The number
Aim for 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of goal body weight per day (0.7–1.0 g per lb).
For a 160 lb person: roughly 115–160 g protein per day.
Split across 3–4 meals of 30–50 g each — spreading it out beats loading it into one meal.
Why this range
Below 1.2 g/kg, muscle loss accelerates in a deficit.
Above 2.2 g/kg, there's no measured extra benefit for most people (except elite athletes).
Whole-food sources — meat, eggs, fish, dairy, legumes — beat powders for satiety and micronutrients.
