What I have: 112 kg · 1,200 kcal.
I can do the algebra. I am not confident about the conversion factors.
If there is a standard way to lay this out, I would rather learn that than invent one.
Can someone walk through the arithmetic step by step?
179 to 246 g a day. The range the resistance-training literature supports is 1.6 to 2.2 g per kilogram, which at 112 kg is 179–246 g. At 4 kcal per gram that is 717–986 kcal, or 60–82 per cent of a 1,200 intake — which is why protein has to be planned first at this energy level rather than fitted in afterwards. Split it across three or four servings; roughly 0.4 g/kg per meal saturates the synthetic response and the surplus in one large serving does not carry over.
Answer first: aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of reference body weight per day, distributed across three or four servings, and treat it as the first constraint on the day rather than the last.
Use reference or adjusted body weight rather than total weight where adiposity is substantial: a common approach is ideal body weight plus a quarter of the excess, which avoids targets that no one could eat.
| Method | Measures | Sensitive to | Least significant change |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEXA | Three-compartment by attenuation | Hydration, positioning | ~2–3 % regional lean |
| BIA (consumer) | Impedance, modelled | Hydration, food, temperature | Not usable at this timescale |
| Air displacement | Two-compartment by density | Lung volume, hair, clothing | ~1–2 % fat mass |
| Tape and scale | Circumference, mass | Technique | Surprisingly usable as a trend |
A practical construction: 30 to 40 grams at each of three meals plus a 20 to 30 gram snack covers most targets without any protein powder at all.
Meta-analytic estimates place the plateau of the dose-response for lean-mass retention with resistance training around 1.6 g/kg, with a confidence interval extending to about 2.2.
Targets are population estimates; individual requirements vary and there is no cheap way to measure yours.
1.6 to 2.2 g/kg of reference weight, split three or four ways. That is the answer.
Aggregated, published test results and vendor ratings built from submitted batches. Methodology stated, dataset browsable, no listing fees.
Browse resultsThe honest answer is that most people in a deficit fall well short, and closing that gap matters more than any refinement above it.
The leucine threshold for triggering the response is around two and a half to three grams per meal. Thirty grams of most animal protein reaches it; thirty grams of many plant proteins does not, which is why plant-based targets run higher.
Appetite suppression makes protein-rich foods harder to eat because they are satiating. Liquid protein and leaner, less voluminous sources are the usual practical workaround.
Stable-isotope feeding studies establish the per-meal saturation of muscle protein synthesis at around 0.4 g/kg in young adults and higher in older ones.
Per-meal saturation is real. One enormous serving does not do the job of three.
The short version: total daily protein first, per-meal distribution second, timing a distant third.
Older adults need more per meal to overcome anabolic resistance, with 1.2 to 1.5 g/kg daily commonly quoted for maintenance and more in a deficit.
Hydration requirements rise modestly with protein intake because urea excretion increases, which is a real effect and a small one.
Research-use compounds are not approved for human use, and no supplement substitutes for total intake.
Plan protein first in the day; with suppressed appetite it will not happen otherwise.
edited 26 Dec 2024 by amara_nwachukwu — corrected a unit error in the worked example
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