How Much Protein Do You Really Need to Build Muscle?

[Sarah-T7]

I’ve been lifting consistently for about a year and I’m trying to get more serious about my nutrition. I keep seeing people at the gym saying you need 200+ grams of protein every day to build muscle, while others say you don’t need nearly that much.
I’m around 175 lb and train 5 days a week. I’m currently eating roughly 140–160g of protein a day and making decent progress.
For the people here who have been lifting for a while, what protein intake actually worked for you when trying to gain muscle?

[Vegan1]

I’m around 180 lb and usually shoot for 160–180g. No need to make it complicated.

[FitChick_Jess]

I used to force myself to eat 200g because fitness influencers made it sound necessary. Honestly, it was expensive and I was constantly stuffed. Dropping it a bit didn’t hurt my progress at all.

[Lilly]

I aim for roughly 0.7–1g per pound of body weight. It gives me a target without making me obsess over hitting an exact number every single day.

[Idnani4Shl]

Honestly, 140–160g at your body weight sounds pretty reasonable. I’d pay more attention to your total calories, training progression, sleep, and whether your weight is moving in the direction you want.

[Fabigon]

I’m 205 lb and currently eating around 180g. I’ve gained strength and size while keeping my calories under control, so I don’t see the point in forcing another 40–50g just to hit some arbitrary number.

[Sarah-T7]

That’s what I was wondering. I kept thinking I was leaving gains on the table because I wasn’t hitting 200g, but it sounds like I should focus more on being consistent with my overall diet and training instead of chasing a huge protein number.

[8CristianePinn]

For me, consistency matters way more than perfection. I usually get protein from eggs, chicken, lean beef, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and one shake when needed. If I end the day a little below my target, I don’t stress about it.

[Dnk567]

I’m cutting right now and keeping protein relatively high has definitely helped with hunger. I’m not trying to eat ridiculous amounts, though. I spread it across four meals and make sure each meal has a decent protein source.

[Paulk23]

The biggest mistake I made was thinking protein alone would build muscle. I was eating tons of chicken and shakes but barely eating enough overall, and my workouts started feeling terrible. Once I brought my calories and carbs up, my strength improved and I finally started gaining again.