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.
The question I want answered is whether the RDA is the wrong reference entirely during rapid weight loss, and what the actual target should be.
Not looking for reassurance. Looking for the part I have got wrong.
This one has a reasonably settled answer, so here it is. Distribution matters less than total but it is not nothing. Roughly 25 to 40g per sitting with enough leucine to trigger synthesis, three or four times a day, is more effective than the same total in one enormous evening meal — and on a suppressed appetite the enormous evening meal is the one you will not finish anyway.
Ask again with the specifics and you will get a better answer than this one.
LibrarianMeg said:Distribution matters less than total but it is not nothing.
Agreed on the target, with the caveat that reference weight and current weight are different numbers. Using current weight at the start of a large loss produces a target that is both unachievable and unnecessary.
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View ResultsBenResearch_OR said:I tracked honestly for two weeks and averaged 68g of protein against a target of about 120g.
Can confirm the pattern BenResearch_OR describes. 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.
From the other side of the consultation, briefly.
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 | 266 lbs | 221 lbs | 213 lbs |
| Fat mass | 116 lbs | 66 lbs | 48 lbs |
| Lean mass | 154 lbs | 153 lbs | 150 lbs |
| Body fat % | 43% | 33% | 22% |
Lean mass preserved — actually GAINED 1-2 lbs thanks to progressive overload + 1.4g/kg protein. The protein intake discussion needs to include body comp data, not just scale weight.