trying to preserve as much muscle as possible.
How much protein should I eat if I weigh 70 kg?
At 70 kg, the RDA minimum is about 56g per day. A practical maintenance range is about 70-84g, weight loss commonly lands around 84-140g, and muscle gain commonly lands around 112-154g per day.
How much protein should I eat if I weigh 150 lb?
At 150 lb, or about 68 kg, the RDA minimum is about 54g per day. A practical maintenance range is about 68-82g, weight loss commonly lands around 82-136g, and muscle gain commonly lands around 109-150g per day.
Should I use lean body mass or total body weight?
Total body weight works well for most people. Lean body mass or adjusted body weight is useful when body fat is high because total body weight can overestimate protein needs. This calculator uses an adjusted weight when body fat percentage is entered above 30%.
Can too much protein damage kidneys?
In healthy adults, evidence does not show that common high-protein ranges for fitness damage healthy kidneys. Kidney disease is different: people with reduced kidney function, albuminuria, dialysis, diabetes-related kidney concerns, or medical kidney advice should follow a clinician or renal dietitian's protein target.
What happens if I do not eat enough protein?
Chronically low protein can make it harder to maintain muscle, recover from training, stay full during dieting, and support normal tissue repair and immune function. Severe deficiency is uncommon in people eating enough varied food, but low appetite and calorie restriction can make intake too low.
Is protein powder necessary?
No. Protein powder is a convenience food, not a requirement. Whole foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans, and soy foods can meet your target. Powder can help when appetite, schedule, or meal prep makes food protein difficult.
How much protein do vegetarians need?
Vegetarians can usually use the same daily target range, but they may need more planning because some plant-forward meals are lower in leucine or total protein density. Use soy foods, dairy or eggs if included, lentils, beans, seitan, tempeh, paneer, Greek yogurt, and varied grains to distribute protein across the day.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates based on published research and dietary guidelines. Consult a registered dietitian or healthcare provider for personalized guidance.