The short answer
About 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight per day is enough for most people who lift to build muscle; going up to 2.2 g/kg covers individual differences. For someone weighing 75 kg, that is roughly 120 to 165 g a day, spread over three or four meals.
What the research says
A 2018 meta-analysis by Morton and colleagues, covering 49 studies, found that the benefit of protein on muscle gain levels off at about 1.6 g/kg per day, with some people still benefiting up to around 2.2 g/kg.
Spread it over the day
Three or four meals with 25 to 40 g of protein each (about 0.3 to 0.4 g/kg per meal) are a simple way to reach the target. The exact timing around your session matters much less than the daily total.
Where to find it
Meat, fish, eggs, dairy (skyr, cottage cheese), tofu, tempeh and legumes. Examples: 150 g of raw chicken breast is about 35 g of protein, 3 eggs about 18 g, 200 g of skyr about 20 g, 200 g of cooked lentils about 18 g.
And when you are losing weight?
In a calorie deficit, aim for the top of the range or a little more: protein helps protect your muscle. The weight loss guide gives the details.
Is too much dangerous?
In healthy people, the studies available do not link intakes of around 2 to 2.5 g/kg to kidney problems. If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before increasing your intake.
Put it into practice
About this guide
STARK editorial guide. Examples explain how to use the library and record training; they are not individual coaching.
Training principles: Morton et al. (2018), British Journal of Sports Medicine.
The session examples come from the STARK program catalogue linked above.