Nutrition
How Much Protein Do You Need to Build Muscle?
A simple, no-nonsense guide to your daily protein target, the best sources, and how to spread it across the day so your training actually pays off.
TL;DR
- To build muscle, most people do well aiming for roughly 1.6 to 2.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day, spread across the day, alongside resistance training and enough total calories. For a 70kg person that is about 110 to 155g per day.
- Spread it across meals, roughly 20 to 40g per sitting, rather than loading it all into one meal.
- Whole foods come first. Shakes are handy but not essential.
- Protein alone does nothing without a training stimulus. Edge builds the strength training side that drives muscle growth, then pair it with a registered dietitian for your nutrition.
How much protein do you actually need to build muscle?
For building muscle, most people do well aiming for roughly 1.6 to 2.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. This is the widely cited range used by coaches and nutrition bodies for people doing regular resistance training. For a 70kg person, that works out to about 110 to 155g of protein per day.
If you are new to training or eating mostly plant proteins, aiming towards the higher end gives you a bit of a buffer. The number is a target to build your meals around, not a rule you need to hit to the gram every single day.
Why does protein build muscle?
When you train with weights or do hard bodyweight work, you create tiny stresses in your muscle fibres. Your body repairs and rebuilds them slightly stronger and bigger. That rebuilding process is called muscle protein synthesis, and protein is the raw material it runs on.
Think of it simply. Training sends the signal to grow. Protein supplies the building blocks. If either one is missing, you do not get much progress. Eat plenty of protein but never challenge your muscles, and little changes. Train hard but eat too little protein, and your body cannot fully repair what you broke down.
How do I calculate my protein target?
Take your bodyweight in kilograms and multiply it by 1.6 and by 2.2. That gives you your daily range. A 80kg person, for example, lands at roughly 128 to 176g per day. Here is a quick reference by bodyweight.
| Bodyweight | Daily protein (1.6g/kg) | Daily protein (2.2g/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 96 g | 132 g |
| 70 kg | 112 g | 154 g |
| 80 kg | 128 g | 176 g |
| 90 kg | 144 g | 198 g |
Should I spread protein across the day?
Yes, and it makes a real difference. Your body can only use so much protein in one go to drive muscle repair, so spreading your intake across the day tends to work better than one giant meal. A practical approach is roughly 20 to 40g of protein at each of three or four meals.
If you train hard, getting a solid protein meal within a few hours of your session is sensible, but the old idea of a strict 30-minute window is overstated. Your total intake across the whole day matters most. The meal timing is the fine-tuning.
What are the best protein sources?
You can hit your target with everyday foods. Animal proteins like chicken, fish, eggs and dairy pack a lot of protein per serving. Plant eaters can reach the same numbers with beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh and a wider mix of foods. Here is roughly what common sources give you.
| Food | Typical serving | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 100 g cooked | 31 g |
| Salmon | 100 g cooked | 25 g |
| Eggs | 2 large | 12 g |
| Greek yoghurt | 170 g pot | 17 g |
| Tofu (firm) | 100 g | 14 g |
| Lentils | 100 g cooked | 9 g |
| Whey protein | 1 scoop (30 g) | 24 g |
Do I need protein supplements or shakes?
No, you do not need them. Protein powders and shakes are convenient, not magic. They are a useful way to top up if you struggle to hit your target from food, if you are busy, or if you want something quick after training. But whole foods come first. A shake is simply a handy tool, not a requirement for building muscle.
If food gets you to your daily number, you can skip supplements entirely and still build muscle perfectly well.
What about calories and training?
Protein is one piece of the puzzle. To build muscle, you also need enough total calories so your body has the energy to grow, and you need progressive strength training, which means gradually doing a little more over time by adding reps, weight or sets. Without that steady challenge, even a perfect diet will not add much muscle.
This is where a structured plan earns its keep. Edge builds the running, strength, HIIT and mobility side that drives muscle growth, with a weekly plan built by Edge AI and checked by a real coach. Edge focuses on training, not nutrition, so pair it with a registered dietitian for personalised protein and diet advice.
Common protein myths, busted
A few ideas are worth clearing up. First, you cannot build much muscle without both enough protein and a real training stimulus. One without the other stalls your progress. Second, more is not always better. Once you are comfortably inside the 1.6 to 2.2g range, eating far more protein does not buy extra muscle. The leftover is just used for energy or stored.
Finally, you do not need to obsess over hitting your gram target to the decimal each day. Consistency across weeks beats perfection on any single day.
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Frequently asked questions
How much protein do I need per day to build muscle?
Most people aim for roughly 1.6 to 2.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day while doing resistance training. For a 70kg person that is about 110 to 155g per day.
Can I build muscle without protein shakes?
Yes. Shakes are convenient but not essential. If you reach your daily protein target from whole foods like chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, beans and tofu, you can build muscle without any supplements.
Is more protein always better for muscle growth?
No. Once you are inside the 1.6 to 2.2g per kg range, eating far more does not add extra muscle. The surplus is used for energy or stored, so there is little benefit to going much higher.
How much protein should I eat per meal?
Roughly 20 to 40g per meal works well. Spreading your protein across three or four meals through the day supports muscle repair better than putting it all into one large meal.
Do I need protein right after training?
A protein meal within a few hours of training is sensible, but the strict 30-minute window is overstated. Your total protein across the whole day matters most for building muscle.
