Protein calculator
Daily protein targets by goal and bodyweight, from 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg, split across your meals.
Daily protein
160 g
2 g/kg
Per meal
40 g
across 4 meals
Useful range
128–176 g
1.6–2.2 g/kg
How this was calculated: Most research on resistance-trained people finds benefits plateau around 1.6 g/kg; higher targets help protect muscle in a deficit. If you carry a lot of body fat, using your goal weight gives a more practical number.
Estimates for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating, speak to a qualified professional first.
Worked example
An 80kg person training for fat loss would aim for about 160g of protein a day (2 g/kg). Across four meals that is 40g per meal — for example, a chicken breast, a pot of Greek yoghurt with a scoop of whey, or three eggs plus egg whites.
Common questions
- How much protein do I need to build muscle?
- Studies on people who lift generally find benefits level off around 1.6 g/kg of bodyweight a day, with up to 2.2 g/kg a reasonable upper target.
- Do I need more protein when dieting?
- Higher intakes, toward 2.0–2.2 g/kg, are commonly used in a deficit to help preserve muscle.
- Is a lot of protein bad for your kidneys?
- For healthy people, these intakes are not shown to cause harm. If you have kidney disease, follow your doctor’s advice.
- Does protein timing matter?
- Total daily protein matters most. Spreading it over 3–5 meals is a practical way to hit the target.
Hit your protein and track your strength while you diet.
Fit40Strong starts from these numbers, then learns from what you actually log — and tells you why every time it changes something.
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