Most women I talk to think they're eating enough protein. They're not even close.

Here's the reality: if you're over 35, your body becomes less efficient at using protein to build and maintain muscle. You actually need MORE than a 25-year-old — not less.

Pre-menopausal & menopausal women: Declining oestrogen makes muscle loss accelerate. Protein timing matters almost as much as total intake. Spacing 30-40g across 4 meals beats cramming it into 2.

Vegetarians: You CAN absolutely hit your protein targets without meat. But you need to be strategic — combining incomplete proteins, prioritising leucine-rich sources like tempeh, lentils + rice combos, and supplementing smart.

The body recomp angle: You don't need to bulk and cut. If your protein is dialled in and you're in a slight deficit with resistance training, recomp is very achievable — especially for women who are relatively new to structured nutrition.

I built The Macro Lab specifically for this. Weekly meal plans, macro-friendly recipes, and a community of women figuring this out together. $5/month — less than a coffee.

If this resonates, come hang.