Calculators / Protein calculator
Protein calculator
A protein calculator multiplies body weight by a grams-per-kilogram figure. This one uses the four tiers MacroDiet offers, adds the same +0.2 g/kg the app adds on a cut, and shows every tier side by side so the choice is visible rather than hidden in a default.
85 kg × (1.6) g/kg = 136 g/day
| Tier | g/kg | g/day at 85 kg |
|---|---|---|
| Low | 1.2 | 102 |
| Moderate | 1.6 | 136 |
| High | 2 | 170 |
| Extra high | 2.4 | 204 |
How the math works
- grams/day = body weight (kg) × tier (g/kg); the tiers are 1.2 · 1.6 · 2 · 2.4.
- Goal "lose" adds +0.2 g/kg to the tier before multiplying. Gain and maintain use the tier as is.
- Above 3 g/kg the result carries the algorithm's HIGH_PROTEIN flag. In the full macro split protein is also capped at 50% of the calorie target — see the macro calculator.
- g/lb = g/kg ÷ 2.2046; calories from protein = grams × 4.
The four tiers at 85 kg
| Tier | g/kg | g/lb | Maintain or gain | Lose (+0.2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 1.2 | 0.54 | 102 g | 119 g |
| Moderate | 1.6 | 0.73 | 136 g | 153 g |
| High | 2 | 0.91 | 170 g | 187 g |
| Extra high | 2.4 | 1.09 | 204 g | 221 g |
What the numbers are not
The tiers are the options MacroDiet presents, not reference intakes from a health body, and this page cites none. Nothing here says what protein does in a body or which tier a person should choose; it says what each tier comes to in grams so the choice can be made with the number in view — with a coach or a qualified professional where that matters. This is arithmetic, not medical advice.
Frequently asked
How much protein per kg of body weight does the calculator use?
One of four tiers: 1.2, 1.6, 2 or 2.4 g per kg of body weight — the same options MacroDiet presents at setup. At 85 kg the moderate tier is 136 g a day; the extra-high tier is 204 g. Which tier fits a person is a coaching decision; the calculator just does the multiplication and shows all four.
Why does the protein target go up when the goal is "lose"?
Because the algorithm adds 0.2 g/kg to whichever tier is selected when the goal is to lose. Moderate becomes 1.8 g/kg — 153 g instead of 136 g at 85 kg. That is a rule in the MacroDiet code, applied identically to everyone on a cut; the calculator states it rather than explaining physiology.
How do I convert g/kg to g/lb?
Divide by 2.2046. 1.6 g/kg is 0.73 g/lb, 2 g/kg is 0.91 g/lb, 2.4 g/kg is 1.09 g/lb. The calculator shows the g/lb figure next to every result, and accepts body weight in lb directly.
Does it use lean body mass or total body weight?
Total body weight. The v2 algorithm has no body-fat input in its protein step, so neither does this calculator. Anyone who prefers a lean-mass basis can enter their lean mass as the body weight, or use the custom g/kg option — the arithmetic is the same multiplication either way.
What does the warning above 3.0 g/kg mean?
It is the algorithm's sanity bound: above 3 g/kg the MacroDiet code flags HIGH_PROTEIN and this calculator shows the same flag. It is a bound on the arithmetic (an 85 kg person at 3.2 g/kg would be 272 g, 1,088 kcal of protein alone), not a statement about what any intake does to a body.
Why is the protein number sometimes lower in the macro calculator?
Because the full algorithm also caps protein at 50% of the calorie target, and that cap needs a calorie target — which this page does not compute. Example where it fires: 55 kg, 160 cm, 30, female, sedentary, aggressive cut, extra-high tier. Use the macro calculator to see the capped figure; this page shows the uncapped tier arithmetic.
How many calories is that much protein?
Protein is counted at 4 kcal per gram, so 136 g is 544 kcal and 221 g (extra-high tier on a cut, 85 kg) is 884 kcal. The macro calculator takes that out of the daily target first and splits what is left between fat and carbohydrate.
Related calculators
Track against these targets
MacroDiet's own calculators run this exact v2 formula, and the same zyra-algo engine sets the targets inside the app — where logged food is compared against them and the dashboard shows the weight trend. Web app, live at macrodiet.fit — nothing to install.
Zyra is a training and nutrition tracking tool. Nothing on this page is medical advice, a diagnosis, or an individual prescription. The numbers are estimates from published formulas and the apps' own rules — consult a qualified professional for decisions about your health, and a coach for your training.