Blog By Dr. Elle 

I love bacon, like a lot.  But I don’t love it enough to eat 43 slices a day.

For a long time during my own perimenopause and menopause journey, I kept hearing the same advice everywhere:

“You need to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.”

And honestly?
It felt overwhelming.

At the time, I weighed about 130 pounds, and when I did the math, that meant 130 grams of protein per day. When you’re already navigating hormone shifts, sleep changes, stress, blood sugar, workouts, family, work, and life… that number felt not just challenging, but unsustainable.

So I did what I encourage all my patients to do:
I went back to the science, talked with experts, and learned where this recommendation actually comes from — and how to apply it without making nutrition another source of stress.

Where the “1 Gram Per Pound” Rule Comes From

First, an important clarification:

Protein research is based on grams per kilogram (kg), not pounds.

For menopausal and post-menopausal women, the evidence consistently supports a protein intake range of:

👉 1.2-2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day

When you convert that to pounds, it becomes approximately:

👉 0.5-0.9 grams of protein per pound

The popular “1 gram per pound” recommendation isn’t wrong — it’s simply the very top end of the evidence-based range, rounded up because it’s easy to remember and helps prevent under-eating protein (which is extremely common in women).

What 1 Gram Per Pound Looked Like for Me

At 130 lbs, the 1 g/lb rule meant:

130 grams of protein per day

Here’s what that actually looks like in real food:

• Breakfast:

  • 3 eggs = ~18 g

• Lunch:

  • 5 oz chicken breast = ~35 g

• Snack:

  • Protein shake = ~25 g

• Dinner:

  • 6 oz chicken or fish = ~40 g

• Miscellaneous (nuts, veggies, extras): ~10-15 g

That’s multiple protein-dense meals, very intentionally planned, every single day.

For some women — especially those lifting heavy consistently — this works well.
For many others, it feels rigid, exhausting, and mentally draining.

And during menopause, stress matters just as much as macros.

The Evidence-Based Protein Range (Translated Simply)

Let’s look at the actual research-supported range using my same 130 lb body weight.

🔹 Lower End (Minimum Effective Intake)

~0.5 g per lb = ~65 grams/day

What that might look like:

• 2 eggs = ~12 g

• 4 oz chicken = ~28 g

• Protein shake = ~20 g

• Small extras = ~5 g

➡️ This is a reasonable minimum for sedentary days or lighter movement days.

🔹 Higher End (Upper Effective Intake)

~0.9 g per lb = ~115-120 grams/day

What that might look like:

• 3 eggs = ~18 g

• Protein shake = ~25 g

• 5-6 oz chicken or fish at lunch = ~35-40 g

• 5-6 oz protein at dinner = ~35-40 g

➡️ This aligns well with strength training, muscle preservation, fat loss, and metabolic support.

How I Personally Use Protein Now

This is where nuance matters — and where I want to give you permission to stop being perfect.

• On days I lift heavy or train hard, I intentionally aim for the higher end of my protein range.

• On days I don’t lift or move lightly, I’m perfectly comfortable landing closer to the middle or lower end.

Protein doesn’t need to be the same every single day to be effective.

What I Recommend You Aim For

Instead of one rigid rule, I suggest thinking in ranges:

• Minimum: ~0.5 g per lb of body weight
  (Enough to support basic muscle and metabolic needs)

• Upper end: ~0.8-0.9 g per lb
  (Great for lifting days, body recomposition, insulin sensitivity)

The famous 1 g per lb?
✔️ Useful
✔️ Safe for many
✔️ But not mandatory

The Most Important Takeaway

Menopause is already asking a lot of your body.

Protein is meant to support you, not stress you.

If you:

• Eat protein at most meals

• Adjust intake based on activity

• Aim for a range, not perfection

You are doing more than enough.

Consistency over time matters far more than hitting an exact number every single day.

If you want help finding your ideal protein range — based on hormones, activity level, metabolism, and lifestyle — this is something we personalize every day at ElleWell.

You don’t have to navigate this alone 🪷

*No bacon was waisted during the creation of this blog…