How to Calculate Your Daily Protein Needs for Maximum Muscle Gain

Look, I’m going to save you from scrolling through 3,000 words of fluff just to find the answer.

Here’s the formula you actually need:

Protein intake (grams per day) = Your body weight in kg × 1.6–2.2. For the people outside the metric system, take half that value. 

That’s it. Not complicated. Not mysterious. Just basic math.

Now, where do you land in that 1.6–2.2 range? That depends on how hard you’re training, whether you’re trying to build muscle or lose fat, and how lean you already are.

A guy who trains twice a week and wants to maintain what he’s got? He’s probably fine at 1.6 g/kg. Someone grinding through five heavy sessions per week, trying to add serious size? Yeah, push that closer to 2.2 g/kg.

The beauty of this formula is that it scales with you. As you gain muscle, your weight goes up, so your protein needs go up. As you get leaner during a cut, you keep protein high to protect that hard-earned muscle.

This isn’t about chugging protein shakes because some influencer said so. It’s about giving your body what it needs to recover, rebuild, and get stronger.

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5 Key Takeaways

1. The sweet spot for muscle gain is 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. This range covers most people, most goals, most training styles.
2. Heavier training = higher end of the range. If you’re training close to failure four to five times per week, your body needs more protein to repair and grow.
3. Use protein calculators or tracking apps to dial in your numbers. Don’t guess. Track it for a week or two until you get a feel for what hitting your target actually looks like.
4. Whole foods first, supplements second. Get most of your protein from real food (chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt). Use whey or casein to fill gaps when life gets busy, think long work days or travel.
5. Recalculate every 4–6 weeks. As your body composition changes, so do your needs. A 75 kg guy and an 85 kg guy don’t eat the same amount of protein.

How to Apply the Protein Intake Formula to Your Diet

Alright, let’s break this down step-by-step so you can actually use this formula instead of just nodding along.

Step 1: Convert Your Weight to Kilograms

If you’re working in pounds (most Americans), divide your body weight by 2.2.

Example: You weigh 180 lbs. 180 ÷ 2.2 = ~82 kg

Step 2: Multiply by Your Training Factor

Now take that 82 kg and multiply by somewhere between 1.6 and 2.2, depending on how hard you’re training.

• Light training (2–3 days per week, moderate intensity): 82 kg × 1.6 = 131 grams per day
• Moderate training (4–5 days per week, solid effort): 82 kg × 1.9 = 156 grams per day
• Heavy training (5–6 days per week, high volume): 82 kg × 2.2 = 180 grams per day

See how that works? The harder you train, the more protein you need.

Step 3: Spread It Out Across Meals

Your body can process as much protein per meal as you give it ( 100 grams plus), but I would still spread my intake over 3-4 meals Aim for 4–6 meals or snacks throughout the day.

Example breakdown for 156 grams:

• Breakfast: 35g (eggs, Greek yogurt)
• Lunch: 40g (chicken breast, quinoa)
• Snack: 40g (protein shake)
• Dinner: 40g (salmon, lentils)

Step 4: Pair Protein with Carbs

After training, your muscles need both protein (to rebuild) and carbohydrates (to refill glycogen stores). Don’t be the guy eating plain chicken breast with nothing else. Throw some rice, potatoes, or oats in there. The rule here is that the protein should be the size of your palm, the carbs the size of your fist. 

This isn’t rocket science. It’s just making sure your body has the fuel it needs to recover and grow.

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Adjusting Protein Intake Based on Workout Intensity

Not all training is created equal, and your protein needs reflect that.

Here’s a simple reference table:

Training Level	Goal	Protein Intake (g/kg)	Example (70 kg person)
Light (2–3x/week)	Maintenance	1.4–1.6	98–112g
Moderate (4–5x/week)	Muscle gain	1.8–2.0	126–140g
Intense (6x/week+)	Bulking/strength	2.0–2.2	140–154g

A few things to note:

On rest days, you don’t need to drop protein dramatically. Your body is still repairing. 

During a cut (when you’re trying to lose fat), keep protein on the higher end of your range. Why? Because when you’re in a calorie deficit, your body is more likely to break down muscle for energy. High protein helps preserve that lean mass you worked so hard to build.

During a bulk (adding size and strength), you’ve got more wiggle room. You can sit comfortably in the middle of the range (1.8–2.0 g/kg) because you’re eating enough total calories to support muscle growth and anabolism.

Bottom line: your training volume, intensity, and overall goals determine where you land in that 1.6–2.2 range. Don’t overthink it. Start somewhere in the middle, track your progress for a few weeks, and adjust if needed.

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Tools and Calculators to Determine Your Daily Protein Needs

You don’t need fancy equipment to track protein. Your phone already does the job.

Here are the tools I actually recommend (not sponsored, just what works):

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is the most popular macro tracking app for a reason. The free version works fine. Huge food database. You can scan barcodes, log meals, and see exactly how much protein you’re eating daily.

Cronometer

A bit more detailed than MyFitnessPal. Shows micronutrients too, which is nice if you care about more than just protein, carbs, and fat. I like it for clients who want a deeper look at their nutrition.

Precision Nutrition Calculator

Good for getting a baseline. Plug in your stats (age, weight, activity level, goals) and it spits out daily protein recommendations. Not as precise as tracking everything yourself, but it’s a decent starting point.

Bodybuilding.com Macro Calculator

Similar to Precision Nutrition. Quick, easy, gives you ballpark numbers. Use it to get your initial target, then track with an app for a week or two to see how close you actually are.

Wearable Devices (Apple Watch, Fitbit, Whoop)

These sync with diet apps and give you a picture of your energy expenditure. 

Spoiler alert: the energy expenditure shown on these devices is very inaccurate, so do not adjust your intake according to that number. 

Pro tip: Whatever tool you use, track everything for at least 7–10 days. Most people wildly underestimate how much (or how little) protein they’re actually eating. You think you’re hitting 150 grams? Track it. You might be at 90.

Once you’ve tracked consistently for a couple of weeks, you’ll develop an intuitive sense of portion sizes and protein content. Then you can ease off the obsessive logging if you want.

Factors That Influence Optimal Protein Intake

The formula I gave you (1.6–2.2 g/kg) works for most people, most of the time. But there are a few factors that might push you toward the higher or lower end of that range.

Age

As you get older, your body becomes less efficient at building and maintaining muscle (thanks, aging). 

If you’re over 40, aim for the higher end of the protein range (2.0–2.2 g/kg). Older adults need more protein stimulus to trigger the same muscle-building response as younger people.

I’ve seen this firsthand with clients in their 50s and 60s. The ones who keep protein high while training consistently maintain strength and muscle mass. The ones who don’t? They lose it faster.

Gender and Body Composition

Men and women process protein similarly, so the formula doesn’t change based on gender. But lean body mass matters.

If you’re carrying a lot of body fat, you don’t need to base your protein intake on your total body weight. A 120 kg guy at 30% body fat doesn’t need 264 grams of protein daily (120 × 2.2). His fat tissue doesn’t need protein—his muscle does.

In those cases, calculate based on lean body mass or use a more conservative multiplier (1.6–1.8 g/kg of total weight).

For leaner individuals (under 15% body fat for men, under 25% for women), stick with total body weight for your calculations.

Workout Type

Resistance training (lifting weights) requires more protein than endurance training (running, cycling). Why? Because you’re actively breaking down and rebuilding muscle tissue.

If you’re doing mostly cardio with minimal strength work, you can get away with the lower end (1.4–1.6 g/kg). But if you’re serious about building muscle, you need to be closer to 1.8–2.2 g/kg.

Total Calorie Intake

Here’s something people miss: protein needs go up when calories go down.

If you’re eating 3,500 calories per day on a bulk, hitting your protein target is easy. There’s room for everything. But if you’re cutting 2,000 calories? Now you need to prioritize protein more because there’s less total food to work with.

During a cut, I often push clients to 2.0–2.2 g/kg even if their training volume isn’t super high. It helps preserve muscle while they’re losing fat.

Supplements and Meal Plans to Meet Protein Targets

Let me be clear: you don’t need supplements to build muscle.

You can hit your protein targets with whole foods. Chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, lean beef, turkey, tofu, lentils, beans. There are plenty of options.

But life gets busy. Maybe you’re traveling. Maybe you don’t have time to cook five meals a day. Maybe you’re a vegetarian and struggling to hit 160 grams without feeling stuffed.

That’s where supplements come in. They’re convenient, not magical.

Best Whole Food Protein Sources

• Chicken breast: ~30g protein per 100g
• Salmon or tuna: ~25g per 100g
• Eggs: ~6g per large egg
• Greek yogurt: ~10g per 100g
• Cottage cheese: ~12g per 100g
• Lean beef: ~25g per 100g
• Tofu: ~8g per 100g
• Lentils: ~9g per 100g cooked
• Chickpeas: ~7g per 100g cooked

When to Use Protein Supplements

Whey protein isolate is fast-digesting, great post-workout or when you need a quick hit of protein. Mix it with water or milk, drink it, done. I prefer isolate over concentrate because it’s lower in lactose and fat. It’s easier on the stomach.

Casein protein digests slowly, making it ideal before bed. It provides a steady stream of amino acids while you sleep, which can help with overnight recovery. Some people swear by it, others don’t notice a difference. Try it and see.

Plant-based protein (pea, rice, hemp blends) works if you’re vegan or lactose intolerant. Look for blends that combine multiple sources to get a complete amino acid profile.

How I Structure Protein Intake

Here’s a sample day for someone targeting 160 grams:

• Breakfast: 4 eggs, 1 slice whole grain toast → 30g
• Mid-morning snack: Protein shake (whey isolate) → 25g
• Lunch: Grilled chicken breast, quinoa, veggies → 40g
• Afternoon snack: Greek yogurt with berries → 15g
• Dinner: Salmon, sweet potato, greens → 35g
• Evening snack: Cottage cheese → 15g

Total: 160g

See how it’s spread out? No single meal is overwhelming. You’re giving your body a steady supply of amino acids throughout the day.

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Conclusion

Building muscle isn’t about cramming in as much protein as humanly possible. It’s about giving your body what it needs. No more, no less.

For most people, that’s 1.6–2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. Adjust based on training intensity, age, and goals. Track it for a few weeks until you know what hitting your target actually looks like. Then stay consistent.

Eat whole foods first. Use supplements to fill gaps. Spread protein across multiple meals. Reassess every month or two as your body changes.

Stop overthinking it. Calculate your number, hit it consistently, train hard, and watch what happens over the next six months.→ Start optimizing your nutrition and training with Maik Wiedenbach

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