How much protein per day do you actually need?
The standard "0.8 g per kg" recommendation is the minimum to avoid deficiency — not the target for someone losing weight or building muscle. Meta-analyses (Helms et al., Morton et al.) converge on 0.7 to 1.0 g per lb of goal body weight for adults in a calorie deficit, going up to 1.2 g/lb for muscle growth.
Why higher protein works
- Preserves muscle during fat loss.
- Most satiating macronutrient — fewer cravings.
- Highest thermic effect — your body burns 20–30% of protein calories digesting it.
Protein for weight loss
In a deficit, protein does the defensive work: it keeps hunger manageable and biases the weight you lose toward fat instead of muscle. Set your protein first, then fit calories around it — find your daily burn with the TDEE calculator, choose a sustainable target with the calorie deficit calculator, and split the rest into carbs and fat with the macro calculator.
Protein for muscle gain
Building muscle needs three things together: consistent resistance training, a small calorie surplus, and enough protein — roughly 1.0–1.2 g per pound. Protein alone won't add muscle without the training stimulus, and training without enough protein leaves progress on the table.
Daily protein targets by body weight
A quick reference if you don't want to run the numbers — fat loss uses ~0.8 g/lb, maintenance ~0.9 g/lb, and muscle gain ~1.1 g/lb for a moderately active adult:
| Body weight | Fat loss | Maintenance | Muscle gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 lb | ~95 g | ~110 g | ~130 g |
| 140 lb | ~110 g | ~125 g | ~155 g |
| 160 lb | ~130 g | ~145 g | ~175 g |
| 180 lb | ~145 g | ~160 g | ~200 g |
| 200 lb | ~160 g | ~180 g | ~220 g |
| 220 lb | ~175 g | ~200 g | ~240 g |
Rounded to the nearest 5 g. Your exact target shifts with activity level — the calculator above accounts for it.