How Much Protein Should I Eat a Day?

Quick answer: Most adults need somewhere between 0.36g and 1.0g of protein per pound of body weight per day (about 0.8–2.2g per kg), depending on activity level and goals. A sedentary adult can get by on the low end of that range, while someone strength training regularly, losing weight, or building muscle typically needs closer to the top of it.

There's no single "correct" number for everyone — it depends on your body weight, how active you are, and what you're trying to achieve. Here's how to find the number that actually applies to you.

Start With Your Baseline: The RDA

The official Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is 0.36g of protein per pound of body weight (0.8g per kg). This is the minimum amount needed to prevent deficiency in a sedentary adult — it's a floor, not a target. Most nutrition researchers agree it's too low for anyone who exercises regularly, is trying to lose fat, or is over 50.

For a 160 lb adult, the RDA works out to about 58g per day — noticeably lower than what most active adults actually need.

Protein Targets by Goal

Example: A 180 lb adult trying to build muscle would target roughly 126–180g per day, while the same person at a sedentary baseline would only need about 65–90g.

Why Your Needs Might Be Higher Than the RDA

A few things push protein needs above the bare minimum:

• Exercise, especially resistance training. Working out breaks down muscle tissue, and protein is what rebuilds it. More training generally means more protein is useful.
• Being in a calorie deficit. When you're losing weight, extra protein helps preserve muscle mass that would otherwise be lost along with fat — this is one of the most well-supported reasons to eat more than the RDA during a diet.
• Age. Adults naturally lose muscle mass over time (sarcopenia), and research suggests older adults often benefit from higher protein intake to help counteract this, even without increasing exercise.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Protein needs increase during these periods — this is worth discussing directly with a doctor rather than estimating from a general formula.
• Recovering from illness or injury. The body needs more protein to repair tissue during recovery.

How to Calculate Your Own Number

1. Find your body weight in pounds (or kilograms).
2. Pick a multiplier from the table above based on your goal and activity level.
3. Multiply. For example: 150 lb × 0.7g = 105g per day.

If you're unsure where to start, the middle of the range for your goal is a safe default — you can adjust up or down after a few weeks based on how you feel and whether you're seeing the results you want.

Spreading Protein Across the Day

Research suggests that spreading protein evenly across 3–4 meals — rather than eating most of it at one meal — is more effective for muscle maintenance and growth. A rough per-meal target of 25–40g tends to be enough to maximize the response from any single meal; eating much more than that in one sitting doesn't appear to add meaningful extra benefit.

Signs You Might Not Be Eating Enough

• Feeling hungry again shortly after meals
• Slower recovery from workouts, or unusual muscle soreness
• Difficulty maintaining muscle while losing weight
• Thinning hair or brittle nails in more severe, prolonged deficiency

These signs aren't diagnostic on their own — they can have other causes — but they're worth paying attention to if your protein intake is consistently near or below the RDA.

Can You Eat Too Much Protein?

For people with healthy kidney function, higher protein intakes — even up into the 1.0g per lb range — are generally considered safe based on current research. Past a certain point (roughly 1.0g per lb / 2.2g per kg), additional protein mostly just gets used for energy rather than providing extra benefit. People with existing kidney disease are the main exception and should follow their doctor's specific guidance rather than general population recommendations.

FAQ

Is 100g of protein a day enough?

For a smaller or less active adult, 100g can be plenty. For someone larger or doing regular strength training, it may fall short of what's optimal — check the table above against your own body weight and goal.

How much protein do I need to build muscle?

Most research points to roughly 0.7–1.0g per pound of body weight (1.5–2.2g per kg) as the effective range for muscle building, combined with resistance training and adequate calories.

Do I need more protein if I'm trying to lose weight?

Generally yes — protein needs go up during a calorie deficit to help preserve muscle mass, even though total calorie intake is going down.

Is it bad to eat different amounts of protein on different days?

No — day-to-day variation of 15–20g is normal. Your weekly average matters more than hitting an exact number every single day.

Want more context on where these numbers come from? What actually counts as a high protein diet covers the reference ranges in more depth, and how many grams count as high protein breaks it down by body weight. To see it as real meals, the 7-day meal plan lays out a full week with grams per serving.