How much protein do I need to build muscle?
By Mert Yerekapan · Updated
About 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day is enough to build muscle, which is 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram. A 180 lb (82 kg) person would aim for roughly 125 to 180 grams a day. Eating more than that doesn't hurt most healthy people, but it doesn't add much either.
If you don't want to do the math, hitting the lower end of that range consistently beats chasing the top end now and then.
A worked example
Take someone who weighs 160 lb (73 kg). The range is about 112 to 160 grams a day. A day that gets there might look like:
- Breakfast: 3 eggs and Greek yogurt, around 30 g
- Lunch: chicken and rice, around 35 g
- Snack: cottage cheese or a handful of nuts and some milk, around 15 g
- Dinner: salmon or beans and tofu, around 35 g
- Something small in the evening, around 15 to 20 g
That adds up to about 130 to 135 g without anything fancy.
Spreading it out
Total for the day matters most. Splitting it across 3 or 4 meals of around 25 to 40 grams works well, and it makes it easier to reach your number. Timing it within an exact "window" after training isn't a big deal.
Good sources
Eggs, dairy, meat, fish, tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils and soy all count. Plant eaters can reach the same numbers; it just takes a bit more planning and slightly higher intake from varied sources.
Protein only does its job if you keep training. League of Fitness matches you 1v1 with someone near your level every day and counts lifting sessions synced from Apple Health, which is a decent nudge to get the training side done as consistently as the eating side.
Who should check first
If you have kidney disease, or any condition that affects how you process protein, talk to a doctor before raising your intake. The same goes for pregnancy or for teenagers still growing, where a dietitian can give a better target than a general rule. For healthy adults, the numbers above are within mainstream guidance.