Protein: enough, spread out, not a religion

Protein is the most over-discussed and, for most people, one of the more easily solved foundations. Two numbers anchor the whole conversation. The RDA is 0.8 g/kg/day — the amount that keeps a healthy adult out of deficiency. That’s a floor, not a goal. If you’re training to keep or build muscle, a meta-analysis of 49 trials found the benefit of extra protein climbing up to about 1.6 g/kg/day and then flattening out.

So the useful target for most active people sits somewhere between those poles — comfortably above the RDA, without the theatrical intakes some corners of the internet insist on. Older adults deserve the higher end too, since aging muscle responds less efficiently to each gram.

The practical version

Spread it across a few meals rather than one giant serving, include a protein source at each, and let the rest of your plate be food you’ll actually keep eating. The decimal-place optimization — exact grams, exact timing windows — is where a foundation quietly turns into a hobby. Hit a sensible number consistently and spend your attention elsewhere on the map.