How Much Protein Should I Eat in a Day?

November 6th, 2007 Posted in Diet

Hardcore weight trainers eat a ton of protein in a day. OK, they don’t eat ‘a ton’, but just now much protein do they eat? How much protein do you eat? How much is appropriate? Can one have too much of it? If so, what are the drawbacks? The ultimate question is: how much protein should I eat in a day?

As with how much fat to eat in a day and how many carbs to eat in a day, it all depends on a couple factors:
High Protein Steak

age
body size
diet
activity level
lifestyle

The recommended amount of protein for a healthy adult is 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. A kilogram is roughly equal to 2.2 pounds. An exception to this rule is the recommended levels for pregnant women, which say that pregnant women should eat 10 grams more each day than the recommended amount. Lactating women require an additional 15 grams of protein during the first six months of nursing, and an additional 12 grams after that.

Males who participate in regular vigorous exercise typically will eat from 1 to 1.5 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. This can be both positive and negative for the body. The additional protein will assist in muscle recovery and fat loss, but the effects of digesting the protein will place additional stress on the body.

Why Should I Limit My Protein Intake?

While protein is as vital to cellular metabolism as oxygen, there certainly lies a threshold for healthy and unhealthy consumption levels especially for those in poorer health. Processing protein requires a lot from kidneys and liver which is why those with problems with either of those organs are often ordered by their physicians to eat a lower protein diet.

An indirect drawback from excessive animal protein consumption is its effect on the cardiovascular system. Since many meats contain a fair amount of saturated fat, this can lead to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, as well as obesity. For example, only 25% of a T-bone steak’s calories come from protein while the rest comes from saturated fat. Even a leaner cut of beef like a flank steak is still roughly 50% fat. The same holds true for eggs. Only 31% of eggs’ calories come from protein. Fish and chicken are certainly better sources of protein.

Remember when eating a diet higher in protein to drink plenty of water in order to replenish the considerable amount lost during protein metabolism. Try and stay on the safe side by avoiding extreme high-protein diets full of saturated fats like the ketogenic diets (Atkins) just previously discussed and you will be in much better physical standing.

Do draw a simple conclusion, I recommend 1 gram of protein per lb of lean body mass for both males and females who exercise at least 3 times per week. A 200 lb man with 10% bodyfat would aim to consume about 180 grams of protein in a day. More importantly, keeping your unhealthy fat consumption and processed carbohydrate consumption low, will go a long way to preserve your health for the long haul.

Written by Steve Hanson
Discussing Conditioning, Weightlifting, Powerlifting, Strongman Training, Nutrition, Diet, Recipes, Martial Arts, and Healthy Lifestyle Ideas
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14 Responses to “How Much Protein Should I Eat in a Day?”
By Kamal N Sharma on Jan 6, 2008

You do not have to eat meat products to gain enough protein for your body. You always can get enough of protein from lentils, beans and soya based products. This way is much better as you will never build up saturated fat in your body and invite heart problems.
By Steve on Mar 10, 2008

Unfortunately, soy-based products are bad for several reasons. The phytoestrogens in soy are directly related to increased estrogen in men, and several forms of cancer, including breast cancer, in women. Soy is contraindicated for infants as well.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy
“Soybeans contain isoflavones called genistein and daidzein, which are one source of phytoestrogens in the human diet.”

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoestrogens
“Phytoestrogens sometimes called ‘dietary estrogens’ are a diverse group of naturally occurring non steroidal plant compounds that because of their structural similarity with estradiol (17?-estradiol), have the ability to cause estrogenic or/and antiestrogenic effects.”

So yeah, if you are the kind of guy that enjoys stunted growth, saggy man boobs, inhibited muscle growth and fat loss, and various forms of cancer, then by all means EAT UP!

The correct way to ingest protein is to embrace organic lean meat sources such as turkey, chicken, and fish. Eggs are OK, but most high-fat beef and pork products should be limited. Eat meat + vigorous training = muscle growth.
By Rob on Mar 25, 2008

I think you meant to say:

“1 gram of protein per lb of lean body mass ”
instead of
“1 lb of protein per lb of lean body mass “
By Steve on Mar 26, 2008

Indeed I did. No one should be eating a pound of protein per pound of bodyweight. I made this mistake twice in the article (so much for proofreading), and have thus made corrections. Thanks for the help!
By Kuba on Apr 29, 2008

Steve -
it is true that too much Soy (in any form is bad) However red meat stays in your body for couple of weeks YUCK!

And Chicken well you better raise them yourself because otherwise you are eating
chemical sponge

Eggs=cholesterol..

Organic is the way to go No Doubt but myself I prefer Quinoa,trail mix,tofu,veggie burger etc.

Kuba
By Bryan on May 23, 2008

“The recommended amount of protein for a healthy adult is 0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight. A kilogram is roughly equal to 2.2 pounds.”

I think you meant “0.8 grams per kg of bodyweight.”

The range is 0.8 - 1.8 g/kg bodyweight as far as I know.
By Steve on May 23, 2008

Bryan:
Indeed you are correct. Apparently I can’t publish an article without at least 20 typos. Thanks for the help!
By anne on Jun 28, 2008

i weigh 115 lbs and im 5ft 4 and i usually comsume about 70 grams of protein is that to much or can i eat more ….
By Steve on Jun 28, 2008

Depends on your goals. If you are trying to build muscle I would increase it to 100 grams a day. If you are trying to get or stay ‘toned’ I would keep it at 70 grams. What is your goal weight? If 115 lbs is good for you, I think you are eating enough protein.
By James Acton on Jul 3, 2008

But the confusing thing for me…

How do I work out the amount of protein in meat and eggs

if I eat 100grams of chicken that’s not 100grams of protein… or is it :\
By Steve on Jul 5, 2008

If you can figure out how many cups of chicken that is, you can go here: click to get amount of protein in chicken in order to get macro-nutrient break downs for 1 cup of roasted chicken. The top level domain for the link I just gave is Fit Watch, then choose Calorie Counting >> Calorie Counter to get macro-nutrient breakdowns for many foods.
By online doctor on Jul 19, 2008

You are absolutely right - processing protein requires a lot from kidneys and liver. Thats why I’m baffled when I see people work out hard / eat appropriately but then go out binge drinking then and wonder why they aren’t seeing results…
By Naweed on Jul 21, 2008

i wieght 176 lbs and i eat 70 grams of protien a day…..
By Steve on Jul 21, 2008

Naweed:
If you are male and lift weights seriously at least 3 times a week, then I would consider bumping up your protein intake to 130-140 grams a day. Give it some time and I think you will enjoy the difference.