Good morning! Let’s hope these April showers really do bring some May flowers cuz we are gettin’ SOAKED out here. 💦 

We’re back on protein this week—surprise, surprise! It’s been too long, and I just can’t help myself. Hopefully you appreciate the beautiful little table I made for you down below! Save it as a photo to reference anytime! ✨ 

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The only table of protein you’ll ever need

At long last, mainstream culture is catching up with just how important protein is. I don’t think we’ve quite matched the level of passion around this that the science should drive us to, but we’re getting there.

Protein supplements seem more popular than ever. The macronutrient has gotten a spotlight thanks to its importance for preserving muscle mass with the wave of recent weight loss drugs (Ozempic, Wegovy, Semaglutide, etc.). It’s finally starting to become cool for people of all ages, genders, etc. to be strong and build muscle!

I could go on and on about the importance of both muscle mass (as a metabolically active tissue) and strength & power (the expressions of that tissue’s function), but that’s not for this article. You can read where I’ve written about these in the past, but today’s article operates under the assumption that we already agree on the vital importance of muscle mass, strength, and power. 

This week’s newsletter is about the building blocks: dietary protein. Specifically, how much do we need? 

The field of exercise science’s current understanding is that the single most important factor around dietary protein is simply how much of it we get every day.

• The next most important aspect is probably the timing/distribution of that protein across the day.

• After that is likely the quality of said protein (e.g. does it come from animal sources and have a full essential amino acid profile, or come from plant sources and lack certain amino acids and thus need to be paired with other sources).

• Beyond these, there are further nuances, but these top three priorities will cover ~99% of our protein concerns.

How much protein should I eat every day?

We may dive into the other priorities at a later date, but let’s take a look at the most important factor: daily intake.

The US’s recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day. It is very important

to note this is not the “ideal” amount of protein; it is the minimum amount deemed necessary to prevent deficiency and disease.

• Much like how the minimum disease-preventing amount of certain vitamins is much lower than the amount that’s ideal for health, it’s the same way for protein.

Plenty of research has been conducted over the past couple decades, and we now know that an ideal daily amount is much more than 0.8g/kg; in fact, it’s probably double that amount or more.

Many people are under-eating protein. This is especially true for older adults—and particularly women—who actually need more protein as they age. The scientific term for being under-muscled is “sarcopenia,” and though many suffer from it, it’s very preventable.

Without making you wait any longer, here is a table I made based on all the research and meaty evidence I’ve consumed (pun intended) for recommended daily protein intake.

Daily Protein Intake Recommendations by Bodyweight

As you can see, there is a wide range of options for above-minimal protein intakes.

*First off, select the weight on the left that is closest to your bodyweight in pounds or kilograms, or pick somewhere between two rows if that’s where you fall. 

An important note about bodyweight: Many of us (~⅔, in fact) are overweight. These numbers are more so calculated based on a healthy weight or an “ideal” body weight. If you currently have extra body fat, you probably don’t need to use your current weight in the calculation. Rather, pick a number in a range that would give you a BMI of somewhere between 21–25. Or pick a body fat percentage you’d like to be at (maybe 8–20% for males and 18–30% for females) and calculate using that weight. OR, just pick a weight from a time in your life when you felt healthy and fit, and use that weight to calculate! 

Now on to what each colored category represents:

In a nutshell, if you aim to be in the orange (1.5g/kg) category or above every day, and you should be in great shape.

🟥 The lowest level (dark red, prevent deficiency, 0.8g/kg) is the bare minimum you should consume every day. I wouldn’t consider this a goal, but more of just a basement below which you will never fall. If you’re currently averaging this amount or lower, there’s a good chance you’re depriving your body of protein and are under-muscled. Simply increasing your protein intake from this amount by 10–50% could drastically improve your muscular and metabolic health!

🩷 The next category (minimum, 1.2g/kg) is a much better baseline to aim for than the RDA of 0.8g/kg. This level of protein consumption is much more likely to preserve muscle mass and function, but it will probably be hard to build muscle at this level unless you were undereating or start lifting for the first time. It’s still pretty far from “ideal” or “optimal,” but it’s a much healthier level than the RDA.

🟧 Next, I would say a good target for most people is 1.5g/kg/day. I usually try to make sure this is my minimum every day. The research supports this. If you’re resistance training at all (which you certainly should be!), I’d aim for at least this amount every day.

🟨 🟩 🟦 The remaining levels (1.8, 2.0, and 2.2g/kg) are top tier. While the benefits increase exponentially by leveling up from the lower levels of this spectrum, they begin to taper off after around 1.8g/kg, but there is still an incremental positive benefit. Particularly for people trying to put on muscle, as well as anyone aiming to lose fat but preserve (or even add) muscle simultaneously, I’d definitely recommend these highest levels of intake. 2.2g/kg (one gram per pound) is often touted—particularly in bodybuilding circles—as the gold standard.

The takeaways

Can you go even higher? Certainly! I have a friend right now who, somehow, is eating ~2.5g+ per POUND of bodyweight. Trust me, that’s nearly impossible, and I don’t know how he does it. But even at these levels, there is currently no evidence that a very high protein diet has any negative health effects. Thus far, is seems that only those with preexisting kidney disease should be cautious about high protein intake and consult with their doctor.

For most people—particularly active individuals—consuming in the range of 1.5 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram (0.7 to 1.0 g per lb.) every day is a great target that will keep you strong, well muscled, and metabolically healthy.

So there you have it! These are my recommendations for protein intake, based on all the evidence available to me. 

How does that land with you? Are you doing well, or shocked at how little protein you’re getting? Maybe you’re not aware at all how much you’re currently consuming and could benefit from a few days of tracking the numbers!

If you’re looking for high protein foods you can eat to meet whatever target you choose, you can check out this article I’ve written before. 

✅ Take Action

Every newsletter's Take Action section will invite you to take small steps to improve your health. Recognizing that we all have different capabilities, I'll offer three different levels of action you can choose to take.

Level 1: Unaware of how much protein you’re eating in the first place? Look at your nutrition labels and keep track for a few days.

Level 2: Not quite eating as much protein as you should be? Try simply moving up one level at a time for a week or two and see how you feel.

Level 3: Ready to truly optimize and put on muscle? Aim for a minimum of 1.8-2.2g/kg/day, and shoot for that golden gram-per-pound on all the days you can.

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✍️ Drew's Picks:

• 🦶Feet: This week’s episode of Dr. Peter Attia’s podcast was incredibly validating in my foot philosophy (you read that right). Ever since I got Vivobarefoot shoes, I’ve been on a foot-strengthening, toe-widening, form-fixing journey. This episode’s full of great info.

• 🍽️ Fast: The Science Vs. episode on Intermittent Fasting was a good listen. I didn’t agree with everything, but at least they approached it with nuance and lots of “it depends!” Read my article on it from last week if you haven’t yet!

• 🤳 Fluence-in: (had to keep the F-theme) “The Unbearable Sadness of the Health Influencer” was a real read. Sometimes I have the same thoughts. What’s it all for? What are we really pursuing? What really matters?

• 🍬 Feast responsibly: This episode of the Look Good Move Well podcast goes into trigger food strategies and how to treat yourself. I really appreciated hearing strategies from Marcus Filly’s audience alongside his own!

Have a lovely rest of your week, friends. Reply with any topic suggestions for future editions!

Keep moving,

Drew

The content in Move to Improve is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. It is always a good idea to consult with a trusted health professional before making any major lifestyle changes that could have a significant impact on your health. This is not a medical resource, and any opinions and articles are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional. Please think critically and take what I say with a grain of salt (aka don’t sue me).