How much protein do you really need?

Protein is the one nutrient almost everyone under-eats and over-complicates. The honest answer to "how much do I need?" is a simple number that scales with your body weight — plus a little more if you're building muscle, losing weight, or getting older. Here's the plain-numbers version, and how to actually hit it. This is education, not medical advice.

Why protein matters more than people think

Protein does three things that make it the highest-leverage nutrient for most goals. It's the raw material your body uses to build and keep muscle — which protects your metabolism, strength, and independence as you age. It's the most filling of the three macronutrients, so it quietly curbs appetite and makes eating well easier. And when you're losing weight, enough protein is what steers the loss toward fat instead of muscle.

The simple target

Official guidelines put the minimum — the amount that prevents deficiency in a typical adult — at about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. That's a floor, not a goal. It's enough to keep you out of trouble, not enough to do everything protein can do.

For most people who want to feel full, hold onto muscle, or lose weight without losing strength, a more useful range is roughly 1.2–2.0 grams per kilogram per day — about 0.5–0.9 grams per pound. For someone around 70 kg (155 lb), that's roughly 85–140 grams a day. Your right number depends on your size, age, activity, and kidney health, so confirm it with your clinician or a dietitian.

When you need a bit more

• Building or keeping muscle. Paired with resistance training, a commonly cited range is about 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day. Beyond that, the extra adds little.
• Losing weight. Higher protein protects muscle in a calorie deficit and keeps you fuller — many aim for the upper half of the range.
• Getting older. Older adults often need somewhat more protein to get the same muscle-keeping effect, which is why the floor is rarely enough later in life.
• On a GLP-1. Appetite is suppressed, so the challenge is hitting protein at all — see how to keep muscle on a GLP-1.

How to actually hit your target

Knowing the number is easy; reaching it is the work. A few things that help:

• Anchor every meal with protein. Decide the protein first, build the rest of the plate around it.
• Know a few easy wins. Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, fish, tofu, lentils, and a protein shake when you're short.
• Count roughly, not obsessively. Most people are surprised how far under they are — a week of rough tracking fixes that.
• Front-load breakfast. A protein-light breakfast is where most daily totals quietly fall behind.

Timing, spreading, and sources

Spreading protein across the day — very roughly 25–40 grams per meal — is a little easier on digestion and slightly better for muscle than saving it all for dinner. But don't overthink the timing: the daily total does most of the work. On sources, both animal and plant proteins work; animal sources are more concentrated, while a varied plant-based diet can absolutely get you there with a bit more planning.

Where a coach fits

Protein is a perfect example of "simple but not easy." The number is straightforward; doing it every day, around a real life, is where people fall off. That's what Baylou is built for — it turns your target into a realistic daily plan, nudges you when you're falling behind, and adapts as your goal changes. By chat or voice, doctor-built, coaching and education only.

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