Protein Intake Calculator

Protein needs aren't the same for everyone — how much your body actually needs depends heavily on body weight and how physically active you are. This calculator estimates a daily protein target by combining your weight with your activity level, scaling up from the standard baseline as activity increases.

The sedentary figure — 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight — is the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) set by the U.S./Canada Dietary Reference Intakes. It's a precisely established number designed to meet the needs of nearly all healthy, largely inactive adults, and it's the most solidly backed figure this calculator uses.

For anyone more active, protein needs rise — exercise, especially strength training, creates muscle damage that the body repairs using protein. Sports nutrition research generally supports higher intakes for active individuals, commonly citing a range of roughly 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram depending on training intensity and goals. Unlike the RDA, there's no single universally agreed number within that range — this calculator uses a practical, gradually increasing scale across activity levels rather than one precisely cited figure per tier, and the FAQ below explains that distinction in more detail.