Protein made simple: how much do you actually need?

Protein is the one part of nutrition almost everyone under-does, and the one that makes the biggest difference to how you look, recover and feel. Here's the short, practical version.

How much do you actually need?

For anyone training regularly, somewhere between 1.6g and 2.2g per kilogram of body weight per day is the range worth aiming for. For a 70kg person, that's roughly 112g to 154g a day.

Where you sit in that range depends on your goal:

• Losing body fat: aim high, around 2.0 to 2.2g per kg
• Maintaining and getting stronger: around 1.8g per kg
• Building muscle: around 1.8 to 2.0g per kg, with enough total calories

Our Macro Calculator will do this maths for you in about thirty seconds.

Why it matters most when you're in a deficit

When you eat fewer calories than you burn, your body will take some of that energy from muscle unless you give it a reason not to. Enough protein, plus strength training, is that reason.

Spread it across the day

Most people eat almost none at breakfast, a little at lunch and then a big hit at dinner. You'll find it far easier to reach your target, and recover better, if you aim for 25 to 40g in each main meal.

What that looks like in real food

• Chicken breast, 150g cooked: around 45g
• Two eggs plus a tub of Greek yoghurt: around 30g
• Tin of tuna: around 25g
• Lean beef mince, 150g cooked: around 40g
• Firm tofu, 200g: around 30g
• Lentils, one cooked cup: around 18g

Do you need a shaker?

No. Whole food first, always. A protein shake is just a convenient way to close a gap when you're short at the end of a busy day, not a requirement and not magic.

Four easy wins

1. Add a protein source to breakfast, even a small one
2. Cook extra at dinner so lunch is already sorted
3. Keep quick options in the fridge: yoghurt, eggs, tinned fish
4. Build meals around the protein first, then add the rest

Get protein right and everything else in your nutrition gets easier. If you'd like help turning your numbers into meals that suit your week, that's part of what we do with our Personal Training members.

General information only. For individual advice, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or managing a health condition, please speak with your doctor or an accredited practising dietitian.