I get asked this all the time. Whether you are trying to build muscle, talk your daughter out of being vegetarian, or simply curious, this article will tell you what you need to know. If it doesn't, shoot me an email and ask! I'd love to answer your question!
How much protein do I need to eat each day?
Obviously this will be different for everyone because, as you well know, our bodies and lifestyles are different. I will now give you the all knowing formula to calculate protein needs!
This will give you the grams of protein you need in one day if you are a fairly average person who is more on the sedentary side. In this case it is 55 grams each day. Really easy to calculate, right? If you are building muscle, a growing teenager, very active, pregnant etc. obviously you would need more because protein is what your body uses to build and repair. In that case multiply your weight in kilograms by 1, 1.1, or 1.2. But don't let that confuse you! Just keep it simple and don't stress if that doesn't make sense. Just stick with the basics of .8 for now.
What do I need to eat to get enough protein?
There are a lot of sources of protein, the most obvious ones being meat, nuts, eggs, beans, tofu, and dairy. But how much do you need to eat to make sure you are getting enough? Surprisingly, not a lot. Let me give you an example.
First take a look at how much protein are in the following foods.
Okay, you get the picture. There is a lot more protein in chicken than there is in broccoli. To get 55 grams of protein you would have to eat some chicken, 3 cups of milk, and 1/2 a cup of black beans and then you would be good for the day. If you decided to not eat meat you could replace the chicken with yogurt and meet your protein requirements easily. If you decided to go vegan and skip out on the chicken and the yogurt you would need to eat 1 cup black beans, 3 cups soy milk, 3 cups broccoli, 2 potatoes, 1/4 cup almonds, and 2 cups of spinach. It is easy to get enough protein on a regular and vegetarian diet, it takes a lot of work and planning to get enough protein on a vegan diet.
If I eat extra protein will my body use it to build more muscle?
No. Your body only uses the protein to build more muscle if you are doing something that would require it to build muscle. Using muscles through exercise and physical activity signals to your body that it needs to keep muscle built up or build more muscle; however, if you eat more protein than your body needs to build or maintain muscle that protein will be stored...as fat. In fact if you eat more carbohydrate, protein, or fat than you need they will all be stored as fat...at least thats the simple answer for now.
Should I take a protein supplement after working out?
No. You can easily get enough protein through food. Which would you rather have, a nasty protein bar or some nice grilled chicken? To me the choice is easy. Protein supplements are not necessary and therefore a waste of money. A better post workout supplement could be a glass of milk, toast with peanut butter, or yogurt within 30 minutes after the workout. However, if you are vegan and having difficulty meeting your protein requirements a good protein powder in a smoothie may be in order. But, if you are a healthy individual eating a well balanced diet, you don't really need to spend money on protein supplements.
If I didn't answer your question contact me here and ask! I'll get back to you as soon as I can!
How much protein do I need to eat each day?
Obviously this will be different for everyone because, as you well know, our bodies and lifestyles are different. I will now give you the all knowing formula to calculate protein needs!
- First: Take your weight in pounds and divide it by 2.2 (150 pounds/2.2=68.2). This gives you your weight in kilograms.
- Second: Take that number and multiply it by .8 (68.2 x .8 = 55). This gives you grams protein needed.
This will give you the grams of protein you need in one day if you are a fairly average person who is more on the sedentary side. In this case it is 55 grams each day. Really easy to calculate, right? If you are building muscle, a growing teenager, very active, pregnant etc. obviously you would need more because protein is what your body uses to build and repair. In that case multiply your weight in kilograms by 1, 1.1, or 1.2. But don't let that confuse you! Just keep it simple and don't stress if that doesn't make sense. Just stick with the basics of .8 for now.
What do I need to eat to get enough protein?
There are a lot of sources of protein, the most obvious ones being meat, nuts, eggs, beans, tofu, and dairy. But how much do you need to eat to make sure you are getting enough? Surprisingly, not a lot. Let me give you an example.
First take a look at how much protein are in the following foods.
- 3 ounce chicken breast: 20 grams protein
- 6 ounces Greek yogurt: 17 grams protein
- 3 cups of cows milk: 25 grams protein
- 3 cups soy milk: 12 grams protein
- 1/4 cup almonds: 8 grams protein
- 1 cup raw spinach: 1 gram protein
- 1 cup raw broccoli: 3 grams protein
- 1 medium potato: 4 grams protein
- 1/2 cup black beans: 8 grams protein
Okay, you get the picture. There is a lot more protein in chicken than there is in broccoli. To get 55 grams of protein you would have to eat some chicken, 3 cups of milk, and 1/2 a cup of black beans and then you would be good for the day. If you decided to not eat meat you could replace the chicken with yogurt and meet your protein requirements easily. If you decided to go vegan and skip out on the chicken and the yogurt you would need to eat 1 cup black beans, 3 cups soy milk, 3 cups broccoli, 2 potatoes, 1/4 cup almonds, and 2 cups of spinach. It is easy to get enough protein on a regular and vegetarian diet, it takes a lot of work and planning to get enough protein on a vegan diet.
If I eat extra protein will my body use it to build more muscle?
No. Your body only uses the protein to build more muscle if you are doing something that would require it to build muscle. Using muscles through exercise and physical activity signals to your body that it needs to keep muscle built up or build more muscle; however, if you eat more protein than your body needs to build or maintain muscle that protein will be stored...as fat. In fact if you eat more carbohydrate, protein, or fat than you need they will all be stored as fat...at least thats the simple answer for now.
Should I take a protein supplement after working out?
No. You can easily get enough protein through food. Which would you rather have, a nasty protein bar or some nice grilled chicken? To me the choice is easy. Protein supplements are not necessary and therefore a waste of money. A better post workout supplement could be a glass of milk, toast with peanut butter, or yogurt within 30 minutes after the workout. However, if you are vegan and having difficulty meeting your protein requirements a good protein powder in a smoothie may be in order. But, if you are a healthy individual eating a well balanced diet, you don't really need to spend money on protein supplements.
If I didn't answer your question contact me here and ask! I'll get back to you as soon as I can!
