The Truth About Protein for Women Over 50

What most women get wrong—and how to fix it without tracking every bite

You’ve probably heard it a million times: “Eat more protein.”

And while it sounds simple enough, most of the advice floating around online is either vague (“just add some”), unrealistic (“eat your bodyweight in grams”), or flat-out confusing (“you can get enough protein from peanut butter!”).

Let’s break it down.

If you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s, or 60s struggling with energy dips, cravings, or the feeling that your body just doesn’t respond the way it used to—protein might be the missing piece.

This post will walk you through the truth about protein for women over 50: why it matters so much in midlife, how much you really need, and how to start increasing it without turning your meals into math equations.

Why Grazing Isn’t Doing You Any Favors

Grazing all day can cause your blood sugar to constantly spike and crash, which leaves you:

• Wondering why the heck you just walked into the pantry

• Daydreaming about a nap at 2 p.m.

• Wide awake at 3 a.m. doing the “ceiling stare”

• Standing at the fridge after dinner wondering why you’re still hungry

When you switch to three satisfying meals a day — breakfast, lunch, and dinner — your energy steadies, your cravings settle down, and you stop needing a snack every time you pass through the kitchen. And when you do want a snack? You’re much more likely to make a smart choice, not just grab the first thing you see.

Why Protein for Women oVer 50 Gets Overlooked and Misunderstood

Let’s be honest: if you’re a woman in midlife, you probably grew up in a dieting culture that prioritized eating less and eating “light.”

Small meals. Low-fat everything. Skip breakfast. Definitely eat less meat.We’ve been conditioned to eat less.

And while I’m not saying we need to overeat, eating too little can create a situation where we miss out on the very nutrients that support our metabolism, hormones, and long-term health.

Eating more protein isn’t about dieting. It’s about supporting your body—especially your muscle mass—so you can keep doing the things you love without running on fumes.

But before we dive into how to eat more of it, let’s break down what protein actually does in your body.

What Protein Really Does

Protein is one of the three main macronutrients (alongside carbs and fat), and it provides about 4 calories per gram.

When you eat protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids. These amino acids go to work repairing muscle tissue, regulating hormones, and supporting your immune system.

But that’s just the beginning. Protein also helps to:

• Regulate blood sugar

• Curb appetite and reduce cravings

• Support a healthy metabolism

• Improve workout recovery

• Promote healthy skin, hair, and joints

• Reduce inflammation

Basically, if you want to feel strong, steady, and satisfied throughout the day—protein really is your best friend.

Why It Matters More in Midlife

Here’s what no one told us: during and after menopause, your body gets less efficient at just about everything.

I don’t say that to be dramatic—but understanding this helps you make smarter choices to support your health.

As hormones decline, we naturally start losing muscle (a process called sarcopenia). Less muscle means a slower metabolism, less energy, and weaker bones.

And on top of that, your body becomes less effective at using the protein you do eat to build and maintain muscle. This is called anabolic resistance.

Anabolic resistance is why so many midlife women feel like they’re doing everything “right”—eating clean, watching calories, following the rules—but still not seeing results. Often, it’s because they’re not eating enough protein or calories to maintain the muscle they already have.

This is why we need more protein at this stage—not less.

The Science (and Coaching) Behind the Numbers

There’s a fair amount of research behind this, but let’s keep it simple.

As a coach with 30 years of experience, I can confidently say that most active women over 50 do well with around 100 grams of protein per day as a starting point.

But let’s put that in context...

U.S. RDA vs. What You Actually Need

The current U.S. RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, which works out to about 48 grams per day for a 135-pound woman (just divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to get kilograms).

But here’s the problem: That number is meant to prevent deficiency, not to support optimal health, aging, or body composition.

Despite everything we now know about the importance of muscle and protein in midlife and beyond, the RDA hasn’t been updated in over a decade.

Meanwhile, other countries and experts are ahead of the curve:

• Australia & New Zealand recommend 1.0–1.3g/kg for healthy aging

• A Journal of Clinical Nutrition expert panel recommends:

  • 1.0–1.2g/kg/day for healthy older adults

  • Up to 1.5g/kg/day for those with illness or high activity levels

• Moore et al., 2015 (Protein Requirements for Master Athletes) emphasized that aging muscles experience anabolic resistance, meaning we need more protein per meal to get the same benefits. They recommend 1.6–1.8g/kg/day for active adults over 50.

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So what does that mean for you? There’s no one-size-fits-all number—but if you’re following the RDA, you’re probably falling short.

So How Do You Start?

You don’t need to count every gram or track your macros obsessively to make progress toward increasing your protein.  Here’s the rule of thumb I give my clients:Aim for a source of protein at every meal.

That alone will take you a lot farther than most people realize.

Quick Guide: What Counts as a Serving?

You might need to get familiar with basic portion sizes, but it doesn’t have to be complicated:

• 1 oz. of lean meat, poultry, or fish = ~7 grams of protein(So a 4 oz. cooked portion = ~28 grams = roughly the size of your palm)

• Greek yogurt (5–6 oz.) = ~15–20 grams

• 2 eggs = ~14 grams

Once you know these ballpark numbers, you can start making small but meaningful adjustments:

• Could you add an extra egg to breakfast?

• Bump your dinner portion from 3 oz to 5 oz?

• Add a scoop of protein powder to your smoothie?

You don’t need to nail it perfectly.In fact, if you aim to hit “close enough” consistently, you’ll be way ahead of the game.

Perfection? Not required.Awareness and intention go a long way.Even without a food scale or spreadsheet, you can make smarter choices that support your goals.

The Real Takeaway

If you’re feeling stuck with your fitness goals, tired all the time, or constantly snacky—it might not be about willpower at all.

It could be that your body simply isn’t getting what it needs to thrive.

One of the easiest ways to start changing that?

👉 Front-load your day with protein.

A high-protein breakfast sets the tone for better energy, fewer cravings, and more stable blood sugar all day long.

Need a little help getting started?

Grab my free High Protein Breakfast Meal Guide—it’s packed with 20 simple, realistic meal ideas that make hitting your protein goal so much easier.

FREE High-Protein Breakfast Guide

Because when you give your midlife body the right fuel, it starts working with you again.

And that’s when everything gets easier.