How much protein do you need at 160 lb?
At 160 lb (73 kg), aim for 58 g a day to stay healthy, and 116 to 160 g to build muscle.
Updated October 2026
Daily protein at 160 lb by goal
| Goal | Per day | Per meal (4 meals) |
|---|---|---|
| General health | 58 g | 15 g |
| Adults over 65 | 73 to 87 g | 18 to 22 g |
| Active, regular exercise | 87 to 116 g | 22 to 29 g |
| Building muscle | 116 to 160 g | 29 to 40 g |
| Losing fat and keeping muscle | 131 to 174 g | 33 to 44 g |
Foods that add up to 116 g
How many servings of each food it takes to reach 116 g, the low end for building muscle.
| Food | Serving | Protein | Servings for 116 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 31 g | 3.7 |
| Canned tuna, drained | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 25 g | 4.6 |
| Salmon, cooked | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 22 g | 5.3 |
| Lean beef mince, cooked | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 26 g | 4.5 |
| Greek yogurt, plain | 170 g (6 oz) pot | 17 g | 6.8 |
| Cottage cheese | 1 cup (220 g) | 25 g | 4.6 |
| Eggs | 1 large egg | 6 g | 19.3 |
| Milk | 1 cup (240 ml) | 8 g | 14.5 |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup (200 g) | 18 g | 6.4 |
| Chickpeas, cooked | 1 cup (160 g) | 15 g | 7.7 |
| Firm tofu | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 10 g | 11.6 |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 7 g | 16.6 |
Other weights
Questions
How much protein should a 160 lb person eat a day?
For general health, about 58 g a day (0.8 g per kg). For regular exercise, 87 to 116 g. For building muscle, 116 to 160 g.
How much protein do I need to build muscle at 160 lb?
116 to 160 g a day, which is 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of body weight. At 73 kg that works out to 116 g at the low end.
How much protein do I need to lose fat at 160 lb?
131 to 174 g a day while lifting weights in a calorie deficit. The higher end helps you keep muscle.
What does 116 g of protein look like in food?
About 374 g of cooked chicken breast, or 19 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.
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