Free calculator
Protein calculator
Protein builds and keeps muscle, and it is the most filling thing you can eat. Enter your height and weight to see how much you need a day, and how to spread it over your meals.
Your result
150 g of protein a day
At least 110 g on most days.
- 3 meals50 gper meal
- 4 meals38 gper meal
For comparison, the RDA for adults who don’t train is 0.8 g per kg of body weight: 54 g for you.
Your target uses 150 lb, the weight at a BMI of 25 for your height (yours is 25): extra body fat doesn’t raise how much protein you need.
How much protein do you need?
- To build muscle: a large meta-analysis found that extra protein stops adding muscle at around 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day, with 2.2 g per kg as the upper end. BindTrue aims for 2.2 g and treats 1.6 g as the minimum.
- While losing fat: the higher end helps you keep muscle in a calorie deficit.
- Everyone who exercises: the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends 1.4–2.0 g per kg a day for most active people.
- Spread it out: about 0.4 g per kg per meal over 3–4 meals works better than one huge serving.
Healthy people can eat these amounts safely. If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor what is right for you.
Where to get it
Sorted by protein per 100 kcal: the higher it is, the easier it makes a calorie deficit.
| Food | Protein | Per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Shrimp5 oz cooked · 150 kcal | 36 g | 24 g |
| Tuna in water5 oz can · 120 kcal | 27 g | 23 g |
| Egg whites1 cup · 120 kcal | 26 g | 22 g |
| Whey protein1 scoop · 120 kcal | 24 g | 20 g |
| Chicken breast5 oz cooked · 250 kcal | 46 g | 18 g |
| Greek yogurt 0%1 cup · 130 kcal | 23 g | 18 g |
| Beef 93/75 oz cooked · 270 kcal | 39 g | 14 g |
| Cottage cheese 2%1 cup · 180 kcal | 24 g | 13 g |
| Salmon5 oz cooked · 310 kcal | 33 g | 11 g |
| Eggs2 large · 140 kcal | 12 g | 9 g |
| Beans or chickpeas1 cup · 230 kcal | 15 g | 7 g |
Sources
- Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376–384. doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
- Helms ER, Aragon AA, Fitschen PJ. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2014;11:20. doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-11-20
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15:10. doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1
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For healthy adults 16 and older. This is general information, not medical advice.