By now you’ve heard of the power of proteins. It’s the magical macronutrient that helps you feel full and maintain muscle mass while losing weight. And you’re probably wondering, “How much protein do I need?” Well, we can help you figure this out.
The MyFitnessPal Protein Calculator is a simple, easy-to-use tool designed to help you determine your daily protein needs based on your unique lifestyle and health goals.
*insert calculator*
How to use the MyFitnessPal protein calculator
This tool takes some of the guesswork out of how much protein to aim for. All you have to do is enter a few basic details about yourself, including:
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- Age: Protein requirements can vary by age, especially as muscle mass naturally decreases over time.
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- Sex: Although it’s just one consideration, men and women typically have different protein needs.
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- Weight: Your weight helps determine your protein needs. It directly affects the amount your body needs for maintenance and growth.
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- Activity level: Whether you lead a sedentary lifestyle or are very active, your activity level plays a big role in determining the amount of protein your body uses.
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- Fitness Goals: Whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, or maintain your current health, the calculator will adjust your recommendations accordingly.
Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, producing enzymes and hormones, and maintaining muscle mass. The calculator uses evidence-based guidelines to ensure your protein intake supports your goals without going overboard (1).
However, as always, the recommendations are merely guidelines provided for informational purposes. You should always contact your doctor or registered dietitian for personalized advice or if you have a medical condition.
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein
The RDA for protein for most adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. However, this amount is the minimum amount needed to support basic body functions and prevent muscle loss (7).
The RDA amount is likely not sufficient to meet the needs of active people or those with specific fitness goals. How much protein you need to gain muscle or maintain muscle mass is another matter.
Protein intake guidelines
Other organizations that make recommendations, such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the International Sports Nutrition Associationrecommend 1.2 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. (1)
For a 150-pound person, that’s between 82 and 136 grams of protein per day. Enter your own numbers into the calculator to get a better idea of what would be a good protein goal for you.
How to calculate protein intake in meals
Your protein goal for the day may seem like a high number when you first see it. It can be helpful to work toward that goal with meals and snacks.
Here are two good strategies for finding out how much protein is in each meal:
Read nutrition labels
Nutrition labels list the protein content per serving. Multiply this number by the number of servings you consume to calculate your total protein intake from packaged foods.
Use MyFitnessPal
Of MyFitnessPaltracking proteins is easy. Simply log your meals in the app and it will calculate your daily protein intake so you can stay on track with your goals.
Protein-rich food sources
Many everyday foods are high in protein. Here are some of the most common foods that can help you reach your protein and overall nutrition goals:
Risks of insufficient or excessive protein intake
Proteins are necessary for every cell in our body. Without this, muscle growth, development and tissue repair does not happen as it should (2).
But that may be the case too much of a good thing. If you’re focused on eating protein, it can crowd out other nutritious foods. “It becomes harder to include all your food groups, it becomes harder to get variety in your meals and build your meals, it becomes harder to balance your carbohydrate and fat needs,” says Stephanie Nelson, chief nutrition scientist at MyFitnessPal.
Finding the right balance is essential to prevent these problems while optimizing your health.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how much protein I need?
Use the MyFitnessPal Protein Calculator by entering your weight, age, activity level and goals.
How do you get 100 grams of protein per day?
Build your meals with protein-rich foods, such as eggs for breakfast, grilled chicken for lunch and tofu stir-fry for dinner.
How much protein do I need to lose weight?
Most people benefit from 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight while losing weight (1).
Do you need more protein when you lift weights?
Building new muscle and maintaining muscle mass require a positive muscle protein balance. Research shows that strength training in combination with protein consumption stimulates muscle protein synthesis (muscle growth) (3).
That means it’s important to consume adequate amounts of protein when lifting weights to build muscle mass, but also to maintain current muscle mass. Although the body can technically build muscle from amino acid reserves, this is not ideal and has not proven to be all that effective. Therefore, protein intake recommendations for physically active individuals are higher than for sedentary people (4).
What are the symptoms of too much protein in the body?
While not getting enough protein is not ideal, consuming too much protein can also have adverse effects. The kidneys filter the byproducts of ingested proteins, so anyone with altered kidney function should refrain from consuming large amounts of protein. Fluids are also needed to break down and flush out these byproducts, so occasionally hydration status is affected if too much protein is consumed (5).
Remember that the source of protein is just as important as the amount. Research has shown that overconsumption of red meat and processed meat can increase overall mortality risk. You may want to choose protein sources such as fish, poultry, nuts, legumes and low-fat dairy products more often (6).
Additional resources for further learning
Discover the Protein Calculator today and take the guesswork out of meeting your protein goals!
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