How much protein do you need at 180 lb?
At 180 lb (82 kg), aim for 65 g a day to stay healthy, and 131 to 180 g to build muscle.
Updated October 2026
Daily protein at 180 lb by goal
| Goal | Per day | Per meal (4 meals) |
|---|---|---|
| General health | 65 g | 16 g |
| Adults over 65 | 82 to 98 g | 20 to 24 g |
| Active, regular exercise | 98 to 131 g | 24 to 33 g |
| Building muscle | 131 to 180 g | 33 to 45 g |
| Losing fat and keeping muscle | 147 to 196 g | 37 to 49 g |
Foods that add up to 131 g
How many servings of each food it takes to reach 131 g, the low end for building muscle.
| Food | Serving | Protein | Servings for 131 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 31 g | 4.2 |
| Canned tuna, drained | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 25 g | 5.2 |
| Salmon, cooked | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 22 g | 6.0 |
| Lean beef mince, cooked | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 26 g | 5.0 |
| Greek yogurt, plain | 170 g (6 oz) pot | 17 g | 7.7 |
| Cottage cheese | 1 cup (220 g) | 25 g | 5.2 |
| Eggs | 1 large egg | 6 g | 21.8 |
| Milk | 1 cup (240 ml) | 8 g | 16.4 |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup (200 g) | 18 g | 7.3 |
| Chickpeas, cooked | 1 cup (160 g) | 15 g | 8.7 |
| Firm tofu | 100 g (3.5 oz) | 10 g | 13.1 |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp (32 g) | 7 g | 18.7 |
Other weights
Questions
How much protein should a 180 lb person eat a day?
For general health, about 65 g a day (0.8 g per kg). For regular exercise, 98 to 131 g. For building muscle, 131 to 180 g.
How much protein do I need to build muscle at 180 lb?
131 to 180 g a day, which is 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of body weight. At 82 kg that works out to 131 g at the low end.
How much protein do I need to lose fat at 180 lb?
147 to 196 g a day while lifting weights in a calorie deficit. The higher end helps you keep muscle.
What does 131 g of protein look like in food?
About 423 g of cooked chicken breast, or 22 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