Protein Intake Guide
How much protein you actually need, where the evidence stops and marketing begins, and how to hit the target without living on chicken and rice.
Last updated: 1 July 2026
Overview
Protein supplies the amino acids your body uses to repair and build tissue, including muscle.
Governments set minimum intakes to prevent deficiency. Those numbers, around 0.75g per kg of bodyweight in the UK, are not the same as the intake that best supports training. Someone lifting three times a week needs meaningfully more than the minimum required to avoid a deficiency disease.
Quick Answer
For people who train, roughly 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day covers essentially all needs. Higher intakes within that range are useful when in a calorie deficit. There is little evidence of further benefit above about 2.2g per kg.
Key Points
- 1.6 to 2.2g per kg bodyweight per day suits nearly everyone who trains.
- Go higher within the range when dieting, not lower.
- Spreading protein across three or four meals is slightly better than one or two.
- Total daily intake matters far more than timing.
- Plant-based diets need slightly more, and more variety of sources.
How much you need
| Situation | Protein target |
|---|---|
| Sedentary, general health | 0.8 to 1.2g per kg |
| Training for muscle gain | 1.6 to 2.2g per kg |
| Training in a calorie deficit | 2.0 to 2.4g per kg |
| Older adults, maintaining muscle | 1.2 to 1.6g per kg |
| Plant-based and training | 1.8 to 2.4g per kg |
For an 80kg person training regularly, that is roughly 130 to 175g per day. If you are dieting, aim for the top of that.
Distribution across the day
Total daily protein is the dominant factor. Distribution is a refinement worth perhaps a few percent.
| Approach | Practical effect |
|---|---|
| All in one meal | Works, but hard to eat and less optimal |
| 3 to 4 meals of 30 to 50g | The sensible default |
| 6 small feedings | No further advantage, more effort |
Three or four meals containing 30 to 50g of protein each is easy to organise and covers what the evidence supports.
Where to get it
| Food | Protein per 100g |
|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 31g |
| Lean beef mince, cooked | 26g |
| Tinned tuna, drained | 25g |
| Salmon, cooked | 25g |
| Greek yoghurt, 0 percent | 10g |
| Eggs | 13g |
| Cottage cheese | 11g |
| Tofu, firm | 16g |
| Cooked lentils | 9g |
| Whey protein powder | 75 to 85g |
Whole foods first. Powder is a convenience, not a requirement, though it is a genuinely useful one when a 40g target has to fit around a working day.
Plant-based diets
Plant proteins are generally lower in leucine and often incomplete in their amino acid profile, so aim slightly higher on total intake and vary sources across the day.
Soy, pea protein, tofu, tempeh, seitan, lentils, beans and quinoa between them cover the requirements comfortably. Combining sources across a day, rather than obsessing about combining them within a meal, is sufficient.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Why it causes problems | Better approach |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting protein while dieting | Muscle loss and more hunger | Raise protein when calories fall |
| Counting total food weight as protein | 200g of chicken is not 200g of protein | Use protein per 100g figures |
| Relying entirely on shakes | Poor satiety, worse overall diet quality | Whole food first, powder to top up |
| Worrying about the anabolic window | It is far wider than marketed | Hit the daily total |
| Assuming more is always better | No further benefit above about 2.2g per kg | Stop at the top of the range |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is high protein bad for your kidneys?
In people with healthy kidneys, higher protein intakes within the ranges discussed here have not been shown to cause damage. People with existing kidney disease should follow medical advice.
Do I need protein straight after training?
No. The window is hours, not minutes. Hitting your daily total matters far more than eating within thirty minutes of finishing.
Can I get enough protein without supplements?
Yes, comfortably, if you plan meals around a protein source. Powder makes it easier, not possible.
How much protein in one sitting can the body use?
More than the commonly repeated 30g. Larger doses are used, just with a slower and more prolonged response. There is no hard ceiling that wastes the rest.
Sources
British Nutrition Foundation - https://www.nutrition.org.uk/
British Dietetic Association food facts - https://www.bda.uk.com/food-health/food-facts.html
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition - https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/