Ask five people at the gym how much protein you need and you will get five answers, from “1 gram per kg is plenty” to “2 grams per pound or you’re wasting your time.” The research is clearer than the locker room. There is a range that works, a point where more stops helping, and a simple way to work out your own number.
Quick answer
To build muscle, most people need about 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day, with a useful range of 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg. For a 70 kg person, that is roughly 110 to 155 g a day. Eating more than this adds little extra muscle.
What the research says
Large reviews of strength-training studies find that muscle gains improve as protein intake rises, up to about 1.6 g per kg per day. Beyond that, the average benefit levels off. The upper end of the range, around 2.2 g per kg, covers people who respond better to more protein, are dieting, or train very hard.
The general dietary minimum of 0.8 g per kg is the amount needed to avoid deficiency, not the amount that is best for building muscle.
Your daily target by body weight
| Body weight | 1.6 g/kg (solid target) | 2.2 g/kg (upper end) |
| 55 kg | 88 g | 121 g |
| 65 kg | 104 g | 143 g |
| 75 kg | 120 g | 165 g |
| 85 kg | 136 g | 187 g |
| 95 kg | 152 g | 209 g |
If you are carrying a lot of extra fat, base the calculation on your goal weight, not your current weight.
When to aim higher
- You are in a calorie deficit. Higher protein, around 2 g per kg or more, helps hold onto muscle while losing fat.
- You are over 40. Older muscles respond less to small protein doses.
- You train hard five or more days a week.
How to split it across the day
Total daily protein matters most. Distribution helps a little. A practical approach:
- Eat 3 to 4 protein-rich meals.
- Aim for about 0.3 to 0.4 g per kg at each one. For most people that is 25 to 40 g per meal.
- Have one of them within a couple of hours after training.
What 120 g looks like in real food
| Meal | Food | Protein |
| Breakfast | 3 eggs, 1 glass milk, toast | ~29 g |
| Lunch | 1 pack chicken breast, dal, 2 rotis | ~46 g |
| Snack | 150 g hung curd | ~14 g |
| Dinner | 1 pack chicken steak, vegetables, rice | ~36 g |
| Total | ~125 g |
Does protein quality matter?
Yes. Animal proteins such as chicken, fish, eggs and dairy contain all essential amino acids and are rich in leucine, the amino acid most linked to triggering muscle repair. Plant proteins work too, but you generally need a little more and a mix of sources, such as dal with rice or soya with grains.
Is more protein harmful?
For healthy people, intakes in the 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg range are considered safe. People with kidney disease or other medical conditions should follow their doctor’s advice. Drink enough water and keep vegetables and fibre in your diet.
Protein alone won’t build muscle
Three things have to be in place together:
- Progressive training. Lift a little more over time.
- Enough total calories. It is hard to build in a steep deficit.
- Seven to eight hours.
FAQs
Is 100 g of protein enough to build muscle? For people up to about 60 to 65 kg, yes. Heavier people benefit from more.
Do I need 1 g per pound of body weight? That equals about 2.2 g per kg, the top of the useful range. Most people do well with less.
Can my body use more than 30 g per meal? Yes. Larger meals are digested and used; 30 g is a convenient target, not a ceiling.
Hit the number without the maths
Meatigo’s Everyday Chicken Breast and Everyday Chicken Steak each provide 32 g of protein per pack. Two packs a day cover half of a 120 g target.
