How much protein do I need a day?

Bottom lineThe RDA is 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight (about 52 g for a 65 kg woman), but active women do better at 1.2-1.6 g/kg, strength trainers at 1.6-2.0, dieters at 1.2+, pregnancy needs ~1.1, breastfeeding ~1.3, and women over 50 at least 1.0-1.2 g/kg - spread across meals of 25-40 g.

The official minimum is 0.8 g per kg of body weight - about 52 g for a 65 kg (143 lb) woman. But that RDA was set to prevent deficiency, not to optimize anything, and for most situations the practical target is higher.

Targets by situation

• Mostly sedentary: 0.8-1.0 g/kg - the baseline
• Regularly active: 1.2-1.6 g/kg
• Strength training: 1.6-2.0 g/kg
• Losing weight: at least 1.2-1.6 g/kg - protein preserves muscle in a deficit and keeps you fuller
• Pregnant: ~1.1 g/kg (roughly +25 g/day in the second and third trimesters)
• Breastfeeding: ~1.3 g/kg - milk exports protein daily
• 50+ / menopause: 1.0-1.2 g/kg or more, paired with resistance training - muscle loss accelerates as estrogen falls, and aging muscle responds less efficiently to protein

How to actually hit it

Spread it across the day: muscle protein synthesis responds best to 25-40 g per meal rather than one big dinner. In food terms, a 100 g chicken breast is ~31 g, a pot of Greek yogurt ~17 g, two eggs ~12 g, a cup of cooked lentils ~18 g. Plant-based eaters should aim for the top of their range since plant proteins are slightly less bioavailable.

A protein-anchored breakfast also blunts blood sugar swings and premenstrual cravings - useful in the luteal phase, when appetite peaks.

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