Something happened in January that was LONG overdue.

The U.S. government finally updated its protein recommendations for the first time in over 70 years. They basically doubled them.

The old RDA was 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, which worked out to about 55 grams a day for a 150-pound woman. That number got treated like a goal when it was actually the bare minimum to avoid deficiency. Not to thrive. Not to build muscle. Not to lose fat. Just to survive.

The new 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines bumped it to 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram per day. For that same 150-pound woman, that's now 82 to 109 grams daily. That's a massive jump and it reflects what nutrition researchers have been saying for a long time.

But here's the thing: even the new number is a floor, not a ceiling.

If you're actively trying to improve your body composition, maintain muscle as you age, or support fat loss, the research supports going even higher: 0.8 to 1.2 grams per pound of ideal body weight. Now for our example 150 pound woman, that means 120-180 grams per day depending on goals and activity level.

Why does protein matter this much?

Every time you eat is an opportunity to stimulate muscle protein synthesis, the process your body uses to build and maintain muscle. Research shows you need about 2.5 grams of leucine per meal to trigger that process. Leucine is an essential amino acid found in protein-rich foods.

Rather than tracking leucine in every food, the simpler approach is to aim for 30-50 grams of protein per meal. That reliably gets you past the leucine threshold.

If you're under 35, you can aim for the lower end. Over 35, go higher. Our bodies become less efficient at utilizing protein as we age.

This isn't just about looking good

​The typical person who doesn't focus on muscle retention loses approximately 3-8% of their muscle mass per decade after age 30. After 60, that rate accelerates even more. This loss, medically called sarcopenia, is strongly linked to falls, fractures, metabolic disease and loss of independence.

I always joke that I'm just training to be able to get off the toilet by myself and bring the groceries in at 80, but that's actually the truth. Adequate protein plus resistance training is the most powerful combination we have for staying strong and functional as we age.

What to do with this right now

If you're unsure whether you're eating enough protein, I built a free calculator that gives you a personalized daily range based on your weight, your goal, and your activity level. It takes about 30 seconds:

👉 Try the Protein Calculator​

And if you want the full deep dive with the research behind all of this:

👉 How Much Protein Do Women Really Need?​

(The calculator and the science work for men too.)

Start by tracking your protein for just three days, I like to use the free Cronometer app for that, but you can also look up protein by weight online. Most people are shocked at how far below their target they actually are. Once you see the gap, closing it becomes a lot more motivating.

Were you surprised by how much/little protein you actually eat? Hit reply and let me know!

Cheering you on,

Cheryl McColgan, Founder

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