Minimum
170g
good enough on busy days
Free protein calculator
Protein intake calculator for daily grams and per-meal targets.
Find a realistic protein target for fat loss, muscle gain, maintenance, or training. Then break it into meals you can actually repeat.
Useful when
You are lifting or trying to preserve lean mass.
You know calories but need a protein target.
You want protein split across meals.
Calculator
Find your protein target
Use body weight, goal, and training context to get a practical daily protein range.
lb
Daily protein target
205g
about 0.9g per pound, 820 calories
Use this as a starting target. Most people need a repeatable range more than a perfect single number.
Target
205g
default daily goal
Upper range
235g
useful during cuts
Per-meal target
Minimum
43g
Target
51g
Upper
59g
Turn your protein target into meals.
A target is easier to hit when breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks each carry part of the load.
Protein targets are nutrition planning estimates, not medical advice. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, under 18, or are recovering from disordered eating, work with a qualified professional.
How to use it
Make the daily number small enough to eat.
Pick a real target
Start with the calculator target, then treat the low and upper range as a practical guide.
Divide it by meals
If the daily number feels big, make each meal carry a smaller fixed amount.
Anchor easy meals
Repeat simple protein anchors like Greek yogurt, eggs, chicken, tuna, lean beef, tofu, or shakes.
Track the real day
Compare actual meals to the target. Consistency matters more than perfect macro math.
Methodology
How this protein calculator works.
The calculator starts with a grams-per-pound range because that is easier for most people to use than abstract percentages. The selected goal and training context adjust the target up or down.
Fat loss and trained lifters usually trend higher. Maintenance, performance, or beginner tracking can use a slightly lower target if that improves adherence.
Example: at 225 lb with a fat-loss goal and active training context, the calculator lands around 205 g protein per day, or about 51 g across 4 meals.
Common protein questions
How much protein should I eat per day?
A practical target for many active adults is roughly 0.7 to 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight, adjusted for goal, training, calories, and preference.
Do I need more protein for fat loss?
Many people do better with a higher protein target during fat loss because it can support fullness and lean-mass retention while calories are lower.
Should protein be split across meals?
It usually helps. Splitting protein across three to five meals makes the daily target easier to hit and avoids relying on one oversized meal or shake.
Is more protein always better?
No. Once you have enough protein, extra grams may crowd out carbs, fats, fiber, and foods you enjoy. The best target is effective and repeatable.
Next calculator steps
Keep the math moving in the right order.
Daily follow-through
Turn the calculator result into daily tracking.
The calculator helps you choose the number. IntakeCalc helps you see whether today’s meals actually fit it.
Track protein daily