Take your body weight (in pounds) and multiply it by one of the following numbers. By the way, the “squiggly” line before the numbers stands for “approximately.”

Protein Targets

• Sedentary adult: ~0.36 g/lb (0.8 g/kg) — the minimum RDA.
• Maintaining muscle while generally healthy and active: ~0.5–0.7 g/lb (1.1–1.6 g/kg).
• Preserving and modestly improving muscle while exercising regularly: ~0.6–0.8 g/lb (1.3–1.8 g/kg).
• Maximizing muscle growth: ~0.7–1.0 g/lb (1.6–2.2 g/kg)

Calorie Targets

Men:

• Fat loss: 10–12 calories per lb
• Slow fat loss while preserving muscle: 12–14 calories per lb
• Maintenance: 14–16 calories per lb
• Lean muscle gain: 16–18 calories per lb
• Aggressive muscle gain: 18–20+ calories per lb
  

Women:

• Fat loss: 9–11 calories per lb
• Slow fat loss while preserving muscle: 11–13 calories per lb
• Maintenance: 13–15 calories per lb
• Lean muscle gain: 15–17 calories per lb
• Aggressive muscle gain: 17–19+ calories per lb