Forget the gym-bro numbers and the "just eat more protein" noise. Here's the science-backed amount for your body weight and goal — and how to actually hit it, veg or non-veg.
You've heard "eat more protein" so many times it's lost meaning. But how much is actually right for you? The honest answer isn't a single number — it depends on your body weight and what you're trying to do. Here's the simple version, minus the mythology.
Most evidence-based guidance lands between 1.2 and 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for healthy, active adults. (In pounds, that's roughly 0.5–0.7 g per pound.)
A 70 kg adult is looking at roughly 85–110 g a day. Not the 200 g the internet shouts about — but usually a lot more than most people actually eat.
Protein does three quiet, useful things: it keeps you full (so you snack less), it protects muscle (which keeps your metabolism steadier), and it blunts the blood-sugar spike from a carb-heavy meal. You don't need to weigh every meal. You mostly need to stop under-eating it — which is where most people sit.
Most of us eat almost no protein at breakfast, a little at lunch, and a pile at dinner. Your body uses protein better when it's spread across the day — roughly 25–35 g per meal. The highest-leverage fix is almost always breakfast.
You don't need powders or imported food. Rough protein per portion:
One change that works for almost everyone: add a real protein source to breakfast — eggs, yoghurt, a tofu scramble, last night's dal. That single shift often closes half the gap.
1. Anchor each meal around a protein first, then build the carbs and veg around it.
2. Keep one "lazy" protein on hand (boiled eggs, a tub of yoghurt, roasted chickpeas) for the days you don't cook.
3. Check your breakfast — if it's all toast, chai, or cereal, that's your easiest 20 g.
It isn't, past a point. Very high intakes don't build extra muscle for most people. And if you have kidney concerns or another medical condition, your needs may genuinely differ — that's a conversation for your doctor, not the internet. This is general wellness guidance, not medical advice.
Your ideal target shifts with your weight, activity, and goal. Tula's 2-minute quiz works it out for you and turns it into a daily plan you'll actually follow — [take the quiz](/coach/quiz) and meet Tula in The Kitchen.
This article was researched and written for Tula. Citations link to the original peer-reviewed sources.