If you train, you’ve probably been told you need a mountain of protein. A shake after every session, chicken with every meal, maybe a quiet worry that you’re still not eating enough. The number seems to climb every time someone new posts about it.
So let’s deal with the real question, which isn’t whether more protein is better, it’s how much actually helps you build strength. The honest answer is smaller and simpler than the supplement industry wants you to think, and once you know it, eating for strength gets a lot less stressful.
The short answer, in numbers
If you’re training to get stronger, the research points to around 1.6 g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day, within a sensible working range of about 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg (sources: ISSN, Morton 2018).
For an 80 kg person, that’s roughly 128 g of protein a day. For a 65 kg person, closer to 104 g. That’s it. There’s no need to chase the enormous numbers you see online.
What the everyday guideline misses
The standard UK guideline is 0.75 g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day, which works out to about 45 g for a 60 kg adult and around 56 g for a 75 kg adult (source: British Nutrition Foundation).
Here’s the catch. That figure is the amount set to stop you becoming deficient, it isn’t the amount that helps you build strength. Most people in the UK already eat a little more than this, men around 85 g a day and women around 67 g (source: British Nutrition Foundation), and yet they still sit well below the training target. That gap, between not deficient and actually building strength, is where most people quietly get stuck.
Why around 1.6 g/kg, and why not more
This is the part that saves you money. One of the largest reviews on the subject pulled together 49 studies and nearly 1,900 people, and found that once you pass about 1.6 g/kg a day, eating more protein didn’t add any extra muscle (source: Morton 2018).
So the very high intakes the industry sells you, sometimes 3 g/kg or more, mostly leave your body unused. A little above 1.6 g/kg gives you a margin for harder training or getting older, but past that you’re paying for protein you won’t use.
It’s not just how much, it’s how you spread it
Your daily total matters most, but how you spread it makes a difference too. Aim for roughly 20 to 40 g of protein per meal, which is about 0.25 g per kilogram of bodyweight, spaced every three to four hours or so (source: ISSN).
In plain terms, three or four solid meals with protein in each will do more for you than one giant shake and not much else. Your body can only use so much in a single sitting, so steady beats spiky.
What this looks like on a plate
This is where the numbers get real. Here’s the rough protein content of some everyday foods:
- Chicken breast, 100 g cooked: around 30 g
- Tin of tuna, 100 g: around 25 g
- Greek yogurt, 150 g: around 15 g
- Two large eggs: around 12 g
- Cooked lentils, 100 g: around 9 g
- Tofu, 100 g: around 8 g
So for an 80 kg person aiming at about 128 g, a day might be eggs and yogurt at breakfast, chicken or tuna at lunch, some lentils or tofu through the day and a proper protein source at dinner. No powder required, just real food you’d actually enjoy.
Protein and age, the part that does change
One thing genuinely shifts as you get older. From your 40s onward your body responds a little less readily to protein, which researchers call anabolic resistance, so older adults often benefit from a bit more, around 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg a day and sometimes higher (sources: British Heart Foundation, UK older-adults study).
If you want the fuller picture on training as the years add up, I’ve written about what changes after 40 in a separate post.
Do you actually need protein powder
Short answer, no. Protein powder is convenient, nothing more. A shake and a wholegrain sandwich with a couple of eggs can give you a similar amount of protein, except the food comes with extra nutrients the powder doesn’t (source: British Heart Foundation).
If a shake helps you hit your target on a busy day, use it. Just don’t believe it’s doing something magic that a plate of real food isn’t.
Putting it together
At Davephysik, I help clients build sustainable nutrition habits alongside structured strength training, so the food side supports the work you put in rather than fighting it. Get the protein roughly right, spread it across your day, train with a plan that progresses, and the strength follows.
I train clients 1-on-1 in Gràcia, L’Eixample and Caldes de Montbui, or online from anywhere.
Book a free 30-minute video call
FAQ
How much protein do I need to build strength?
For building strength, research points to around 1.6 g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day, within a working range of about 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg. For an 80 kg person that’s roughly 128 g a day.
How much protein per day for a 70 kg person?
A 70 kg person training for strength would aim for around 112 g of protein a day, based on roughly 1.6 g per kilogram of bodyweight. If you’re sedentary, the baseline UK guideline is lower, about 53 g.
Is more protein always better for building muscle?
No. One large review of 49 studies found that beyond about 1.6 g/kg a day, extra protein didn’t add any more muscle, so very high intakes mostly go to waste.
Do I need protein powder to build muscle?
No, powder is just convenient. Whole foods like eggs, chicken, dairy and pulses can hit the same protein target, with extra nutrients a shake doesn’t give you.
How much protein should I eat per meal?
Aim for around 20 to 40 g of protein per meal, about 0.25 g per kilogram of bodyweight, spread every three to four hours. Steady intake across the day works better than one large serving.