How much protein you need for your goal
The amount depends mostly on your weight and on what you are after. That is why it is measured in grams per kilo of body weight per day. Mobbe's protein calculator uses 2.0 g per kilo to lose weight, 1.6 to maintain and 1.8 to gain.
| Your weight | Lose weight (2.0 g/kg) | Maintain (1.6 g/kg) | Build muscle (1.8 g/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 100 g | 80 g | 90 g |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 120 g | 96 g | 108 g |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 140 g | 112 g | 126 g |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 160 g | 128 g | 144 g |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 180 g | 144 g | 162 g |
Each number in the table is your weight multiplied by the grams per kilo for your goal. If your weight is not there, do the same math or use the calculator, which also adjusts the result if you are 65 or older.
Why people who train need more than 0.8 g per kilo
The official recommendation for adults is 0.8 g per kilo per day, from the US Institute of Medicine's reference intakes (Institute of Medicine, 2005). That number is meant to cover the basic needs of almost everyone, not to build or keep muscle while you train.
A meta-analysis of 49 trials in people doing strength training found that extra protein improved muscle gain up to about 1.6 g per kilo per day. Past that point the benefit stopped growing, and the upper bound of the estimate reached 2.2 g per kilo (Morton et al., 2018). The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends a similar range, 1.4 to 2.0 g per kilo for most people who exercise (Jäger et al., 2017).
How to work out your protein in 3 steps
- Pick your goal. Lose weight, maintain it or build muscle. If you are going to lose, also read the calorie deficit guide.
- Multiply your weight by the grams per kilo. 2.0 to lose, 1.6 to maintain and 1.8 to gain. The result is your grams of protein per day. If you think in pounds, divide your weight by 2.2 first.
- Split it across your meals. Spread the total over 3 or 4 similar meals instead of packing most of it into dinner.
Example: if you weigh 70 kg and want to build muscle, 70 × 1.8 = 126 g per day. Over 4 meals that is about 32 g per meal.
If you want to see protein next to carbs and fat, the macro calculator builds the full target from your calories.
How to spread protein across the day
You do not need to eat it all at once or weigh every bite. A review on how much protein the body can use in one meal suggests aiming for about 0.4 g per kilo per meal over at least 4 meals, which adds up to 1.6 g per kilo a day (Schoenfeld and Aragon, 2018). For a 70 kg person that is about 28 g per meal.
- Put protein in every meal. The ISSN suggests doses of 20 to 40 g, or about 0.25 g per kilo, every 3 to 4 hours (Jäger et al., 2017).
- Do not worry about one big meal. More than 20 or 25 g in a meal is not all wasted: the body uses part of it to build tissue (Schoenfeld and Aragon, 2018).
- Watch the daily total. It matters most for the result. Spreading it helps, but it does not make up for falling short on the total.
When you need a bit more
- If you are in a calorie deficit. Eating less raises the risk of losing muscle. For lean, trained people who are dieting, a review suggests 2.3 to 3.1 g per kilo of lean mass (Helms et al., 2014). That is why the calculator goes up to 2.0 g per kilo when you lose weight. See the fat loss routines.
- If you want to build muscle. With a small calorie surplus, 1.6 to 2.2 g per kilo is enough for most people (Iraki et al., 2019). Pair it with the muscle building routines.
- If you are 65 or older. With age, muscle responds less to protein. The PROT-AGE group recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kilo for healthy older people, and more if they exercise (Bauer et al., 2013). The calculator adds 0.2 g per kilo from age 65.
- If you are overweight. Multiplying by your total weight can give a very high number. To lose or maintain, if you give it your height, the calculator uses the weight you would have at a BMI of 27.5 when yours is higher.
Questions
How much protein do I need if I do not exercise?
For a healthy adult who does not train, the official recommendation is 0.8 g per kilo of body weight per day (Institute of Medicine, 2005). For a 70 kg (154 lb) person that is about 56 g.
Does eating a lot of protein hurt your kidneys?
In healthy adults, a meta-analysis found no difference in kidney function between higher-protein and normal diets (Devries et al., 2018). If you already have kidney disease, that finding does not apply and your doctor sets the amount.
Does eating more than 2.2 g per kilo build more muscle?
In people who lift, muscle gain stopped growing at about 1.6 g per kilo, and 2.2 g was the upper bound of the estimate (Morton et al., 2018). Eating more does not add muscle, though it can help in a steep deficit.
Do I need protein shakes?
No. Ideally you get there with food, and powder is just a convenient and safe way to fill the gap (Jäger et al., 2017). What counts is the daily total.
Sources
- Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2005. doi:10.17226/10490
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15:10. doi:10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1
- Helms ER, Zinn C, Rowlands DS, Brown SR. A systematic review of dietary protein during caloric restriction in resistance trained lean athletes: a case for higher intakes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2014;24(2):127-138. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2013-0054
- Iraki J, Fitschen P, Espinar S, Helms E. Nutrition recommendations for bodybuilders in the off-season: a narrative review. Sports (Basel). 2019;7(7):154. doi:10.3390/sports7070154
- Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(8):542-559. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021
- Devries MC, Sithamparapillai A, Brimble KS, Banfield L, Morton RW, Phillips SM. Changes in kidney function do not differ between healthy adults consuming higher- compared with lower- or normal-protein diets: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nutr. 2018;148(11):1760-1775. doi:10.1093/jn/nxy197
This guide is for information only and does not replace advice from a health professional.
