Protein is the lever that helps you feel satisfied while protecting lean muscle. What matters most day-to-day isn’t just total grams—it’s how you spread them.
Think of meals like anchors. Hitting ~25–35 g of protein at breakfast, lunch, and dinner signals your muscles to repair and rebuild. Loading almost everything at dinner leaves earlier hours under-fed, which can mean more grazing and less steady energy. Older adults often benefit from the upper end of that range; lifters on training days may aim a bit higher overall.
Do this today
- Build three “protein-first” meals (yogurt bowl; chicken or tofu grain bowl; fish + beans + veg).
- Use the palm rule: one palm-size protein portion per meal.
- Pair with fiber (vegetables, legumes, oats) for staying power.
- Target daily total ~1.6–2.2 g/kg if you’re training.
