How much protein do you need to build muscle and lose fat?

Do you want to build more muscle mass? Lose body fat? Transform your body composition? Then you should be eating protein.

You've probably been told more times than you can count that muscle growth starts with protein. And, while there's nothing wrong with that line of thinking — it is factually correct — however, there's plenty more you should know.

We're bringing you science-backed answers to common questions — from how much protein to build muscle and lose fat to understanding the best foods for a high-protein diet. Here's everything you need to know about protein, muscle building and fat loss.

The role protein plays in fat loss and muscle building

Protein is one of 3 macronutrients that our bodies need each day. The others are fat and carbohydrates [1].

Protein plays many important roles in the body, from supporting growth and repair to building muscles and strengthening bones. It also helps your brain, heart, liver and immune system function at their best.

When it comes to fat loss, protein is a key ingredient in maximising your fat-free mass. Fat-free mass is the total weight of your body, excluding fat [2]. That covers everything from your bones and organs to your muscles and water weight. In fact, your muscles make up about 40% of your total body weight.

Maintaining a healthy level of fat-free mass is known to help increase your strength, metabolism and lifespan [2].

Muscle tissue is also more active than fat, which means it can increase your resting energy expenditure. This is a key factor in healthy weight maintenance [4].

Here’s where it gets tricky: when you lose weight, you don’t get to choose what kind of mass is dropped. While most of it will be fat mass, some if it will be your protective fat-free mass [3].

There’s nothing wrong with this — it’s just how weight loss works. When you’re in a calorie deficit, your body looks for other sources of energy to burn. These are typically body fat and muscle tissue.

A lot of factors can influence your weight loss journey, from age and gender to your ethnicity and starting weight [3]. Most of these you don’t have control over. But, a couple of factors you can control are your diet and exercise regimen.

Protein is an essential macronutrient that helps you to maintain lean muscle mass when you’re on a weight loss journey [2]. Without the right quantity and quality of protein in your diet, you’re at higher risk of muscle loss when you lose weight.

How exercise helps maintain lean body mass 

For most of this article, we’ll be focused on protein and its role in maintaining muscle mass. But, we’d be lying if we said it was all about diet alone.

Research shows that exercise is just as important for maintaining lean body mass on a weight loss journey [3][4]. The most effective kind is strength or resistance training, as this helps you build muscle mass.

So, while our focus will be protein from here on out; remember that effective body recomposition requires a deeper view of your nutrition, exercise and lifestyle. 

How much protein do you need to build muscle?

Getting enough protein for muscle gain is actually quite easy. For this, you can follow the recommended guidelines [1][2]:

• 0.75-0.8 grams of protein per 2lbs of body weight, per day

Based on this figure, a man weighing 165lbs needs 56-60 grams of protein per day. A man weighing closer to 200lbs needs 67.5-72 grams of protein per day. To put that into perspective, here are a few examples of animal protein sources [1]:

• 100g of chicken has 32 grams of protein
• 100g of tinned tuna contains 24.9 grams of protein
• 100g of salmon contains 24.6 grams of protein
• 2 eggs contain about 14 grams of protein

Each of these options is suitable for 1 meal in your day and covers up to half of your protein goals.

The recommended daily protein intake is suitable for over 90% of healthy adults, but some groups could use some more. For example, high-performing athletes and the elderly are both recommended to have a higher protein intake [3].

People aiming to lose weight may also require a high-protein diet to protect their lean body mass.

How much protein do you need to lose fat without losing muscle?

During weight loss, your protein needs are likely to be much higher than the average person. Estimates for the ideal amount of protein vary, ranging from [2][5]:

• 1.2-3 grams of protein per 2lbs of body weight, per day

For a man weighing 165lbs, that could equal 90-225 grams of protein per day. For a man weighing close to 200lbs, that could equal 108-270 grams of protein per day.

To put it another way, the optimal protein intake during weight loss can be as much as double the recommended levels. While it's not likely that you'll have too much protein, it’s important to seek advice from health professionals before making major changes to your diet. 

That might mean booking an appointment with a doctor or dietitian, or you could access multiple supports at once through programmes like Compound.

Compound combines medical treatments, diagnostics, prescriber support, and personalised nutrition and exercise plans for an effective programme that helps men unlock body recomposition. 

• Up to 15% weight loss with clinically-backed treatments
• Lose fat and gain muscle with customised diet and movement plans
• Track metrics and progress within the Compound app 

We’re in the middle of building something special for UK men. In the meantime, register your interest and we’ll keep you updated.

How much protein is recommended at each meal?

There’s a common belief that consuming protein within 1 hour of exercise is better for muscle growth. But, new research suggests it’s not that simple [5].

It seems to be less about eating protein at a certain time and more about consistency throughout the day. Research shows that spreading your protein intake evenly across the day can lead to 25% better muscle protein synthesis than loading it into a single meal.

Ideally, each main meal you eat contains 25-30 grams of protein [2].

The best sources of dietary protein

Pop quiz: what are 3 high-protein foods? If you said chicken, eggs and cheese, you’re right. But those aren’t the only foods that can help you reach your daily protein goals.

Here are 7 protein-rich foods to include in your diet [1]:

• Meat: All meats, such as beef, pork, lamb, and chicken contain protein. Chicken is recommended because it contains very little fat.
• Eggs: A standard serving of 2 eggs is a great source of dietary protein.
• Fish: Fresh, canned or frozen fish are all good sources of protein. A healthy diet includes at least 2 serves of fish each week.
• Dairy: Milk, yoghurt and cheese all contain protein, but also saturated fat. It’s recommended you choose low-fat versions.
• Pulses or legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, baked beans and peas are all great plant-based sources of protein.
• Nuts and seeds: Peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, nut butters and seed pastes like tahini can all count toward your daily protein goals.
• Soy foods: Tofu and similar soy-based products are recommended sources of protein for people on a plant-based diet.

What are some high-quality sources of protein?

When it comes to preserving your muscle mass, high-quality sources of protein work best. A protein source is considered high-quality if it contains all of the essential amino acids [3].

Most high-quality protein sources are animal-based, including lean meats, fish, eggs and dairy [2]. 

If you’re looking at protein powders, then the gold standard is whey protein as it contains all 9 essential amino acids [2].

Can a plant-based diet provide enough protein?

The simple answer is yes: you can reach the recommended protein intake on a plant-based diet. But, it does get harder when you cut out animal foods. In general, people on a plant-based diet will need to eat 20-40% more plant-based proteins to get all the essential amino acids [5].

You might consider working with a dietitian as they can help you design a meal plan to meet your personal protein goals.

Are protein supplements worth it?

The best sources of protein are always going to be foods since they contain plenty of other vitamins and minerals, which support your overall health.

But supplements like protein shakes and bars do have a role to play. They’re a convenient option for busy people who find it hard to cook healthy meals every day [1]. They can also be a practical way to consume high levels of protein, while keeping calories low [5].

Just keep in mind that as convenient as protein shakes can be, they rarely contain enough nutrients to effectively replace main meals.

Other nutrition tips for body recomposition

Protein may be the MVP when it comes to redefining your body, but it’s not the only nutrient you should be focused on. Here are 4 more tips to help you carve out your body and lose weight.

It’s all about a balanced diet

Right at the start, we mentioned 3 macronutrients — protein, fats and carbs. You need all of these to form a balanced diet. Ideally, you’re having a bit of each with every meal [4].

That doesn’t mean you can reach for the doughnuts and fries either. Your best options are wholegrain carbohydrates and healthy unsaturated fats.

Another important nutrient is fibre. Men need 30-35 grams of fibre per day, but most people around the world are getting 1/3 of that amount [6].

There are a lot of reasons that people lack fibre in their diet, including:

• Your diet includes too many ultra-processed foods
• Your diet lacks plant-based foods
• You can’t afford fresh, unprocessed foods

To ramp up your daily fibre, make sure you’re having plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and pulses.

Watch out for ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are the kinds made in industrial facilities. In other words, you can’t easily make them at home [6]. Not all UPFs are bad for you. An example could be soy yoghurt — even though it’s highly processed, overall it’s pretty healthy. 

The UPFs to watch out for are the ones with high levels of fat, carbs and salt. For example, frozen pizza.

We know that UPFs are accessible, convenient and taste good. We’re not saying you have to avoid them forever. But, it is better to keep them to a minimum in your diet. Many UPFs lack key nutrients and can have negative effects on your health and body weight.

Think twice about high-fat foods

Some sources of protein contain high amounts of fat, like cheese and peanut butter. Here’s an example [5]:

• 100g of cheddar cheese has 23 grams of protein and 34 grams of fat
• 100g of peanut butter has 24 grams of protein and 49 grams of fat
• 100g of cooked, skinless chicken breast has 32 grams of protein and 3 grams of fat

It’s easy to see why chicken breast comes out on top. Then there’s the fact that 100g of cheese or peanut butter would be equal to 3 servings, which is more than most people eat in a day.

When it comes to high-fat protein sources like these, you’re better off eating them as snacks and not main meals.

Consider a low-carb diet

There is a lot of good evidence that going on a low-carb diet can help with weight loss. A couple of reasons for this might be that people on low-carb diets tend to eat more protein and less fat.

A low-carb diet contains 130 grams or less of carbs per day. Another option is to keep carbs to under 20% of your diet [6].

Even though they’re effective, low-carb diets are best used for short-term weight loss goals. They have a couple of issues, including: 

• Following a low-carb diet can be expensive
• They often cut out healthy carbs, like plant-based varieties
• Not eating enough carbs can lead to fatigue

A better long-term diet plan is to focus on plant-based carbs, which are low in calories and full of fibre. These can make up 50-55% of your daily diet.