How much protein do you actually need?

Protein is the one nutrient almost every client under-eats when they first come to us. It's also one of the most useful levers for changing body composition — whether the goal is losing fat, building muscle or staying strong as you age.

The short answer

For most people who train regularly and want to build or keep muscle, research supports a daily intake of around 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, with an upper range of roughly 2.2 g/kg. For an 80 kg person, that's about 130–175 g per day.

During fat loss, aiming toward the higher end of that range is sensible: protein helps preserve muscle in a calorie deficit and keeps you fuller for longer.

Why it matters so much

• Muscle retention: in a calorie deficit, adequate protein plus strength training helps ensure the weight you lose is mostly fat.
• Satiety: protein is the most filling macronutrient, which makes a deficit easier to sustain.
• Muscle growth: training provides the stimulus; protein provides the raw material.
• Healthy ageing: muscle mass and strength naturally decline with age, and protein helps slow that decline when combined with training.

Spread it across the day

Rather than one huge protein-heavy dinner, aim for three or four meals that each contain a solid portion — roughly 0.3–0.4 g/kg per meal, or 25–40 g for most people. That's a palm-to-a-palm-and-a-half of meat or fish, or a generous portion of tofu, eggs or yoghurt.

Hitting your target in Ho Chi Minh City

You don't need to live on protein shakes. Plenty of local dishes work well with a small tweak or two:

• Phở bò: ask for extra beef (thêm thịt) and go lighter on the noodles if you're in a fat-loss phase.
• Cơm tấm: grilled pork chop with a fried egg — keep the rice portion moderate and add vegetables.
• Cá kho or grilled fish with rice and rau muống: an excellent balanced plate.
• Đậu hũ (tofu) dishes: a great plant-based option, especially paired with eggs.
• Breakfast: eggs, Greek yoghurt or sữa chua không đường (unsweetened yoghurt) with fruit.

Do you need protein powder?

No — but it's a convenient tool. If you consistently fall short of your target, a scoop of whey or a plant-based powder after training or with breakfast is an easy fix. Food first, supplements second.

Hit your protein target most days, train hard three times a week, and you've covered the two biggest drivers of body composition.

The bottom line

Aim for roughly 1.6–2.2 g/kg of body weight per day, spread across three or four meals, mostly from whole foods. Track it for two weeks to learn what your target looks like on a plate — then it becomes a habit rather than a calculation.