Does a big, juicy steak for breakfast sound appealing? Perhaps not, but finding ways to boost your protein intake during breakfast and lunch might be a good idea.

A new study suggests spreading your protein intake more evenly across three meals is crucial to keeping your muscles strong as you age.

For three years, researchers led by McGill University studied more than 1,700 Canadians between the ages of 67 and 84. They measured participants’ physical performance once each year with two tests. One evaluated muscle strength through hand grip, arm and leg exercises, while the other assessed mobility through walking speed, chair stands and timed walking tests.

The researchers also conducted six 24-hour food recalls — three at the beginning of the study and three at Year 2 — to collect dietary information.

Women with the most balanced protein intake averaged 18 grams at breakfast, 23 grams at lunch and 23 grams at dinner. Men averaged 21 grams at breakfast, 29 grams at lunch and 30 grams at dinner.

These participants showed significantly higher muscle strength throughout the study, regardless of how much protein they consumed, compared with those whose protein intake was less consistent. However, the researchers also found that the rate of decline in muscle strength was not affected by protein distribution.

This suggests it might be important to do what you can to boost your muscle strength now, since we all will gradually lose it as we age.

So, no, you don’t have to eat a rare steak for breakfast. But if you want to improve your muscle strength, you might want to consider having an egg or two with your cereal.