Protein Basics: How Much Do You Actually Need?

Protein is the most talked-about nutrient in fitness, and the most overcomplicated. Strip away the noise and the guidance is refreshingly simple.

For active people looking to build or maintain muscle, the widely cited target is roughly 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, spread across three to five meals. A palm-and-a-half sized portion of meat, fish, eggs, or dairy at each meal gets most people most of the way there.

Whole food first, always. A quality whey protein is simply the convenient bridge on the days when cooking falls short — after training, between meetings, or when appetite runs low.

Track for two weeks, not forever. Once you know what enough looks like on your plate, you can put the scale away.