TRAINING PRINCIPLES
Protein
You'll hear "two grams per kilo" a lot. The line the research supports sits a bit lower than that.
The short answer
About 1.6 g per kg of body weight per day is a reasonable target. Going higher hasn't been shown to add further lean mass.
What the research shows
- Morton et al.'s (2018) meta-analysis (49 studies, 1,863 participants) found protein supplementation added to gains in 1RM strength (2.49 kg on average) and fat-free mass (0.30 kg).
- In the same analysis, total intakes beyond about 1.62 g/kg/day produced no further gains in fat-free mass.
- The effect shrank with age and was larger in people who already had training experience.
How to apply it
- At 60 kg that's roughly 96 g a day. Start by tracking what you actually eat for a few days
- It doesn't have to be a supplement. What the research measured was total intake, whatever the source
- Early on, showing up consistently matters far more than fine-tuning protein
References
Limits of this evidence, This figure is an average for healthy adults. Dieting, older age, and medical conditions change the terms. Talk to a professional when it's a medical question.
Morton RW, et al. (2018) British Journal of Sports Medicine
A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults