Calculate your recommended daily protein intake based on body weight and activity level.
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Protein needs scale with body weight and activity level: sedentary adults need less than athletes actively building or preserving muscle. This calculator uses ranges commonly cited in sports nutrition research, from about 0.8g/kg (general health baseline) up to 2.0g/kg for those in intense training or muscle-building phases. Protein needs vary more based on activity and goals than almost any other macronutrient — from 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (the minimum to prevent deficiency in sedentary adults) to over 2.2 grams per kilogram for athletes doing intense strength training aiming to build or preserve muscle. Needs rise with training because exercise causes microscopic muscle fiber damage that requires protein to repair and rebuild stronger. Because protein needs are calculated per kilogram of body weight, this number automatically scales with body size — but it's worth recalculating after any significant weight change (gain or loss) rather than sticking with an outdated target based on an old body weight that no longer reflects your current needs.
Protein requirements vary more dramatically based on activity level and goals than almost any other macronutrient, which explains why recommendations seen online range anywhere from 0.8 to over 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight — both numbers can be correct, just for very different people. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg set by nutrition science bodies is specifically calibrated as the minimum intake to prevent deficiency in a sedentary adult, not an optimal target for anyone trying to build or preserve muscle.
For people who strength train regularly, research consistently supports considerably higher intake — commonly cited ranges of 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg for muscle building, and similar or slightly higher ranges for people in a calorie deficit, where adequate protein becomes especially important for preserving lean muscle mass while losing fat. This is because resistance training creates microscopic muscle damage that requires amino acids for repair and growth (muscle protein synthesis), and insufficient protein availability caps how much of that repair signal can actually be converted into new muscle tissue.
Protein also carries the highest thermic effect of food among the three macronutrients — meaning the body burns more calories digesting and processing protein (estimates commonly cite 20-30% of protein's calories) compared to carbohydrate (5-10%) or fat (0-3%) — and it's the most satiating macronutrient per calorie, which is part of why higher-protein diets are often associated with easier appetite control during a calorie deficit, independent of any direct effect on muscle.
Distributing protein intake across three to four meals throughout the day, rather than concentrating most of it in one meal, is generally recommended because muscle protein synthesis appears to respond better to regularly spaced protein doses (commonly cited around 20-40 grams per meal, depending on body size) than to one very large intake followed by long gaps — though total daily intake still matters more than exact meal timing for most practical purposes.
For most healthy people, higher protein intake within these ranges is safe, though those with kidney conditions should consult a doctor.
For most healthy people, no — the body simply uses excess protein for energy or excretes it, though those with existing kidney conditions should consult a doctor before significantly increasing intake.
Yes, distributing protein across 3–4 meals generally supports muscle repair better than one large serving.