Some days, Lindsey Modica puts an afternoon snack out for her kids, and it disappears before she’s barely turned around. “Where did that piece of chicken and that cheese stick go?” she’ll ask. “Oh, I ate it,” they’ll reply. Then she knows: growth spurt. That sudden pull toward protein is the body knowing what we need to build and maintain muscle. It’s the same biology that helps adults maintain muscle, recover from stress, and feel steady between meals.
Which brings us to the practical question Modica answers for patients every day: how much protein do we really need, and where should it come from? Modica—a Jupiter-based registered dietitian who helps people with prediabetes make changes that stick—has spent the last decade guiding patients to an approach that fits real life. Her thesis on protein is simple and sustainable: aim a little higher than the bare minimum, spread it across the day, and choose whole foods most of the time, while leaving room on the plate for fiber-rich plants that protect long-term health.
Start with the numbers, she says, but don’t get lost in them.
The baseline recommendation is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight per day, or about 54 grams for a 150-pound adult. Many people maintain and build muscle better at 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram. Those recovering from surgery, healing wounds, or facing long immobility may need as much as 2 grams per kilo.
If you prefer percentages, she says 30 percent of daily calories from protein “should be a fairly reasonable number.” Keep a perspective on protein. “Most of us are not body-building elite athletes,” Modica says. “It does not need to be our whole job to get our protein in for the day.”
With a target in mind, the next step is timing. Rather than saving protein for one large meal, spread it evenly: about 20 to 30 grams at each meal helps the body maintain muscle more efficiently, keeps you feeling fuller longer—and it’s simply easier to eat that way. After activity, include a protein source within an hour or so, when your muscles are primed to rebuild. In practice, that might look like eggs and Greek yogurt in the morning, a cottage cheese-and-fruit snack, a palm-sized portion of chicken or fish at lunch, then at dinner, tofu, beans, or lean meat.
Once dividing protein over the course of several meals a day becomes natural, focus on the ingredients. “We’re always going to want to recommend whole sources of protein,” Modica says. Eggs and egg whites; shrimp, shellfish, and fish (with omega-3s in salmon, sardines, and trout); chicken and turkey; and lean cuts of beef and pork are dependable anchors. Dairy options like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and some high protein cheeses make snacks effortless. Plant-forward eaters can lean on tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, and pumpkin seeds. As a quick guide, most cooked meats and fish provide about 7–8 grams of protein per ounce, a cup of Greek yogurt offers 15–20 grams, and half a block of firm tofu lands around 20 grams.
Supplements can help in a pinch, but they shouldn’t run the show. Powders and ready-to-drink shakes are convenient on hectic days, yet labels deserve scrutiny. “The big negative is that, unfortunately, many of the protein shakes are not regulated or tested by the Food and Drug Administration,” Modica says. If you use them, look for third-party testing (such as NSF or Informed Choice) and short ingredient lists, and avoid stacking multiple powdered products that can compound exposure to unwanted additives. Occasional use is helpful; relying on shakes for most meals is not.
Equally important: don’t let fiber, vitamins, and minerals fall by the wayside because of an obsession with protein. The fix is simple: pair protein with plants at every turn. Stir beans or lentils into chili, fold spinach into eggs, top cottage cheese with fruit, and serve fish with whole grains. Fiber matters—strong evidence links it to lower risks of colon cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Finally, match intake to your season of life. Children’s needs rise and fall with growth spurts. Older adults often benefit from the higher protein range to preserve the strength needed for everyday tasks, like lifting grandkids, carrying groceries, and getting out of a chair.
If Modica’s kids are the household’s early-warning system for growth, her own routine is the quiet proof of concept: steady protein, placed thoughtfully through the day, folded into meals that leave room for produce and whole grains. Build that rhythm, and protein stops being a project. It becomes part of how you live—fueling a stronger body, better recovery, and a plate that leaves space for everything you need.