Buzz
Since your muscles are primarily made of protein, if you’re aiming to build muscle, you’ve got to fuel up. But how much protein is truly necessary? More than someone who’s inactive, yet not as much as those overly-protein-focused gym-goers might suggest. Here’s a quick guide to finding your exact need.
First, there are two key aspects to consider: your size and your activity level. If you carry extra fat, it’s better to calculate protein requirements based on your ‘ideal’ body weight rather than your current weight. We’ve got all the details in our protein guide, but here’s a brief overview.
How much protein you need if you’re mostly inactive or lightly active while keeping your weight steady
Most people will do well with the RDA of 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight—but consider it the bare minimum. This means:
If you weigh 100 pounds, aim for at least 36 grams of protein daily.
If you weigh 150 pounds, aim for at least 54 grams of protein daily.
If you weigh 200 pounds, aim for at least 72 grams of protein daily.
If you weigh 250 pounds, aim for at least 90 grams of protein daily.
How much protein you need if you’re an avid runner or cyclist
For endurance athletes, aim for between 0.54 and 0.63 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. While you can go higher, it’s not required.
If you weigh 100 pounds and participate in endurance sports, consume 54 to 63 grams of protein daily.
If you weigh 150 pounds and participate in endurance sports, consume 81 to 95 grams of protein daily.
If you weigh 200 pounds and participate in endurance sports, consume 108 to 126 grams of protein daily.
If you weigh 250 pounds and participate in endurance sports, consume 135 to 157 grams of protein daily.
Here are some protein powders to help you hit your goals:
SEEQ Clear Whey Isolate in mango pineapple flavor
Premier Protein whey powder in chocolate milkshake flavor
Orgain organic vegan protein powder in vanilla flavor
How much protein do you need if you're aiming for those gains?
If you're lifting regularly and looking to build muscle, consuming more protein can help you reach that goal. However, the gym bros advising you to eat one gram of protein per pound of body weight are greatly exaggerating. The actual upper end of the range, according to trusted sports nutrition guidelines, is typically between 0.76 to 0.9 grams per pound of body weight for strength athletes. For the lower end, the range is around 0.6 grams. To cover all bases, here's a chart based on the consensus range of 0.6 to 0.9 grams per pound:
If you weigh 100 pounds and lift regularly, aim for 60 to 90 grams of protein daily.
If you weigh 150 pounds and lift regularly, aim for 90 to 135 grams of protein daily.
If you weigh 200 pounds and lift regularly, aim for 120 to 180 grams of protein daily.
If you weigh 250 pounds and lift regularly, aim for 150 to 225 grams of protein daily.
These numbers are intended to be daily averages. If you prefer to eat more on your workout days and less on your rest days, that's totally fine—just make sure you're hitting the average over time.
What happens if I consume either too much or too little protein?
Eating too little protein may make it harder to build muscle in the gym. If you're trying to lose weight, you'll likely end up losing muscle mass along with fat.
Eating too much protein doesn't cause any major issues. The excess protein simply becomes extra calories, which you could better enjoy in the form of foods you love, rather than just devouring countless hard-boiled eggs and chicken breasts.
