How Many Grams of Protein Per Day?
Find your daily protein target in grams based on your body weight and goal — with a per-meal amount so you know how to spread it out.
CarbMeNot logs the protein in every meal from a photo — so you reach your target automatically. Free on iOS & Android.
How much protein per kg of body weight?
| Goal | Protein (g/kg/day) |
|---|---|
| General health (sedentary) | 0.8 – 1.2 |
| Active / general fitness | 1.2 – 1.6 |
| Losing fat (preserve muscle) | 1.6 – 2.0 |
| Building muscle | 1.6 – 2.2 |
| Athlete / hard training | 1.8 – 2.4 |
| Adults 50+ (modifier) | add ~0.1 |
Why “grams per day” is the number that matters
Percentages confuse people. “30% of calories from protein” means totally different things at 1,400 kcal and 2,800 kcal — but your muscles don't care about percentages; they need an absolute amount of amino acids each day. That's why every serious guideline, from the Dietary Guidelines to the ISSN position stand, is written in grams per kilogram of body weight — which this page converts into one clean number: your grams per day.
Is 100 g of protein a day enough? Benchmarks by weight
“100 grams” is the number everyone anchors on, so here's the honest answer at three common weights, using the active range (1.2–1.6 g/kg) and the fat-loss/muscle range (1.6–2.2 g/kg):
- 130 lb (59 kg): 100 g exceeds even the training range (94–130 g top end). Plenty for almost every goal.
- 160 lb (73 kg): 100 g covers the active range (87–116 g) but is light for cutting or building (116–160 g).
- 200 lb (91 kg): 100 g is below the active range (109–145 g) and well short for fat loss or muscle (145–200 g).
Pattern: the heavier you are and the harder your goal, the faster “100 g” stops being enough. This is exactly why one-size advice fails and why the calculator asks for your weight first.
What your daily grams look like as actual food
Abstract grams become real fast when you price out foods. Rough protein costs:
- A 6 oz chicken breast: ~52 g — half of many people's day in one sitting.
- 3 eggs + a cup of Greek yogurt: ~41 g — a serious breakfast.
- A can of tuna: ~40 g — cheapest grams in the store.
- A scoop of whey: ~25 g — the top-up, not the foundation.
A 120 g day is genuinely easy — chicken at lunch, fish at dinner, eggs in the morning, done. A 160 g day takes intent: protein at every meal plusa deliberate snack. Knowing which day you're running is the whole point of calculating it.
Distribution: the 30-gram rhythm
Muscle protein synthesis responds meal by meal, and each meal maxes out around 25–40 g for most people. So 120 g eaten as 10 / 20 / 90 works measurably worse than 30 / 30 / 30 / 30 — same grams, different result. The calculator's per-meal figure isn't decoration; treat it as the actual target. The most common failure point is breakfast: fix that one meal and most people's daily total lands automatically.
Not sure what your real distribution looks like? Log three days in CarbMeNot — photo in, protein grams out — and the pattern (and the fix) is usually obvious by day two.
Who should be careful
Healthy adults tolerate the full range well. Kidney or liver disease, diabetes complications, or pregnancy change the calculus — get your number from a doctor or registered dietitian instead.
Methodology & sources
Targets come from your body weight in kilograms multiplied by an evidence-based grams-per-kilogram range for your goal — not a single one-size figure. General health uses the DRI/RDA floor of ~0.8 g/kg; active, fat-loss, and muscle-building ranges follow the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand of roughly 1.4–2.2 g/kg for people who exercise, with the upper end for a calorie deficit or hard training. Adults 50+ get a small upward adjustment for age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia).
Sources: U.S. Dietary Reference Intakes (protein RDA), the ISSN Position Stand on protein and exercise, and USDA FoodData Central for the protein content of foods. This tool is educational and not medical advice — if you have kidney disease or another condition, check with your doctor before raising protein substantially.
Frequently asked questions
- How many grams of protein per day do I need?
- It depends on your weight and goal. General health needs about 0.8–1.2 g per kg of body weight; active people and those losing fat or building muscle need 1.6–2.2 g/kg. For a 70 kg (154 lb) person that ranges from roughly 56 g/day up to about 150 g/day.
- Is 100 grams of protein a day enough?
- For many people around 150–180 lb, 100 g/day covers general health and light activity. If you're building muscle, losing fat, or training hard, you'll likely want more — closer to 120–160 g. Enter your weight and goal above to see your specific range.
- How many grams of protein per meal?
- Spreading protein evenly helps muscle retention. Take your daily target and divide by your number of meals — most people land around 25–40 g per meal. The calculator shows your per-meal number automatically.
- How much protein is too much per day?
- For healthy people, up to about 2.2 g/kg (roughly 1 g per pound) per day is well studied and safe, and athletes often eat more. Very high intakes aren't necessary for most goals. Those with kidney disease should check with a doctor first.
- Does protein need change on keto?
- Your grams-per-day target is about the same on keto, but hitting it matters more in a low-carb deficit because protein protects muscle. Choose lean proteins to reach your grams without eating into your fat or carb budget.
Related tools
Count your protein grams automatically
CarbMeNot reads the protein in every meal from a photo — free on iOS and Android.
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