How Much Protein Per Pound of Body Weight? (Chart by Weight)
Most adults need 0.38 to 0.73g of protein per pound of body weight a day, depending on the goal. Here is the number for yours, a chart from 120 to 300 pounds, and why a gram per pound is more than most people need.
Multiply your weight in pounds by the number for your goal:
- General health: 0.38g of protein per pound
- Age 65 or over: 0.45g per pound
- Losing weight, or on a GLP-1 medication: 0.54g per pound
- Building muscle, or strength training twice a week or more: 0.73g per pound
For a 160 pound person, that is 60g a day for general health, 87g while losing weight and 116g while building muscle. If more than one line applies to you, use the highest.
Find your weight in the chart below, or put your details into the protein calculator for an exact number.
Protein Per Pound Chart
| Body weight | General health (0.38g/lb) | Age 65 or over (0.45g/lb) | Losing weight (0.54g/lb) | Building muscle (0.73g/lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120lb | 45g | 54g | 65g | 87g |
| 130lb | 49g | 59g | 71g | 94g |
| 140lb | 53g | 64g | 76g | 102g |
| 150lb | 56g | 68g | 82g | 109g |
| 160lb | 60g | 73g | 87g | 116g |
| 170lb | 64g | 77g | 93g | 123g |
| 180lb | 68g | 82g | 98g | 131g |
| 190lb | 72g | 86g | 103g | 138g |
| 200lb | 75g | 91g | 109g | 145g |
| 220lb | 83g | 100g | 120g | 160g |
| 240lb | 90g | 109g | 131g | 174g |
| 260lb | 98g | 118g | 142g | 189g |
| 280lb | 105g | 127g | 152g | 203g |
| 300lb | 113g | 136g | 163g | 218g |
Figures are rounded, so doing the multiplication yourself can land a gram either side.
How to Work Out Your Number
Take your current weight in pounds and multiply it by the figure for your goal. A 190 pound person losing weight needs 190 x 0.54 = 103g of protein a day. The same person lifting weights three times a week would use 190 x 0.73 = 138g.
That is all there is to it. You do not need to convert to kilograms, even though the research is written that way. If you want to see where each number comes from in the original units, our guide to protein per kg of body weight shows the conversions.
Is 1 Gram of Protein Per Pound Too Much?
"A gram per pound" is the classic gym rule, and it is more than most people need. One gram per pound is about 2.2g per kilogram, which is the top of the range in the muscle building research, not the middle of it.
The largest analysis on this, pooling 49 trials, found that muscle gains from resistance training level off at about 0.73g per pound (1.6g/kg), with some people still benefiting up to about 1g per pound Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018. So a gram per pound works, but for a 200 pound lifter it means 200g a day where 145g would do almost the same job.
For healthy adults with normal kidney function, high intakes have not been shown to cause harm Antonio et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2016. If you have kidney disease or reduced kidney function, talk to your doctor before raising your intake.
Current Weight or Goal Weight?
Use your current weight for all the numbers above. The exception is when you carry a lot of extra weight: body fat needs very little protein, so multiplying your full weight can give a number that is higher than you need. In that case, many dietitians work from a goal weight instead. Your doctor or dietitian can help you settle on a sensible figure.
Women, Age 65 and Menopause
Women and men need the same protein per pound. Women usually weigh less, so the daily total in grams is usually lower.
After 65, the general health figure rises to 0.45g per pound, because older muscle responds less to the same amount of protein Bauer et al., PROT-AGE Study Group, JAMDA, 2013. During perimenopause and menopause, strength training plus at least 0.54g per pound is a sensible way to protect muscle. Our guide to protein after 50, menopause and GLP-1 goes deeper.
On a GLP-1 Medication
Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound cut appetite so much that protein is easy to miss, and some of the weight lost can be muscle. Clinical guidance recommends at least 0.54g per pound (1.2g/kg) during treatment Mozaffarian et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2025. That is a minimum: if you are also building muscle, stay at 0.73g per pound. The GLP-1 protein calculator works it out for you.
What 116g Looks Like
Here is a day that clears 116g, the muscle building target for a 160 pound person, from everyday foods (USDA values):
| Meal | Food | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 3 large eggs | 19g |
| Lunch | 5oz cooked chicken breast | 44g |
| Snack | 1 cup 2% cottage cheese | 24g |
| Dinner | 4oz cooked salmon | 25g |
| Evening | 1 cup 1% milk | 8g |
| Total | 120g |
Spread across three or four meals, most targets are easier to reach than they look. Aim for roughly 25 to 40g per meal.
Track It
Knowing your number is the easy part. Hitting it day after day is where most people fall short.
Protein Pal works in pounds, sets your daily goal using the rules above, and shows how close you are after every meal. It is free to download, and manual logging is free. Photo scanning is part of Pro. It is available on iPhone and Android. If you want to compare options first, see our guide to the best protein tracker apps.
Related Reading
- How much protein do you need per day
- How much protein per kg of body weight
- Protein calculator
- How much protein to build muscle
- Protein for weight loss
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes. Protein needs vary with health conditions, age and medication; consult a qualified professional for personalized advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many grams of protein per pound should I eat to lose weight?
- About 0.54g per pound of body weight per day. If you also lift weights twice a week or more, use 0.73g per pound. For a 180 pound person, that is 98g a day, or 131g with strength training.
- Is 1 gram of protein per pound too much?
- It is more than most people need, but it is not harmful for healthy adults. Muscle gains from strength training level off at about 0.73g per pound, so a gram per pound is the top of the useful range rather than the target. If you have kidney problems, check with your doctor before eating this much.
- Should I use my current weight or goal weight?
- Use your current weight in most cases. If you carry a lot of extra weight, multiplying your full weight can overshoot, and many dietitians work from a goal weight instead.
- How much protein per pound do women over 50 need?
- The same per pound as men. At least 0.54g per pound with regular strength training is a sensible way to protect muscle through menopause, and the general health minimum rises to 0.45g per pound after 65.