Estimates only, not medical advice. These are population formulas, and any one person can be well above or below them. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, have diabetes, kidney disease, an eating disorder or another medical condition, or take medicine that affects weight, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing how you eat.
How your protein target is worked out
Protein advice is given in grams per kilogram of body weight, so the calculator converts your weight to kg and multiplies. It shows two numbers: the minimum everyone should reach, and a target range that fits your activity. Over 65 it also shows the PROT-AGE minimum.
Minimum (RDA) = 0.8 g × weight in kg
Target range = weight in kg × the range for you (below)
Per meal = low end of the range ÷ 3
| Who | g per kg a day | Source |
|---|---|---|
| All adults, minimum | 0.8 | RDA, National Academies DRI report (2005) |
| All adults, mostly sitting or active (no upper age limit) | 1.2–1.6 | Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 |
| Training hard, any adult age | 1.2–2.0 | ACSM, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada (2016) |
| 65 and over, minimum | at least 1.0–1.2 | PROT-AGE study group (2013) |
| 65 and over, active, minimum | at least 1.2 | PROT-AGE (2013) |
The RDA is set to cover the basic needs of nearly all healthy adults; it is a floor, not an ideal. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030, released in January 2026, raised the everyday target to 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg and ask people to include protein foods at every meal. For people who exercise, the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand on protein and exercise (2017) suggests spreading protein through the day, about 0.25 g per kg every 3 to 4 hours. For adults over 65, PROT-AGE’s figures are a minimum, not a lower target: the Dietary Guidelines range still applies.
Worked example: 160 lb, 40 years old, active most days
160 lb ÷ 2.2046 = 72.57 kg. The RDA minimum is 0.8 × 72.57 = 58 g. The Dietary Guidelines range is 1.2 × 72.57 = 87 g to 1.6 × 72.57 = 116 g, so 87 to 116 g a day, or about 29 g a meal over three meals. If the same person trained hard most days, the sports range would run to 2.0 × 72.57 = 145 g. At 70 and mostly sitting, the target is still the Dietary Guidelines range of 87 to 116 g; PROT-AGE’s minimum for over-65s, 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg, is 73 to 87 g. This example is loaded when the page opens.
Protein in common foods
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat | 1 container (6 oz) | 17.3 g |
| Egg, hard-boiled | 1 large | 6.3 g |
| Chicken breast, roasted | 3 oz | 26.4 g |
| Lentils, boiled | 1 cup | 17.9 g |
| Milk, 2% | 1 cup | 8.1 g |
| Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked | 3 oz | 18.8 g |
| Peanut butter, smooth | 2 tbsp | 7.1 g |
| Cottage cheese, 2% | 1 cup | 23.6 g |
| Tofu, firm | ½ cup | 21.8 g |
| Ground beef 85% lean, broiled | 3 oz | 22 g |
| Tuna, light, canned in water | 3 oz, drained | 16.5 g |
| Black beans, boiled | 1 cup | 15.2 g |
| Almonds | 1 oz (about 23) | 6 g |
Values are from the USDA's FoodData Central (SR Legacy), per 100 g scaled to the portion. Brands and recipes vary, so check the label for packaged foods. Plant foods such as lentils, beans and tofu count fully toward your total.
Limits
- If you have kidney disease, do not raise your protein without your doctor. PROT-AGE makes an exception for people with severe kidney disease not on dialysis, who may need less.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding raise protein needs; your prenatal care team can give you a figure.
- Teens are still growing and are not covered here.
- With a lot of extra body fat, your current weight can overstate needs. A registered dietitian may base the target on an adjusted weight.
Want protein as part of a full plan? The macro calculator splits a calorie target into protein, carbs and fat.
Sources checked October 2026.
Questions people ask
How much protein do I need a day?
The RDA, the amount that meets the basic needs of nearly all healthy adults, is 0.8 g per kg of body weight, about 0.36 g per pound. That is 58 g for a 160 lb adult. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 set a higher goal of 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg for adults, with no upper age limit, which is 87 to 116 g at 160 lb.
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
The 2016 joint position of the American College of Sports Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietitians of Canada puts the needs of athletes at about 1.2 to 2.0 g per kg a day, spread over the day and after hard sessions. Higher intakes may help for short periods of very hard training or while cutting calories.
Do older adults need more protein?
The Dietary Guidelines goal of 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg has no upper age limit, so it applies after 65 too. The PROT-AGE study group (2013) sets a minimum for people over 65: at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg a day, at least 1.2 g per kg for those who exercise or are otherwise active, and more for many with acute or chronic illness. The exception is people with severe kidney disease who are not on dialysis, who may need to limit protein.
Should I use my current weight or my goal weight?
The guidelines here are written per kg of body weight, and the calculator uses the weight you enter. If you carry a lot of extra body fat, using your current weight can give a high number; some clinicians base the target on an adjusted or goal weight in that case. Ask a registered dietitian which weight fits you.
Is too much protein bad for you?
For healthy adults, intakes in the ranges on this page are widely used. People with kidney disease are the main exception, and should agree a protein target with their doctor. Very high protein diets can also crowd out fiber-rich foods like beans, vegetables and whole grains, so keep those in.
How much protein is in an egg, or in chicken?
From USDA FoodData Central: one large hard-boiled egg has about 6.3 g, and 3 oz of roasted chicken breast about 26.4 g. A 6 oz container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt has about 17.3 g and a cup of cooked lentils about 17.9 g. The table on this page lists more.