"I eat fine, train 4 times a week, but my weight isn't moving" — the most common complaint from people in the gym. In 80% of cases, the cause is simple: not enough protein. Let's break down how much you need and how to track it without the pain.
How much protein do you need for muscle gain?
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN, 2023), the optimal protein intake for muscle gain is:
For an 80 kg person: 128–176 g of protein per day
Below 1.6 g/kg, muscle growth slows. Above 2.2 g/kg you have surplus that the body can't use efficiently (though it isn't harmful for healthy people).
Best protein sources (by protein-to-calorie ratio)
| Food | Protein (g/100g) | Kcal | Convenience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast (boiled) | 31 | 165 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Cottage cheese 5% | 17 | 121 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Tuna in water | 26 | 96 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Whole eggs | 13 | 155 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Greek yogurt | 10 | 100 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Beef (lean) | 26 | 190 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Salmon | 20 | 208 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Chickpeas, cooked | 9 | 165 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Common mistakes when counting protein
- Counting protein only from meat — forgetting cottage cheese, eggs, and legumes, which together can deliver 40–50 g/day
- Ignoring "hidden" protein — bread, buckwheat, and milk also contain protein (3–10 g/100g)
- Weighing raw food but counting it as cooked — chicken loses ~30% of its weight when cooked. 100 g raw = ~70 g cooked
- Eating all your protein in one meal — your body absorbs roughly 40–50 g at a time. Spread it across 4–5 meals
AI counts your protein from a photo automatically
Snap a photo of your plate — NutriAI shows grams of protein, calories, and tells you whether you're hitting your goal. No scales, no manual entry.
Open NutriAI in TelegramHow to track protein without the daily grind
The classic approach is to weigh every portion and punch it into an app. Reality check: a week in, you're done with that.
The modern approach: AI photo analysis. You just snap your plate, and NutriAI:
- Identifies every component on the plate
- Estimates the portion size
- Returns a precise number for protein, fat, and carbs
- Tells you whether it fits your daily target
It takes 3 seconds versus 5–10 minutes of manual entry. And yes — it's free (3 analyses a day on the free tier).
A sample day: 180 g of protein for an 85 kg lifter
- 🌅 Breakfast: 4 eggs + 200 g cottage cheese = ~50 g protein
- 🏋️ Post-workout: 30 g protein shake + a banana = ~30 g
- 🍽 Lunch: 200 g chicken breast + buckwheat + vegetables = ~65 g
- 🥗 Snack: Greek yogurt 200 g + a handful of nuts = ~22 g
- 🌙 Dinner: 150 g salmon + salad = ~30 g
Total: ~197 g of protein. A realistic plan with no exotic supplements.
🤖 Start tracking protein in Telegram