I tracked honestly for two weeks and averaged 68g of protein against a target of about 120g. That gap is the whole problem and no meal plan I have found is written for it.
What I actually want to know is whether the RDA is the wrong reference entirely during rapid weight loss, and what the actual target should be.
I would rather have one careful answer than five confident ones.
Taking the question as asked, rather than the general version of it. On a suppressed appetite the winning strategy is protein density per unit of volume, not per calorie. Isolate powders, Greek yoghurt and cottage cheese, egg whites, lean fish, and tinned tuna all deliver a lot of protein in a small physical volume. Front-load it: appetite is usually least suppressed in the first hours after waking and worst on the day or two after dosing, so get the majority in early in the day and early in the week.
I would rather be corrected than agreed with, if it comes to it.
labquiet_amy said:On a suppressed appetite the winning strategy is protein density per unit of volume, not per calorie.
True, and anyone with reduced kidney function needs that target set by a clinician rather than a forum. High protein is safe in normal kidneys and is not automatically safe in impaired ones.
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View Resultsrick_sfbay said:I tracked honestly for two weeks and averaged 68g of protein against a target of about 120g.
Can confirm the pattern rick_sfbay describes. The RDA is the wrong reference and it is worth understanding why. 0.8 g/kg is the intake at which nitrogen balance is not negative in healthy weight-stable adults — a floor for deficiency prevention, not an optimum, and derived in a population that is not in a deficit. In a substantial energy deficit, protein requirement rises because amino acids are being oxidised for energy and because muscle protein synthesis is blunted. The literature on preserving lean mass during weight loss lands around 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg of reference body weight, which is roughly two to two and a half times the RDA.
Adding the clinical framing, because it changes how the question reads.
DEXA scan update relevant to protein intake:
Scanned at months 0, 6, and 12. Here are the body comp numbers:
| Baseline | Month 6 | Month 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total mass | 248 lbs | 213 lbs | 205 lbs |
| Fat mass | 108 lbs | 68 lbs | 55 lbs |
| Lean mass | 161 lbs | 151 lbs | 152 lbs |
| Body fat % | 41% | 31% | 24% |
Lean mass preserved — actually GAINED 1-2 lbs thanks to progressive overload + 1.5g/kg protein. The protein intake discussion needs to include body comp data, not just scale weight.