Your daily protein target depends on 4 things rather than 1, and body weight is only the starting point. Activity, age and goal decide where inside a 0.8 to 2.2 g per kg range you actually land.
This article turns that into a number you can use today. It walks through the calculation, shows what the figure looks like at common body weights, and explains the one adjustment most calculators get wrong.
Quick Answer: Your Daily Protein Number
Multiply your body weight in kilograms by 0.8 if sedentary, 1.2 to 1.6 if active or losing fat, and 1.6 to 2.2 if building muscle. A 70 kg adult lands between 56 g and 154 g a day depending on which of those applies.
Key Takeaways
- Your number is body weight in kg multiplied by 0.8 to 2.2
- The 0.8 g per kg RDA is a deficiency floor, not a target
- Most active adults land between 1.2 and 1.6 g per kg
- Carrying excess weight means calculating from 80 to 90% of it
- Adults over 65 should not drop below 1.0 g per kg
- Vegetarians and vegans should add roughly 10 to 20% more
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Go to ShopThe Calculation, Step by Step
Protein needs scale with body size, so every credible recommendation is expressed per kilogram rather than as one universal number. Convert your weight to kilograms by dividing pounds by 2.2, then multiply by the factor that matches your situation.
The factor is where people go wrong. Most reach for the RDA of 0.8 g per kg without realising it describes the minimum needed to avoid deficiency, not the amount that supports training, fat loss, or ageing well.[1]Dietary Protein Intake and Human Health — PubMed View source
- Sedentary, no training: 0.8 to 1.0 g per kg.
- Lightly active, general health: 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg.
- Training 3 or more days, or in a deficit: 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg.
- Actively building muscle: 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg.
The top band is not arbitrary. A meta-analysis of 49 resistance-training studies found benefit rising until roughly 1.6 g per kg, then flattening, which is why 2.2 is treated as a ceiling rather than a goal.[2]Protein Supplementation and Resistance Training Meta-Analysis — British Journal of Sports Medicine View source
The context behind these bands, including what protein does beyond muscle, is set out in our complete protein guide.
What the Number Looks Like in Practice
Abstract multipliers are hard to judge, so it helps to see the arithmetic already done at common body weights. Find the row nearest yours and read across to the column matching your activity.
| Body weight | Sedentary (0.8) | Active (1.4) | Building muscle (1.8) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 lb / 55 kg | 44 g | 77 g | 99 g |
| 140 lb / 64 kg | 51 g | 90 g | 115 g |
| 160 lb / 73 kg | 58 g | 102 g | 131 g |
| 180 lb / 82 kg | 66 g | 115 g | 148 g |
| 200 lb / 91 kg | 73 g | 127 g | 164 g |
| 220 lb / 100 kg | 80 g | 140 g | 180 g |
Notice how wide the spread is at a single body weight. A 180 lb person could reasonably target anywhere from 66 g to 148 g, and the difference between those two numbers is roughly three chicken breasts.
That spread is why a generic answer is useless. If you want the calculation done with your build, age and goal factored in, the free tool answers how many grams do you personally need? in about twenty seconds.
The Adjustment Most Calculators Miss
Multiplying total body weight by a protein factor overshoots badly for anyone carrying significant excess weight, because fat mass has very little protein demand. A 300 lb person at 1.6 g per kg would be told to eat 218 g a day, which is neither necessary nor realistic.
Dietitians handle this by calculating from a leaner reference weight rather than the number on the scale. It is a simple correction that most online calculators skip entirely.
| Build | What to use | Example at 300 lb / 136 kg |
|---|---|---|
| Average | Your actual weight | 136 kg |
| Overweight | About 90% of it | 122 kg |
| Obese | About 80% of it | 109 kg |
Applied to that 300 lb example, the target drops from 218 g to roughly 174 g, which is both achievable and better matched to what the body can actually use.
Signs You Are Not Getting Enough
Outright protein deficiency is rare in developed countries, but running 20 to 30 g short every day for months is extremely common and produces a recognisable pattern. None of these signs proves a shortfall on its own.
Taken together with an intake that sits near the 0.8 g per kg floor, though, they point strongly at the same conclusion.
- Constant hunger between meals, especially 2 hours after eating.
- Losing strength despite training consistently for 8 weeks or more.
- Slow recovery from workouts, minor illness or small injuries.
- Hair thinning and nails that split or break easily.
- Swelling in the feet or ankles, a sign of more advanced shortfall.
The fastest fix is almost always breakfast, which for most people contributes under 10 g. Adding a 25 g source there closes a third of a typical gap before lunch. Our Remedy's Chocolate Whey Protein exists mainly for people who will not cook at 7am but will drink something.
When Your Number Should Go Higher
Several situations push the requirement above what the bands suggest, and the reasons are different in each case. These adjustments stack, so someone who is 68, vegan and recovering from surgery sits well above the general figure.
| Situation | Adjustment | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 and over | Floor of 1.0–1.2 g/kg | Muscle responds less to the same dose |
| Vegetarian or vegan | Add 10–20% | Lower digestibility and leucine density |
| Calorie deficit | Use 1.2–1.6 g/kg | Protects lean mass while fat is lost |
| Recovering from illness | Add 20–50% | Repair demand rises as appetite falls |
| Pregnant or breastfeeding | Set by your provider | Needs rise and are individual |
The age adjustment carries the most weight of the five. The PROT-AGE position paper recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg for healthy older adults specifically to defend muscle mass and physical function.[3]Optimal Dietary Protein Intake in Older People — Journal of the American Medical Directors Association View source
The plant-based adjustment is about quality rather than quantity, and it disappears if you combine sources well. Why that works is explained in what makes a protein complete.
Hitting the Number Without Thinking About It
Once you have a target, the practical problem is reaching it repeatedly rather than calculating it precisely. Most people find that three or four fixed anchor meals do the work, with no tracking required after the first week.
The trick is to build each meal around a protein source first and add everything else around it, rather than the reverse.
- 25 to 40 g at breakfast from eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or a shake.
- 30 to 40 g at lunch from chicken, fish, tofu, beans or leftovers.
- 30 to 45 g at dinner, the meal most people already get right.
- 15 to 25 g as a snack only if the three meals leave you short.
Four anchors at those amounts reach 100 to 150 g without any measuring, which covers the vast majority of readers. Why the split matters as much as the total is covered in how much protein per meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate your protein requirement?+
Divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get kilograms, then multiply by a factor from 0.8 to 2.2. Sedentary adults use 0.8, active people 1.2 to 1.6, and those building muscle 1.6 to 2.2. A 70 kg adult therefore lands between 56 g and 154 g. If you carry a lot of excess weight, run the calculation on 80 to 90% of your body weight instead.
What are 5 signs you need more protein?+
The 5 most common are constant hunger between meals, losing strength despite training, slow recovery from illness or injury, hair thinning, and nails that break easily. Swelling in the feet or ankles indicates a more advanced shortfall. None is conclusive alone, but 3 or more alongside an intake near 0.8 g per kg is a strong signal.
Is 100 g of protein a day a lot?+
It depends entirely on your size. For a 55 kg sedentary adult, 100 g is nearly 2 g per kg and well above what is needed. For a 100 kg person building muscle it is only 1.0 g per kg and clearly too low. As a rule of thumb, 100 g suits an active adult between about 63 and 82 kg, or 140 to 180 lb.
Is 2 eggs a day enough protein?+
No. Two large eggs supply roughly 12 to 13 g, which is a reasonable start to one meal but only about 10% of a typical daily target. Eggs work best combined with another source, such as Greek yogurt or beans, to bring that meal up to the 25 to 40 g range.
Is 30 g of protein a day too little?+
Yes, for essentially every adult. Even the RDA floor puts a small 55 kg adult at 44 g, and 30 g would sit well below the level needed to prevent loss of lean tissue. Sustained intake that low causes muscle wasting, poor wound healing and weakened immune response. It usually reflects appetite loss or illness rather than choice.
How much protein does a woman need per day?+
The same formula applies, since the calculation runs on body weight rather than sex. A 65 kg woman needs 52 g at the RDA floor, 78 to 104 g if active, and up to 143 g if building muscle. Needs rise after menopause, where a floor of 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg helps defend against accelerating muscle loss.
How much protein per kg to build muscle?+
Between 1.6 and 2.2 g per kg, paired with resistance training. Meta-analysis puts the point of diminishing returns at roughly 1.6 g per kg, so the lower end of that band covers most people. The upper end suits lean, hard-training individuals or anyone building muscle while in a calorie deficit.
Does your protein need change with age?+
Yes, and it moves upward rather than down. Muscle becomes less responsive to protein with age, a change called anabolic resistance, so adults over 65 are advised to take at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg rather than the 0.8 g per kg RDA. Combining that with 2 resistance sessions a week is what actually protects strength.
Can you get enough protein without meat?+
Yes, though it takes more deliberate planning. Lentils give 18 g per cooked cup, tofu about 20 g per 100 g, and Greek yogurt 20 to 23 g per cup. The usual adjustment is adding 10 to 20% to your target to account for lower digestibility, and varying sources so the amino acid profile fills in across the day.
Should you count protein from all foods or just the obvious ones?+
Count everything. Bread, oats, rice, pasta and vegetables each contribute 3 to 8 g per serving, and across a full day that background protein commonly adds 20 to 30 g. People who only count meat and dairy routinely underestimate their intake and conclude they need a supplement when they do not.
Related Reading
- Protein for Muscle Gain: How Much and When
- Whey vs Plant Protein Compared
- Protein for Women and Adults Over 50
- How Protein Protects Muscle in a Deficit
Related Products
Shop Chocolate Whey Protein
The simplest way to add 20 g to a breakfast that currently has almost none. Grass-fed concentrate, unsweetened, one scoop in water or milk.
View ProductShop Vegan Plant Protein
For anyone adding the 10 to 20% plant adjustment to their target. 22 g of protein per 30 g scoop, dairy free, with added BCAAs.
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