Protein Intake for Strength Training

Daily Protein Target

Evidence-based range: 1.6 – 2.2 g/kg body weight per day

For strength training and muscle growth, this range is well-established across meta-analyses. The app uses 1.8 g/kg as the default — the middle of the range, balancing efficacy with practicality.

Body weight	Daily protein
55 kg	99 g
65 kg	117 g
75 kg	135 g
85 kg	153 g
95 kg	171 g

Key finding (Morton et al. 2018, meta-analysis): Protein intake beyond ~1.6 g/kg produced no additional benefit to resistance-training-induced gains in muscle mass in 49 studies (n=1863). The 2.2 g/kg upper limit is cited for body composition during a caloric deficit (cutting phase).

Per-Meal Distribution

Target: 0.4 – 0.55 g/kg per meal, across 3–4 meals

Schoenfeld & Aragon (2018) showed muscle protein synthesis plateaus around 0.4 g/kg per meal in healthy adults; recommended distributing protein evenly across the day.

Why distribution matters:

• Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) is maximized per meal, then declines
• Stacking protein in 1-2 meals doesn't "save up" for later
• 3-4 evenly-spaced protein feedings maintains anabolic signaling throughout the day

Example (70 kg person, 126 g/day target):

• Meal 1 (breakfast): 30 g
• Meal 2 (lunch): 35 g
• Meal 3 (dinner): 35 g
• Meal 4 (snack): 25 g

Protein Quality

Complete proteins (contain all 9 essential amino acids) are most efficient:

• Animal: chicken, fish, eggs, whey, dairy, beef
• Plant: soy, quinoa, buckwheat

Incomplete proteins (plant-based) can be combined to form complete profiles:

• Rice + beans
• Peanut butter + whole wheat
• Hummus + pita

Leucine threshold: ~2.5 g leucine per meal triggers MPS most effectively. Roughly the leucine content of 25-30 g animal protein or 35-45 g plant protein.

Lactose-Intolerant Sources

For users with lactose intolerance (like Amelia):

• Excellent: Hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan — minimal lactose), lactose-free milk, whey isolate (most lactose removed)
• Good: Eggs, chicken, fish, beef, turkey, tofu, tempeh, legumes
• Limited: Regular milk, cottage cheese, yogurt (unless lactose-free)

Timing

Anabolic window: Modern research (Aragon & Schoenfeld 2013) shows the "post-workout window" is far wider than once believed — probably 4-6 hours around training. Don't stress about exact timing as long as daily target is hit.

Pre-sleep protein: 30-40 g slow-digesting protein (casein or cottage cheese) before bed may support overnight recovery (Snijders et al. 2015). Optional but no downside if within daily target.

Supplements

Whey protein is the most efficient form (fast absorption, high leucine) but not required — whole foods work equally well if quantities are met.

The app defaults to food-only protein sources per Amelia's questionnaire preference.