How to Eat 120 g of Protein a Day
120 g of protein is 480 kcal of protein. This guide shows what it looks like in meals, what it means at different body weights, and two ways to build it from whole foods.
Created by Roman Leshchuh, founder of Mealyno. Numbers from USDA FoodData Central, published ranges and the plan library. Method. Updated September 2026.
These are general estimates generated from published formulas, not a medical prescription. Not reviewed by a doctor or registered dietitian.
Read the full disclaimer
Every number on this page (calorie targets, macro splits and any suggested meal plan) is produced by formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor for basal metabolic rate, standard activity multipliers) or, for AI-generated meal plans, by a language model applying those same formulas. On meal-plan pages the carbohydrate figure for each meal is calculated by difference: total calories minus protein and fat calories, divided by 4. It is not measured or estimated on its own, so read it as an arithmetic balance and not as an independent nutritional analysis of the dish. None of it is individualized medical or nutritional advice, and none of it has been reviewed by a registered dietitian, physician or other licensed healthcare professional.
Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian what is right for you before starting a new diet, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a diagnosed medical condition, take prescription medication, or have a history of disordered eating. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, ask your clinician before raising protein.
Mealyno never recommends a calorie target below your calculated Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), the minimum energy your body needs at complete rest. Even the most aggressive weight-loss setting is clamped at that floor.
Calorie and BMR estimates use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990).
Generated: September 2026
The short answer
120 g of protein a day is 480 kcal of protein. At 1,600 kcal that is 30% of your calories, at 1,800 kcal it is 27%, and at 2,200 kcal it is 22%. Split over four meals it is about 30 g a meal, and the ISSN position stand gives 20 to 40 g per meal as a published reference.
For a person of 75 to 85 kg it is 1.41 to 1.6 g per kilogram, inside both the joint advisory range for weight loss and the ISSN range for people who exercise. That makes it a reasonable target for many adults who train.
What 120 g means at your body weight
Published protein ranges are per kilogram of body weight, so the same 120 g is a different target for different people. The table divides 120 g by five body weights and shows which published ranges include the result: the recommended allowance and its upper bound (0.8 to 1.2 g/kg), the joint advisory for weight reduction (1.2 to 1.6 g/kg) and the ISSN position stand for exercising adults (1.4 to 2.0 g/kg).
| Body weight | g per kg | Published ranges that include it |
|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 2.18 | None, above 2.0 g/kg |
| 65 kg | 1.85 | ISSN, exercising adults (1.4 to 2.0) |
| 75 kg | 1.60 | Joint advisory, weight reduction (1.2 to 1.6); ISSN, exercising adults (1.4 to 2.0) |
| 85 kg | 1.41 | Joint advisory, weight reduction (1.2 to 1.6); ISSN, exercising adults (1.4 to 2.0) |
| 95 kg | 1.26 | Joint advisory, weight reduction (1.2 to 1.6) |
Split it across the day
Total daily intake is the main number, and the per-meal figure helps you plan it. Four meals of about 30 g reach 120 g, or three meals of 30 g plus a 30 g snack. The table shows the split for three, four and five meals and whether each meal falls inside the 20 to 40 g band.
| Meals a day | Protein per meal | Inside 20 to 40 g? |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 40 g | Yes |
| 4 | 30 g | Yes |
| 5 | 24 g | Yes |
Three example days from real plans
These days come from Mealyno's plan library, where every plan has passed a numeric check. Each day is at or above 120 g of protein at about 1,800 kcal. No meal is resized: what you see is what the library contains. If a combination has no matching day, the section says so and links the closest full plan.
Any foods
Around 1800 kcal, at or above 120 g of protein
7 of 7 days match in the library at this level. Day 1 is shown; the full week is in the plan below.
| Meal | kcal | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Scrambled Eggs on Whole Wheat ToastBreakfast | 380 | 26 g |
| Chicken and Hummus Pita PocketLunch | 460 | 44 g |
| Baked Salmon with Sweet Potato and AsparagusDinner | 600 | 48 g |
| Cottage Cheese with PineappleSnack | 188 | 24 g |
| Total | 1628 | 142 g |
Vegetarian
Around 1800 kcal, at or above 120 g of protein
No day in the library matches this combination at this level. The closest full plan is linked below.
Open the closest full plan: 1800 kcal, vegetarianSmall meals (5 meals of 450 kcal or less)
Around 1800 kcal, at or above 120 g of protein
7 of 7 days match in the library at this level. Day 1 is shown; the full week is in the plan below.
| Meal | kcal | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Egg White Omelet with MushroomsBreakfast | 180 | 24 g |
| Baked Chicken Breast with SpinachLunch | 320 | 44 g |
| Cottage Cheese and Pineapple BowlSnack | 380 | 45 g |
| Grilled Chicken Breast with AsparagusDinner | 430 | 52 g |
| Greek Yogurt Parfait with AlmondsSnack | 450 | 42 g |
| Total | 1760 | 207 g |
Two ways to build 120 g from whole foods
The amounts below are one arrangement, not a rule. Protein and calories are computed from USDA FoodData Central values per 100 g, in the cooking state named in each row. The first build includes meat and fish. The second is vegetarian and uses dairy, eggs, tofu, tempeh and legumes.
| Food | Amount (g) | Protein (g) | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat | 200 | 20.4 | 118 |
| Egg, hard-boiled | 100 | 12.6 | 155 |
| Chicken breast, roasted | 100 | 31 | 165 |
| Tuna, light, canned in water | 100 | 19.4 | 86 |
| Cottage cheese, 1% fat | 100 | 12.4 | 72 |
| Salmon (Atlantic, farmed), cooked | 110 | 24.3 | 227 |
| Total | 710 | 120.1 | 823 |
Values from USDA FoodData Central per 100 g in the state named in the row.
| Food | Amount (g) | Protein (g) | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat | 250 | 25.5 | 148 |
| Egg, hard-boiled | 100 | 12.6 | 155 |
| Tofu, firm | 200 | 34.5 | 288 |
| Cottage cheese, 1% fat | 150 | 18.6 | 108 |
| Lentils, boiled | 200 | 18 | 232 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 30 | 9.1 | 168 |
| Total | 930 | 118.3 | 1098 |
Values from USDA FoodData Central per 100 g in the state named in the row.
Common mistakes at 120 g
- Eating three large protein meals and none in snacks, so the day feels heavy and repetitive.
- Relying on a single food group, usually chicken, for the whole target.
- Forgetting sauces, oils and sides, which add calories without adding much protein.
- Setting the target from your goal weight instead of the weight you are today.
Where to go next
Use the protein calculator to set a range for your own weight and goal, then open the plan closest to your calories. The 30 g guide shows single-meal portions, and the ranking page lists foods by protein per 100 kcal for when calories are tight.
Want days like these with your own foods and calories?
Get a plan freeEating 120 g of protein: questions
Is 120 g of protein a day enough?
It depends on body weight and goal. At 75 kg, 120 g is 1.6 g per kilogram. Published ranges are 0.8 to 1.2 g per kilogram for healthy adults, 1.2 to 1.6 during weight reduction and 1.4 to 2.0 for people who exercise. Use your own weight in the protein calculator.
How many meals should I split 120 g across?
Three to five. Four meals give about 30 g each, and the ISSN position stand gives 20 to 40 g per meal as a reference.
Can I reach 120 g as a vegetarian?
Yes. The second build on this page uses dairy, eggs, tofu, tempeh and legumes. The library may show fewer vegetarian example days at this level, and the page says so when that happens.
How many calories is 120 g of protein?
Protein counts 4 kcal per gram, so 120 g is 480 kcal, which is 27% of a 1,800 kcal day.
Do I weigh food raw or cooked?
Use the state named in the table and stay consistent. Cooked chicken has more protein per 100 g than raw chicken because cooking removes water, so mixing the two skews the total.
Is a high-protein diet safe?
These ranges are general guidance for healthy adults. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, ask your clinician before raising protein.
Sources
- Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2017.
- Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity. ACLM, ASN, OMA, TOS. Am J Clin Nutr, 2025 (guideline synthesis and expert opinion, not trials in people on these medicines).
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain). Fetched 2026-09-29.