Dr.EndoEP said:The RDA is the wrong reference and it is worth understanding why.
Genuinely useful, thank you. I had the facts and not the framework. Printing the relevant bit and taking it with me.
Clinical perspective, offered as context rather than as advice.
DEXA scan update relevant to protein intake:
Scanned at months 0, 6, and 12. Here are the body comp numbers:
| Baseline | Month 6 | Month 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total mass | 258 lbs | 223 lbs | 195 lbs |
| Fat mass | 98 lbs | 78 lbs | 45 lbs |
| Lean mass | 151 lbs | 153 lbs | 152 lbs |
| Body fat % | 43% | 33% | 24% |
Lean mass preserved — actually GAINED 1-2 lbs thanks to progressive overload + 1.4g/kg protein. The protein intake discussion needs to include body comp data, not just scale weight.
Dr.RenalNash said:The honest range is roughly 20 to 40% of total loss as lean mass without deliberate resistance training, and roughly 10 to 20% with it plus adequate…
Filing a mild objection. Mild because I might be wrong; an objection because nobody has addressed the case that does not fit. I think this board over-worries about lean mass. Some lean loss is obligatory — you need less muscle to move a smaller body, and preserving mass you no longer need is not a health outcome. The question is whether strength and function held, and mine did.
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Shop Reference StandardsOne concrete data point for the thread. Practical: whatever you change, write down the date and the reason. In three months the reason is what you will have forgotten, and the reason is what makes the record worth having.
Moderator note: leaving this open. It is being argued well and the disagreement is the useful part. Report rather than reply if it drifts again.