For most people trying to lose weight, a useful starting range is about 1.2–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (about 0.6–1 gram per pound).

Quick Scoop

  • If you are mostly sedentary or lightly active: aim for roughly 1.2–1.6 g/kg (0.55–0.73 g/lb).
  • If you exercise regularly or lift weights: 1.6–2.2 g/kg (0.73–1 g/lb) helps preserve muscle while losing fat.
  • High‑level or intense training phases: some sports‑nutrition groups use up to about 2.2–3.3 g/kg (1–1.5 g/lb) short‑term, mainly for athletes in aggressive cuts.

Example

If you weigh 70 kg (about 155 lb) and are moderately active, a common target would be:

  • 70 kg × 1.6–2.0 g/kg ≈ 110–140 g of protein per day.

You’d then split that across 2–4 meals or snacks so you get a decent protein portion each time, which helps with fullness and muscle maintenance during weight loss.

How much protein by body weight (HTML table)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Body weight</th>
      <th>Lower target (weight loss, light activity)</th>
      <th>Higher target (active / lifting)</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>60 kg (132 lb)</td>
      <td>72–96 g/day (1.2–1.6 g/kg)</td>
      <td>96–130 g/day (1.6–2.2 g/kg)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>70 kg (155 lb)</td>
      <td>84–112 g/day</td>
      <td>112–155 g/day</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>80 kg (176 lb)</td>
      <td>96–128 g/day</td>
      <td>128–176 g/day</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>90 kg (198 lb)</td>
      <td>108–144 g/day</td>
      <td>144–198 g/day</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

These ranges assume you are in a calorie deficit and generally healthy; if you have kidney disease or another medical condition, talk with a healthcare professional or dietitian before increasing protein.

Why protein matters for weight loss

  • Helps you feel fuller, so sticking to a calorie deficit is easier.
  • Helps maintain lean muscle, so more of the weight you lose is fat instead of muscle.
  • Slightly higher “thermic effect” (your body burns more energy digesting protein than carbs or fat).

A simple way to start is to anchor each meal around a solid protein source (such as Greek yogurt, eggs, beans, tofu, fish, chicken, or lean meat) and then fill in with vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Mini note on trends and forums

In current fitness articles and forums, people aiming for fat loss often quote “around 1 gram per pound of goal body weight” as a convenient rule of thumb, which usually lands inside the 1.6–2.2 g/kg range you see in sports‑nutrition guidelines. You’ll also see lots of discussion about using photo‑based food tracking apps and protein calculators to tune this number, but the fundamentals are the same: pick a reasonable protein target, maintain a calorie deficit, lift some weights if you can, and stay consistent.

TL;DR: Multiply your body weight in kilograms by 1.2–2.2 to get a realistic daily protein range for weight loss, and adjust within that range based on how active you are and how full you feel day to day.

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