- There are a variety of factors that determine the number of grams of protein you should consume daily.
- A good way to calculate protein consumption is by weight.
- Protein supplements can be a good way to make up protein deficiencies in your diet.
- If you are an adult male, you should be eating about 56 grams of protein a day
- For adult women, your daily intake should be about 46 grams a day
- Teenage boys need around 52 grams each day while teenage girls need 46 grams of protein
If you have an active lifestyle, these recommendations will vary, as well.
There is not a consensus on these calculations. Some groups feel that protein requirements should be calculated by body weight, while others believe the calculations should be based on the percentage of total calories consumed each day.
Of course, proper nutrition is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to living a healthier lifestyle. Moving your body is essential, too. Go PRO today for access to certified personal trainers, workout plans, training logs, and more!
So, Who Is Right When It Comes to Eating Protein?
Unfortunately, there is no good answer to this question.
While it may seem that science knows a lot about protein, the truth is that we are just at the beginning of the knowledge needed to formulate the perfect calculation to determine the right amount of protein consumption.
While this doesn’t do much good for those of you trying to get your proper nutrition, any of the ideas mentioned here will be just fine for calculating your protein.
The protein gram intake proposed by the USDA is based upon the average weight of an American adult male, adult female, and teenagers. It doesn’t leave room for big or small people.
For more on protein and another view on how much is needed, watch the video below!
It is for these reasons that many people choose to calculate their protein consumption by weight.
If you want to give this formula a try, you need to multiply your weight times .37.
This is a formula devised by nutritionists trying to help their clients eat a well-balanced diet.
If you compare this formula to the numbers developed by the USDA, you will see that they do match an average male of about 151 pounds.
What’s more, the USDA makes an allowance of up to 30% more than the daily recommendation, if you want to increase your dose. This allowance fits in with larger individuals.
While some people use their caloric intake to determine how much protein they should eat each day, the formula is flawed. It doesn’t leave room for dieting or overeating on any given day.
There is no way to establish consistency using the calorie approach.
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Sign UpWhere Should I Be Getting the Protein That I Eat?
Your body likes food; it’s just the way it was designed. It absorbs the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients important to the body best from food. As such, your first choice for getting the protein you need should be through food.
This doesn’t mean that this is the only viable source, however, it is certainly the first and best choice!
Another source of protein is through protein supplements. The most common type of protein supplement is protein powder.
Because most protein powder is made from a food product, it is almost as beneficial as eating food is for the body.
A container of protein powder, which is typically about 5 pounds, contains about 30 servings. However, 2 to 3 servings a day are recommended, which means that, at most, you are getting 15 days out of your powder.
Protein powder is sometimes combined with other nutrients and is used as a meal replacement shake. This isn’t always the case, and you shouldn’t assume that a product is also a meal replacement unless it says so on the label or in the product description.
Should I Be Eating More Protein If I Am Doing Intense Workouts?
In general, if you are training hard — meaning multiple hours a day — then you should increase your protein intake to replace some of the additional protein your body is using.
Instead of multiplying .37 by your weight in pounds, you should multiply .7 by your weight in pounds. This should be the maximum amount of protein you should eat.
What this means for a 150-pound man is about 105 grams of protein a day. This is slightly higher than what is recommended by the FDA, but not by much.
Once you are done training, you need to reduce your protein back to normal levels. This is because recent studies show that it is possible for too much protein to cause liver damage.
The effects were based on longterm use, so if you keep your protein levels at the recommended levels overall, you should be just fine.
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