How much protein do you need at 120 kg?
At 120 kg (265 lb), aim for 96 g a day to stay healthy, and 192 to 264 g to build muscle.
Updated October 2026
Daily protein at 120 kg by goal
| Goal | Per day | Per meal (4 meals) |
|---|---|---|
| General health | 96 g | 24 g |
| Adults over 65 | 120 to 144 g | 30 to 36 g |
| Active, regular exercise | 144 to 192 g | 36 to 48 g |
| Building muscle | 192 to 264 g | 48 to 66 g |
| Losing fat and keeping muscle | 216 to 288 g | 54 to 72 g |
Foods that add up to 192 g
How many servings of each food it takes to reach 192 g, the low end for building muscle.
| Food | Serving | Protein | Servings for 192 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 31 g | 6.2 |
| Canned tuna, drained | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 25 g | 7.7 |
| Salmon, cooked | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 22 g | 8.7 |
| Lean beef mince, cooked | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 26 g | 7.4 |
| Greek yogurt, plain | 170 g (6 oz) pot | 17 g | 11.3 |
| Cottage cheese | 1 cup (220 g) | 25 g | 7.7 |
| Eggs | 1 large egg | 6 g | 32.0 |
| Milk | 1 cup (240 ml) | 8 g | 24.0 |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup (200 g) | 18 g | 10.7 |
| Chickpeas, cooked | 1 cup (160 g) | 15 g | 12.8 |
| Firm tofu | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 10 g | 19.2 |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 7 g | 27.4 |
Other weights
Questions
How much protein should a 120 kg person eat a day?
For general health, about 96 g a day (0.8 g per kg). For regular exercise, 144 to 192 g. For building muscle, 192 to 264 g.
How much protein do I need to build muscle at 120 kg?
192 to 264 g a day, which is 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of body weight. At 265 lb that works out to 192 g at the low end.
How much protein do I need to lose fat at 120 kg?
216 to 288 g a day while lifting weights in a calorie deficit. The higher end helps you keep muscle.
What does 192 g of protein look like in food?
About 619 g of cooked chicken breast, or 32 large eggs, or a mix across the day. A 100 g portion of cooked chicken breast has about 31 g and a large egg about 6 g.
More free tools
Plan protein-rich meals in Foodie
Save recipes from Instagram, TikTok and the web, plan the week, and get a grocery list sorted by aisle.
Get Foodie on the App Store