How Much Protein Do You Need a Day? A UK Guide by Goal

"How much protein do I actually need?" is one of the most searched nutrition questions in the UK, and the answers online range from "less than you think" to "as much as you can eat". The truth sits somewhere in between and depends on your body weight, how you train and what you are trying to achieve. This guide gives you clear numbers for different goals, shows how to turn them into real meals, and explains when a protein shake is useful and when it is not needed.

The UK baseline: 0.75 g per kilo

The UK Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for protein is 0.75 g per kilogram of body weight per day for adults. For a 70 kg adult, that is around 53 g a day. The RNI is set to cover the needs of almost everyone in a population who is not doing much exercise. It is a minimum to avoid falling short, not a target for performance or body composition.

Most adults in the UK already meet this figure through their normal diet. The question for active people is how much more is worthwhile.

How much protein for your goal

Sports nutrition research, summarised by bodies such as the International Society of Sports Nutrition, generally supports higher intakes for people who train regularly. Use these ranges as a practical starting point:

Goal	Grams per kg per day	Example for 70 kg
General health, little exercise	0.75–1.0	53–70 g
Regular cardio or recreational sport	1.2–1.4	84–98 g
Strength training, building muscle	1.6–2.0	112–140 g
Reducing body fat while training	1.8–2.2	126–154 g
Adults over 50 who train	1.2–1.6	84–112 g

The higher range when eating in a calorie deficit reflects studies in people training while eating less overall. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass, which is exactly what you want to protect during a cut. For older adults, our guide to protein after 50 goes into more depth.

If you have a kidney condition, are pregnant, or follow a medically prescribed diet, check your protein target with your GP or a registered dietitian first.

Spreading it across the day

Hitting the daily total matters most, but how you spread it also helps. Many studies suggest that muscle responds well to roughly 0.3–0.4 g per kg per meal (about 20–40 g for most people), repeated three to five times a day. In practice, that means:

• A protein source at every main meal, not just at dinner.
• A protein-rich snack if there is a long gap between meals.
• A serving within a couple of hours of training, which is easy to fit around your normal meals.

Breakfast is where most people fall short. Our high-protein breakfast ideas are a good place to start.

What 120 g of protein looks like in real food

Here is a sample day for a 70 kg person who strength trains and aims for around 120 g. Figures are approximate and vary by brand and portion.

• Breakfast: 3 eggs on wholemeal toast (about 25 g)
• Lunch: chicken breast salad wrap with a pot of Greek yoghurt (about 40 g)
• Snack: a protein shake made with water (about 20–25 g)
• Dinner: salmon fillet with lentils and vegetables (about 35 g)

Total: roughly 120–125 g, spread over four eating occasions, with nothing exotic. Notice that the shake is just one part of the day, not the foundation.

When a protein powder makes sense

You do not need protein powder. But it can be a convenient tool if:

• you regularly struggle to reach your target from food alone;
• you train early or late and want something quick and easy to digest;
• you are cutting and want a lot of protein for relatively few calories;
• you follow a plant-based diet and want an easy way to add protein.

For most people, a whey protein shake after training or as a mid-afternoon snack is the easiest way to close the gap. Wheystrong is our whey concentrate, made with whey from Italian suppliers and the DigeZyme® enzyme complex, and it works just as well in porridge or pancakes as in a shaker.

If you avoid dairy, a soy protein is a complete plant protein and a practical alternative. Veganstrong provides 26 g of protein per 30 g serving.

Common protein mistakes

Counting the meat, not the protein

100 g of chicken breast is not 100 g of protein; it provides roughly 30 g. Check labels or a nutrition app for a week to calibrate your eye.

Loading everything into dinner

A small breakfast, a light lunch and a huge evening meal is a common UK pattern. Moving 20 g of protein earlier in the day is often the single easiest improvement.

Ignoring total calories

Protein on its own is not enough: you also need sufficient overall energy and a training stimulus. Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass when it is part of a diet and programme that support it.

Assuming more is always better

Beyond about 2.2 g per kg, extra protein offers little further benefit for most people and simply replaces carbohydrates and fats that also fuel your training.

Products mentioned in this article

FAQs

How much protein do I need a day to build muscle?

Most research supports around 1.6–2.0 g per kg of body weight per day for people doing regular strength training, spread over several meals.

Is 0.75 g per kg enough if I go to the gym?

It is the UK minimum for the general population. If you train regularly, a higher intake of 1.2–2.0 g per kg is usually more appropriate, depending on your goal.

Can I eat too much protein?

For healthy adults, intakes up to around 2 g per kg are generally considered safe. If you have a kidney condition, speak to your GP before increasing your protein intake.

Do I need a protein shake straight after training?

No. Getting a good protein-rich meal or snack within a couple of hours of training is enough. A shake is simply a convenient option.

Is plant protein as good as whey?

Soy is a complete protein and works well. With other plant proteins, combining sources (for example, pea and rice) and eating slightly more overall helps you cover all essential amino acids.

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.