How much protein to build muscle, per day and meal
How much protein you need to build muscle in g/kg, how to split it across meals, what timing matters, and sample days with everyday and vegetarian foods.
For most people who lift, about 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight per day (0.7 g per lb) covers what you need to build muscle. Up to about 2.2 g per kg (1 g per lb) is a reasonable upper target. Spread it across three to five meals of roughly 0.4 g per kg each, and get the daily total right before you worry about timing.
What the research says
- The daily number. A meta-analysis by Morton and colleagues (2018) pooled 49 trials with 1,863 participants. Extra protein improved gains in strength and lean mass during resistance training, but past a total intake of about 1.62 g per kg per day, lean mass gains stopped rising. The uncertainty around that figure reached up to about 2.2 g per kg, which is why 2.2 is often used as a safe upper target.
- The position stand. The International Society of Sports Nutrition’s position stand on protein (Jäger and colleagues, 2017) puts 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg per day as sufficient for most people who exercise. It suggests higher intakes of 2.3 to 3.1 g per kg may help trained lifters keep muscle while eating in a calorie deficit.
- Per meal. A review by Schoenfeld and Aragon (2018) suggests about 0.4 g per kg per meal across at least four meals, and up to about 0.55 g per kg per meal if you aim for 2.2 g per kg a day.
- Big meals are fine. A 2023 study by Trommelen and colleagues found that 100 g of protein after exercise produced a larger and longer muscle-building response than 25 g. It measured short-term muscle protein synthesis, not long-term growth, but it argues against the idea that anything above 30 g in a meal is wasted.
Your daily target
Multiply your body weight in kg by 1.6 for a solid baseline and by 2.2 for the upper target.
| Body weight | 1.6 g per kg | 2.2 g per kg |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg (130 lb) | 96 g | 132 g |
| 70 kg (155 lb) | 112 g | 154 g |
| 80 kg (175 lb) | 128 g | 176 g |
| 90 kg (200 lb) | 144 g | 198 g |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 160 g | 220 g |
When to aim higher or lower
- You are eating in a calorie deficit. Lean toward the top of the range or above it, in line with the position stand’s higher range for dieting.
- You carry a lot of body fat. Grams per kg of total weight then overstate your needs. A practical fix is to calculate from your goal weight instead.
- You are eating in a surplus and training hard. Around 1.6 g per kg is usually enough. Extra calories from carbohydrate and fat support your training.
How to split it across the day
Aim for three to five protein feedings of roughly 0.4 g per kg each. For an 80 kg (175 lb) lifter, that is about 30 to 35 g per meal. The ISSN position stand suggests spacing protein doses every three to four hours, but hitting the daily total matters more than the exact clock.
Sample day: 80 kg (175 lb) lifter, about 130 g
| Meal | Food | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 3 eggs and 150 g nonfat Greek yogurt | About 33 g |
| Lunch | 150 g cooked chicken breast with rice and vegetables | About 46 g |
| Afternoon | 200 g cottage cheese | About 21 g |
| Dinner | 150 g cooked salmon with potatoes and salad | About 33 g |
That lands near 133 g before counting the smaller amounts in bread, rice, potatoes and vegetables.
Sample vegetarian day: 70 kg (155 lb) lifter, about 120 g
| Meal | Food | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 250 g nonfat Greek yogurt | About 24 g |
| Lunch | 100 g tempeh and 200 g cooked lentils | About 38 g |
| Afternoon | 2 eggs and 300 ml low-fat milk | About 23 g |
| Dinner | 200 g firm tofu stir-fry | About 35 g |
Plant-based diets work too. In a 12-week trial by Hevia-Larraín and colleagues (2021), young men who were new to lifting and ate about 1.6 g per kg from plant sources only gained muscle and strength similar to omnivores eating the same amount. If dairy does not agree with you, lactose-free milk and yogurt or soy alternatives fill the same role.
Timing: what matters and what does not
- The daily total comes first. Timing is a fine-tune on top of it.
- Before or after training both work. The ISSN position stand notes that the effect of a training session on muscle lasts at least 24 hours, so you do not need to rush a shake in the locker room.
- A protein-rich meal before bed is useful. The same position stand reports that 30 to 40 g of casein before sleep raises overnight muscle protein synthesis. Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt are easy food versions.
- Do not skip a meal to save protein for later. Large meals work, but four decent feedings are easier to hit than one huge one.
Protein in common foods
Values per 100 g, from USDA FoodData Central. Brands vary, so check labels where you can.
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Typical serving |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 31 g | 150 g gives about 46 g |
| Lean ground beef (90% lean), cooked | 26 g | 125 g gives about 33 g |
| Tuna, canned in water, drained | 25.5 g | 100 g gives about 25 g |
| Salmon, cooked | 22 g | 150 g gives about 33 g |
| Tempeh | 20 g | 100 g gives about 20 g |
| Firm tofu | 17 g | 200 g gives about 35 g |
| Whole egg | 12.6 g | 1 large egg gives about 6 g |
| Cottage cheese, low fat | 10 g | 200 g gives about 21 g |
| Greek yogurt, nonfat | 9.5 g | 250 g gives about 24 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 9 g | 200 g gives about 18 g |
| Milk, low fat | 3.4 g | 300 ml gives about 10 g |
Protein powder is a convenient top-up when food falls short. Check the label for the grams per scoop.
Common mistakes
- Loading it all into dinner. If breakfast and lunch are light on protein, catching up at night is hard. Moving 20 to 30 g into breakfast often closes the gap.
- Mixing up raw and cooked weights. Raw meat weighs more than cooked, so logging cooked chicken as raw undercounts your protein.
- Assuming more is always better. Past about 1.6 g per kg, extra protein added little lean mass in the meta-analysis above. Very high intakes can crowd out the carbohydrate that fuels your training.
- Forgetting total calories. Protein supports muscle growth, but growth also needs enough energy and a training program that keeps progressing.
- Relying on bars and snacks. Some are closer to candy than to a protein source. Read the label.
If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before raising your protein intake.
How RepChief helps
RepChief includes a free food log where you add meals by photo, barcode or search, with 3 photo scans a day, so you can see whether you reached your protein. With RepChief Pro, Chief reads your food alongside the sets you log and sends weekly insights on training, food and habits.
