By now, you’ve heard about the power of protein. It’s the magic macronutrient that helps keep you full and preserve muscle mass as you lose weight. 

But you’re probably wondering, “How much protein do I need?” and “What does protein do for my body?”

Well, we can help you figure it out.

Your daily protein intake needs depend on your body weight, activity level, and goal. The RDA sets a minimum of 0.8 g/kg for sedentary adults. But most active adults need significantly more protein per day (between 1.4-2.0 g/kg) to support weight loss, muscle gain, or maintenance (7, 4).

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

How to Use the MyFitnessPal Protein Calculator

This protein calculator takes away some of the guesswork about how much protein you should aim for. All you need to do is enter a few basic pieces of information about yourself, including:

• Age: Protein needs can vary by age, especially as muscle mass naturally declines over time.
• Sex: Though it’s 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 requires for maintenance and growth.
• Activity Level: Whether you’re sedentary or highly active, your activity level plays a big role in determining how much protein your body uses.
• Fitness Goals: Whether you’re aiming to lose weight, build muscle, or maintain your current health, the calculator adjusts your recommendations accordingly.

Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, producing enzymes and hormones, and maintaining muscle mass (3). The protein intake calculator is built on guidance from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to ensure your protein intake supports your goals without going overboard (1).

As always though, the recommendations are just guidelines provided for your information. You should always talk to your doctor or registered dietitian for personalized advice or if you have any medical conditions. 

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Protein

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

The RDA amount is likely not enough to meet the needs of active people or those with specific fitness goals. How much protein you need to gain muscle or preserve muscle mass is another matter.

Guidelines for Protein Intake

The American College of Sports Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the Dietitians of Canada recommend 1.2-2.0 g/kg/d to optimize recovery from training and to promote the growth and maintenance of lean mass when caloric intake is sufficient. This recommendation is similar to that of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), which is 1.4–2.0 g/kg. (1) That means most active adults need significantly more protein per day than the RDA minimum.

For a 150-pound person, that’s between 82 and 136 grams of protein per day. Plug your own numbers into the protein intake calculator to get a better sense of what would be a good protein goal for you.

Protein Needs By Goal (1)

Protein Intake for Weight Loss

When cutting calories, protein intake for weight loss becomes especially important. Higher protein helps preserve lean muscle mass while your body burns fat for fuel. 

Most people losing weight benefit from 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram (0.55-0.73g per pound) of body weight per day. Use the protein calculator for weight loss above to find your personal target. (1)

Protein Intake for Muscle Gain

Building muscle requires a positive muscle protein balance. For muscle gain, research supports 1.6-2.2 grams per kilogram (0.7-1.0g per pound) of body weight per day. Spreading intake across meals helps maximize muscle protein synthesis.(1, 4)

For more on eating enough protein to support your goals, tracking daily totals in MyFitnessPal is one of the most reliable methods.

Pro tip: A protein calculator for muscle gain (like the one above) takes your weight and activity level into account to give you a specific daily gram target.

Protein Intake for Maintenance

For active adults who aren’t specifically trying to lose weight or build muscle, 1.2 grams per kilogram (0.55g per pound) per day supports general health and muscle preservation. (1)

Protein Needs Across Life Stages

Women: Protein needs for women follow the same general ranges as above and adjusted for body weight and activity. Needs increase during pregnancy and breastfeeding. (10)

Pregnancy: Protein requirements increase significantly during pregnancy to support fetal growth and maternal tissue. Consult your healthcare provider for a personalized protein goal. (10)

Older Adults (65+): Muscle mass naturally declines with age. To counter this, older adults benefit from about 1.2 grams per kilogram (0.55g per pound) per day, which is higher than the standard RDA minimum. (1)

How to Calculate Protein Intake in Meals

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

Here are two good strategies for figuring out how much protein is in each meal:

Read Nutrition Labels

Nutrition labels list protein content per serving. Multiply this number by the number of servings you consume to calculate your total protein intake from packaged foods. This is one of the simplest ways to calculate intake without a protein intake calculator.

Use MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is the #1 nutrition and food tracking app.Simply log your meals in the app and it will calculate your daily protein intake to help you stay on track with your goals.

High-Protein Food Sources

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

Meat and Poultry Protein Sources

• Beef (lean cuts like sirloin, tenderloin): 3 oz, 21–23 grams protein.
• Venison (deer meat): 3 oz, 23 grams protein.
• Bison: 3 oz, 22–24 grams protein.
• Chicken (skinless, boneless breast): 3 oz, 24 grams protein.
• Turkey (skinless, boneless breast): 3 oz, 26 grams protein.

Seafood Protein Sources

• Salmon: 3 oz, 22–25 grams protein.
• Tuna (canned, drained): 3 oz, 22 grams protein.
• Cod: 3 oz, 19 grams protein.
• Trout: 3 oz, 19 grams protein.
• Shrimp: 3 oz, 18 grams protein.

Egg and Dairy Protein Sources

• Milk: 1 cup, 8 grams protein.
• Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, etc.): 1 oz, 6–7 grams protein.
• Plain, low-fat yogurt: 1 cup, 10 grams protein.
• Cottage cheese: 1/2 cup, 12 grams protein.
• Plain, low-fat Greek yogurt: 1 cup, 20 grams protein.

Grain Protein Sources

• Quinoa: 1 cooked cup, 8 grams protein.
• Brown rice: 1 cooked cup, 5 grams protein.
• Oats: 1 cooked cup, 6 grams protein.
• Barley: 1 cooked cup, 4 grams protein.
• Wheat (Bulgur, Farro): 1 cooked cup, 8 grams protein.

Nuts and Seeds Protein Sources

• Almonds: 1 oz, 6 grams protein.
• Peanuts: 1 oz, 7 grams protein.
• Hemp Seeds: 1 oz, 9 grams protein.
• Pumpkin Seeds: 1 oz, 7 grams protein.
• Sunflower Seeds: 1 oz, 6 grams protein.

Legume Protein Sources

• Lentils: 1/2 cooked cup, 9 grams protein.
• Chickpeas: 1/2 cooked cup, 7 grams protein.
• Black Beans: 1/2 cooked cup, 8 grams protein.
• Kidney Beans: 1/2 cooked cup, 8 grams protein.
• Soybeans (Edamame): 1/2 cooked cup, 8 grams protein.

Plant-Based Protein Sources

• Firm Tofu: 3 oz, 6.8 grams protein.
• Tempeh: 3 oz, 16 grams protein.
• Seitan: 3 oz, 21 grams protein.
• Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP): 3 oz (dry weight), 42 grams protein.

For a full breakdown, see this chart of protein content in different foods.

How Much Protein Per Meal?

Knowing your daily protein goal is one thing. Hitting it across meals is another. 

Research suggests that consuming 25-40 grams of high-protein foods per meal is an effective target for most adults to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and support satiety. (11)

For a 150-gram daily protein goal, a breakdown of how to spread out your protein and the foods that may be a good fit might look like:

• Breakfast: 30-35g (e.g., Greek yogurt + eggs)
• Lunch: 35-40g (e.g., grilled chicken breast + legumes)
• Dinner: 40-45g (e.g., salmon + quinoa)
• Snacks: 15-20g (e.g., cottage cheese, packaged protein snacks)

Spreading your intake this way is more effective than concentrating most of your protein in one or two meals. For practical meal ideas built around these targets, read our guides to 30-gram protein meals and 30-gram protein breakfasts. (12)

Risks of Insufficient or Excessive Protein Intake

Protein is needed by every cell in our bodies. Without it, muscle growth, development, and tissue repair don’t happen the way they should (2). You may even start to notice signs of protein deficiency.

But there can be too much of a good thing. When you’re laser-focused on eating protein, it can crowd out other nutritious foods. “Suddenly it’s a challenge to hit every food group, to keep your meals varied and well-rounded, and to get the right mix of carbs and fat.,” says Katherine Basbaum, , MyFitnessPal dietitian. 

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

Calculating Protein FAQs

How do I calculate how much protein I need? Use the MyFitnessPal Protein Calculator by entering your weight, age, activity level, and goals.

How can I get 100g of protein a day? Build your meals on protein-rich foods like eggs for breakfast, grilled chicken for lunch, and tofu stir-fry for dinner.

How much protein do I need for weight loss? Most people benefit from 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight while losing weight (1).

If you lift weights, do you need more protein? Building new muscle and maintaining muscle mass require a positive muscle protein balance. Research shows that resistance exercise coupled with protein consumption stimulates muscle protein synthesis (muscle growth) (3). That means it is important to consume adequate protein amounts when lifting weights to gain muscle but also to retain current muscle mass. Trying to build muscle from amino acid reserves is not ideal, therefore protein intake recommendations for physically active individuals is higher than for sedentary people (4). For more on absorption limits, learn how much protein the body can absorb at one time here.

What are the symptoms of too much protein in the body? While not getting enough protein is not ideal, consuming too much protein can also have adverse effects. The kidneys filter the byproducts of ingested protein so anyone with altered kidney function should refrain from consuming high amounts of protein. Fluids are also required to break down and flush out these byproducts so occasionally hydration status is affected when over consuming protein (5, 14). Remember that the source of protein is equally as important as the amount, research has shown that over consumption of red meat and processed meats can increase overall mortality risk. You may want to choose protein sources like fish, poultry, nuts, legumes, and low fat dairy more often (6).

Additional Resources for Further Learning

• The Essential Guide to Protein for Optimal Health
• Carb, Protein, and Fat Ratio: The Role of Macronutrients for Weight Loss
• Free Macro Calculator

Originally published January 6, 2025; Updated August 11, 2026

The post Protein Calculator: How Much Protein Do I Need Per Day? appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.