How much protein do I need?

We learn early at an early age that protein is the muscle builder of our bodies. Luckily it does a lot more than just build muscle.

Protein is a large molecule that plays critical roles virtually everywhere in your body, including the muscles, bones, skin, hair, organs, and body tissues. It’s perhaps best known for helping repair cells and body tissue, but it also plays a vital role in many important bodily processes, like fluid balance, immune response, vision, and the production of hormones, antibodies, and enzymes. Therefore, proper consumption of protein is vital to proper body function, especially for athletes.

Today, we’re not going to get into much of the effects of protein on the body, but instead we are going to get practical with how we are going to use protein to our advantage.

Disclaimer:

Unfortunately, there aren’t many specific guidelines saying we need to have this specific amount of protein. When you search “how much protein do I need?”, you get a plethora of answers. Plus, half the recommendations are in kilograms which is annoying to convert. The RDA (Recommended Daily Amounts) are all over the place because, let’s be honest, humans are all over the place. We come in all shapes and sizes. Some are more active than others. Some are old, some are young. There can be no one size fits all, but that’s okay!

Recommendation:

After looking at variety of research on protein intake, we normally recommend between .8–1 gram of protein per pound of body weight for our athletes. This would mean a 200-pound athlete would consume between 160–200 grams per day. Research has shown the body can utilize between 20–30 grams during feedings, so these should be spread out over 5–6 meals throughout the day.

As someone who has tracked their protein intake for years, here’s my recommendation to you:

1. Get as close to .8–1g of protein per pound of body weight as possible for optimal gains.
2. On days you exercise/stress your body, protein should be higher (1g/lb of Body Weight).
3. On days you do not have any exercise, protein should be lower (.8g/lb of Body Weight).

Protein Timing:

There have been a lot of recent studies on the proper timing of protein and almost all of them say something along these lines:

“In conclusion, current evidence does not appear to support the claim that immediate (≤ 1 hour) consumption of protein pre- and/or post-workout significantly enhances strength- or hypertrophy-related adaptations to resistance exercise.”

In short, the latest research indicates there’s no need to rush your consumption of protein after a workout (unless you haven’t eaten for a while). But the fact remains: Your muscles need protein, and lots of it, to grow.

This all comes back to consistency as most things do. Current research shows there isn’t a special timing of protein that will make you drop your 40-yard dash time or increase your squat. Consistency with your protein and good quality meals is where the magic is. Don’t get lost in the sauce.

JUST BE CONSISTENT.

The picture below can be a useful example of planning out when and how much protein you will intake throughout the day. Plan your meals out!

For help planning meals, go read my blog on Nutrition Planning and keep protein at a top priority with what you learned today.