Protein is the one macro where the answer barely changes no matter your goal — yet it stays the most argued. Skip the bro-science. Here are the numbers worth plugging into a calculator, and what to do when the output feels off.
The range that actually covers everyone
For anyone training consistently, 1.6–2.4 g of protein per kg of body weight handles muscle growth, retention and recovery. A 75 kg lifter lands between 120 and 180 g daily. Beginners and lean marching bulkers can sit closer to the low end; people cutting calories should push toward the top of that window.
Why the calculator should know your body fat
A heavy person with high body fat does not need protein scaled to their full weight, because visceral tissue doesn’t demand muscle’s repair rate. Setting protein from lean body mass fixes this: e.g. a 90 kg person at 30% body fat has roughly 63 kg of lean mass, which at 2.3 g/kg suggests about 145 g of protein — a far more honest target than 200 g.
Per meal or per day?
Total daily protein dominates the outcome. Meal timing is a detail. Still, spreading intake across 3–5 feedings of ~25–50 g keeps things practical and digestion comfortable. The classic “only 30 g absorbed per meal” myth is overblown — larger doses are not wasted.
Cutting vs gaining
| Situation | Protein per kg | Example (75 kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Cutting calories | 2.0–2.4 g | 150–180 g |
| Maintenance | 1.6–2.0 g | 120–150 g |
| Bulk / muscle gain | 1.8–2.2 g | 135–165 g |
What to do when the target feels high
Reach the number with whole foods first — chicken, greek yogurt, eggs, fish. Use a shake to close a 20–40 g gap. If one day lands at 80% of target, that’s a good day; consistency across a week beats perfection on any single day.
Track the trend, not the day. Two weeks of consistent protein at a sensible target shows more in the mirror than obsessing over one extra scoop.
Get your personalized grams in the macro calculator — it sets protein from lean mass when you enter body fat.