How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day? (By Goal and Body Weight)
How to calculate protein intake by body weight and goal: the 0.8 g/kg RDA versus 1.2-2.2 g/kg for active people, a worked example, and per-meal distribution.
The baseline vs the useful number
The RDA is 0.8 g per kg of body weight per day. That figure is the minimum to avoid deficiency in a sedentary adult — not the amount that supports training, aging muscle, or fat loss.
Sports nutrition research consistently lands between 1.2 and 2.2 g/kg depending on goal and training load.
Targets by goal
| Situation | g/kg body weight | 75 kg person |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary (RDA minimum) | 0.8 | 60 g |
| General health / active lifestyle | 1.0-1.2 | 75-90 g |
| Endurance training | 1.2-1.6 | 90-120 g |
| Strength training, muscle gain | 1.6-2.0 | 120-150 g |
| Fat loss while preserving muscle | 1.8-2.2 | 135-165 g |
| Adults over 65 | 1.2-1.6 | 90-120 g |
For people with significant excess body fat, base the calculation on lean body mass or a target weight instead of scale weight, or the number inflates.
Worked example: a 75 kg lifter cutting
Target 2.0 g/kg: 75 x 2.0 = 150 g protein/day. At 4 kcal per gram that is 600 kcal. On a 2,200 kcal cutting diet, protein is 27% of calories, leaving 1,600 kcal for carbs and fat.
Spread across four meals: 37-38 g each. Research on muscle protein synthesis suggests roughly 0.4 g/kg per meal (about 30 g here) maximizes the response per sitting, so four evenly sized meals beats one 150 g dinner.
What that looks like in food
| Food | Serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 100 g cooked | 31 g |
| Greek yogurt, plain | 170 g cup | 17 g |
| Eggs | 2 large | 12 g |
| Canned tuna | 100 g | 26 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup | 18 g |
| Firm tofu | 100 g | 17 g |
| Whey protein | 1 scoop | 24 g |
| Cottage cheese | 1 cup | 25 g |
Chicken and yogurt at lunch, eggs and tofu at breakfast, and a scoop of whey post-training gets most people to 150 g without much effort.
Practical notes
- More is not better past the range. Above roughly 2.2 g/kg, extra protein is simply oxidized for energy.
- Plant-based eaters should aim toward the upper end and vary sources, since individual plant proteins have lower leucine content and less complete amino acid profiles.
- Timing matters far less than the daily total. Hitting your number consistently beats optimizing a post-workout window.
FAQ
How much protein do I need to build muscle? 1.6-2.0 g/kg per day alongside progressive resistance training. Going higher does not add muscle faster.
Is too much protein bad for your kidneys? In people with healthy kidneys, high-protein diets have not been shown to cause damage. Anyone with existing kidney disease should follow medical guidance instead of general targets.
How much protein should I eat per meal? About 0.3-0.4 g/kg per meal, roughly 25-40 g for most adults, across three to five meals.
Calculate your number with the Protein Calculator, then fit it into your day using the Macro Calculator. If you are cutting, BMR vs TDEE explains how to set the calorie side.
*This article is general information, not medical or dietary advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before making significant changes, especially with kidney, liver, or metabolic conditions.*
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*Get your daily target in one step with the Protein Calculator.*