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.
Happy to be told the question itself is wrong.
Taking the question as asked, rather than the general version of it. 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.
Correct me if the detail matters more than I have assumed.
amsterdam_pete said:Distribution matters less than total but it is not nothing.
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 Resultsmatt_MKE said:I tracked honestly for two weeks and averaged 68g of protein against a target of about 120g.
This matches mine closely enough to be worth saying so. 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 | 281 lbs | 221 lbs | 208 lbs |
| Fat mass | 111 lbs | 81 lbs | 43 lbs |
| Lean mass | 149 lbs | 148 lbs | 155 lbs |
| Body fat % | 42% | 34% | 22% |
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.