DailyP's protein goal recommendations are based on established sports nutrition and dietary research. Below are the primary sources informing our calculations.
Jäger, R., Kerksick, C.M., Campbell, B.I., et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(20).
Recommends 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day for physically active individuals to optimize exercise training adaptations.
Thomas, D.T., Erdman, K.A., Burke, L.M. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(3), 501–528.
Recommends 1.2–2.0 g/kg/day for athletes, with higher intakes during periods of increased training intensity or caloric restriction.
Institute of Medicine (2005). Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC.
Establishes the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein at 0.8 g/kg/day for the general adult population as a minimum to meet basic nutritional requirements.
Mettler, S., Mitchell, N., Tipton, K.D. (2010). Increased protein intake reduces lean body mass loss during weight loss in athletes. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 42(2), 326–337.
Supports higher protein intake (1.8–2.7 g/kg/day) during caloric restriction to preserve lean body mass.
DailyP uses your body weight, self-reported activity level, and fitness goal to suggest a daily protein target. The base calculation uses approximately 0.7–1.0 g per pound of body weight (1.5–2.2 g/kg), adjusted by activity level and goal:
Activity adjustment: Sedentary (lower range) to Athlete (higher range), consistent with ISSN and ACSM guidelines for varying training loads.
Goal adjustment: Higher protein for fat loss (to preserve muscle) and muscle building, moderate for maintenance, based on the research cited above.
The result is a general estimate intended for wellness tracking. Individual protein needs vary based on age, medical conditions, training specifics, and other factors not captured by this calculation.
When you log food via voice or text, DailyP uses AI (Anthropic's Claude) to estimate the protein content based on your description. These estimates are based on the AI model's training data, which includes widely available nutritional databases such as the USDA FoodData Central.
Estimates are approximate and may vary from actual protein content depending on preparation method, specific brands, and portion accuracy. For precise nutritional information, consult the USDA FoodData Central database directly.