How much protein per day

Protein is the most argued-about number in fitness, which is strange, because it is also one of the most settled. The research converges on a range, the range is generous, and hitting it is mostly a matter of habit, not supplements.

The short answer

If you lift, aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. A 70 kg lifter needs roughly 112 to 154 g. Total daily intake is what matters; everything else - timing, distribution, powder versus food - is fine-tuning.

Where the range comes from

Study after study on lifters finds that muscle growth benefits climb with protein intake up to about 1.6 g/kg, then flatten. The extra headroom up to 2.2 g/kg exists because individuals vary and because higher intakes carry no meaningful downside for healthy people. Below the range, you are leaving gains on the table. Above it, you are mostly buying expensive satiety.

Two situations justify the top of the range or slightly beyond:

• Cutting. In a calorie deficit, higher protein (2.0-2.4 g/kg) protects muscle while fat comes off, and it keeps you full when food is scarce.
• Very lean lifters pushing hard. Less body fat and hard training shift the target up; round up, not down.

What that looks like in food

Numbers on paper feel abstract, so here is 130 g of protein for a 70-75 kg lifter in normal food:

• 3 eggs at breakfast - about 19 g
• 200 g chicken breast at lunch - about 46 g
• 200 g Greek yogurt as a snack - about 20 g
• 150 g salmon at dinner - about 30 g
• A glass of milk - about 8 g, and you are over the line

No powder involved. A protein shake is a convenience - useful when you are busy, traveling, or short of appetite - not a requirement and not magic. Food first, powder to fill gaps.

Does timing matter

Far less than the internet says. The "anabolic window" around workouts is wide - hours, not minutes - and total daily intake dominates every timing trick. That said, spreading protein across 3 to 5 meals of 25-40 g each is a sensible default: each meal gives muscle protein synthesis a fresh push, and no single meal has to be enormous.

If you train fasted or your meals are far apart, having some protein within a couple of hours after lifting is reasonable. It is a detail worth getting right after the total is handled, not before.

How to actually hit it

Most people who "eat plenty of protein" and stall are eating 0.8-1.2 g/kg. The fix is measurement, not willpower:

• Track your food honestly for one normal week and read the average.
• Anchor each meal with a protein source first, then build the rest of the plate around it.
• Keep easy options at hand - yogurt, cottage cheese, canned tuna, eggs - for meals that would otherwise be all carbs.
• If a day comes up short, a shake closes the gap in thirty seconds.

If you add one supplement on top, creatine is the best-studied one for strength, and like protein it works through daily consistency, not timing. Our sister app Creatine Today, a creatine reminder and tracker, nudges you once a day and keeps your streak.

Weigh yourself weekly, watch your lifts, and let the trend decide. If you are getting stronger and recovering well at 1.7 g/kg, that is your number, whatever the label on the tub recommends.