Most healthy adults need about 0.8 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (roughly 0.36 to 1.0 g per pound), and where you land depends on your goal: 0.8 g/kg is the sedentary minimum, 1.2-2.0 g/kg suits active adults, and 1.6-2.2 g/kg is the range for building muscle or losing fat while keeping it. For a 70 kg (154 lb) person, that spans roughly 56 g to 154 g a day. This guide explains where those numbers come from, how to pick yours, how to split it across meals, and where to get it.
Why grams per kilogram beats a flat number
Protein needs scale with body size, so a single figure like "50 grams a day" fits almost nobody well. A 55 kg (121 lb) office worker and a 95 kg (209 lb) lifter have very different requirements, which is why nutrition scientists express protein as grams per kilogram of body weight (g/kg). Anchor the target to your weight and it scales automatically.
The quickest way to get your own figure is to enter your weight and activity into our protein intake calculator and read off a personal target. It's still worth understanding the ranges behind that number, because they answer different questions — "how little can I get away with?" versus "how much helps me build muscle?" — and the answers sit far apart.
The RDA: 0.8 g/kg is a floor, not a goal
The most-quoted figure is the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg per day, set by the U.S. National Academies (the Institute of Medicine, now the National Academy of Medicine). For a 70 kg (154 lb) adult that's about 56 g a day; for a 60 kg (132 lb) adult, about 48 g.
Here's the context most people miss: the RDA is the amount that prevents deficiency in nearly all healthy, sedentary adults — enough to avoid losing body protein, not the amount that's best for strength, satiety, or healthy ageing. It's a floor to stay above, not a target to chase. If you train, want to build or keep muscle, are dieting, or are older, the evidence points higher.
Active adults: 1.2-2.0 g/kg
Once you train regularly, protein needs rise, because exercise increases both the breakdown and the rebuilding of muscle protein. The joint position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine puts daily protein for active people at 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg (about 0.5 to 0.9 g per pound). For a 70 kg (154 lb) person that's roughly 84 to 140 g a day.
Within that band, endurance and recreational exercisers sit toward the lower end, while people doing heavy resistance training or chasing physique goals sit higher. The range is wide on purpose: it spans everyone from a twice-a-week jogger to a serious lifter.
Building muscle or losing fat: 1.6-2.2 g/kg
If your goal is to add muscle or to lose fat without losing muscle, the target tightens toward the upper part of that range. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg for most exercising people building or maintaining muscle, and notes that during a calorie deficit — when protein helps defend lean mass — intakes as high as 2.3 to 3.1 g/kg can help resistance-trained people who are already lean hold onto muscle.
The landmark study here is a 2018 meta-analysis by Morton and colleagues in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, pooling 49 trials and 1,863 people. It found the muscle-building benefit of extra protein largely plateaus around 1.6 g/kg per day, with the statistical range extending to about 2.2 g/kg. In plain terms: for gaining muscle, roughly 1.6 g/kg is the point of diminishing returns, and about 2.2 g/kg is a sensible ceiling with a safety margin for when you're dieting. For a 70 kg (154 lb) person, 1.6-2.2 g/kg is about 112 to 154 g a day. The same band covers both cutting and bulking; you just set it inside the right calorie total.
The "1 gram per pound" rule of thumb
You'll often hear "eat a gram of protein per pound of body weight." Do the conversion and 1 g per pound equals about 2.2 g/kg — right at the top of the muscle-building range. It's a fine, memorable target that does no harm in healthy people, but it's generous rather than magic: since benefits plateau near 1.6 g/kg, you don't strictly need a full gram per pound to build muscle. If you carry a lot of body fat, basing it on your goal weight keeps the number realistic instead of inflating it.
Older adults: 1.0-1.2 g/kg
Ageing muscle responds less readily to protein — a phenomenon called anabolic resistance — and older adults tend to eat less overall, which sets the stage for age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia). For this reason the PROT-AGE expert group advises healthy older adults (over about 65) to aim for 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg per day, above the general RDA, and higher still — up to around 1.2-1.5 g/kg — for those who are active or managing illness. For a 70 kg (154 lb) older adult, that baseline is roughly 70 to 84 g a day, ideally spread across meals with enough at each sitting to trigger muscle repair.
A reference table by goal
The table below turns each goal into a g/kg range with a worked example for a 70 kg (154 lb) person. Scale the grams to your own weight — multiply the g/kg figure by your weight in kilograms, or use the calculator for a tailored number.
| Goal / group | Protein (g/kg/day) | Example at 70 kg (154 lb) |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary minimum (RDA) | 0.8 g/kg | ~56 g/day |
| Older adults (healthy) | 1.0 - 1.2 g/kg | ~70 - 84 g/day |
| Active adults (general) | 1.2 - 2.0 g/kg | ~84 - 140 g/day |
| Muscle gain / fat loss | 1.6 - 2.2 g/kg | ~112 - 154 g/day |
| "1 g per pound" rule | ~2.2 g/kg | ~154 g/day |
Daily protein targets by goal, with worked examples for a 70 kg (154 lb) adult. Ranges reflect the RDA (National Academies), the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics / Dietitians of Canada / ACSM position, ISSN, Morton et al. (2018), and PROT-AGE. Multiply the g/kg figure by your body weight in kilograms to get your number.
How to split protein across the day
Once you have a daily target, the next question is how to distribute it. The evidence here is reassuring: total daily protein and total calories matter far more than timing. You won't undo a good daily total by eating it at slightly the "wrong" times.
That said, spreading protein reasonably evenly does help muscle a little. Muscle protein synthesis responds to a meal-sized dose, and the ISSN suggests around 0.25 g/kg per meal — roughly 20 to 40 g — every three to four hours works better for most people than loading most of your protein into one sitting. For a 70 kg (154 lb) person that's about 18 to 40 g per meal. In practice: put a solid protein source at each meal, hit your daily number, and don't lose sleep over the exact split.
Protein is one slice of your overall intake, so it helps to see it alongside carbs and fat. Our macro calculator takes a protein target and fits it into your day's carbohydrate and fat, and because those grams sit on top of a calorie budget, our TDEE calculator estimates the daily energy total they should add up to. Set calories and protein first, then let carbs and fat flex around them.
Where to get good protein
Both animal and plant foods can meet these targets. The main practical differences are protein density, digestibility, and leucine content (the amino acid that most strongly triggers muscle repair).
- Animal sources — chicken, turkey, lean beef and pork, fish, eggs, Greek yoghurt, milk, cottage cheese, and whey — are protein-dense, highly digestible, and rich in all the essential amino acids. A 100 g (3.5 oz) cooked chicken breast has roughly 30 g of protein; a large egg about 6 g; a 170 g (6 oz) pot of Greek yoghurt around 15-17 g.
- Plant sources — tofu, tempeh, edamame, lentils, chickpeas, beans, seitan, soy milk, nuts, seeds, and whole grains — can cover higher targets with a little planning. They're often a touch lower in leucine and slightly less digestible, so eating a variety across the day and aiming toward the upper end of your range works well. A cup of cooked lentils has about 18 g; 100 g (3.5 oz) firm tofu about 12-15 g; a scoop of soy or pea protein about 20-25 g.
If hitting your number from whole food alone is hard — common when calories are limited during fat loss, or when appetite is low — a protein supplement (whey, casein, soy, or pea) is a convenient top-up, not a requirement.
Who should be cautious
The ranges above are aimed at healthy adults. A few situations call for individual guidance rather than a general high-protein target:
- Chronic kidney disease: people with reduced kidney function are often advised to eat a lower, controlled amount of protein, so higher targets aren't appropriate without medical supervision. In people with healthy kidneys, there's no good evidence that protein in these ranges causes kidney harm.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: protein needs rise modestly, but the specifics are best set with a doctor or dietitian alongside overall nutrition.
- Other chronic conditions: liver disease and some metabolic disorders can change protein requirements in either direction.
This article is general educational information, not medical or nutritional advice. The figures here are population ranges that suit many healthy adults but won't fit everyone. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or have a specific athletic goal, use these numbers as a starting framework, confirm your target with a doctor or registered dietitian, and let your own results over a few weeks guide any adjustments.
Key sources: U.S. National Academies / Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes (RDA 0.8 g/kg); Thomas, Erdman & Burke (2016), joint position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and ACSM (1.2-2.0 g/kg for active adults); Jager et al. (2017) ISSN Position Stand on protein and exercise (1.4-2.0 g/kg; 0.25 g/kg or 20-40 g per meal; 2.3-3.1 g/kg during a deficit); Morton et al. (2018), British Journal of Sports Medicine (~1.6 g/kg breakpoint for muscle gain); Bauer et al. (2013) PROT-AGE Study Group (1.0-1.2 g/kg for older adults); plus general guidance from the NIH, NHS, and WHO. See the full list below.