How Much Protein Do I Need Per Day? A Science-Based Guide

What Is Protein and Why Does Your Body Need It?

Protein is one of three essential macronutrients — alongside carbohydrates and fat — and it serves as the primary structural and functional building block of the body. Every muscle fibre, enzyme, hormone, antibody, and connective tissue depends on a consistent daily protein intake to be built, maintained, and repaired.

Unlike fat and glycogen, the body has no dedicated storage reservoir for protein. This means your daily protein intake must continuously meet the body's ongoing demands. When intake falls short — particularly during periods of training stress — the body begins breaking down muscle tissue to source the amino acids it requires, a process that actively undermines both performance and body composition.

Protein also has two metabolic properties that make it uniquely valuable for fitness goals. First, it has the highest thermic effect of food (TEF) of any macronutrient: your body burns approximately 20–30% of protein calories simply digesting and metabolising them, compared to 5–10% for carbohydrates and 0–3% for fat. Second, protein is the most satiating macro, suppressing hunger hormones more effectively than carbohydrates or fat — a significant advantage when managing calories for fat loss.

How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day? (By Goal)

The widely cited figure of 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight per day is the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) — but this represents the bare minimum to prevent protein deficiency in sedentary adults, not the optimal daily protein intake for anyone who exercises regularly.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and Dietitians of Canada jointly recommend significantly higher protein targets for active individuals. Their 2016 Position Stand — the most comprehensive evidence review on nutrition and athletic performance — concluded the following recommended ranges based on goal:

• General health (sedentary): 0.8 g/kg per day (RDA minimum)
• Recreational fitness: 1.2–1.6 g/kg per day
• Endurance training: 1.2–1.4 g/kg per day
• Fat loss with muscle preservation: 1.8–2.2 g/kg per day
• Muscle building: 1.6–2.2 g/kg per day
• Athletic / intense training: 2.0–2.4 g/kg per day

The table below translates these ranges into practical daily protein targets for a 70 kg person as a reference point:

Use our Protein Intake Calculator to get a personalised daily protein target based on your exact body weight and goal — no manual calculation required.

Based on: Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. "Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance." J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116(3):501–528. PubMed

How to Calculate Your Personal Daily Protein Intake

Calculating how much protein per day you personally need takes less than a minute. Follow these two steps:

1. Convert your weight to kilograms if using imperial units — divide your weight in pounds by 2.205 to get kilograms.
2. Multiply by your target g/kg based on your goal from the table above. Use the lower end of the range when starting out; move toward the upper end as training intensity increases or during a fat loss phase.

Example: a 75 kg person training 4 days per week for fat loss should target 1.8–2.2 g/kg — giving a daily protein intake of 135–165 g. Spread across 4 meals, that is approximately 34–41 g of protein per meal.

For women, the same bodyweight-based formula applies. A 60 kg active woman aiming to preserve muscle during fat loss would target 108–132 g of protein per day. Contrary to a common misconception, higher protein intake does not cause excessive muscle mass in women — it supports lean tissue retention, metabolic rate, and satiety throughout a fat loss phase.

Once you have your protein target, use the Macro Calculator to fit it into a complete macronutrient split alongside your carbohydrate and fat targets. Your TDEE Calculator gives you the total calorie baseline these macros should collectively sum to.

Based on: Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. "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." Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376–384. PubMed

Best Protein Sources to Hit Your Daily Target

Choosing the right protein sources makes hitting your daily protein intake sustainable rather than a daily struggle. The most important factor is amino acid completeness: animal proteins contain all nine essential amino acids in adequate ratios, while most plant proteins are limited in one or more — though this is entirely manageable with varied food choices.

High-Protein Animal Sources

• Chicken breast (cooked): ~31 g protein per 100 g
• Tuna (canned in water): ~26 g protein per 100 g
• Lean beef (95% lean, cooked): ~26 g protein per 100 g
• Eggs: ~6 g protein per large egg
• Cottage cheese: ~11 g protein per 100 g
• Greek yoghurt (plain, full-fat): ~10 g protein per 100 g
• Whey protein powder: ~20–25 g protein per serving

High-Protein Plant Sources

• Seitan: ~25 g protein per 100 g
• Tempeh: ~19 g protein per 100 g
• Edamame: ~11 g protein per 100 g
• Lentils (cooked): ~9 g protein per 100 g
• Black beans (cooked): ~8 g protein per 100 g
• Tofu (firm): ~8–15 g protein per 100 g
• Pea protein powder: ~20–25 g protein per serving

For plant-based individuals, combining diverse sources throughout the day — for example, legumes alongside grains — ensures a complete essential amino acid profile without needing to combine them in the same meal.

Protein distribution across the day also matters. Research suggests that spreading daily protein intake across 3–5 meals of approximately 0.4 g/kg per sitting maximises muscle protein synthesis compared to consuming the majority in one or two large meals.

Common Protein Myths Debunked

Myth 1: High protein intake damages the kidneys

This concern applies specifically to individuals with pre-existing kidney disease, where dietary protein restriction is sometimes clinically indicated. For healthy adults, multiple systematic reviews have found no evidence that high protein diets — even at intakes up to 3.3 g/kg per day — cause kidney damage or impair renal function in people with normal kidney health.

Myth 2: You can only absorb 20–30 g of protein per meal

The body can absorb effectively unlimited amounts of dietary protein — the practical question is how much stimulates muscle protein synthesis per meal. Research by Trommelen et al. (2023) in Cell Reports Medicine found that 100 g of protein consumed in a single meal was fully digested and absorbed, with muscle protein synthesis elevated for up to 12 hours post-ingestion. While 3–5 smaller protein meals remains the recommended approach for maximising daily muscle protein synthesis, occasional larger protein meals are not wasted.

Myth 3: Protein supplements are necessary

Whole food protein sources are nutritionally superior to supplements in terms of micronutrients, fibre, and satiety. Protein powders are a convenient tool — useful when whole food intake is genuinely insufficient, appetite is low post-training, or time and travel make food preparation difficult. They are not a replacement for whole food meals, and not necessary if your daily protein target can be met through diet alone.