Protein ranges checked against the National Academies' published RDA.
For fat loss and muscle retention, aim for 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, about 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram, a range backed by sports-nutrition research going back decades. That's well above the government RDA of 0.36 g/lb, a number set to prevent deficiency in a sedentary adult, not to support anyone actually training.
Targets by goal
| Goal | Target (per lb body weight) | Target (per kg body weight) |
|---|---|---|
| General health (sedentary) | 0.36 g/lb | 0.8 g/kg |
| Fat loss (preserve muscle) | 0.7-1.0 g/lb | 1.5-2.2 g/kg |
| Muscle building | 0.7-1.0 g/lb | 1.6-2.2 g/kg |
| Very lean athletes | 1.0-1.2 g/lb | 2.2-2.6 g/kg |
These ranges come from the International Society of Sports Nutrition's 2017 position stand on protein and exercise, not a made-up round figure. Age, training intensity and total calorie intake all shift the number a bit; a registered dietitian can fine-tune it for your situation.
Doing the math yourself
Multiply body weight in pounds by 0.7 for the low end of the active range, by 1.0 for the high end. A 160-pound person cutting fat should land around 112 to 160 grams a day. In kilograms, multiply by 1.6 to 2.2 instead. The macro calculator does this automatically alongside carb and fat targets.
Is 100 grams actually a lot?
For someone small or sedentary, yes. For a 180-pound active person, 100 grams sits on the low side of the training range: it works out to about 0.55 g/lb, under the 0.7-1.0 g/lb window recommended for fat loss or muscle building. The number only means something once you know whose body it's attached to.
What about 30 grams a day
Thirty grams total is far below what almost any adult needs and would make it hard to hold onto muscle or cover basic function beyond a sedentary baseline. If the question is really about 30 grams per meal, that's a solid per-meal target; spreading protein across 3-4 meals of 25-40 grams each tends to work well for muscle protein synthesis.
Reasonable high-protein foods
- Chicken breast (cooked): ~31g per 100g
- Canned tuna: ~25g per 100g
- Greek yogurt (non-fat): ~10g per 100g
- Eggs: ~6g each
- Cottage cheese: ~11g per 100g
- Lentils (cooked): ~9g per 100g
- Tofu (firm): ~8g per 100g
Pair a protein target with a calorie number from the calorie calculator so the two actually work together instead of fighting each other.
Get a personal protein target
The protein intake calculator turns your weight and goal into a gram range in one step.