Daily protein needs made simple.
Estimate your daily protein target from your body, activity, and goal — try the protein calculator on this page, then save your number with a free account.
By Aziz Mezlini, PhD · Founder & Scientist, Carthalis · Updated 2026-05-25
Wellness education, not diagnosis · Not for emergencies
What this number actually measures
Daily protein needs refer to how many grams of protein fit your total daily energy and fitness goal — an educational planning number from total daily energy expenditure, not a medical prescription. A protein calculator helps you estimate how much protein per day supports muscle repair, satiety, and recovery without guessing a one-size-fits-all rule.
Muscle building & repair
Protein provides amino acids to build and repair muscle tissue after exercise and daily wear.
Key benefit: Supports muscle protein synthesis
Satiety & weight management
Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, helping you feel full longer and reducing overall calorie intake.
Key benefit: Supports weight loss and maintenance
Metabolic boost
Protein has the highest thermic effect of food — your body burns more calories digesting it than carbs or fat.
Key benefit: Adds modest daily calorie burn
Immune function
Protein helps produce antibodies and supports recovery — part of a balanced wellness picture.
Key benefit: Supports everyday health and recovery
Recommended Dietary Allowance: The RDA minimum is 0.8 g/kg for adults — a deficiency floor, not necessarily the optimal target for active training or body-composition goals. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 and Pavlidou equation (2023).
Estimate your daily protein
Use the protein calculator on this page — a daily protein needs calculator for muscle gain, fat loss, or maintenance. Pavlidou RMR + PAL on this page; MET depth unlocks in the app.
Estimate your daily protein grams
Pavlidou RMR + PAL on this page for TDEE, then goal-based protein with the 0.8 g/kg RDA floor enforced. MET-based depth unlocks in the app.
Your inputs
Your result
Fill in your inputs to see your personalised result here. The calculator runs entirely on this page — no signup required to try.
Wellness education, not medical or nutrition advice.
Sign up to track protein intake against this target, see meal suggestions, and adjust as your goal evolves.
Save your result with a free accountSign up to use the more accurate MET-based estimation in the app, plus tools such as meal suggestions, meal planning, and meal logging / optimization against your daily targets.
Wellness education, not diagnosis.
Pavlidou RMR + PAL on this page vs MET-based in the app
The on-page protein calculator uses a three-step flow: estimate TDEE with Pavlidou RMR and WHO/FAO PAL multipliers, adjust calories for your goal, then apply a goal-based protein share while meeting the RDA minimum. After signup, Carthalis adds activity-specific MET depth — honest tiering, not unverified superiority claims.
| Aspect | On this page (PAL + protein share) | In the app (MET) |
|---|---|---|
| Resting metabolism | Pavlidou et al. 2023 (RMR equation) | Same Pavlidou RMR base with profile refinements over time |
| Activity multiplier | FAO/WHO/UNU 2004 (PAL activity multipliers) | Activity-specific MET values when you log movement |
| Protein target | Goal-based protein share of calories + 0.8 g/kg RDA floor | Same targets with meal logging and optimization against daily goals |
| Meal tools | Educational protein gram estimate only | Meal suggestions, planning, and logging against targets |
Step 1: Estimate total daily energy using Pavlidou RMR and PAL multipliers.
Step 2: Adjust calories for your goal — about 15% deficit for fat loss, about 10% surplus for muscle gain, maintenance unchanged.
Step 3: Set protein as a share of calories while meeting the 0.8 g/kg RDA minimum.
Methodology sources: Pavlidou et al. 2023; FAO/WHO/UNU 2004; Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Compare with our calorie calculator.
Adjusting for fat loss, maintenance, or muscle gain
Goal shapes your protein share — fat loss and muscle gain often use about 25% of calories from protein; maintenance often uses about 20%. Gram targets depend on total calories — try the on-page estimate, then save with a free account.
Weight Loss
Higher protein (about 25% of calories) to preserve muscle during a moderate calorie deficit and support satiety.
Protein: 25% of calories
Adjustment: ~15% calorie deficit from TDEE
Minimum: 0.8 g/kg body weight (RDA minimum)
Target range: 1.6–2.2 g/kg body weight (educational context)
Maintenance
Balanced protein (about 20% of calories) to maintain muscle mass and support daily activities.
Protein: 20% of calories
Adjustment: TDEE unchanged
Minimum: 0.8 g/kg body weight (RDA minimum)
Target range: 1.0–1.4 g/kg body weight (educational context)
Muscle Gain
Adequate protein (about 25% of calories) to support muscle protein synthesis while leaving room for training carbs.
Protein: 25% of calories
Adjustment: ~10% calorie surplus from TDEE
Minimum: 0.8 g/kg body weight (RDA minimum)
Target range: 1.6–2.2 g/kg body weight (educational context)
Worked example: goal-specific protein grams (70 kg reference)
- Weight Loss: 70 kg person, 2,000 kcal: 125g protein
- Maintenance: 70 kg person, 2,400 kcal: 120g protein
- Muscle Gain: 70 kg person, 2,800 kcal: 175g protein
Wellness education, not diagnosis
Wellness education, not diagnosis.
Not for emergencies — call your local emergency line.
Carthalis is not a medical device.
Protein estimates are general guidance — consult a clinician for medically supervised diets.
Read our full trust commitment on Trust & Safety.
Common questions
Save your number and plan meals
Sign up to use the more accurate MET-based estimation in the app, plus tools such as meal suggestions, meal planning, and meal logging / optimization against your daily targets.