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Protein, Demystified: How Much You Really Need, When to Eat It, and What Actually Counts as Enough
How much protein is really enough? Are you under-eating or going overboard? In this session, we get clear on how much protein you need based on your activity level, body size, and goals. We’ll also cover why protein isn’t just for bodybuilders, and how spreading it out throughout your day can help with energy, appetite, muscle support, and more.
| This isn’t about extremes or a passing nutrition fad. It’s about finding balance that actually supports your health.
🏋️ Why Protein Matters
Protein does more than just help build muscle. It’s essential for:
- Muscle & tissue repair (after workouts or injury)
- Hormone & enzyme production (like insulin, growth hormone, digestive enzymes)
- Immune system support (building antibodies like T-cells and B-cells)
- Satiety (helping you stay full and reducing overeating)
- Blood sugar regulation
- Cell structure & function (like collagen for skin, hair, nails…and your insides)
Before we get into the numbers…
25g of protein is far more attainable than what people make it out to be. Here’s what 25g of protein looks like:
🐟 3 oz chicken or fish
🥣 1 cup Greek yogurt
🫘 ½ cup lentils + ½ cup quinoa
🥛 2 slices wheat bread + 2 tbsp peanut butter + 1 cup soy milk
🥤 Protein bar or shake (12-20g)
& Snacks? Aim for 10-15g: edamame, cottage cheese, protein bar, or nut butter + fruit.
📊 How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?
It depends on your activity level, goals, and even age. Here’s a simplified breakdown based on grams per kilogram of body weight — and yes, we’re using kilograms because the research does (even if the U.S. still insists on pounds 🙄 that confuse all of us). To convert: your body weight (lbs) ÷ 2.2 = your weight in kg
🧘 Everyday needs of a Non-exercising adult:
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): 0.8 g/kg
More realistic for most people: 1.0 g/kg
👉 Example (150 lb person → ~68 kg) → 55–68g of protein per day
💪 Baseline Needs of a Strength Training adult:
Target: 1.5 – 2.0 g/kg
👉 Example (150 lb person → ~68 kg) → 102–136g protein/day
🏃 Baseline Needs of an Endurance Training adult:
Target: 1.2 – 1.4 g/kg
👉 Example (150 lb person → ~68 kg) → 82–95g protein/day
🏠 Baseline Needs of Older Adults or during Injury Recovery:
Target: 1.2 – 1.5 g/kg
→ Supports muscle maintenance and healing
📈 Baseline Needs of adults with weight loss goals:
Target: 1.2 – 1.6 g/kg
→ Helps preserve lean muscle mass and supports satiety in a calorie deficit
🥚 Spacing Protein Throughout the Day
Unlike carbs and fat, protein has no storage form. It must be used as it’s consumed.
🍴 Optimal Meal Ranges:
20-40g per meal (depending on size, activity, and goals)
10-15g per snack
| Bonus: Spacing protein intake out helps control hunger through the day and promotes steady muscle repair.
🚀 Protein for Performance & Recovery
After a workout, you don’t just need protein immediately — your body repairs muscle for 24-48 hours.
Continue to eat 25-30g per meal (or more if needed) to help prevent muscle breakdown, support recovery, strength, and long-term metabolic health.
And no, you don’t only use a maximum of 20g at a time like some people say — it depends on your size and needs!
Protein Benefits in Weight Management
✨ Keeps you full: Slows digestion & reduces mindless snacking
✨ Regulates hunger hormones (GLP-1, PYY)
✨ Boosts metabolism: Preserves or builds lean mass to keep BMR high (More muscle = more calories burned at rest — even while sleeping. Muscle is expensive!)
💡 Common Protein Myths Debunked
Myth: You need shakes or bars to meet your protein needs.
Truth: Whole food > supplements. Use them if it helps you meet your needs.
Myth: One gram per pound of body weight.
Truth: That’s often 2x what you need. Use grams per kilogram for accuracy.
Myth: 20g is the max per meal.
Truth: Not true. Bigger bodies and higher needs = higher usable intake.
Myth: Plant-based protein isn’t complete.
Truth: Combine sources over the day (beans + grains) for full amino acid profile.
Questions?
You can message us in the chat here or book your free nutrition evaluation with Sam Cutrona, MS, RD here. And don’t forget—our nutrition webinars happen monthly on Mondays. Sign up for our email list to be notified of the next one!