0.8 g/kg is the floor, not the target
You will often see 0.8 g of protein per kg of bodyweight a day quoted as "the recommendation". That figure is the minimum for a typical, inactive adult. Researchers studying people who lift argue it is too low for anyone trying to build muscle.
Why 1.6 g/kg?
The largest meta-analysis on the question pooled 49 trials with 1,863 people who lifted weights while changing their protein intake. Protein helped build strength and muscle, but gains in lean mass levelled off at about 1.6 g/kg a day. The statistical range around that point runs up to about 2.2 g/kg, so eating a bit more than 1.6 g/kg is a sensible buffer if you want to be sure.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition lands in the same place: 1.4–2.0 g/kg a day is enough for most people building or keeping muscle.
Your daily target
| Bodyweight | Daily protein |
|---|---|
| 50 kg | about 80 g |
| 60 kg | about 96 g |
| 70 kg | about 112 g |
| 80 kg | about 128 g |
| 90 kg | about 144 g |
What 30 g of protein looks like
You do not need anything special to hit your number. Each of these gives you roughly 30 g of protein, based on USDA food composition data:
| Food | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 100 g |
| Whole eggs | 5 large eggs |
| Tempeh | 150 g |
| Taukua (firm tofu) | 175 g |
Eggs, tempeh and taukua are among the cheapest protein sources you can buy, which matters if you are a student training on a budget.
Spread it across the day
The easiest way to reach your target is 25–40 g at each of 3–4 meals instead of one huge dinner. The ISSN suggests doses of roughly 20–40 g spread every 3–4 hours. A 70 kg lifter could do 30 g at breakfast, 30 g at lunch, 30 g at dinner and a 20–25 g snack.
Shakes are optional
Protein powder is convenient food, nothing more. In the same meta-analysis, the source of protein did not change the results. If you hit your number from meals, you do not need a shake. If you struggle to, a shake is an easy top-up.
Timing matters far less than the daily total, too. See 5 gym myths keeping you stuck for why you can relax about the "30-minute window".