Protein Calculator for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

Protein Calculator for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

How much protein do you need to lose weight and put on muscle? Our protein calculator can help you crunch the numbers.

Research shows that increasing protein intake supports fat loss and muscle growth, but it’s just one part of a comprehensive weight loss plan. If you’re prioritizing fat loss, you also need to cut calories and boost your energy expenditure through exercise. Weight loss medications, available through Hims, may make it easier to create calorie deficits by supporting appetite regulation.

How to Use This Protein Calculator for Weight Loss

This protein calculator is for anyone looking to lose weight and build muscle. It helps you calculate how much protein you need based on factors like your height, body composition, goals, and activity levels.

You’ll get recommendations for how many grams of protein to eat per day and per meal.

How to Choose Your Goal

With this protein calculator, you can select one of these fitness goals:

• Maintain weight

• Lose weight

• Build muscle

If you’ve got one aim in mind, those goals are pretty self-explanatory. However, if you’re looking into body recomposition (losing body fat while gaining muscle), you might have more than one goal.

Here’s some guidance on which goal to choose: 

• Want to lose fat and gain muscle simultaneously? Choose “lose weight.“ 

• Want to lose fat and maintain muscle? Choose “lose weight.“

• Want to gain muscle and don’t mind some fat gain? Choose “build muscle.“

How to Calculate Your Goal Weight

You’ll also punch in your goal weight.

Not sure what to go for? Using your height and weight, you can calculate your body mass index (BMI). It’s not a perfect metric, but there’s a range that’s generally considered healthy for your height.

You’d ideally choose a goal weight that puts you within a healthy BMI range. Use our BMI calculator to find a weight range to aim for.

Understanding Activity Level

When selecting your activity level, think about how many times a week you get your heart rate up for at least 15 to 30 minutes. That includes aerobic exercise (like walking, jogging, and cycling) and strength training (like bodyweight exercises or lifting weights).

In general, the more activity you get, the more protein you’ll need to recover, especially if you’re doing a lot of strength training.

Here’s a rough guide:

• Sedentary. Little to no exercise.

• Light. One to two days a week of exercise.

• Moderate. Three to five days a week of exercise.

• Heavy. Six to seven days a week a week of exercise.

• Very heavy. Intense exercise every day.

Protein Calculator for Weight Loss

Protein is a key macronutrient for everyone at every life stage, but it’s especially important when losing weight.

Research shows protein can:

• Suppress your appetite and help you feel fuller

• Reduce food cravings

• Help you retain lean muscle as you’re losing fat

• Help you build muscle

• Prevent weight regain after weight loss

What should your daily protein intake be? According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), men should get 56 grams of protein a day. But this is the minimum to aim for to avoid losing muscle. To lose weight, you’ll need to eat more protein.

There isn’t a hard-and-fast rule for how much protein you need to eat, though. Protein needs vary from person to person, depending on factors like:

• Activity level. The higher your physical activity level, the more protein you’ll need — especially if you’re strength training and trying to build muscle.

• Age. Eating enough protein is crucial to help offset age-related muscle loss.

• Liver or kidney disease. You may need to decrease your protein intake if you have one of these health conditions. A healthcare provider can give you personalized advice.

Protein and Hims Weight Loss

If you’re looking to lose weight, you’ve probably already tried making changes to your diet and exercise routine. Unfortunately, these changes aren’t always enough. Genetics, age, and health conditions — like diabetes and sleep apnea — can sabotage your weight loss efforts.

Weight loss medications can help you overcome these barriers and achieve your long-term weight loss goals.

Protein is key here, too. When you’re losing weight quickly with help from weight loss medication, there’s a risk you’ll lose muscle alongside fat. Eating more protein can help minimize this.

What’s more, a high-protein diet can further support the appetite-suppressing and effects of some weight loss medication.

When your appetite is suppressed on medication, what you eat matters more. Focusing on protein ensures you’ll give your body the fuel it needs.

Our personalized weight loss plans help you hit your protein goals with:

• A personalized protein intake recommendation based on your age, health concerns, and weight loss goals

• Upwards of 100 high-protein recipes developed by nutritionists

• A doctor-developed, seven-day, high-protein meal plan

• A protein tracker to help you track your protein intake throughout the day

• Nutrition advice based on your eating profile

You can also purchase meal-replacement bars and shakes through Hims. Recommended by physicians for people on weight loss medication, they’re high in protein and essential vitamins and minerals. These quick, on-the-go protein sources make hitting your intake goals easier. The shakes contain 54 percent of your daily protein requirement in just one serving.

Protein-first nutrition is just one pillar of our holistic weight plans. They also include:

• Weight loss medication. The medications available through Hims are tailored to your body and needs to target underlying factors affecting body weight, like appetite and cravings.

• Behavior change tools. We have habit trackers, psychologist-developed cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) lessons, and guided sleep programs on the Hims app to help you make lifestyle changes for long-term weight loss. 

• Movement guidance. Get in-app strength training advice from a licensed personal trainer and beginner-friendly tutorials to help you start and stick to a movement routine.

Hear It From Him

“I’m a 39-year-old father of three. I work out five to six days a week, but have been struggling with my diet. I’ve been around 225–240 [lbs] for about the last 10 years. I was a three-sport athlete in high school and a DII college football player. After school, I did everything from cross country, to rugby, to bodybuilding. I then settled down, married, and had my kids.

“I have always had a passion for fitness and working out. I was a personal trainer for a few years as well. I know what it takes and have an understanding of nutrition. But I was struggling with my diet, eating what my kids were not finishing, or having a row of Oreos because it was easy, and I just craved sugar and couldn’t kick the craving! I tried different supplements but would just go back to snacking.

“I heard that Hims offered weight loss plans, so I thought I would try it. I submitted a visit with a provider, and a week later, received my first box of medicine. Since November, I have lost about 15 lbs. I’m still working out and still have my strength — I hit 405 in deadlift! I don’t have the cravings I had, and feel like I am in control. If anyone is looking for some help, I recommend giving it a try. It is working for me, and I plan to keep going.“ — Jeff*, Real Hims customer

Paid testimonial. Customer’s results have not been independently verified. Individual results will vary.

How Much Protein Should You Eat to Lose Weight?

There’s no magic number for how much protein you should eat to support weight loss. In general, a high-protein diet is usually defined as getting 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight or 30 percent of your daily calorie intake from protein.

Dr. Craig Primack, SVP of Weight Loss at Hims says, “Protein, aiming for 100 grams per day,  is essential for both preserving muscle mass and keeping you full, making it easier to maintain the calorie deficit needed for weight loss.”

Learn more about protein for weight loss.

How Much Protein Is Too Much?

There isn’t a set upper limit for protein intake, either. But it’s possible to overdo it.

Eating too much protein (particularly without enough fiber) can cause digestive issues. You might also experience unintended weight gain over time, especially if you’re using protein supplements like protein powders (that can come with added sugars) and not making changes to account for the additional calories.

Most of the time, though, you’ll probably find you’re not eating enough protein. This can happen if you have a reduced appetite when taking weight loss medication.

Body Recomposition Calculator

You might see a protein calculator for weight loss or muscle gain called a body recomposition calculator. Here’s what to know.

What Is Body Recomposition?

Body recomposition (body recomp) is when you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. And yes, it’s possible!

It can be tricky, but with the right combo of high-protein, nutritious meals, strength training, cardio, and quality sleep, you can achieve both of these goals.

Body Recomposition Diet

When it comes to how to lose weight and gain muscle, nutrition is a critical part — and a confusing part. You’ll want to reduce your calories to promote fat loss, but you’ll also want to eat plenty of protein to promote muscle gain (and further support fat loss).

In general, aim for a caloric deficit of 500 calories a day to lose one pound a week.

Use our calorie deficit calculator to estimate how many calories you need to consume for different rates of weight loss. Pair it with this protein calculator to make sure you’re hitting both your calorie and protein goals for fat loss and muscle gain.

How to Calculate Macros for Body Recomposition

Macros (or macronutrients) are the three main nutrients: protein, fats, and carbohydrates.

When people talk about their macros, they mean how many grams of each macronutrient they eat a day — or the percentage of calories they get from each macronutrient each day. For instance, getting 30 percent from protein, 30 percent from fats, and 40 percent from carbs.

For body recomposition, you’ll want to focus on protein, but don’t neglect or cut out complex carbs and healthy fats. They’re needed for energy and a balanced diet.

Again, you can use our calorie deficit calculator to work out the calories you need to consume and this protein calculator to figure out your ideal protein intake. Once you’ve allocated daily calories to protein, split your remaining calories between carbs and fats.

A registered dietitian, nutritionist, or healthcare provider can give you personalized macro recommendations to hit your goals.

Body Recomposition Workout Plan

Exercise is another essential pillar of body recomposition. Aerobic exercise can help you lose fat, and strength training can help you build muscle (and further support fat loss).

Aerobic exercise includes anything that gets your heart rate up. A few examples:

• Brisk walking

• Jogging

• Swimming

• Cycling

• Playing sports

Strength training includes anything that works your muscles, including:

• Bodyweight exercises

• Using dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands

• Using resistance machines at the gym

• Weightlifting

General guidelines say to aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise, or a mix of the two each week. Plus, you should try to do at least two strength training sessions a week.

This might seem like a lot, especially at first. If these numbers feel far off, start slowly and gradually increase how much exercise you do. You might want to eventually aim to do more exercise than this to promote weight loss.

Check out our weight loss workout plan to get started.

Protein Calculator for Muscle Gain

What if your goal is to put on muscle? Here’s what to know about using a protein calculator for muscle gain.

How Much Protein Do You Need to Build Muscle?

Just like protein for weight loss, there’s no hard-and-fast rule for how much protein to eat for muscle growth.

You’ll want to eat more than the recommended baseline of 56 grams of protein a day for men. Why? Protein gives your body the essential amino acids it needs to build and repair muscle.

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis found that, for people under 65, eating 1.6 grams or more of protein per kilogram of body weight every day helped increase muscle mass alongside strength training.

But the optimum amount varies from person to person. For example, the more exercise you do, the more protein you’ll need to recover — even more so if you’re strength training.

How Many Calories Should You Eat to Gain Muscle?

What about calories? Yet again, there’s no magic number.

If you’re aiming to just build muscle, you’d want to be in a slight calorie surplus (eating more calories than you burn each day) while strength training. This will provide your body with more fuel to repair and build muscle.

Looking to lose weight and gain muscle? You’d want to be in a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than you burn each day) while strength training. That way, your body turns to body fat for some of its fuel.

To work out your exact numbers, you’ll need to know your maintenance calories (how many calories you’d need to maintain your current weight). You can use our TDEE calculator (TDEE is total daily energy expenditure) to estimate your maintenance calories, and then consume above or below this number depending on your goal.

A registered dietitian, nutritionist, or healthcare provider can help you find the ideal number of calories to build muscle and strength while losing weight.

Muscle gain and fat loss aren’t just about calories, though. Nutrition, exercise, and sleep all work together to help you hit these goals.

Low Calorie, High-Protein Foods

Here are some ideas for what to eat and buy at the grocery store if you’re trying to eat more protein, lose weight, gain muscle, or all of the above.

Best Protein Sources for Weight Loss

Meat, fish, legumes, low-fat dairy products — you’ve got plenty of options when it comes to high-protein foods to add to your diet.

Here are some low-calorie, high-protein foods and the amount of protein they contain per 100 grams:

• Lentils (24.6 grams of protein) 

• Chicken (22.5 grams of protein)

• Tempeh (20.3 grams of protein)

• Salmon (19.8 grams of protein) 

• Tofu (18.8 grams of protein)

• Lean beef (18.2 grams of protein) 

• Turkey (17.3 grams of protein)

• Eggs (12.4 grams of protein — that’s in roughly two eggs)

• Edamame (11.9 grams of protein)

Check out our weight loss diet plan for men for more nutrition advice.

Best Protein Powder for Weight Loss

One way to consume more protein is to consider protein supplements in the form of bars, shakes, or powders. They’re ideal for topping up your protein intake on the go or adding to otherwise low-protein meals or snacks (like mixing protein powder into oatmeal or smoothies).

There’s not much research into the best protein powder for weight loss. One study found casein and pea protein helped increase satiety (feelings of fullness) more than other types of protein, like egg and whey. But your body may react differently.

Complete proteins (proteins that contain all nine essential amino acids) are considered best. These include:

• Whey

• Casein

• Soy

• Egg

• Pea protein isolate

Meal-replacement kits are another option and an easy way to get a high-protein meal. Hims meal replacements come in the form of bars and shakes.

Whichever you choose, look out for high-protein products with quality ingredients and minimal added sugar.

To learn more about your options, take our free online weight loss assessment. A licensed healthcare provider will go over your answers and recommend a treatment plan to suit you.

The protein calculator is only an estimate of the optimal daily protein intake based upon factors including activity level, height, and weight loss goals. The calculator may not accurately reflect the optimal protein intake for individuals of specific race/ethnic groups, those with high muscle mass, pregnant women, children, the elderly, or those with specific health conditions. The calculator should not be used as a sole diagnostic tool.