Protein calculator: find out your daily protein needs

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By now you’ve heard about the power of protein. It’s the magic macronutrient that helps you stay full and preserve muscle mass while losing weight. You’re probably wondering, “How much protein do I need?” Well, we can help you figure it out.

The MyFitnessPal The Protein Calculator is a simple, user-friendly tool that helps you determine your approximate daily protein needs based on your unique lifestyle and health goals.

*insert calculator*

How to use the MyFitnessPal protein calculator

This tool takes some of the guesswork out of how many proteins you need to target. All you need to do is enter a few basic details about yourself, including:

- age: Protein needs can vary with age, especially as muscle mass naturally declines over time.

- Sex: While this is just one consideration, men and women tend to have different protein needs.

- Weight: Your weight helps determine your protein needs. It directly affects the amount your body needs for maintenance and growth.

- Activity level: Whether you lead a sedentary lifestyle or are very active, your activity level plays a big role in determining how much protein your body uses.

- Fitness goals: Whether you’re looking to lose weight, build muscle, or maintain your current health, the calculator adjusts your recommendations accordingly.

Protein is necessary for building and repairing tissues, producing enzymes and hormones, and maintaining muscle mass. The calculator uses evidence-based guidelines to ensure your protein intake supports your goals without going overboard (1).

However, as always, the recommendations are guidelines provided for your information only – you should always speak to your doctor or registered dietitian for personal advice or if you have any medical conditions.

Recommended daily intake (RDA) of protein

The RDA for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for most adults. However, this amount is minimum the amount needed to maintain basic body functions and prevent muscle loss (7).

The RDA amount is probably not enough to meet the needs of active people or those with specific fitness goals. Another thing is how much protein you need to gain muscle or maintain muscle mass.

Protein intake guidelines

Other referral organizations such as Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and International Society for Sports Nutritionthey recommend 1.2 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. (1)

For a person weighing 150 kilograms, this is between 82 and 136 grams of protein per day. Plug your own numbers into the calculator to get a better idea of what a good protein goal would be for you.

How to calculate protein intake in meals

Your protein goal for the day may seem like a high number when you first see it. It can be helpful to work towards this goal one meal and snack at a time.

Here are two good strategies for determining the amount of protein in each meal:

Read nutrition labels

Nutrition labels contain protein content per serving. Multiply this number by the number of servings you consume to calculate your total protein intake from packaged foods.

Use MyFitnessPal

WITH MyFitnessPalprotein tracking is easy. Simply log your meals into the app and it will calculate your daily protein intake, helping you stay on track with your goals.

Food sources rich in protein

Many everyday foods are rich in protein. Here are some of the most common foods that can help you reach your protein and overall nutritional goals:

Risks of insufficient or excessive protein intake

Protein is needed by every cell in our body. Without it, muscle growth, development and tissue repair do not occur as they should (2).

But it can be too much of a good thing. When you’re laser-focused on your protein intake, it can crowd out other nutritious foods. “It’s getting harder to include all of your food groups, it’s getting harder to get variety in your meals and to put together your meals, it’s getting harder to balance your carbohydrate and fat needs,” says Stephanie Nelson, MyFitnessPal’s chief nutrition scientist.

Striking the right balance is key to avoiding these problems while optimizing your health.

FAQ

How do I calculate how much protein I need?

Use the MyFitnessPal protein calculator by entering your weight, age, activity level and goals.

How to get 100g of protein per day?

Build your meals around protein-rich foods like eggs for breakfast, grilled chicken for lunch, and fried tofu for dinner.

How much protein do I need to lose weight?

Most people benefit from 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight during weight loss (1).

If you lift weights, do you need more protein?

Building new muscle and maintaining muscle mass requires a positive balance of muscle proteins. Research shows that resistance exercises combined with protein intake stimulate muscle protein synthesis (muscle growth) (3).
This means that it is important to get the right amount of protein when you lift weights in order to gain muscle, but also to maintain your current muscle mass. Although the body can technically build muscle from amino acid reserves, this is not ideal and has not been shown to be equally effective, so protein intake recommendations for physically active individuals are higher than for sedentary people (4).

What are the symptoms of too much protein in the body?

While not getting enough protein isn’t ideal, consuming too much protein can also have harmful effects. The kidneys filter out the byproducts of ingested protein, so anyone with impaired kidney function should refrain from consuming large amounts of protein. Fluids are also needed to break down and flush out these by-products, so hydration is sometimes affected by excessive protein consumption (5).
Remember that the source of protein is just as important as the amount, research has shown that excessive consumption of red meat and processed meat can increase the overall risk of mortality. You may need to choose more protein sources like fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, and low-fat dairy products (6).