how much protein should i be eating a day

You can ballpark your daily protein needs using your body weight, age, and how active you are. Most adults land somewhere between 0.8 and about 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

Quick Scoop (Core Answer)

Here’s a simple way to think about how much protein you should be eating a day :

• If you’re generally healthy and not very active:
  • About 0.8 g protein per kg of body weight per day (this is the standard RDA).

* Example: 70 kg (154 lb) person → around 56 g per day.

• If you’re moderately active or trying to maintain/build some muscle:
  • Around 1.0–1.3 g/kg per day is often recommended to better support muscle and strength.

* Example: 70 kg → roughly 70–90 g per day.

• If you train hard (heavy lifting, intense sports) or are in a muscle‑gain phase:
  • 1.3–1.6 g/kg per day is a common evidence‑based range.

* Example: 70 kg → about 90–110 g per day.

• If you’re 50–65+ and want to protect muscle as you age:
  • Many experts suggest 1.2–1.6 g/kg per day, sometimes higher if very active.

* Example: 70 kg → about 85–110 g per day.

Most major organizations also note that 10–35% of your daily calories can reasonably come from protein.

Quick rule of thumb:
Take your weight in kilograms × 1.0–1.3 if you’re moderately active, or × 1.3–1.6 if you train hard or are older and trying to keep muscle.

What That Looks Like in Real Food

Very rough approximations of protein in common foods:

• 100 g chicken breast (about a small palm‑sized piece): ~30 g protein (typical nutrition references).
• 100 g salmon (small fillet): ~20–25 g protein (typical nutrition references).
• 2 large eggs: ~12 g protein (typical nutrition references).
• ¾ cup Greek yogurt: ~15–18 g protein (typical nutrition references).
• 1 cup cooked lentils: ~18 g protein (typical nutrition references).
• 30 g nuts: ~5–6 g protein (typical nutrition references).

A 70 kg moderately active person aiming for ~80 g protein could hit that with something like:

• Breakfast: Greek yogurt + handful of nuts (~20–25 g)
• Lunch: Chicken salad or tofu bowl (~25–30 g)
• Dinner: Fish, beans, or lentils (~25–30 g)

Different Viewpoints (Why Recommendations Vary)

You’ll see a range online because people are talking about different goals:

• Minimum to avoid deficiency (RDA):
  About 0.8 g/kg/day for healthy adults with low activity; this is a floor, not a performance or “optimal” target.

• “Optimal” for strength, body composition, and aging well:
  Many sports and aging‑muscle experts lean toward 1.0–1.6 g/kg/day for most active adults, higher for athletes and older adults.

• Upper ranges:
  Healthy people with normal kidney function typically tolerate higher protein well, and there’s no clear harm within common ranges used in sport nutrition, though extremely high intakes are usually unnecessary and crowd out other nutrients.

Because of this, some mainstream health sites now suggest most adults can comfortably sit somewhere between ~50–175 g per day depending on calorie intake and goals, which matches the 10–35% of calories guideline on a 2000‑calorie diet.

Simple 3‑Step Method to Set Your Own Target

1. Get your weight in kilograms.
   • If you know pounds: divide by 2.2 (e.g., 160 lb ÷ 2.2 ≈ 73 kg).
2. Pick a factor based on your lifestyle:
   • 0.8 g/kg: sedentary, no special goals.
   • 1.0–1.2 g/kg: light–moderate activity, general health and appetite control.
   • 1.2–1.6 g/kg: heavy strength training, trying to build/keep muscle, or age 50+ looking after muscle.

3. Multiply weight (kg) × factor → daily grams of protein.
   • Example: 80 kg, lifts weights 3–4×/week → 80 × 1.4 ≈ 110 g/day.

A Quick Note on Safety

• For most healthy adults, staying in the 0.8–1.6 g/kg range fits within established guidelines and is considered safe.

• If you have kidney disease, liver disease, or another significant medical condition, talk with a healthcare professional or dietitian before pushing protein higher.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.