Training builds muscle, protein supports it
Protein on its own will not build muscle. Strength training is the signal that tells your body to grow. Protein gives it the raw material to do the job. You need both.
That is why the numbers here assume you lift weights or do other strength work. If you do not train yet, the "Maintain weight" goal on the main calculator is a better fit.
What this version sets up for you
This page starts with the goal set to "Build muscle." That changes two things:
- Protein: your range uses 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. The low end is where research found gains leveled off. The high end is there for people who want a safety margin. The International Society of Sports Nutrition gives 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg for most people who exercise, which overlaps with ours.
- Calories: your target is 10% above your maintenance calories, a small surplus.
For example, a lightly active 40-year-old woman who is 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) and weighs 145 lb (66 kg) gets 105 to 145 grams of protein and about 2,010 calories a day.
Tips to grow
- Spread protein out. Three or four meals with protein in each make a big daily target much easier to reach than one huge dinner.
- Eat some protein after you train. A meal or snack with chicken, eggs, Greek yogurt, or a shake is enough.
- Track more than weight. Our FFMI calculator shows how much muscle you carry for your height.
For help sizing each meal, read how much protein per meal. To compare goals, use the main protein calculator, or see our guide for gym-goers.