Daily protein target
Enter body weight in kilograms or pounds; the other unit stays in sync. Typical protein targets are about 0.8 g/kg (general minimum) up to roughly 2.0 g/kg for heavy strength training — adjust to your own plan.
Energy from protein
Protein supplies about 4 kcal or 17 kJ per gram on nutrition labels (Atwater factors).
How protein intake targets are estimated
Grams per kilogram of body weight
Protein recommendations are often expressed as grams per kilogram (g/kg) of body weight. A common general adult reference is around 0.8 g/kg as a baseline adequate intake, while strength trainees sometimes aim toward roughly 1.6–2.2 g/kg depending on goals and total calories. This page converts your weight between kg and lb and shows example daily gram totals across that style of range.
Needs rise with deficit dieting, age, and training load for many people — and medical conditions can require specialist limits. Nothing here is a prescription.
Label energy
On nutrition labels, protein contributes about 4 kcal (≈ 17 kJ) per gram using Atwater factors. That helps you see how a protein target fits a calorie budget alongside Macros.
Worked example
At 80 kg, 0.8 g/kg ≈ 64 g/day, while 2.0 g/kg ≈ 160 g/day. In pounds, 176 lb is the same mass — use either field; they stay synchronised.
Common mistakes
- Using goal weight vs current weight inconsistently without noticing.
- Counting only meat while ignoring dairy, eggs, legumes, and powders.
- Chasing extreme grams without adjusting total calories.
FAQs
- Per meal timing?
- Daily totals matter most for many goals; distribute across meals if it helps adherence.
- How do macros fit?
- Set calories and percentages in Macro Calculator after choosing a protein gram target.
Related: Macros, BMR & TDEE, Nutrition.
Last updated: July 2026