If you are over 40 and your weight has stayed relatively stable, it is easy to assume things are fine. What you do not see is what happens underneath. When protein intake stays low, your body does not wait for permission. It pulls from muscle. Quietly. Daily. Without obvious symptoms at first. Over time, less muscle leads to Lower metabolism Worse blood sugar control Weaker bones Slower recovery Higher injury and fall risk That is not aging. That is erosion. The issue is not knowing protein matters. The issue is not having a system that actually delivers it. Here is a simple reference you can use immediately. Roughly 30 to 40 grams of protein looks like Five to six ounces of grilled chicken Five to six ounces of fish Five to six ounces of steak Six to eight ounces of ground turkey Six to eight ounces of grass fed beef Four whole eggs plus one or two egg whites Cheese on a salad does not get you there. It adds calories and salt long before it delivers enough protein. What works in real life is not perfection. It is structure. Anchor protein early in the day. Build meals around it instead of adding it as an afterthought. Use shakes strategically when whole food falls short. Create defaults so decision fatigue does not win. For many adults over 40, somewhere around 0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound of goal body weight is a useful reference. Not a rule. A reality check. You do not feel under eating protein today. You feel it years later when strength, resilience, and confidence quietly slip. That is the trade.