How much
The general adult guideline is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight a day, the amount that prevents deficiency. For people who train and want to build or keep muscle, the research supports more: a widely cited 2018 meta-analysis (Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine) found gains plateau around 1.6 g per kg a day, with up to about 2.2 g per kg reasonable for some.
For a 75 kg person that is roughly 60 g a day as the floor and 120 g for someone training seriously. People with kidney disease, and anyone told to limit protein, should follow their doctor rather than a general target.
Spread it out
Muscle responds to protein meal by meal, so three or four servings of roughly 0.3 to 0.4 g per kg (about 25 to 40 g for most adults) work better than one large one. Breakfast is where most people fall short.
Rough numbers worth knowing
- Chicken breast, cooked: about 30 g per 100 g
- Eggs: about 6 g each
- Greek yogurt: about 10 g per 100 g
- Tuna, canned: about 25 g per 100 g
- Lentils, cooked: about 9 g per 100 g
- Firm tofu: about 12 to 15 g per 100 g
Labels vary by product, so a packet's own label beats any table.
Tracking it in Life OS
Take a photo of a meal and Life OS estimates the protein in it, with a ring that shows how much is left for the day against a target built from your weight and training. You can correct any estimate, and barcodes read the label exactly.
Questions people ask
How much protein do I need a day?
At least 0.8 g per kg of body weight for general health. If you train and want to build or keep muscle, research supports about 1.6 g per kg, and up to about 2.2 g per kg for some people. Follow your doctor if you have kidney disease.
Is it better to eat protein all at once or spread out?
Spread out. Three or four meals with roughly 25 to 40 g each support muscle better than one large serving.
What is the easiest way to track protein?
Learn a few reference foods, read labels, and log meals as you eat them. Photo logging that estimates protein, with a daily target ring, removes most of the effort.