The official answer to "how much protein do I need?" is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per day, and it has been for more than seventy years [1]. The practical answer, for anyone trying to lose fat, build muscle, or stay strong past fifty, is roughly double that. The gap between the two numbers is the most common reason people fail at diets that should have worked: they cut calories, keep protein at the legal minimum, lose muscle along with fat, get hungry, and stop.
This guide gives you the number for your goal, shows you how to split it across the day, lists what the research actually found, and ends with a chart of how much food it takes to get there.
Quick Answer: Protein Targets by Goal
| Your situation | Daily protein | For a 70 kg adult | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum to avoid deficiency (RDA) | 0.8 g/kg | 56 g | [1] [2] |
| General health, sedentary | 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg | 70 to 84 g | [3] |
| Weight loss | 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg | 84 to 112 g | [4] [5] |
| Building muscle with training | 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg | 112 to 154 g | [6] [7] |
| Aggressive fat loss while training | up to 2.4 g/kg | 168 g | [8] |
| Adults over 65 | 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg, more if active or unwell | 70 to 84 g | [9] |
| On a GLP-1 medication | 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg | 84 to 105 g | [10] |
The simplest way to get your own figure is Caltrac's free macro calculator. Enter your weight and goal, then set the protein slider, which runs from 1.2 to 2.4 g/kg: 1.2 to 1.6 for general health and weight loss, 1.6 to 2.2 for losing weight while training or building muscle. It converts the figure into grams per day alongside your carbohydrate and fat targets.
Why the RDA Is a Floor, Not a Target
The 0.8 g/kg figure comes from nitrogen balance studies: how much protein a healthy adult needs to eat so that nitrogen in equals nitrogen out. A meta-analysis of 19 such studies put the median requirement at 0.65 g/kg and the 97.5th percentile, which became the RDA, at 0.83 g/kg [2]. In other words, the RDA was derived as "the minimum amount of protein that must be eaten to avoid a loss of body nitrogen" [1]. It says nothing about the amount that optimises muscle, appetite or body composition, which is why the acceptable range for protein runs all the way to 35% of calories [1], and why a 2016 review argued that intakes well above the RDA are warranted for most adults [3].
Two things have moved in the last two years. In January 2026 the US Dietary Guidelines raised their protein guidance to 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg [11], the first change in decades. And high-protein eating became the most-followed eating pattern in America, at 27% of adults [12]. The science got there first.
What the Research Found
For building muscle: about 1.6 g/kg
The largest analysis on the question pooled 49 trials and 1,863 people doing resistance training. Protein supplementation increased strength and lean mass, but "protein supplementation beyond total protein intakes of 1.62 g/kg/day resulted in no further gains in fat-free mass" [6]. That is where the 1.6 g/kg figure comes from. The 2.2 g/kg upper figure quoted in most guides is the top of that study's confidence interval, and it is the upper daily intake used in per-meal distribution guidance [7].
For weight loss: higher protein keeps muscle and kills hunger
A meta-analysis of 24 calorie-restricted trials found that higher-protein diets produced slightly more weight loss (0.79 kg) and fat loss (0.87 kg) than standard-protein diets, while preserving 0.43 kg more fat-free mass and about 140 kcal/day more resting energy expenditure [5]. The appetite effect is larger than the weight effect: when researchers raised protein from 15% to 30% of calories and let people eat freely, they spontaneously ate 441 fewer calories a day and lost 4.9 kg in twelve weeks [13]. A broad 2015 review concluded that 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg per day, with 25 to 30 g per meal, is the range that improves appetite, body weight and cardiometabolic markers [4].
For aggressive deficits: more protein, more muscle
In the most striking trial on the subject, young men ate a 40% calorie deficit for four weeks while training six days a week. The group on 2.4 g/kg gained 1.2 kg of lean mass and lost 4.8 kg of fat; the group on 1.2 g/kg gained 0.1 kg of lean mass and lost 3.5 kg of fat [8]. Under severe restriction, protein is what decides whether you lose fat or lose yourself.
For older adults: the RDA is not enough
The PROT-AGE expert group recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg for everyone over 65, 1.2 g/kg or more for those who exercise, and 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg during acute or chronic illness, with the only exception being severe kidney disease [9]. Older muscle is less responsive to protein, so it needs more of it per meal.
On GLP-1 medications: protein protects what the drug does not
Semaglutide and tirzepatide cause rapid weight loss in which roughly a quarter of the weight lost is lean mass. An expert consensus for people on these drugs recommends 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg of protein during the weight-loss phase, which on a 1,600 calorie day is 25 to 30% of calories, plus resistance training [10].
Protein also costs calories to digest
Diet-induced thermogenesis is higher for protein than for carbohydrate or fat, and a higher protein fraction raises daily energy expenditure [14]. The effect is modest, but it runs in your favour at every meal.
How to Split It Across the Day
Total intake matters most, but distribution matters too. When eight adults ate the same 90 g of daily protein either evenly (about 30 g at each of three meals) or skewed toward dinner (11, 16 and 63 g), 24-hour muscle protein synthesis was 25% higher on the even pattern [15]. A 2018 analysis recommended about 0.4 g/kg per meal across at least four meals to reach 1.6 g/kg, and up to 0.55 g/kg per meal at the 2.2 g/kg level [7].
For a 70 kg person that means 28 to 38 g of protein per meal, four times a day. Breakfast is where most people fall short.
How Much Food Is That?
The targets above sound abstract until you see them as food. Here is what 30 g of protein, one meal's worth, looks like, with the calories it costs. Figures from USDA FoodData Central and manufacturer labels.
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Amount for 30 g protein | Calories for that amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, skinless | 31 g | 97 g | 160 kcal | [16] |
| Pork tenderloin | 26.2 g | 115 g | 164 kcal | [17] |
| Beef sirloin, lean | 30.3 g | 99 g | 186 kcal | [18] |
| Whey protein isolate | 58.1 g | 52 g (about 1.5 scoops) | 185 kcal | [19] |
| Greek yogurt, nonfat | 9.5 g | 315 g | 170 kcal | [20] |
| Cottage cheese, 2% | 10.4 g | 288 g | 234 kcal | [21] |
| Soya chunks, dry | 52 g | 58 g | 199 kcal | [22] |
| Tofu, firm | 17.3 g | 174 g | 250 kcal | [23] |
| Eggs, whole | 12.6 g | 238 g (about 5 eggs) | 341 kcal | [24] |
| Paneer, firm | 25 g | 120 g | 385 kcal | [25] |
| Lentils (dal), cooked | 9.0 g | 333 g | 386 kcal | [26] |
| Skim milk | 3.6 g | 840 ml | 311 kcal | [27] |
| Chickpeas, cooked | 8.9 g | 339 g | 555 kcal | [28] |
| Peanuts | 25.8 g | 116 g | 659 kcal | [29] |
The spread is the whole lesson. Thirty grams of protein costs 160 calories from chicken breast or 170 from Greek yogurt, and over 550 from chickpeas or peanuts. If your protein target is high and your calorie target is low, the top half of this table is where your protein has to come from.
Is There Such a Thing as Too Much?
For healthy kidneys, no, within any range people actually eat. A meta-analysis of 28 trials and 1,358 people found that higher-protein diets, defined as 1.5 g/kg or more, did not change kidney function compared with lower-protein diets [30]. The exception is existing kidney disease, where protein should be set with a doctor [9]. Above about 2.2 g/kg there is no evidence of further benefit for muscle [6], so the money and calories are better spent elsewhere.
One reality check: national survey data shows American adults already average 1.1 to 1.3 g/kg [31]. Most people are not deficient. The problem is distribution, with too little at breakfast and too much at dinner, and the fact that when calories are cut, protein usually gets cut with them.
Putting It Together
- Get your number from the macro calculator: 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg for weight loss, 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg if you train.
- Divide by four. That is your per-meal target.
- Build each meal around one food from the top half of the chart above.
- Fix breakfast first. Greek yogurt, eggs or a whey shake will cover 25 to 30 g before you leave the house.
That is where tracking earns its keep. Snap a photo of your plate or type "150 g chicken breast" and track it automatically with Caltrac. You will see the protein logged in seconds against the target you set, and your Apple Health-powered net calorie count will show exactly how it fits your day. Set the number; let the app keep score.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein should I eat per day to lose weight? About 1.2 to 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight, so 84 to 112 g for a 70 kg adult [4]. Go toward the top of that range if you are also training [8].
How much protein do I need to build muscle? About 1.6 g/kg per day is where the muscle-building benefit plateaus in resistance-training studies, with 2.2 g/kg as the upper figure [6] [7].
Can your body only absorb 30 g of protein per meal? No. The body absorbs nearly all the protein you eat. What is capped is the muscle-building response per meal, which is why about 0.4 g/kg per meal across four meals is recommended rather than one large dose [7] [15].
Is 0.8 g/kg enough protein? It is enough to prevent deficiency, which is what it was designed for [1] [2]. It is below what the evidence supports for weight loss, muscle maintenance or healthy ageing [3] [9].
Does high protein damage your kidneys? Not in healthy adults. A meta-analysis of 28 trials found no difference in kidney function between higher- and lower-protein diets [30]. People with kidney disease should follow medical advice.
How much protein per day on Ozempic or Wegovy? An expert consensus recommends 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg during the weight-loss phase to limit muscle loss, alongside resistance training [10].
References
- Wolfe RR, Cifelli AM, Kostas G, Kim IY. Optimizing Protein Intake in Adults: Interpretation and Application of the Recommended Dietary Allowance Compared with the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range. Advances in Nutrition. 2017;8(2):266-275. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Rand WM, Pellett PL, Young VR. Meta-analysis of nitrogen balance studies for estimating protein requirements in healthy adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2003;77(1):109-127. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Phillips SM, Chevalier S, Leidy HJ. Protein "requirements" beyond the RDA: implications for optimizing health. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2016;41(5):565-572. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Leidy HJ, et al. The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015;101(6):1320S-1329S. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Wycherley TP, Moran LJ, Clifton PM, Noakes M, Brinkworth GD. Effects of energy-restricted high-protein, low-fat compared with standard-protein, low-fat diets: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2012;96(6):1281-1298. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Morton RW, 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. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018;52(6):376-384. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2018;15:10. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Longland TM, Oikawa SY, Mitchell CJ, Devries MC, Phillips SM. Higher compared with lower dietary protein during an energy deficit combined with intense exercise promotes greater lean mass gain and fat mass loss: a randomized trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016;103(3):738-746. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Bauer J, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2013;14(8):542-559. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Sievenpiper JL, et al. Nutritional and lifestyle supportive care recommendations for management of obesity with GLP-1-based therapies: An expert consensus statement using a modified Delphi approach. Obesity Pillars. 2025;17:100228. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Associated Press (via Bangor Daily News). New dietary guidelines urge Americans to avoid processed foods and added sugar (2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines raise protein guidance to 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg). 7 January 2026. bangordailynews.com
- International Food Information Council. 2026 Food & Health Survey (high-protein the most-followed eating pattern at 27%). ific.org
- Weigle DS, et al. A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurnal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2005;82(1):41-48. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Westerterp KR. Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutrition & Metabolism. 2004;1:5. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Mamerow MM, et al. Dietary protein distribution positively influences 24-h muscle protein synthesis in healthy adults. Journal of Nutrition. 2014;144(6):876-880. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Chicken breast, meat only, roasted: 165 kcal, 31 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 171477. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Pork, tenderloin, lean only, roasted: 143 kcal, 26.2 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 168250. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Beef, top sirloin, lean only, broiled: 188 kcal, 30.3 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 168635. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Whey protein powder isolate: 359 kcal, 58.1 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 173177. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Yogurt, Greek, nonfat, plain: 54 kcal, 9.53 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 171312. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Cheese, cottage, lowfat, 2% milkfat: 81 kcal, 10.4 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 172182. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- Nutrela soya chunks pack nutritional facts per 100 g dry (345 kcal, 52 g protein), as reproduced in a retailer listing. thedesifood.com
- USDA FoodData Central. Tofu, raw, firm: 144 kcal, 17.3 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 172475. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Egg, whole, raw: 143 kcal, 12.6 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 171287. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central, Branded Foods. Karoun Dairies Paneer: 321 kcal, 25 g protein per 100 g. FDC ID 2429587. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Lentils, cooked: 116 kcal, 9.02 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 172421. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Milk, nonfat: 37 kcal, 3.57 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 171270. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Chickpeas, cooked: 164 kcal, 8.86 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 173757. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA FoodData Central. Peanuts, raw: 567 kcal, 25.8 g protein per 100 g. SR Legacy 172430. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- Devries MC, et al. Changes in Kidney Function Do Not Differ between Healthy Adults Consuming Higher- Compared with Lower- or Normal-Protein Diets: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Nutrition. 2018;148(11):1760-1775. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Berryman CE, Lieberman HR, Fulgoni VL, Pasiakos SM. Protein intake trends and conformity with the Dietary Reference Intakes in the United States: analysis of NHANES 2001-2014. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2018;108(2):405-413. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
