What is a protein target?
A protein target is how many grams of protein you aim to eat in a day. It scales with your bodyweight, so a heavier person needs more than a lighter one, and it rises with how active you are. Protein is the nutrient your body uses to build and repair muscle, so it carries extra weight when you are training or losing weight.
Most people get a single number from a label and stop there. A better approach sets a range: a low end you should clear every day, and a high end worth reaching when you are losing weight or building muscle. This calculator gives you that range from your weight and goal.
How it is calculated
The method is one line of math. We take your bodyweight in kilograms and multiply it by a protein factor in grams per kilogram, once for the low end of the range and once for the high end:
- Low end: grams per day = weight(kg) × low factor
- High end: grams per day = weight(kg) × high factor
The factor depends on your goal. A sedentary adult sits near the dietary baseline, while someone losing weight or building muscle needs more to protect lean tissue. Here are the factors this calculator uses:
| Goal | g/kg (low) | g/kg (high) |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 0.8 | 1 |
| Active | 1.2 | 1.6 |
| Losing weight | 1.6 | 2.2 |
| Building muscle | 1.6 | 2.2 |
If you enter your weight in pounds, the calculator converts it to kilograms first (one pound is 0.4536 kg), then applies the same math. A 70 kg person losing weight, for example, lands at roughly 112 to 154 grams a day.
Once you have a number, the practical question is how to hit it. Our calorie-counted meal plans include high-protein options, so you can pick one and skip the arithmetic at every meal.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need per day?
It depends on your weight and what you are doing. The baseline for a sedentary adult is about 0.8 to 1.0 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. If you are active the range moves up to 1.2 to 1.6 grams. If you are losing weight or building muscle, 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram helps protect lean tissue. The calculator multiplies your weight by the range for the goal you pick.
Does more protein help with weight loss?
Higher protein helps in two ways while you are in a calorie deficit. It keeps you fuller for longer, so you find it easier to eat less. It also protects muscle, so more of the weight you lose is fat rather than lean tissue. That is why the losing-weight range (1.6 to 2.2 g/kg) sits well above the sedentary baseline. Protein is one piece of the picture: total calories still drive how much you lose.
How much protein on a GLP-1 or while losing weight?
When you are eating less, protein matters more, not less. People losing weight on a GLP-1 medication often have a smaller appetite, which makes it easy to fall short. Aiming for the higher end of the range, around 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram, helps you hold onto muscle as the weight comes off. Spread it across meals so you reach the daily total. This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your clinician about what fits your situation.
Plans and guides
Now that you have your target, here is where to put it to work.
Keep going: split your day into macros, check your daily calorie needs, or see where you stand with BMI.