Your daily protein
142 ga day, inside a 120 to 165 g range
Each meal36 g
Per kg of body weight1.6 to 2.2 g
Calories from protein569 kcal
That is about 2.5 cooked chicken breasts worth of protein, spread over the day
Enter a weight from 30 to 300 kg (70 to 660 lb) to see your number.
Example shown: 165 lb, building muscle, 4 meals. For healthy adults; ask your doctor if you have kidney disease.
Protein ranges by goal
| Goal | Grams per kg a day | Grams per lb a day | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| General health, mostly sitting | 0.8 | 0.36 | US Recommended Dietary Allowance |
| Healthy aging, over 65 | 1.0 to 1.2 | 0.45 to 0.55 | PROT-AGE study group |
| Active | 1.4 to 2.0 | 0.64 to 0.9 | ISSN position stand |
| Build muscle | 1.6 to 2.2 | 0.7 to 1.0 | Morton et al. meta-analysis, ISSN |
| Lose fat and keep muscle | 1.6 to 2.4 | 0.7 to 1.1 | Our range: Morton plus the higher intakes ISSN describes for a calorie deficit |
Why protein matters for your goal
- Losing weight: more protein helps you keep muscle while you eat less, and it keeps you fuller than the same calories from carbs or fat.
- Building muscle: a large meta-analysis found gains in muscle level off at about 1.6 g per kg a day, with some people benefiting up to 2.2 g.
- Getting older: muscle loss speeds up after 60, and older adults need more protein than the RDA to keep it.
What 30 g of protein looks like
| Food | Amount for about 30 g protein |
|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | about 100 g (3.5 oz) |
| Greek yogurt, plain nonfat | about 300 g (1¼ cups) |
| Eggs | 5 large |
| Canned tuna, drained | about 120 g (1 can) |
| Firm tofu | about 175 g (6 oz) |
| Lentils, cooked | about 330 g (1⅔ cups) |
Approximate values from USDA FoodData Central; brands vary.
Hit your number without the math
Knowing your target is easy. Hitting it every day is the hard part. EXO counts protein from a photo of each meal and shows how much is left for the day, so you know at dinner whether you are short.
Sources
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. National Academies Press, 2005. National Academies Press
- Bauer J, Biolo G, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2013;14(8):542-559. PubMed · doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021
- Morton RW, Murphy KT, 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. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018;52(6):376-384. PubMed · doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017;14:20. PubMed · doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2018;15:10. PubMed · doi:10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1
- US Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. fdc.nal.usda.gov
