Find a daily protein range and a per-meal target based on your body weight. The ranges come from nutrition guidelines and weight-loss research.
The ranges used
| Setting | g per kg per day | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| General health | 0.8 | Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults |
| Losing weight | 1.0–1.2 | Review of protein needs during weight loss in older adults (Al-Nimr & Batsis, 2018) |
| Losing weight + strength training, or 65+ | 1.2–1.6 | Range studied in higher-protein weight-loss research (Leidy et al., 2015) |
The calculator uses your current weight. If you have a large amount of weight to lose, a dietitian may base your target on a goal or adjusted weight instead.
Read the full explanation in How Much Protein Do You Need to Lose Weight? and get meal ideas in High-Protein Breakfast Ideas.
If you have kidney disease or another condition that affects protein needs, follow your clinician’s target instead of this calculator.