Protein calculator for weight loss
Enter your weight and your situation: you get a daily guide figure, how to split it across meals and what it looks like on a plate.
of protein per day
Enter a weight between 35 and 250 kg to get a guide figure.
What that looks like on a plate
Rounded estimates from standard food composition tables. They vary with the product and the cooking method.
| Food | Serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked chicken breast | 100 g | about 28 g |
| Cooked salmon | 100 g | about 22 g |
| Eggs | 2 eggs | about 13 g |
| Cooked lentils | 150 g | about 13 g |
| Plain quark or fromage frais | 150 g | about 11 g |
| Hard cheese | 30 g | about 8 g |
| Plain yoghurt | 1 pot, 125 g | about 5 g |
How this figure is calculated
At a stable weight, the calculator applies the European reference intake for adults set by EFSA, 0.83 g of protein per kilo of body weight per day. From 65, several national bodies advise around 1 g per kilo.
During weight loss, relative needs go up, because the body also draws on its lean mass. The joint advisory published in 2025 by four American scientific societies in the journal Obesity proposes 1.2 to 1.6 g per kilo per day for people being treated, which most often means 80 to 120 g per day. The calculator shows that range and caps it at 120 g: beyond that, specialists work from a reference weight rather than actual weight.
Further reading: what the studies measure on muscle loss and a 7-day meal plan.
What this tool cannot do
This is a general guide. It does not apply as it stands if you have kidney disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have an eating disorder, or are an athlete in training. In those situations, and whenever you are on treatment, intake is set with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
This tool is for information. It does not replace advice from a healthcare professional.