Active people need about 1.6 to 2.2 g of protein per kg of bodyweight a day, at the top of that range when losing fat. Spread it over three or four meals of 25 to 40 g each.
Start with your body, not a generic chart
The classic 0.8 g per kilogram figure was set to prevent deficiency, not to help you build or keep muscle. If you train, or you’re eating in a calorie deficit, you need more.
A practical range for active people is 1.6 to 2.2 g per kilogram of bodyweight. Leaner goals sit at the top of that range, because protein protects muscle while you lose fat.
- Losing fat: around 2.2 g per kg. A higher intake protects muscle and keeps hunger down.
- Maintaining: around 1.8 g per kg.
- Building muscle: around 2.0 g per kg, with a small calorie surplus.
For someone who weighs 80 kg, that is roughly 130 to 175 g a day.
If you carry a lot of body fat, use your goal weight instead of your current weight, or the number gets unrealistically high.
Protein is the one macro worth being slightly generous with.
Spread it across the day
Your body uses protein best in doses of roughly 25–40 g at a time. Four balanced meals beats one giant steak at night. Shulah’s food diary shows your running total live, so you can see the gaps before dinner.
A simple day for 160 g could look like this:
- Breakfast: 3 eggs and a cup of laban, about 30 g.
- Lunch: a palm-and-a-half of grilled chicken with rice and salad, about 45 g.
- Afternoon: Greek yoghurt or a protein shake, about 25 g.
- Dinner: fish or lean meat with vegetables, about 40 g.
- Evening: a glass of milk, or a handful of nuts with cheese, about 20 g.
What 30 grams looks like
- 100 g of cooked chicken breast
- 120 g of tuna
- 4 to 5 eggs
- 250 g of Greek yoghurt
- About 2 cups of cooked lentils or beans
- 1 scoop of whey protein (usually 20 to 25 g)
Whole foods first, eggs, dairy, chicken, fish, legumes, and a shake only to top up. Hitting the number consistently matters far more than the source or the timing.
Is a high-protein diet safe?
For healthy adults, intakes up to about 2.2 g per kg are well studied and considered safe. If you have kidney disease, talk to your doctor about how much is right for you.
Sources
- The International Society of Sports Nutrition’s position stand on protein and exercise: Jäger et al., 2017
The takeaway
Pick a number in the 1.6–2.2 range, split it across your meals, and stay consistent for a few weeks. Let the diary do the maths while you build the habit.