Protein is having a moment. Protein coffee, protein pasta, protein chips that taste like a yoga mat. So how much do you actually need?
The short answer
Research on people who lift points to about 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day as a solid target for building and keeping muscle. Going a bit higher won't hurt healthy people, and going a lot lower makes progress harder, especially as you get older.
For a 70 kg (154 lb) person, that's around 110 grams a day. Spread over three or four meals, that's very doable.
Easy wins
- Build each meal around a protein first, then add everything else
- Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, tofu, tempeh, chicken, fish, lentils
- A shake is fine. It's food, not magic
- Total per day matters more than perfect timing
Want the full playbook? Our free Nutrition Unlocked guide covers protein, plates and planning without the weird stuff. Canada's Food Guide is also better than you remember.
Lift something with all that protein
Classes are 8 people max. Your first one is free.