How Much Protein Do You Actually Need Per Day?
If you've ever typed "how much protein should I eat?" into Google, you've probably walked away more confused than when you started. One article says 0.8g per kilogram. Another says double that. Your gym mate swears by 250g a day. The fitness influencer on Instagram is eating chicken and rice six times a day and insisting you should too.
So what's actually true?
The answer, like most things in nutrition, depends on who you are and what you're trying to do. Let's cut through the noise.
The Baseline: What the Guidelines Say
The Australian Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) for protein sits at around "0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day" for the average sedentary adult. So for a 70kg person, that's roughly 56 grams of protein daily.
Here's the thing though, that number is the "minimum" required to prevent deficiency in a person who does essentially no exercise. It's not a target for someone trying to build muscle, recover from training, lose body fat, or perform at any kind of meaningful level.
If you're reading a blog on a protein supplement website, you're almost certainly not the target audience for that number.
What Active People Actually Need
For anyone exercising regularly, whether that's lifting weights, running, swimming, cycling, or team sports, the research consistently points to a higher range. Most sports nutrition scientists and dietitian's now recommend somewhere between "1.6g and 2.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day" for active individuals.
So for that same 70kg person who trains 4 times a week, that's anywhere from 112g to 154g of protein daily. A meaningful difference from the recommended daily intake.
Here's a quick guide depending on your goals
- Maintaining general health and fitness (light exercise 2-3x week):
Around 1.2–1.6g per kg of bodyweight. This supports muscle maintenance and recovery without overcomplicating things.
- Building muscle (consistent resistance training):
Aim for 1.6–2.2g per kg. This is the range where the research shows the most benefit for muscle protein synthesis (the process your body uses to repair and grow muscle tissue after training).
- Losing body fat while preserving muscle
This is where higher protein really earns its place. Research suggests that bumping up to 2.0–2.4g per kg during a calorie deficit helps your body hold onto muscle while burning fat. Protein is also the most satiating macronutrient, meaning it keeps you fuller for longer which is a huge advantage when you're eating less.
- Older adults (40+)
Protein needs actually increase as we age, not decrease. Muscle loss (sarcopenia) is a real concern from your 40s onwards, and research supports intakes at the higher end of the 1.6–2.2g range to counteract it.
Does Timing Matter?
Yes, but not as much as getting your total daily intake right. The old idea that you had to smash a protein shake within 30 minutes of finishing your workout or the gains would vanish has largely been debunked.
What does matter is spreading your protein intake reasonably evenly across the day. Your body can only use so much protein for muscle building at any one sitting which most research points to around 20-40g per meal being the useful range for stimulating muscle protein synthesis. Eating 150g of protein in one meal isn't going to be dramatically more useful than eating 30g in that same meal, the excess gets used for energy or excreted.
So rather than obsessing over your post-workout window, focus on hitting your daily total across 3-5 meals or snacks that each contain a meaningful protein source.
Where Does Protein Powder Fit In?
Whole food sources of protein such as chicken, beef, fish, eggs, legumes and dairy should form the foundation of your intake. Protein powder isn't a replacement for real food; it's a tool to help you hit your daily targets conveniently.
And for a lot of people, hitting 150g+ of protein from whole foods alone every single day is genuinely difficult due to time, appetite, dietary preferences, or budget. That's where a high-quality protein supplement earns its place.
Our PEAK+ is a whey protein and collagen peptide blend made from Australian grass-fed whey. Meaning it's not just helping you hit your protein numbers, it's also supporting joint health and skin elasticity through the added collagen. One serve delivers a solid hit of protein to slot into your morning routine, post-training, or any time of day when a whole food meal isn't practical.
A Simple Starting Point
If you want to stop overthinking it, here's a straightforward approach:
Take your bodyweight in kilograms and multiply it by 1.8. That's a solid daily protein target for most active people. From there, divide it across your meals throughout the day and use a protein supplement to fill any gaps.
For a 70kg person training regularly, that's around "126g of protein per day". Totally achievable without turning every meal into a maths problem.
The Bottom Line
The government's 0.8g per kg recommendation is a floor, not a target for anyone who exercises and cares about their body composition. If you're active, aim for 1.6–2.2g per kg of bodyweight daily, spread across your meals, and use a clean, natural protein supplement to make hitting those numbers easier.
Your muscles will thank you. So will your recovery, your energy levels, and your long-term health.
Ready to make hitting your protein targets easier?
Explore our range of natural, Australian-made protein supplements at https://www.henleybeachproteinco.com.au. Free local delivery within 13km of Henley Beach, and $10 fast shipping Australia-wide.
*Published by Henley Beach Protein Co*