Protein Essentials: Building and Preserving Muscle

You can get away with imprecise carbs. You can be flexible with fats. But consistently missing protein targets will cost you muscle—whether you're trying to build it or keep it while losing fat.

This isn't about obsession. It's about understanding why protein matters more than other macros for body composition, and how to hit your targets without making it complicated.

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Why Protein Gets Special Treatment

Every macro has a job. Carbs fuel activity. Fats support hormones and absorb vitamins. But protein does something neither can replicate: it provides the building blocks for muscle tissue.

Your body is constantly breaking down and rebuilding muscle. This process—muscle protein synthesis—requires amino acids from dietary protein. Without adequate intake, the balance tips toward breakdown. You lose what you've built.

During a calorie deficit, this becomes critical. Your body is already looking for energy to burn. Adequate protein signals "not the muscle" and redirects that search toward fat stores [1].

During a surplus, protein provides the raw materials for new tissue. You can eat all the calories you want, but without sufficient protein, those calories build fat, not muscle.

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How Much You Actually Need

The old "0.8g per kg" recommendation is for preventing deficiency in sedentary people. If you're training and trying to change your body composition, you need more.

For fat loss: 2.0-2.4 g/kg bodyweight

Higher protein during a deficit protects muscle mass. A 2016 study found that participants eating 2.4 g/kg during an aggressive deficit actually gained lean mass while losing more fat than those eating 1.2 g/kg [2]. Same calories, dramatically different outcomes.

For muscle building: 1.6-2.2 g/kg bodyweight

During a surplus, you need slightly less because adequate energy already supports an anabolic environment. The muscle-building stimulus comes primarily from training; protein just needs to be "enough" [3].

For maintenance: 1.6-2.0 g/kg bodyweight

Somewhere in between. Enough to maintain what you've built without the insurance premium of a deficit.

A Practical Ceiling

More isn't always better. Research suggests benefits plateau around 2.2 g/kg for most people [3]. Beyond that, you're just making expensive urine. The extra protein won't hurt you, but it won't help either, and it's taking calories away from carbs and fats that have their own jobs to do.

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Timing: Does It Matter?

The "anabolic window" has been massively overstated. You don't need to chug a shake within 30 minutes of training or your gains won't disappear.

That said, distribution across the day does matter somewhat. Spreading protein across 3-5 meals optimises muscle protein synthesis better than cramming it all into one or two sittings [4]. Your body can only use so much at once for muscle building—the rest gets oxidised for energy.

Practical approach:

• Include protein at every meal
• Aim for 25-40g per sitting
• Don't stress about exact timing around workouts
• If you train fasted, eating protein within a few hours matters more

The hierarchy is: total daily intake > distribution across meals > timing around training. Get the first one right before worrying about the others.

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Best Sources

Not all protein is equal. Animal sources are "complete"—they contain all essential amino acids in the right proportions. Plant sources often lack one or more, requiring combination or higher quantities.

Tier 1: Complete, high-quality

• Chicken breast, turkey
• Lean beef, pork tenderloin
• Fish (salmon, tuna, cod, prawns)
• Eggs and egg whites
• Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese
• Whey and casein protein

Tier 2: Complete but higher calorie

• Fattier cuts of meat
• Whole milk dairy
• Cheese (calorie-dense)

Tier 3: Plant sources (combine for completeness)

• Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, black beans)
• Tofu, tempeh, edamame
• Seitan (very high protein)
• Quinoa (rare complete plant protein)

If you're vegetarian or vegan, you'll need to be more intentional about combining sources and may need slightly higher total intake to compensate for lower bioavailability.

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Supplements: When They Make Sense

Whole food should be your foundation. But protein powder has legitimate uses:

When supplements help:

• You struggle to hit targets with food alone
• Convenience matters (travel, busy days)
• You need protein without volume (already full)
• Cost per gram of protein is lower than meat

When they don't:

• You're already hitting targets with food
• You're using them to replace meals entirely
• You think they're magic (they're just food)

Choosing quality:

• Whey isolate if lactose-sensitive
• Whey concentrate if not (cheaper, still effective)
• Casein for slow digestion (before bed, optional)
• Plant blends (pea + rice) for vegans

The brand matters less than you'd think. Check protein per serving, look for third-party testing if you care about purity, and don't pay premium prices for marketing.

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Hitting Targets Without Obsession

You don't need to weigh every gram of chicken. You need a system that reliably lands you in the right range.

The anchor approach:

Build meals around a protein source. Instead of "what should I eat?", ask "what's my protein for this meal?" Everything else fills in around it.

• Breakfast: eggs, Greek yoghurt, or protein in your oats
• Lunch: chicken, fish, or legumes as the centre
• Dinner: whatever protein fits your preferences
• Snacks: cottage cheese, jerky, protein bar if needed

The math check:

Roughly estimate once per week. If you're eating 4 meals with 30-40g protein each, you're at 120-160g. Close enough for most people without daily tracking.

The gap filler:

If you're consistently 20-30g short, add one reliable source:

• A protein shake (25-30g)
• 200g Greek yoghurt (20g)
• 3 eggs (18g)
• A tin of tuna (25g)

One addition, every day, closes the gap. No complicated meal restructuring required.

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Common Mistakes

Protein only at dinner. You can't compensate for low-protein breakfast and lunch with a massive steak at night. Distribution matters.

Counting incomplete sources as complete. A handful of nuts isn't a protein source—it's a fat source with some protein. Beans alone aren't complete. Be honest about what's contributing.

Cutting protein when cutting calories. This is backwards. Protein should stay constant or increase during a deficit. Cut carbs and fats first.

Overcomplicating timing. Eating protein within a few hours of training is plenty. The 30-minute window is largely myth.

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The Research Summary

The evidence is clear: higher protein intake during energy restriction preserves more muscle mass [1, 2]. The optimal range for active individuals is 1.6-2.4 g/kg depending on goals and calorie status [3]. Distribution across multiple meals enhances muscle protein synthesis compared to concentrated intake [4]. Beyond these fundamentals, the details matter far less than consistency.

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References

1. Phillips SM, Van Loon LJ. Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation. J Sports Sci. 2011;29 Suppl 1:S29-38. doi:10.1080/02640414.2011.619204

2. Longland TM, et al. Higher compared with lower dietary protein during an energy deficit combined with intense exercise promotes greater lean mass gain and fat mass loss. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;103(3):738-746. doi:10.3945/ajcn.115.119339

3. Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8

4. Areta JL, et al. Timing and distribution of protein ingestion during prolonged recovery from resistance exercise alters myofibrillar protein synthesis. J Physiol. 2013;591(9):2319-2331. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2012.244897

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TrainingFuel monitors your protein intake daily and alerts you when you're consistently falling short. We show the gap and suggest simple additions to close it.