how many grams of protein should you eat
Most adults do well with roughly 0.8–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on age, activity level, and goals like muscle gain or weight loss.
Quick Scoop
- General minimum: about 0.8 g per kg of body weight per day, which is the standard recommendation to avoid deficiency in sedentary adults.
- Common practical range: 0.8–1.6 g/kg per day for most healthy adults, with higher intakes toward the top of that range for people who are active, trying to build or preserve muscle, or older adults.
- Calorie perspective: protein often makes up 10–35% of total daily calories in balanced diets.
- Example: a person who weighs about 150–165 lb (around 68–75 kg) will typically land near 55–110 g of protein per day , depending on activity and goals.
Simple step-by-step estimate
- Take your weight in kilograms (or divide pounds by 2.2).
- Multiply by 0.8 if you’re sedentary and just want to avoid deficiency.
- Multiply by 1.2–1.6 if you are very active, older than about 65, or focused on muscle and strength.
Many clinicians also suggest aiming for roughly 15–30 g of protein per meal , spread across the day instead of loading it all at once.
Bottom line: if you’re within that 0.8–1.6 g/kg range, spreading protein across meals, and your doctor has not given you specific kidney or medical restrictions, you are likely in a safe and effective zone.
Meta description: Learn how many grams of protein you should eat per day, with evidence-based ranges in g/kg, real-world examples, and current guidance for different activity levels and ages.