How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day?
For a healthy adult lifting weights, a useful daily protein target is roughly 1.6–2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, or 0.7–1.0 grams per pound. Treat that as a planning range rather than a number you must hit exactly.
This page focuses on choosing and checking a daily amount. For the wider picture of food choices, meals and muscle growth, use the complete protein guide.
Daily Protein Targets by Body Weight
The table applies the range above to example body weights. Pound equivalents are rounded; calculate from either unit rather than mixing the two.
| Body weight | Example daily range | A simple starting target |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg / 132 lb | 96–132 g | About 100 g |
| 70 kg / 154 lb | 112–154 g | About 115 g |
| 80 kg / 176 lb | 128–176 g | About 130 g |
| 90 kg / 198 lb | 144–198 g | About 145 g |
| 100 kg / 220 lb | 160–220 g | About 160 g |
The starting targets are rounded for convenience. They are not different physiological thresholds for each body weight.
Why Use a Range Instead of One Perfect Number?
Morton and colleagues’ meta-analysis of resistance-training trials estimated a breakpoint around 1.6 g/kg/day, with uncertainty extending higher. That is a group-level estimate, not proof that every person stops benefiting at the same intake. [1] A practical range accounts for uncertainty without making the largest possible intake the goal.
Protein supports muscle growth, but extra protein cannot compensate for an ineffective program, insufficient energy intake or inconsistent training. If increasing protein crowds out carbohydrates that help you train or fats and foods you enjoy, reconsider whether you need that increase.
Choose the Target That Fits Your Situation
| Situation | Practical approach |
|---|---|
| Building muscle with adequate calories | Start near the lower part of the range and check whether meals reliably cover it. |
| Dieting while lifting | The higher part can be useful, particularly as a diet becomes demanding. Do not assume a surplus-phase target must stay unchanged during a cut. |
| Mostly plant-based eating | Check the amount and variety of your protein sources. Choose foods you tolerate and can eat consistently; supplements are optional. |
| Higher body weight with substantial body fat | Multiplying total body weight can produce an unnecessarily large target. An individualized assessment is more useful than blindly extending the table. |
| Kidney disease or another relevant medical condition | Use a clinician’s individualized advice rather than this sports-nutrition range. |
The recommendations are for healthy adults, not children or clinical protein prescriptions. The fat loss versus muscle gain guide covers those goal-specific decisions in more detail.
Check a Normal Day Before Buying More Protein
Use a few representative days, including a busy day. Read labels or use a food database and add up what you actually eat. You do not need to weigh food forever; the purpose is to find a repeatable gap.
Hypothetical example: an 80 kg lifter counts 30 g at breakfast, 35 g at lunch, 40 g at dinner and 10 g from snacks. That totals 115 g. Adding roughly 15–20 g through a larger food portion, yogurt, tofu or a convenient shake would bring the day close to the starting target. Buying several extra shakes is unnecessary.
Labels vary by product and serving size. The example uses protein amounts, not a fixed menu. Compare practical protein sources and animal and plant options if you need different ways to close the gap.
Does Protein Per Meal Change the Daily Target?
Meal distribution helps organize the total. It does not create a separate daily requirement. Three or four protein-containing meals can be convenient, but your schedule and appetite matter.
Acute protein-feeding studies measure short-term responses under specific conditions; they do not establish a universal absorption limit or directly predict long-term muscle gain. For portions and distribution, see protein per meal. [2,3]
Common Questions
Do I need the same intake on rest days?
Keeping the same practical target is a simple approach. Recovery continues between workouts, and changing the target every day adds complexity without an obvious need.
What if I miss the target one day?
Return to your usual meals. One lower day is not a reason to force an unusually large intake the next day.
Is 2.2 g/kg better than 1.6 g/kg?
Not automatically. The upper number is an option within a range, not a guaranteed upgrade. Review your usual intake, goal and food preferences before adding more.
References
- Morton RW, et al. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
- Jäger R, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
- Moore DR, et al. (2009). Ingested protein dose response of muscle and albumin protein synthesis after resistance exercise in young men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
