Why the RDA is a floor, not a target
The Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day. It is worth being precise about what that number is for: it was set to prevent deficiency in the general population, not to support muscle growth, recovery, or healthy ageing.
For active people, and for anyone trying to build or maintain muscle, the range usually cited in the literature is 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram — roughly 0.7 to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. That is two to three times the RDA.
Protein, fat loss and holding on to muscle
In a calorie deficit the body will draw on whatever it can, including muscle. Higher protein intake is the main dietary lever against that.
A meta-analysis found that roughly doubling protein intake led to significantly better body composition outcomes during weight loss — more fat lost, more lean mass retained.
Protein also carries the highest thermic effect of the three macronutrients, meaning a proportion of its calories are spent digesting it. It is a secondary effect rather than a weight-loss mechanism on its own, but it is real.
If you are eating in a deficit, we covered the practical side in how to eat in a calorie deficit without losing muscle.
Why protein needs rise with age
Older adults become less sensitive to protein — a phenomenon called anabolic resistance. The same portion that would trigger muscle protein synthesis in a younger adult produces a smaller response.
The practical consequence is counterintuitive: protein requirements rise with age rather than fall, and the threshold per meal rises with them. Spreading a modest total across three small servings is less effective than concentrating it.
How much should you actually eat?
A workable rule of thumb:
- Active adults, or anyone with fitness goals: 0.7–1g per pound of bodyweight
- Sedentary, not training: 0.6–0.8g per pound
- Losing fat while preserving muscle: the higher end, 1–1.2g per pound
So an adult weighing 170lb and training regularly is aiming for roughly 130–170g of protein per day.
Why per-meal matters more than per-day
A daily total is an average, and averages hide the problem. Three meals of 25g and one large dinner can reach 130g on paper while leaving most of the day below the threshold that stimulates muscle protein synthesis.
Reaching 40g in a single sitting is harder than it sounds — it is roughly 130g of cooked chicken breast, and considerably more volume from plant sources. We broke the arithmetic down in how to get 40g of protein in every meal.
Every Locale meal is built to 40–60g of protein with 8g or more of fiber, from whole-food sources, which removes the daily arithmetic entirely. Meals arrive Mondays across the SF Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Frequently asked questions
Is the RDA for protein wrong?
Not wrong, but frequently misread. 0.8g/kg is the amount needed to prevent deficiency in a general population. It was never intended as an optimal target for people training, dieting or ageing.
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
The commonly cited range is 1.6–2.2g per kilogram of bodyweight per day, or roughly 0.7–1g per pound, alongside resistance training.
Can you eat too much protein?
For healthy adults, intakes in these ranges are well tolerated in the research. Anyone with existing kidney disease should take individual medical advice rather than a general guideline.
Does protein help with fat loss?
It helps preserve lean mass while you lose fat, which changes the composition of the weight lost. It also has the highest thermic effect of the macronutrients.
How much protein is in a Locale meal?
Every meal carries 40–60g of protein and 8g or more of fiber, from whole-food sources rather than isolates or added powders.
Sources
- Phillips & Van Loon, 2011 — Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation.
- Pasiakos et al., 2013 — Higher protein intake preserves lean mass during weight loss.
- Moore et al., 2015 — Protein requirements and muscle mass in ageing.
- Locale — per-meal macro standards, shoplocale.com.