Will I lose muscle if I don't hit 2g/kg bodyweight every day?

Nutrition Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hello!

I recently have decided to lose weight and it’s going well so far… I have lowered calories down to around 2000-2200 and have gone from ~220lbs to ~199lbs. I am also trying to slim my waist line down from ~39 after reading about where my priorities should be to improve my health, and I think it’s working (but haven’t actually measured it yet).

I am 6 feet tall and 22 years old. I strength train 3 days a week, also doing a short arm day as well as some light conditioning & ab work on days that aren’t those aforementioned 3. Aside from that, I’m mostly cooped up in the house living quite sedentary these days… (though this will change a little because I go back to school soon and will be walking around a little bit more).

However, I am also trying to hit the protein goal which I believe I read that the recommendation is to hit 1.6-2.2g/kg bodyweight each day. So taking 2 x 90kg = 180: if I fail to meet that goal, am I losing muscle over time? Am I safe as long as I fall in the range of 1.6-2.2?

Should I be using my “goal weight” (probably somewhere between 180-190) for my protein calculations?

Also, I am surprised that I am sitting at ~199lbs bodyweight now while consuming 2000-2200 calories. I’m currently trying to achieve a “cut” look and I am noticing gradual improvement, but am I ultimately just going to have to keep decreasing calories further (INTO THE 1000s???) in order to achieve a more aesthetic physique?

Also, does it matter where I get the bulk of my protein from in a day? (supplements, meat, pasta, oats) Or, in other words, should I restrict how much protein I take in from supplements per day?

I apologize for the onslaught of questions, but appreciate the wealth of information that BBM puts out! Barbell Medicine is my go-to source for training, nutrition, and health-related information. I’m glad I discovered you guys**!**

2

How much protein are you eating each day? I would use your current BW to figure out your protein target for the day. If you’re getting 150-180g/day, you’re fine. I would not micromanage your protein sources or timing. That said, I would only use 1 scoop of whey protein at a time if you’re protein target is 150g/day or so.

I don’t know how active you are or how accurate your measurements are calorie wise, but I’m not surprised at your calorie intake.

3

Thank you for your response! Currently, I am usually getting somewhere in the 160s or 170s each day for my protein. Also, I used the NIH Body Weight Planner as you recommended in the recent podcast where you re-visited saturated fat intake and discussed dietary patterns, and (when I entered that I wanted to drop the desired amount of weight in 30 days), I got close to my current calorie goals (ranging from 1900-2300 after playing around with some of the variables). I also plan to start adding in 25-30 min. walks each day so that I am not so sedentary. Also, I use MyFitnessPal to track calories and I try to scan barcodes whenever possible.