How much protein should I eat a day?

It depends on your weight and goal. General health needs about 0.8–1.2g of protein per kg of body weight; active people and those losing fat or building muscle do better at 1.6–2.2g/kg. For a 70kg (154lb) person, that's roughly 56g/day at the low end up to about 150g/day if you're cutting or training hard.

How is the protein recommendation calculated?

This calculator multiplies your body weight (in kg) by an evidence-based grams-per-kg range for your goal: 0.8–1.2 for general health, 1.2–1.6 for active, and 1.6–2.2 for fat loss or muscle gain. It then suggests a midpoint target and a per-meal amount, since spreading protein across the day supports muscle retention.

Do I need more protein on keto or low-carb?

Protein needs are similar on keto, but adequate protein matters even more when you're in a calorie deficit, because it preserves lean muscle. On keto, aim for the same 1.6–2.2g/kg if you're losing fat — just keep an eye on portion sizes of higher-fat protein sources to stay within your calorie goal.

Is too much protein bad for you?

For healthy people, higher protein intakes (up to ~2.2g/kg) are considered safe and are common among athletes. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, talk to your doctor before increasing protein significantly.

Protein Calculator

Find how much protein you should eat per day for your weight and goal — fat loss, muscle, or general health. Free, no signup.

🍗 Your Protein Calculator

Sex

Age

years

Current weight

lbs

Height

Activity level

Your goal

⚠️ This tool is for informational use only. Consult a healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes.

Your suggested daily protein goal

109

grams per day

Range: 102g – 116g/day for your weightBased on ISSN & USDA guidance

27g

grams per meal

1.5

g per kg body wt

436

cals from protein

📊 How you compare to the recommended range

Min recommendedYour goal: 109g

58g (min)160g (max athletic)

🍴 Sample daily meal breakdown

🍳

Breakfast

Eggs + Greek yogurt

31g

☀️

Lunch

Chicken salad + avocado

33g

🍎

Snack

Cottage cheese + almonds

15g

🍽️

Dinner

Salmon + broccoli

31g

🥩 Best protein foods for you

🍗

Chicken Breast

31g/100g

165 kcal

🥚

Whole Eggs

13g/2 eggs

140 kcal

🐟

Salmon

25g/100g

208 kcal

🧀

Greek Yogurt

17g/cup

100 kcal

🥩

Lean Beef

26g/100g

215 kcal

🫘

Lentils

18g/cup

230 kcal

🌱

Edamame

11g/½ cup

94 kcal

🐟

Tuna (canned)

22g/100g

116 kcal

🏋️ Recommended exercise plan

🔥

HIIT / Cardio

Interval training burns fat while preserving muscle

3–4×/week

🏋️

Strength Training

Maintain muscle mass while managing weight

3×/week

🚶

Daily Walking

8,000–10,000 steps/day boosts fat burn

Daily

🧘

Yoga / Stretching

Reduces cortisol — prevents stress eating

2×/week

💡 Smart tips for your goal

⏱️ Spread it out

Eat protein across 4 meals. Muscles use ~35–40g per sitting best.

💧 Stay hydrated

Higher protein needs more water. Aim for 2.5–3L a day.

🥩 Protein-first eating

Eat your protein source first at each meal to trigger fullness faster.

📱 Track your intake

Use CarbMeNot to log meals from a photo and hit your daily target.

✅ Quality counts

Choose complete proteins (all 9 amino acids): eggs, fish, meat, dairy.

🌿 Plant combos

Vegan? Pair rice+beans or hummus+pita for complete amino acids.

🚀 Your action plan

Hit 109g of protein every day

Break it into ~27g per meal across 4 meals. Consistency beats perfection.

Prep your protein sources

Batch-cook chicken, boil eggs, and portion Greek yogurt at the start of each week.

Match calories to maintenance

Keep intake around your 2570 kcal estimate and let protein do the heavy lifting.

Reassess every 4 weeks

As your weight or activity changes, recalculate your goal here.

Get personal advice if needed

For medical conditions, pregnancy, or specific athletic goals, check with a registered dietitian.

Hit your 109g goal without the math

CarbMeNot logs the protein in every meal from a photo — so you reach your target automatically. Free on iOS & Android.

How much protein do you actually need?

Protein needs scale with your body weight and how active you are. The official minimum (RDA) is 0.8g per kg just to avoid deficiency — but research on body composition and athletic performance points much higher, especially when you're losing fat or building muscle. Use this scale (grams of protein per kg of body weight per day):

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 – 2.2
Building muscle	1.6 – 2.2
Athlete / hard training	1.8 – 2.4

Want to hit your number? See our high-protein foods list and the full keto macro calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How much protein should I eat a day?: It depends on your weight and goal. General health needs about 0.8–1.2g of protein per kg of body weight; active people and those losing fat or building muscle do better at 1.6–2.2g/kg. For a 70kg (154lb) person, that's roughly 56g/day at the low end up to about 150g/day if you're cutting or training hard.
How is the protein recommendation calculated?: This calculator multiplies your body weight (in kg) by an evidence-based grams-per-kg range for your goal: 0.8–1.2 for general health, 1.2–1.6 for active, and 1.6–2.2 for fat loss or muscle gain. It then suggests a midpoint target and a per-meal amount, since spreading protein across the day supports muscle retention.
Do I need more protein on keto or low-carb?: Protein needs are similar on keto, but adequate protein matters even more when you're in a calorie deficit, because it preserves lean muscle. On keto, aim for the same 1.6–2.2g/kg if you're losing fat — just keep an eye on portion sizes of higher-fat protein sources to stay within your calorie goal.
Is too much protein bad for you?: For healthy people, higher protein intakes (up to ~2.2g/kg) are considered safe and are common among athletes. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, talk to your doctor before increasing protein significantly.

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Hit your protein target without the math

Snap a photo and CarbMeNot logs the protein in every meal automatically — free on iOS and Android.

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