How Much Protein Do I Need?

by Aaron Friday

Muscles are made out of protein. This protein comes from your food.

Now that I’ve established the importance of eating protein, here are the recommendations for daily protein consumption by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA):

Grams per kg bodyweight	Exercise status
0.8	Non-exercisers. This is also the RDA.
1.2 – 1.4	People on an aerobic exercise program
1.5 – 2.0	People on a resistance training program (that’s us!)

As you can see, the amount of protein recommended is highly dependent on whether, and how, you exercise. Since we are involved in resistance training, the recommendation is 1.5 – 2.0 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day to support tissue repair (recovery) and maintain muscle mass.

Furthermore, if you are trying to do any of the following, the NSCA recommends aiming for the top of the range (2.0 g/kg):

Lose fat
Gain muscle mass
Get stronger

I think all of us are trying to do at least one of these things, so 2.0 grams can be considered the de-facto recommendation. It’s the same whether you’re a man or a woman.

If you don’t want to do the math, find your bodyweight in the following table to see the recommended protein intake.

Grams/Day	BW (lbs)	BW (kg)
90	100	45
100	110	50
110	120	55
118	130	59
128	140	64
136	150	68
146	160	73
154	170	77
164	180	82
172	190	86
182	200	91
190	210	95
200	220	100
210	230	105
218	240	109
228	250	114

Whether your recommended amount sounds like a lot, a little, or a normal amount depends entirely on what you’re used to. This is simply the NSCA’s recommendation for people who are on a resistance training program and are trying to get stronger, get bigger muscles, or lose fat. Your own health status, life circumstances, dietary preferences, etc., will also influence how you should eat.

This information is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as dietary advice.