Protein per meal calculator for over-40s
Older muscle responds best to bigger protein doses per meal. Get your per-meal and daily target from your weight, age and meals.
Per meal
32 g
≈0.4 g/kg — the older-adult dose
Per day
128 g
at least 1.6 g/kg if you lift
Meals at target
3
add a protein snack to reach the daily total
How this was calculated: Per-meal dose from Moore et al. (2015), which found older muscle needs roughly 0.40 g/kg per meal versus 0.24 g/kg in younger adults. Daily target from Morton et al. (2018). As a guide: 30g is about 120g of cooked chicken, 250g of Greek yoghurt or a scoop of whey plus a glass of milk.
Estimates for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating, speak to a qualified professional first.
Worked example
An 80kg 55-year-old eating three meals aims for about 32g of protein per meal (0.4 g/kg). Three meals gives 96g, which is below the 1.6 g/kg daily target for people who lift, so the daily target is 128g — add a fourth protein serving or a larger portion at one meal.
Common questions
- Do you need more protein after 40?
- Older muscle becomes less sensitive to protein ("anabolic resistance"). Moore et al. (2015) estimated older men needed about 0.40 g/kg per meal for a maximal muscle-building response, versus about 0.24 g/kg in younger men. Most of that research is in people over 65; the gradient starts earlier.
- How much protein per day after 40 if I lift weights?
- Around 1.6 g/kg of bodyweight a day captures most of the benefit for people doing resistance training (Morton et al., 2018). Up to 2.2 g/kg is a reasonable upper target.
- Does breakfast protein matter?
- Many people eat little protein at breakfast. Bringing that meal up to the per-meal target is usually the easiest win.
- Is high protein safe for my kidneys?
- For healthy adults, these intakes are not shown to cause harm. If you have kidney disease or reduced kidney function, follow your doctor’s advice.
Pair your protein with strength training built for over-40 recovery.
Fit40Strong starts from these numbers, then learns from what you actually log — and tells you why every time it changes something.
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