A minimum is not the same as a goal
The adult Recommended Dietary Allowance is based on 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. That is a population-level baseline designed to cover basic needs—not automatically the ideal target for someone lifting, dieting or rebuilding muscle.
Sports-nutrition guidance commonly places exercising adults around 1.4–2.0 grams per kilogram per day. The useful point is the range: more is not always better, and the right part of the range depends on what your body is being asked to do.
What changes your estimate
Strength training creates a reason to preserve or build muscle. A calorie deficit can increase the value of protein for preserving lean tissue. Age, training volume and a highly active routine can also move a starting estimate upward.
- Everyday health usually begins closer to the baseline.
- Regular exercise generally moves the estimate into an active range.
- Muscle gain and body recomposition usually begin near the middle of the sports-nutrition range.
- Fat loss with strength training may justify a higher starting point, especially during a meaningful calorie deficit.
Turn the total into meals
A daily total is easier to use when it becomes three or four normal meals. If your target is 120 grams and you eat four times, think in the neighborhood of 30 grams each—not a perfect 120-gram finish line that must be repaired at bedtime.
Nutrition references: National Academies and ISSN position stand on protein and exercise.