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Hardcore bodybuilders, powerlifters, and other weightlifters eat a ton of protein in a day. OK, they don’t eat a “ton”, but they do eat more than the average person.
Just now much protein do they eat?
How much protein do you eat?
How much protein is appropriate?
Can we eat too much protein?
If so, what are the side effects?
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:
- age
- body size
- diet
- activity level
- lifestyle
The recommended amount of protein for a healthy adult is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. Since a kilogram is roughly equal to 2.2 pounds, that translates into .36 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.
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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.
I firmly believe that this recommendation is grossly inadequate. In fact I wouldn’t recommend any less than .8 grams of protein per pound (rather than per kilogram) of body weight, for people looking to maintain a healthy body composition, and I wouldn’t recommend any less than 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight for people looking to gain muscle.
Males who participate in regular vigorous exercise typically will eat from 1 to 1.5 gram of protein per pound of body weight. 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) and you will be in much better physical standing.
To Gain Muscle:
I recommend 1 gram of protein per lb of lean body mass for males and females who exercise at least 3 times per week and are trying to gain muscle mass.
A 200 lb man with 10% bodyfat would aim to consume about 180 grams of protein in a day. That’s 6 meals with an average of 30 grams of protein per meal, and THAT, my friends, is quite doable.
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If you have trouble consuming that much protein with food alone, I highly suggest you pick up some Optimum Nutrition Protein Powders, a source of inexpensive, high quality protein. One extra protein shake a day could make all the difference in the world.
To Lose Fat:
I recommend .8 grams of protein per lb of lean body mass for males and females who exercise at least 3 times per week and are trying to lose body fat.
A 150 lb woman with 25% bodyfat would aim to consume about 90 grams of protein in a day. That’s 3 meals with 20 grams of protein per meal and 3 snacks with 10 grams of protein, and THAT, my friends, is also very doable.
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.
See also:
How many grams of fat should I eat?
How many grams of carbs should I eat?
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Need Pure Whey Protein Powder?
If you are looking for a pure protein powder, check out Optimum Nutrition. Optimum Nutrition protein powder comes in about 20 different flavors, and is available in 1 lb, 2 lb, 5 lb, and 10 lb containers.Click here to order or learn more about Optimum Nutrition.
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About Project Swole - Project Swole is managed and mostly written by Steve, a formerly IFPA and ISSA certified personal trainer and sport nutritionist, who has been studying, practicing, and experimenting with fitness and nutrition since 1992. Please use the content at Project Swole to supplement the advice of your doctor or physician. All medical questions should be directed towards a qualified medical professional, and the advice provided at Project Swole should be used at your own discretion.
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Hi Steve, what do you reccomend for a postworkout meal? is protein powder and some gummy bears ok? thanks
Hi steve, i’m 17 nearly 18, i weigh 160 pounds, i’m 6ft 2 and fairly skinny and want to bulk up. I’v started going to the gym 3 times a week for just over half an hour a time and concentrating on upper body work outs, but i’m not sure how much protien to consume. I have bought some whey protien to take after work out sessions but really need to know how much i should take per day along with my other meals. I am a little confused as i found the RDA on this site http://www.time-to-run.com/nutrition/rda.htm is alot less than your recomended intake. Please can you help?
Thanks alot
Dan
Hi Steve. I am 38 yo, 5’11, 165 lbs (but look skinny). I recently started to workout and found out that my maintenance calories are around 3000 (I have a very fast metabolism). So I am consuming around 3700 calories a day- 225 gms (900 cals) of protein, 82 gms (740 cals) of fats and 515 gms (2060 cals) of carbs. I see that you mention that one should not have more than 300 gms (1200 cals) of carbs. But in a case like mine, how do I get the additional calories, if my protein AND carb intake is limited? Is my diet okay for now?
Thanks
Hey Steve,
I am 5’9″ and weigh 185 lbs and with 22.5% body fat. I am doing a lot of cardio now a days and hitting the gym Almost 4 times a week. I am open to doing weight training as well if it takes. I wan to reduce almost 30 pounds off my weight and build sone quality muscle. How much protien do u suggest me to intake ?? I am eating close to 70 gms of protien as of now and would like to increase the consumption if that is way it takes I am open to eating meat as well so can u suggest me the best protien intake !! And is it ok if I take protien powders ?? Which brand do u think would be better coz I wouldn’t take chances with anything I can get my hands on.
Ashwin: what is missing from my post that would allow you to answer your own questions? Please tell me because I don’t understand how I didn’t already answer these questions in the post. 1 gram per pound of body weight. Optimum Nutrition protein powder, but choose whole food over powders. Fish, chicken, turkey, and eggs are best.
AQ: gummy bears are not a horrible post-workout meal, but definitely not ideal. Try Biotest Surge or a different product with 20 grams of protein and 40 grams of high GI carbs.
Dan: My protein intake recommendations are primarily for weightlifters. That is to say: men and women who attempt to build muscle and/or lose fat via resistance and high intensity training. I stick to my original word.
Nikhil: for someone looking to gain weight with a high metabolism, you can definitely eat that many carbs in a day. Try to minimize the sugars and high GI carbs though, except for post-workout.
Steve,
I’m a 43 yr old female that weighs 210 and i am 5’2. I’m exercising 4 x /day. I jog for 30 sec and walk for 2 min I do this for 20 minutes. I’m eating 1200 calories and 70 gms of protien a day. I’ve been doing this for 3 wks and have lost 9 lbs. I am also colon cleansing once a day. Could the weight loss be from the cleansing? What formula should I be doing to lose the fat?
Cidy: the weight loss is clearly a combination of diet, exercise, and cleansing. A great diet low in calories and high in protein, plus an intense exercise routine, combined with quality supplements, will definitely help you lose fat fast. Keep up the good work. Consider adding an acai supplement to help burn fat even faster.
Im 30 years old 5’9″ tall and weigh 150 im airly skinny.I just got a home gym.It mostly does legs arms chest.I have been drinking 2 protein shakes a day at 56 grams of protein a drink.I whant to add around 5 to 8 lbs of muscle.Do i need more protein or something else.Can i have a little advise.
I’m 24 years old, 5’5 and I weigh 103 lbs. Yeah..hmm, my problem is that my thighs and legs are extremely skinny, I think my upperbody looks okay, but my bottom half…I need to gain some weight there. How much protein and calories should I consume daily?? My goal weight is 110-115 lbs.
RachelB: Trying to gain lower body muscle mass? You should probably be getting between 100-120 grams of protein a day and 1500 calories a day. Add calories in increments of 100 if you just can’t gain muscle at 1500.
Furthermore, Ensure is probably OK. It’s kind of like Boost right? I used to drink a High Protein Boost post workout.
Oh and one more thing…I drink Ensure, with high protein. Will that do anything for me? Just curious.
Hi Steve
I am 45 and have always been fairly thin I am 5’7 and weigh 135lb
My butt has dropped and is pretty dam soft. I dont eat much of anything, and am afraid to gain weight, I need to lift my butt back to where it was when I was 30. What to do and how long should it take
I really have never worked out in my life.
Please help
Unhappy: You should get on a full body training program, lifting 3 days per week for 45 minutes with supersets. You should add in 2 cardio sessions a week. Start with endurance cardio for 30-45 minutes per session and work your way into HIIT sessions of 20-25 mins. Eat 5 meals a day, but make them small. Make sure to get at least 100-120 grams of protein a day, the rest of your calories should come from healthy fats and complex carbs. Drink lots of fluid.
You should see results within 2 months of starting to train, as long as you are training intensely. If you are training lazily and miss workouts, don’t expect to see great results. Each workout you should focus on lower body exercises like squats, deadlifts, Russian deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, front squats, lunges, good mornings, one leg squats, one leg deadlifts, and jumping drills; but don’t forget about upper body too. Hit those abs hard.
Hi Steve.. I think u know lot about body building….. that’s y I’m asking u for a favor. I’d like u to give me some techniques to improve my health & to gain muscles :
I m jst 25 years old, height 5’10″ and weight 60 kg only. My hands and legs are too thin. I wanna build my muscles. I eat lot but i can’t gain muscles.
How cud i build my muscles without side-effects?
Thank u
Shihan: Lift heavy weights often and continue to “eat lot”. Try a full body routine 3-4 days a week and a HIIT routine 1-2 days a week. Search this site for more detailed information.
I don’t eat protein at all, no milk, no eggs, no meat. I eat only veggies & fruits & I never get sick, I have a ton of energy all day. My muscles are built. You don’t need animal protein. I also stay away from processed foods, fast foods. I guess I’m what you call natural.
Actually Jerry G, I think you are what I call a vegan. That’s perfectly fine if it works for you. Personally, I like fish and chicken.
i am 22 yrs old .. working out 6 days a week ,,, doin da same body part i.e. chest and bicceps everyday … is it advisable to do the sae body part everyday ,,,
karan: it is not advisable to do the same body part everyday. You should either do full body workouts every other day, or split the muscles up throughout the week like:
Monday – Chest, Tris, Abs / Tuesday – Quads, Calves / Wednesday – Back, Bis, Abs / Thursday – Hamstrings, Calves / Friday – Shoulders, Tris, Bis, Abs
- or -
Monday – Chest, Vertical Back, Tris, Bis, Abs / Tuesday – Quads, Hamstrings, Calves / Wednesday – Off / Thursday – Horizontal Back, Shoulders, Tris, Bis, Abs / Friday – Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
Best of luck!
Hi Steve,
I’m female, 48 years old. 155lbs 33% body fat. I want to lose weight, and gain lean muscle mass. How much protein should I consume, and what should my caloric intake be?
I workout three times a week doing cardio and lift weights with a trainer for an hour on Tues, Thurs & Friday. I do an hour of cardio on Mondays and Wednesday.
I plan to stick to mostly lean meats, chicken, fish and turkey. I allow myself one cheat day (saturday). That means maybe a glass of wine or dessert.
Thanks for your help, love you site, and I think its great you take the time to tailor eating plans. Great info!
I have read over a lot of your posts…I have a different health issue that maybe you can help with. I do have Chronic Kidney Disease (not life threatening, but do have to restrict my protein grams to 40 per day). So with just 40 per day, how can I lose weight and just a importantly, gain muscle. I am 5’3″, go between 145-148lbs and 51 yrs young. I should be somewhere between 115 – 125 lbs. I think my calorie intake is approx. 1250-1500 day. I do a good walk/run program on the tredmill 3-4 days wk, lift lighter weights (6-8lbs) 3-4 days wk, abs/obliques 2-3 days wk, use a band for rows, etc 3-4 days wk. I try to eat 4-5 carbs…3 fruit…3+ vegs…40 grams protein…small amount of added healthy fats…(and do snack on ice cream at night a few nights a week). With all of this, I still simply stay the same weight! This is a diet that a RD gave to me, but she is not a body builder or in that field, so I am not sure if she understands what I am trying to acheive. Can you help?
Deb: It is going to be pretty hard for you to lose weight and gain muscle at the same time… damn near impossible if I do say so myself.
For a goal bodyweight of 130 lbs, 1400 calories is a decent target for you. Make sure your carbs come from mostly whole grain sources, and if you want to lose fat please stop eating ice cream at night. You will benefit from increasing the intensity of your cardio routine from “a good walk/run program on the treadmill” to real exercises like jogging outside, riding a bike, or maybe even taking up a kickboxing class. You could also try an exercise DVD if you can find one with enough intensity. Basically, you are going to have to increase the intensity of your workouts if you want to see more progress. Being 51 means nothing. You can workout as hard as a 20 year old as long as you have no nagging injuries to your neck, hips, back, knees, ankles, or shoulders.
Now, if you want to gain some muscle I think I have the solution. Stick with your current diet, but stop lifting such light weight. Start pushing yourself a little in the weight room by either using slightly heavier free weights or by switching to machines where you can increase the resistance with less fear of injury (but really I’d rather see you using heavier dumbbells and maybe even barbells). Stop using a band for rows and start using weights.
Ultimately it is going to be about increasing exercise intensity. Just think about it.
Hi, am 18 male 5 ft 7 and 142 lb, I would like to lose wieght but as the same time add muscle how much protein should I be taking in? as I don’t want to add more weight but at the same time I know I need more protien to add muscle.
Alan: About 120-150 grams of protein a day should be fine for you.
I am a 124 pound female, 5’6″ tall, and nursing an 18 month old. (I plan on weaning in two months…) I am on a rigorous bodybuilder routine to put on muscle until April, when I will begin cutting for a figure competition in July. I have been eating a diet consisting of 250 grams of protein a day, 250 carbs, 60 grams of fat, and around 2500-2800 calories a day. I do six days of weights in the morning, and three days a week, I go back to the gym for thirty minutes of cardio and thirty minutes of core/abs. I’ve been eating this way for six weeks and have continued to gain muscle and lose fat surprisingly. However, I’m starting to have stomach cramps each morning. I’m wondering if this could be related to the amount of protein I’m taking in. Would you suggest I continue my current diet or make some changes? Thank you.
Leslie: I can’t tell you what is giving you stomach cramps, but 250 grams of protein a day sounds excessive. At 124 lbs, I wouldn’t recommend more than 130 grams of protein a day, or maybe 150 at the most if you are on a serious bodybuilding workout. Honestly, I don’t know how to fix your stomach cramps, but perhaps eating less protein could help.
Whats going on….My current weight is about 195 and I am 6’4″ tall. I hit the weight room 4 to 5 times a week and my target weight is about 210-215. Any suggestions?
200-220 grams of protein a day should be enough for you, Luke.
Hey Steve! Great article btw….I’m 21 yr old female, 5’11 & 225lbs…my goal is not necessarily losing weight but losing body fat..I’ve lost weight before, turns out I was losing muscle. I have ordered a body fat monitor, and will definitely be getting some optimum nutrition protein powder, but how do you think I will be able to lower my body fat percent? I want to look leaner, and I want my muscle definition to show…especially my obliques & glutes..
..How many calories should I eat per day and how many grams of protein? I strength train 5 days per week, and do about 10 minutes of intense cardio also. But I definitely need tips on my diet. Thank you much!
Chantal: Let’s assume your goal bodyweight is 150 lbs, because frankly at 5’11 if you train right you will lose ‘weight’ along with your fat. I calculate your max daily calories at 1750-1800 and probably around 130 grams of protein. Those numbers might need adjusting as you lose fat. The problem might lie with your carb intake. Keep those carbs complex and under 120 (100 would be even better) grams a day, at least for a couple months, at which time you can experiment with eating 150-200 grams of carbs a day.
To get those glutes hardened up, do lots of squatting, lunging, and try to attempt some interval sprints. Deadlifts are good too. Don’t forget to work some HIRT training into your routine. Consider 3 days of 35-40 minute full body weight training sessions with a focus on gaining muscle and strength. End those workouts with 15-20 minutes of HIRT training. On the off days you can incorporate additional core training with HIIT workouts. Be sure to rest every 3-4 days OR take the weekends off for recovery.
Thank you Steve, for the insight…I’ve been eating 1650 calories..But I will definitely go up to atleast 1800. My target weight is about 190, I dont want to be too thin, I want to maintain my curvy body, just replace some fat with muscle. I do not exercise on weekends, only monday thru friday. Thank you sooo much again for the tips.
You are welcome, Chantal. Thanks for the feedback.
Steve, I weigh between 198 and 202 pounds on any given day..depending on the scale
. I’m 5’7″ and 43 years old. I want to get down to approximately 160 to 165 pounds. How much protein should I be eating while doing some light to medium workouts and cardio. I don’t know how much my wife weighs but she wants to lose weight also and does the same workouts as I do. How much protein should she be eating? She’s 42, 5’4″.
Ray: You can probably eat about 130-140 grams of protein a day. Your wife can probably eat about 100-120 grams. This is if you are not into intense weightlifting. If that were the case I’d bump you up to 160 grams a day.
Thank you Steve.
hi
i am weighing 77 kg with 11-12% body fat and 1.76 m tall how many grams(to be safe) of protein should a eat a day i dont want to look like n body builder just lean and a bit built want to have body fat of 7-9%
kobus: The article didn’t answer this question for you? Go back and calculate how much protein you should eat in a day, post it in the comments, and I will tell you if you are accurate.
I don’t know how much protein I should be eating a day and I don’t know if I need a protein supplement. I am 26 years old and I am very active. I am currently training for a marathon. In the last 6 months or so I have gained about 10 pounds but all of my clothes fit the same and I am weight training a lot more andI have added a protein supplement (muscle mile light) to my diet. I generally eat about 100-120 grams of protein a day. I currently weigh about 147 pounds I am 5’9″, 6 months ago I weighed 137 pounds. Anyway, I just ran out of the muscle milk light and I am debating on whether I should buy it again. I only use about 1/2 a serving a day anyway, so it accounts for 13 grams of my protein a day. help.
Hi Steve;
I am 6 foot tall, male and my body weight is 97.6 kg
Body Composition:
Intracellular Fluid (L) 35
Extracellular Fluid (L) 18
My body protein mass = 13.5 kg
My body bone mass = 4.25 kg
My body fat mass = 28 kg
My body muscle mass is 64
My Lean body mass is 71.5
My target weight is 80kg
I start going gym for about 2 months (5 days a week each session about one and a half hour and weekend rest) but I do walk about 6 kilometer a day on weekend. And at gym I do treadmills for about 30 – 45 minutes with incline 10 and speed 4 to 6 and most of the time is I stay with speed 5. in first month I lost 2kg fat and 2nd months I lost 2kg of muscle! What I am doing wrong Steve?
My daily food is for morning a glass of mix fruit juice (combination of carrot, green apple, celery and cucumber) and some other day is glass of fresh milk.
Lunch = a chicken thigh and drumstick, and sometime is chicken breast with wing. a
Some other days will be fish with little rice and vegetable as well.
At evening around 6pm sometimes noodles.
And at night will be 100% mix fruit only.
I use to smoke and not quit the smoking for about 6 months.
I wonder why have not lose much fat in my mid section.
gholagha: I didn’t seen any mention of resistance training. If are you just doing all cardio you will lose muscle mass; try lifting weights 3 times a week. Turn your endurance cardio sessions into either HIRT or HIIT training, both of which you can find on this site.
Furthermore I don’t see much protein in your diet. Instead of eating meals made up of 100% fruit, you should try to have a balance of healthy fats, complex carbs, and protein in all of your meals; and you should aim for 5 small meals a day rather than what you are doing now.
Thank you stave, I was searching google to find out why I lost muscle and I directed to this great site + with it’s great inputs.
I am keep reading most of the articles since this morning and your responds confirms that my protein intake is not enough and I am not doing much resistance training. thank you very much for great advices. I’m still reading and sure stay around this site and read your inputs.
Once again thank your very much for your great inputs.
gholagha: You’re welcome.
I am 31 years old and weigh 130 pounds. I run 3 days a week (I am usually training to run a half marathon) and do the eliptical and lift weights on most other days. I am trying to become more tonedand lower my body fat. For the most part eat healthy. Will eating more protein help me? Any suggestions?
Thanks
Hello, I’m trying to gain muscle, been working out consistently for 5 months 5 days a week. I don’t see any muscle progress. My lifting strength has increased dramatically. I’m 5’7″ weigh 185lbs. How much protien do I need to gain the 15 pounds of lean muscle. Thanks in advance
Rick: 185-200 grams of protein a day.
hi iam 5’1″ i weigh about 174 i need to get down to 120-125 iam now waling about an hour aday. how mucvh mor do i need to do and what type diet do i need to be on. iam 48 years old and had gained about 50 pound from my thyroid i have had touble all my life off and on,my doctor says we’re back on track again,and i really want to get this weight off. thank you
teresa: I recommend about 1500 calories a day, but you will need to adjust that number based on progress. Stick to a healthy diet, not a fad diet. Eat about 100-120 grams of protein a day, 100-150 grams of carbs a day (more on workout days, less on off days), and the rest of the calories should be healthy fats.
Hey, I am almost 16 years old and male. I vary from 140-145 lbs and am 5’8″. I am involved in organized hockey, plus I workout at the gym or on my family’s bowflex 2-4 times a week. My goal is to gain weight, how much protein would you recommend?
Thanks.
Hi Steve-
I’m 5’6, 197 lbs. and almost 33. I was in the Army and pretty fit, but when I got out three years ago, I continued to eat like I was still in the Army and began to eat a lot of fast food all the while living a mostly sedentary lifestyle. I started back at the gym four weeks ago (6 days a week) and I’m doing weights four of the days with cardio everyday. I’m also doing a kickboxing class 3 of the days on top of the gym. I have a trainer at the gym who has been trying to help me but I have not lost one pound so far and I’m beginning to get very frustrated! I’m trying to drop my weight to 160 and of course build muscle. My girlfriend has been making me a pretty balanced B/L/D with small snacks in between and she’s got my calories limited to 1800. Do you have any advice or ideas that may help me?? I’m about ready to give this up!!
Thanks for your time-
Dylan: I’m pretty sure you should get around 140-160 grams a day if you want to make muscle gains.
Casey: It sounds to me like you are replacing fat with muscle, especially since you probably have some muscle memory from your Army days. By the way, thanks for defending us. Anyway, your routine sounds good, maybe even too much. Consider replacing endurance cardio with HIIT workouts and make sure you are using proper intensity when lifting. 1800 sounds like a good calorie allowance, given your 160 lb bodyweight goal. Be sure to get enough protein and eat mostly complex carbs unless it’s a post-workout drink. Lastly, give it another two months. Many people don’t start seeing the changes until at least 2 months after starting their training.
Hi!
Thanks for posting this!
Is it okay to get all my protein from Whey? I read on several different websites that Whey protein is the best source of protein. What do you think? Also, you said for a person who works out at least 3x per week and wants to lose fat should consume .8 grams of protein per lb of lean body mass. How do I figure out that number?
Thanks!
Vanessa: Multiply your goal bodyweight by .8 to get the grams of protein you should eat in a day when trying to lose fat. Whey protein is generally the best form, unless you are looking for the quickest digesting protein or the slowest digesting protein. A whey isolate would be the fastest to digest, while casein takes the longest. There are other good forms of protein too. Egg protein is good and vegetable protein is great for people who can’t digest lactose or are allergic to dairy.
Thank you Steve! After researching for hours (yes, hours!), I finally found a website that has accurate information and is not bias. THANK YOU! I have other questions too. If you can answer them, I’d appreciate it very much, if you can’t, that’s okay too. I know that you must be busy.
My goal weight is 122 lbs (I am now 137). I understand the amount of protein I need to eat to lose fat. Once I have achieved my goal weight, in order for me to start gaining muscle I must eat 122 grams of protein, right? Just to make sure I understand. It seems like a lot! LOL.
Is it true that it’s better to choose Whey protein that’s lactose free? The one I take is 97% lactose free. (I am not allergic to lactose). Is certain Whey powders better than others in a nutritional sense? Or it’s just all a matter of taste? Also, I heard that Whey is better than Casein. Is that true or it just depends on whether I am looking for the quickest or longest digesting protein?
I am eating 6 meals a day (200 cal. each). Should each of them contain protein or for example, if I get all my protein intake from 5 meals, is it okay to just eat carbs for my sixth meal? I work out hard with weights 4x a week and sometimes I crave more carbs for energy.
Thank you again!!!
Vanessa: Sounds like you are on the right track. Your protein intake should be between 100-130 grams a day – stick to the higher number if you are trying to gain muscle. Casein is slower to digest than whey, that is the biggest difference. Whey, casein, and egg protein are the 3 best. Next would be meat protein, especially lean skinless chicken breast and fish.
I am 5’2″ 112 lbs, I’d like to be more toned, currently I work out about 3-4 times a week and feel great but I’m just not getting toned around my mid drift. Any advice on how much protein I should be consuming a day? Or ideas on exercises?
Jackie: probably about 100 grams of protein a day. Want to lose fat? Decrease calories or increase exercise. Add some HIIT or HIRT routines to your training, or endurance cardio as a last resort. Train abs every other day if possible.
I’d also like to say I’m 26 so I’m not getting any taller and it just seems like my weight is so concentrated in my middle that what little (lenght wise) waist I have I’m not happy with.
I play football and am a sophmore in highschool.. I need to pack on some mass, I only weigh 150lbs and need to gain muscle fast, I did the math and will be eating about 170 to 180 grams of protein a day while working out 4 to 6 times a week and drinking lots of water. is this a good idea
Yes, it’s a good idea. Make sure you get enough overall calories too. Should be around 2500 calories minimum to try to get you up to 170 lbs.
Oh and I am 5f 8i
Steve,
I am 19 yrs old, 5’5 130 pounds trying to gain some muscle mass; I should consume 1560 calories per day and ~130 grams of protein based on what you had written/told others. Should I focus mainly on my protein intake or caloric intake for gains?
Thanks for the article!
Assuming you want to get up to 140 pounds, I have you down for 1960 calories a day to gain weight and 140 grams of protein. The rest of your calories should come from healthy complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; and healthy fats.
Hey Steve- thanks so much for the feedback and for the informative site. By the way- I have now lost 12 lbs. I think that I do need to add more protein because I’m starting to feel really worn out.
Thanks again for your time!
If you feel worn out you might need to take a rest or increase your calories for a couple days. Be sure not to overtrain, as this can cause loss of muscle, fat gain, injury, and can kill motivation to train. Consider taking an active recovery week where you don’t do too much lifting or high intensity cardio. Maybe some hiking, swimming, or short cardio sessions just to keep moving. You could do 3 days (M/W/F) of 30 minute HIRT training sessions where you don’t lift heavy weights at all. Then the next week you could jump back into your routine fresh.
Hey,i weigh 137/138 on mondays and i wrestle at 130 lbs. I have to weigh 132 on saturdays. i lift weights 2/3 times a week and run just about every day along with practice every day. How much protein should i be eating a day?
Does anyone read the article? Go back and read the article, then come back and tell ME how much protein you should eat in a day.
Hi Steve, I’m 5’11 and 210lbs. I workout frequently 5 to 6 days a week of weights and 4 to 5 days of cardio which usually consists of running the track for 20 or so minutes than going to the bike for another 15 minutes. I’m currently on a low carb diet, probably consuming around 30g a day and I’m really only trying to loose fat, while at least keeping my current strength. How much grams of protein would you recommend for me. I see a lot saying 1g of protein for every pound and others saying .4g for every lb. What amount would you recommend for loosing fat but maintaining my muscle mass(ideally I would like to improve muscle mass but I know that’s nearly impossible.) Thanks!!
Hi Steve, I am 39, 5’10″ 170lbs. I am training for a half ironman so I work out 6 days a week roughly 2-3 hours of cardio (swim, bike, run). I am not losing any weight, in fact I have gained 3 lbs since December when I began training. Whats up?
Sounds to me like you are either:
1) replacing fat with muscle, or
b) eating so many calories that you aren’t losing any weight
hi. i am from Malaysia. i am a 20 year old man and going to be 21 in a month.my problem is that i’m 50 kilogram and i’m trying to gain weight instead of losing it. i’m not really active in sport but now trying to change.so, how to have an ideal weight for a man who’s going to be 21,what exercise should i do daily, and what should i eat in my daily routine since i eat rice every day in my country??
Increase protein by eating beans, fish, and chicken. Try to follow a full body routine for weightlifting 3 times a week. You can find one here: generic full body workout routine. If you want something harder, try Werewolf Training for Muscle Gains.
hey, im 14 almost 15 years old, im 6foot 2inches tall and weigh 125 lbs i have a very fast matabalism. i need too gain weight and muslce please help me any help would be very much appriciated.
Jason: you need to eat a ton of food and lift very heavy weights. It would do you good to read some articles around here. Try setting a goal bodyweight, multiplying it by 14 to get a daily calorie intake. Eat 1 gram of protein per pound of goal bodyweight. Lift 3-4 times a week. Avoid endurance cardio. If none of that stuff works, add 500 more calories to your daily intake.
Hi Steve, I’m 32 years old, 5’9″ and weigh 155lbs after having my son 10 weeks ago (still nursing) and gaining nearly 60lbs during the pregnancy. I work out 6 days a week, but I’m not sure if I know what I’m doing. My goal is to lose fat in my belly and love handles while toning my arms, legs and abs. I eat plain cooked oatmeal for breakfast every morning and then hit the gym about an hour later. I do 30min intense cardio and alternate legs, arms, abs on weight machines. I eat a tuna or lean turkey sandwich for lunch and snack on yogurt, whole grain snack bars, cheese, almonds, etc. For Dinner I always have something made from whole foods, never processed. I really don’t seem to be losing any weight in the areas I’d like to see change. I also find it hard to keep up with the recommended caloric and protein intake for my body type. I don’t get why I’m not seeing results quicker, I seem to be doing all the right things – or am I?
It sounds to me like you are doing the right things. It is going to take some time to get back down to your goal weight… possibly 3-4 months. Of course you know fat comes off your whole body, not just in target areas. If you want to see quicker results you are going to have to either drop calories or increase exercise, but remember if you do too much you might make yourself sick. Stick with it for 3-4 months. The time will go by in a flash and the healthy eating will become part of your lifestyle. After 4 months you will look back and say to yourself, “WOW that wasn’t even very hard and look at what I’ve accomplished! I’m so glad I just stuck with it.” It really happens just like that all the time.