Protein Target Calculator
Find your optimal daily protein goal based on your weight, activity level, and diet target.
Your Daily Protein Target
grams of protein per day
—. This is applied to your goal body weight, not your lean mass — the calculator has no way to know your body-fat percentage. The combined figure is capped at 1.2 g per lb of goal weight.
Protein Calories
— kcal
Thermic Effect (27.5%)
~— cal burned digesting
vs. USDA Daily RDA
The USDA RDA recommends only —g per day. Your optimized target is —× higher.
Want calories and fat too? Use the Carnivore Macro Calculator.
What That Looks Like
Roughly equivalent to — oz of cooked ribeye, or — large eggs per day.
About These Numbers
The thermic effect of protein is the energy your body expends to digest, absorb, and metabolize protein. Protein has a thermic effect of 25–30%, meaning your body burns roughly a quarter of protein's calories just processing it — far more than fats (0–3%) or carbohydrates (5–10%).
Why carnivore targets exceed the RDA: The USDA's Recommended Dietary Allowance (0.36g/lb) represents the minimum to prevent deficiency, not the amount to support optimal body composition, satiety, or muscle retention. High-protein and carnivore dieters target 0.8–1.2g per pound of goal body weight to maximize lean mass retention and fat-loss signaling.
How this calculator gets its number: 0.8–1.2 g per lb of goal body weight depending on your goal — 0.8 for maintenance, 1.0 for fat loss, 1.2 for muscle gain — multiplied by 1.0–1.2 for activity (1.0 sedentary, 1.05 lightly active, 1.1 moderate, 1.15 very active, 1.2 athlete). The combined figure is capped at 1.2 g per lb of goal body weight, and it is goal body weight, not lean mass.
Based on protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF) principles and the Protein-to-Energy (P:E) ratio concept.
Educational and informational purposes only. Not medical or nutritional advice. Consult your healthcare provider before making dietary changes.