![\"InBody](\"https:\/\/www.inbody.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/inbody-dial-h20-app.jpg\")
The Formula Most People Get Wrong<\/h2>\n\n
The most common protein recommendation you’ll see is 0.8g per kg of body weight \u2014 the RDA set by health authorities. This is the minimum required to prevent deficiency in a sedentary person. It is not the optimal amount for maintaining muscle, losing fat, or performing at any level of physical activity.<\/p>\n\n
The current evidence-based recommendation for active individuals, and even for moderately active people aiming to maintain muscle mass, is 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass per day.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Note the phrase: lean body mass. Not total body weight.<\/p>\n\n This distinction is everything. And it is the reason a body composition test is not just a fitness gadget \u2014 it is the only way to calculate your actual protein requirement with accuracy.<\/p>\n\n Protein’s primary function is to repair, build, and maintain muscle tissue. Fat tissue requires no protein for maintenance. Consider two men, both weighing 90 kg:<\/p>\n\n If both calculate protein on total body weight at 1.8g\/kg, they both get 162g of protein per day. But Man B has 12.6 kg less muscle mass to support. His actual requirement is closer to 110g. Man A genuinely needs 133g.<\/p>\n\n The number from the scale gives you neither of these insights. A body composition test does.<\/p>\n\n Example:<\/strong> 75 kg woman, estimated 32% body fat.<\/p>\n For precision \u2014 and to track whether your lean mass is changing over time \u2014 get an InBody test. It gives you your exact skeletal muscle mass, from which you can calculate the most accurate protein target possible.<\/p>\n\n Indian cuisine is not low-protein by cultural intent \u2014 it’s low-protein by portion architecture. The way most Indian meals are built, carbohydrates dominate the plate and protein sources appear as accompaniments rather than foundations.<\/p>\n\n If your target is 90g per day, and your first two meals deliver 40g combined, you have 50g to find in dinner, snacks, and anything in between. Most Indians don’t find it. The food is wholesome. The protein architecture needs rebuilding.<\/p>\n\n Total: ~120\u2013125g protein at approximately 2,200\u20132,400 calories.<\/strong> No supplements mandatory. No imported foods. No cooking methods that aren’t already in most Indian kitchens.<\/p>\n\n This is true only for people who already have chronic kidney disease. For healthy individuals with normal kidney function, no credible clinical evidence supports kidney damage from high protein intake. A 2018 review in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism<\/em> found no adverse kidney effects at intakes up to 2.2g\/kg body weight in healthy adults.<\/p>\n\n Incorrect but understandable given how poorly most vegetarian Indian diets are structured for protein. A vegetarian diet can absolutely meet a 1.8g\/kg lean mass target \u2014 but it requires intentionality. Paneer, dal, soy chunks, Greek curd, eggs (if ovo-vegetarian), tofu, and chana must be actively incorporated in quantity, not as garnishes.<\/p>\n\n Dal is a good protein source, not a sufficient one on its own. If you’re eating 4 rotis and half a bowl of dal, you’re getting perhaps 12g of protein from the dal. Invert the proportion and dal becomes genuinely useful.<\/p>\n\n The calculation above gives you an estimate. An InBody body composition test gives you a precise number \u2014 your exact skeletal muscle mass \u2014 from which you can calculate the protein intake that matches your actual physiology, not a population average.<\/p>\n\n This matters because protein requirements change as you build muscle or lose fat. A test every 3 months tells you whether your lean mass is increasing (good \u2014 slightly raise protein target), decreasing (concerning \u2014 investigate why), or stable (recalibrate as needed).<\/p>\n\n
\n\nWhy Lean Mass Is the Right Number<\/h2>\n\n
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How to Calculate Your Number Right Now<\/h2>\n\n
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\n\nWhy Indian Diets Are Structurally Low in Protein<\/h2>\n\n
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\n\nProtein Sources Ranked for the Indian Diet<\/h2>\n\n
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\n\nA Sample 2,400-Calorie Indian Day Hitting 120g Protein<\/h2>\n\n
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\n\nMyths That Keep Indians Protein-Deficient<\/h2>\n\n
“Too much protein damages your kidneys.”<\/h3>\n
“Vegetarians can’t get enough protein.”<\/h3>\n
“Dal gives you plenty of protein.”<\/h3>\n
\n\nKnow Your Lean Mass. Know Your Number.<\/h2>\n\n