Updated · Built and checked by the PlinzoTools team, formulas tested against published sources
Calculate a daily protein target in grams per kg bodyweight, based on your fitness goal.
112g
This tool estimates a daily protein target based on your bodyweight and goal, using ranges commonly cited in sports-nutrition guidance (based on the International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand on protein intake).
Enter your weight in kilograms and select your goal. Your daily protein target in grams appears instantly.
Sedentary (RDA baseline): 0.8 g/kg
General Fitness: 1.4 g/kg
Muscle Building: 1.8 g/kg
Cutting / Fat Loss: 2.2 g/kg (higher during a calorie deficit helps preserve lean mass)
Feed this number into the Macro Calculator to build out your full daily macro plan, or the Carbohydrate Intake Calculator and Fat Intake Calculator for the rest.
Suppose someone weighs 80 kg. The tool multiplies weight by a fixed grams-per-kilogram figure for the selected goal. Sedentary gives 80 x 0.8 = 64 g per day. General fitness gives 80 x 1.4 = 112 g. Muscle building gives 80 x 1.8 = 144 g. Cutting gives 80 x 2.2 = 176 g. The result is displayed in whole grams along with the grams-per-kilogram figure used. The same person therefore sees a range of more than 100 g depending purely on which goal is chosen, which shows how much the goal setting matters.
Protein (g) = weight (kg) x grams per kg. Example: 80 x 1.8 = 144 g.
Pick the goal that matches what you are actually doing now, not the goal you hope to reach in six months.
A daily total is easier to use when divided across the day. For 144 g, spreading it over four eating occasions works out to about 36 g each. Many people find it easier to include a protein source at every meal than to catch up at dinner. Check the protein content on labels of the foods you actually eat, since portions and products vary widely.
The tool ignores age, sex, health, and training details. People with kidney disease, liver disease, or other medical conditions, as well as pregnant or breastfeeding individuals, may have different needs and should ask a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before adopting a high-protein target. This page is educational and is not medical advice.
Higher protein intake during a deficit is commonly recommended to help preserve lean muscle mass while losing fat, since the body is in a more catabolic state overall.
Not necessarily -- these ranges reflect commonly cited effective targets; consuming far beyond them generally doesn't provide additional benefit and just displaces calories that could go to carbs/fat.
This tool uses total bodyweight for simplicity, which is the more common approach in general guidance; some more precise protocols use lean body mass instead -- see the Lean Body Mass Calculator.
The grams-per-kilogram ranges are defined per kilogram of bodyweight, so the input is in kilograms. Convert pounds by dividing by 2.2046.
General fitness or muscle building are the closest options; pick the one that matches your training intensity and aims. Either way, treat the number as a starting point.
The tool gives a daily total only. Divide it by the number of meals you usually eat to get an approximate per-meal amount.
Multiply the protein grams by 4 for calories, subtract from your calorie target, and split the remainder between carbohydrate and fat, or use the Macro Calculator.
Reference: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements