Protein Intake Calculator
Calculate your daily protein needs based on body weight and activity level.
Protein Intake Calculator
Calculate your daily protein needs based on body weight and activity level.
Real-World Examples
160 lbs, sedentary → 72.6 kg × 0.8
58 g/day
180 lbs, active → 81.6 kg × 1.2
98 g/day
150 lbs, athlete → 68.0 kg × 2.2
150 g/day
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Eating all protein in one meal
Fix: The body uses protein most efficiently when intake is spread across 3–4 meals with 20–40 g each. A single 150 g dinner is far less effective for muscle synthesis than 30 g across five meals.
Using the 0.8 g/kg minimum for athletes
Fix: The 0.8 g/kg RDA prevents deficiency, not optimal performance. Active people and those building muscle need 1.2–2.2 g/kg. Using the minimum limits recovery and growth.
Ignoring protein quality
Fix: Animal proteins and soy are complete (all essential amino acids), while most plant proteins are incomplete. Vegans should eat varied sources and may need 10–20% more total protein to compensate.