How much protein per pound of body weight?

0.8 g/kg is about 0.36 g per pound. The active range of 1.2–2.0 g/kg works out to roughly 0.54–0.91 g per pound.

Should I use my current weight or my goal weight?

Most guidance uses current body weight. If you have a lot of weight to lose, some professionals base it on a goal or adjusted weight instead — ask a dietitian if you're unsure.

Is more protein always better?

No. Research on muscle gain shows benefits levelling off around 1.6 g/kg, with about 2.2 g/kg as an upper estimate. Very high intakes aren't needed for most people.

Protein Calculator

Get a general daily protein range from your body weight and how you train. Results are shown in grams per day and per kg or lb of body weight, with the reference each range comes from.

Body weight (kg)

Activity / goal

84–140 g

Estimated protein per day

1.2–2 g/kg

Per kg of body weight

0.54–0.91 g/lb

Per lb of body weight

Reference: ACSM / AND / DC joint position (2016). This is a general, formula-based range for healthy adults — not personalised nutrition advice. If you are pregnant, have kidney disease or another medical condition, ask a doctor or registered dietitian. To turn a calorie target into protein, carbs and fat, use the Macro Calculator.

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How to use protein calculator

1Choose metric (kg) or US (lb) units.
2Enter your body weight.
3Pick the option that best matches your activity or goal.
4Read your estimated daily range in grams, plus the per-kg and per-lb figures.

About this tool

Protein guidance is usually given per kilogram of body weight, so the calculator multiplies your weight by a published range. The adult Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 0.8 g/kg per day — a baseline that covers the needs of most healthy, inactive adults.

People who train regularly are generally advised to eat more. The joint position of the American College of Sports Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada (2016) gives 1.2–2.0 g/kg for active people, and a 2018 meta-analysis by Morton and colleagues found muscle gains from resistance training levelled off around 1.6 g/kg, with an upper estimate of about 2.2 g/kg.

Results are ranges on purpose: individual needs vary, and a single number would suggest precision the research doesn't support. This is general information for healthy adults, not medical or nutrition advice — anyone pregnant, with kidney disease or another medical condition should follow a doctor's or dietitian's guidance. To split a calorie target into protein, carbs and fat, use the Macro Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

For most healthy adults the RDA is 0.8 g per kg of body weight — about 56 g for a 70 kg person. People who exercise regularly are commonly advised to aim for about 1.2–2.0 g/kg.

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