08/15/2026
Hitting your protein number proves nothing.
Protein targets went up sharply this year — 2026 federal dietary guidance moved the healthy range to 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram, well above the old 0.8 g/kg minimum. For most people trying to hold onto muscle as they age, that's a real, useful correction.
Hitting a gram target in a tracking app measures intake. It doesn't measure outcome.
Eating enough protein to build muscle and actually building muscle are two different facts. The first shows up in a food log. The second shows up in a body composition scan and a grip strength test — not a running tally of grams.
A month of hitting your number and a month of your muscle mass holding steady, or slipping, can both be true at once. Only one of those is visible in the app.
Have you ever actually confirmed your protein target changed anything, or just trusted the math?
