# Protein Distribution Guidance

Distribution is secondary to total daily protein. Apply once daily totals are set.

## Per-Meal Floor and Range

Each main meal targets **0.4 g/kg minimum, up to 0.55 g/kg** of high-quality protein.

| Bodyweight | Floor (0.4 g/kg) | Upper (0.55 g/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 24 g | 33 g |
| 70 kg | 28 g | 38 g |
| 80 kg | 32 g | 44 g |
| 90 kg | 36 g | 50 g |
| 100 kg | 40 g | 55 g |

For users >25% body fat, scale by lean body mass instead of total bodyweight.

## Meal Frequency Targets

| Meals/day | Per-meal target | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0.7–1.1 g/kg | Time-restricted eating; workable if daily total met |
| 3 | 0.5–0.7 g/kg | Standard; well-supported |
| 4 | 0.4–0.55 g/kg | Default optimum |
| 5 | 0.32–0.44 g/kg | High daily totals where 4 meals are too large |
| 6 | 0.27–0.37 g/kg | Convenience only; risk dipping below per-meal floor |

Space meals 3–5 hours apart. Avoid <2 h spacing (refractory window).

## Goal-Specific Totals

| Goal | Daily total | Distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Hypertrophy (maintenance/surplus) | 1.6–2.2 g/kg | 4 meals at 0.4–0.55 g/kg, even spacing |
| Body recomposition | 1.8–2.5 g/kg | 4 meals at 0.4–0.55 g/kg, even spacing |
| Fat loss / cut (lean trained) | 2.2–3.1 g/kg | 3–5 meals at 0.4–0.5 g/kg; per-meal dose matters MORE in deficit |
| Maintenance (non-training) | 1.2–1.6 g/kg | 3 meals at 0.25–0.4 g/kg |
| Older adults | ≥1.4–1.6 g/kg | 4 meals at 0.4 g/kg; even distribution; leucine ≥3–4 g/meal |

## Pre-Sleep Protein

- **Dose:** 30–40 g casein, 30 min before bed (40 g has stronger evidence than 20–30 g)
- **Use when:** daily protein not met by main meals; evening training; cutting and prioritising lean mass retention
- **Skip if:** daily protein already ≥1.6 g/kg across 4 meals; user has reflux issues
- Pre-sleep casein is a small liquid bolus, NOT a full meal — does not conflict with sleep meal-timing rules

## Post-Workout Protein

- Window is ~4–6 hours around training
- Default: ≥0.4 g/kg protein within 1–3 hours post-workout

**Tighten to within 1 hour when:**
- Fasted / early-morning training (no pre-workout meal)
- Long sessions or two-a-days
- Older adults
- Endurance athletes with rapid turnaround

## Source Quality

Acute MPS per gram: **Whey ≥ Milk/Casein ≥ Egg > Soy > Pea/Rice > Wheat**

Plan construction rules:
- Meal hitting 0.4 g/kg with whey, milk, or lean meat reliably exceeds 2.5 g leucine threshold
- Meal hitting 0.4 g/kg with predominantly plant protein (especially wheat- or rice-dominant): scale up ~25% OR combine sources (pea + rice; legume + grain)
- Pre-sleep: prefer casein (sustained overnight aminoacidemia)
- Pre-/post-workout: prefer whey or whey-containing meals (faster aminoacidemia)

## Operating Principles

- Total daily protein dominates; do not sacrifice total intake to achieve perfect distribution
- Default: 4 meals at 0.4–0.55 g/kg, evenly spaced 3–5 hours apart
- Per-meal dose threshold matters more in deficit and in older adults than in surplus and young adults
- Each meal must independently clear the per-meal floor — count protein by meal, not just by day

For full citations see https://json.fit/protein-references.md