December 9, 2025
This guide shows you exactly how to set your daily protein for cutting, maintaining, or building muscle, plus simple ways to hit your target without overthinking macros.
Most people should sit between 1.6–2.2 g protein per kg of body weight, then adjust for goals.
For fat loss, keep protein on the higher end to protect muscle and control hunger.
For maintenance and bulking, total calories and training matter most, but protein still needs a solid baseline.
This guide uses current sports nutrition research and position stands to define protein ranges by goal (fat loss, maintenance, bulking). We anchor recommendations in grams per kilogram of body weight and grams per pound, then adjust for body fat level, training intensity, and dietary preference. Practical examples and use cases show how to apply the numbers to real meals and macro planning.
Getting protein wrong can mean losing muscle while dieting, spinning your wheels at maintenance, or leaving gains on the table while bulking. A clear, evidence-based protein target gives you a stable foundation for any macro plan so your calories and carbs/fats can move around without sacrificing muscle, performance, or satiety.
Protein supplies amino acids to build and repair muscle, support hormones and enzymes, and maintain lean body mass. Unlike carbs and fats, your body doesn’t store a “protein tank,” so you need regular intake. For body composition, protein does three key things: preserves muscle in a deficit, supports muscle gain in a surplus, and increases satiety and the thermic effect of food (you burn more calories digesting it).
For generally healthy, active adults who lift or exercise, a strong evidence-based range is 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight per day (about 0.7–1.0 g per lb). Below this, you may risk losing muscle in a deficit or under-eating for growth. Above this, there’s usually no extra benefit for muscle gain, though higher intakes can help some people control hunger while dieting.
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If you have higher body fat, setting protein per kilogram of total body weight can overshoot what you realistically need. In that case, estimate based on goal body weight or lean body mass. A simple rule: use your estimated goal weight in kg and multiply by 1.6–2.0, or aim for 1.8–2.4 g/kg of lean body mass when known.
Cutting is where protein matters most for preserving muscle and controlling hunger.
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Maintenance is more forgiving, but you still want enough protein to support training and body recomposition.
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Person: 75 kg (165 lb), lifting 4x/week, aiming to cut. Target: 2.2 g/kg. Calculation: 75 × 2.2 = 165 g protein per day. Macro view: At 1,900 kcal/day, 165 g protein = 660 kcal. Remaining 1,240 kcal can come from carbs and fats in any mix you prefer.
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Person: 70 kg (154 lb), moderately active, happy with weight. Target: 1.8 g/kg. Calculation: 70 × 1.8 = 126 g protein per day. At 2,200 kcal/day, 126 g protein = 504 kcal. The remaining 1,696 kcal can be split between fats and carbs, e.g., higher carbs on training days.
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Person: 85 kg (187 lb), lifting 5x/week, lean bulk. Target: 1.8 g/kg. Calculation: 85 × 1.8 = 153 g protein per day. At 2,900 kcal/day, 153 g protein = 612 kcal. Remaining 2,288 kcal can be mostly carbs plus moderate fats to maximize performance and muscle gain.
Most evidence suggests that 20–40 g of high-quality protein per meal maximizes muscle protein synthesis for most adults, depending on body size and age. For smaller or lighter individuals, 20–25 g can be enough; larger or older individuals often benefit from 30–40 g per meal.
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Instead of dumping all your protein into one huge meal, split your daily target into 3–5 feedings. Example for 150 g/day: 4 meals of ~35–40 g protein, or 3 meals of ~40–45 g plus a 20–30 g snack. This keeps muscle protein synthesis elevated more consistently.
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You don’t need a perfectly timed “anabolic window,” but getting 20–40 g of protein in the 2–3 hours before or after training is helpful. For most, simply ensuring your normal meals cover these windows is enough. Focus more on daily total and meal distribution than exact timing.
Examples: chicken breast, turkey, lean beef, pork loin, white fish, low-fat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, whey or casein protein. These offer high protein with relatively low calories and complete amino acid profiles, making them ideal for cuts and lean bulks.
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Examples: tofu, tempeh, seitan, edamame, lentils, chickpeas, beans, soy milk, pea or soy protein powder. Plant-based diets can absolutely hit high protein targets, but often need a bit more planning and total calories. Combining sources (e.g., beans + grains) helps cover amino acid profiles.
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Powders are convenient for closing gaps, especially around training or when appetite is low on a bulk. They are not mandatory, but can make it much easier to hit 120–180 g/day. Aim to get most of your protein from whole foods for micronutrients and satiety, and use 1–2 scoops daily as needed.
If you lose a significant amount of weight, your old protein number will gradually become higher relative to your body weight. Recalculate every 4–8 weeks using your new weight. You can either keep the same absolute grams (for a slightly higher g/kg) during aggressive cuts or shift back into your preferred range.
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When bulking, you don’t need to constantly chase higher protein as your weight climbs. Recalculate if your body weight changes by 5–10 kg. Often you can keep protein grams roughly constant and use added calories for carbs and fats to support training and hormone health.
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Frequent soreness that lingers, feeling unusually weak in the gym, intense hunger despite adequate calories, or noticeable loss of strength or muscle fullness during a cut can indicate your protein is too low. Increasing by 10–20 g/day for 1–2 weeks is an easy test.
Protein targets don’t swing wildly between cutting, maintenance, and bulking; the main change is your total calories and how you split carbs and fats around a consistent protein base.
For most people who lift, hitting a reasonable protein range every day and spreading it across 3–5 meals matters more than chasing extreme intakes or obsessing over minute timing windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Very high protein can help satiety, but once you’re within about 1.8–2.5 g/kg, the benefit tends to plateau. At that point, more protein usually means fewer carbs and fats, which can hurt training performance and enjoyment. Stay in range and adjust total calories for fat loss.
Yes. Studies show that 1.6 g/kg is typically enough to maximize muscle growth when calories and training are on point. Going higher can be useful for some people, but isn’t mandatory for gains if your overall program and recovery are solid.
In healthy individuals with no pre-existing kidney disease, research consistently shows that high-protein diets are safe. If you have kidney issues or other medical conditions, you should speak with your healthcare provider before significantly increasing protein intake.
Generally yes. Muscle repair and growth happen between workouts, so keeping protein similar on rest days helps recovery and maintenance of lean mass. You can adjust carbs and total calories down slightly on rest days if desired, but keep protein steady.
You can, and you’ll still see benefits if your daily total is adequate, but splitting protein into 3–5 feedings is more effective for stimulating muscle protein synthesis repeatedly through the day. If your schedule is tight, even adding a smaller third protein feeding is an improvement.
Set your protein first, then let calories, carbs, and fats move around it. Choose a goal-specific range, convert it into a daily gram target, and anchor each meal with a clear protein source. From there, refine based on hunger, performance, and results so your macros work for your actual life, not just a spreadsheet.
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For simplicity, pick a clear band: conservative (1.6 g/kg), standard (1.8–2.0 g/kg), or aggressive (2.2 g/kg+). Conservative suits smaller or less active individuals; standard fits most people lifting regularly; aggressive fits dieters wanting maximum hunger control and muscle protection. You’ll refine later based on how you feel and how your body responds.
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In a surplus, muscle is protected by extra calories, so protein can be slightly lower while carbs take a bigger role.
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If you have a lot of weight to lose, protein based on current weight might feel unrealistically high. In that case, use goal body weight as your multiplier. For example, if you weigh 120 kg and want to reach 90 kg, set protein around 90 × 1.8–2.0 = 160–180 g per day instead of 216–240 g.
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Including protein at dinner or in a small evening snack (e.g., Greek yogurt or casein) can support overnight muscle repair and help with satiety, especially during a cut. Around 20–40 g is usually sufficient.
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Practical options: Greek yogurt with berries, cottage cheese, deli turkey rolls, jerky, edamame, protein bars, hummus with whole-grain pita, roasted chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs, or a simple protein shake. Building a habit of one high-protein snack per day can easily add 20–30 g to your total.
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If you’re already in the evidence-based range and increase protein further without improvements in hunger, performance, or recovery, you may simply be crowding out carbs and fats that you need. In that case, shift some calories back to carbs (especially around training) and monitor energy in the gym.
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