Training guide · 3 min read · MyoAmigo
Protein Without the Noise
What the target actually is and why distribution barely matters
Protein recommendations online range from sensible to absurd. The number that holds up across a wide range of evidence is 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day, roughly 0.7 to 1 gram per pound. Most people building muscle land near the middle of that range. If you are in a calorie deficit or carrying more body fat, stay toward the higher end; you need more dietary protein to protect lean mass when energy is low.
For a 75 kg person that works out to about 120–165 g per day. That is the number worth paying attention to. Everything else (meal timing windows, protein synthesis "spikes," the debate over fast versus slow protein) is secondary detail that will not move the needle until total intake is consistently on target.
Food First, Supplements Second
Animal proteins (chicken, eggs, beef, fish, dairy) tend to have complete amino acid profiles and are generally easy to hit targets with. Whole-food plant sources work too but usually require a bit more planning to cover all essential amino acids across the day. Either approach works. The vehicle matters far less than the total.
Protein shakes and powders are convenient, useful when whole food is not practical, but they are not superior to food sources of equivalent protein. Spending money on expensive "anabolic" blends before your daily total is consistently in range is the wrong order of operations.
Distribution: Helpful but Not Critical
Spread your protein across three or four meals rather than dumping most of it in one sitting. Muscle protein synthesis responds better when you give it a moderate dose (roughly 30–50 g) at multiple points during the day rather than a single large bolus. That said, hitting your daily total is the primary lever. If your schedule forces two larger meals, you are still well ahead of someone eating three perfectly timed servings that total 90 g.
The practical test: if you ate your target protein today, you did the important thing. If you hit the target and distributed it reasonably, even better.
Cutting and Protein
Protein needs go up, not down, in a deficit. When calories are restricted, the body is under pressure to use amino acids for energy. Higher protein intake counteracts this and helps preserve muscle while fat is lost. Aiming for the upper half of the range, closer to 2.2 g/kg, during a cut is a reliable hedge. It also tends to be more satiating than the equivalent calories from fat or carbohydrate, which is a practical bonus when food is reduced.
- Daily total first: 1.6–2.2 g/kg (0.7–1 g/lb)
- Distribution is a refinement, not a prerequisite
- Supplements are convenience, not magic
- In a deficit, err toward the high end
Muscles: Chest, Lats, Quadriceps
