Protein is the building material for our bodies. It is the essential macro-nutrient supporting growth and repair.
The quantity required is dependent on two variables, your lean body mass and the amount of work performed leading to muscular growth and cell repair.
How Much Protein?
As a gauge, protein intake should range between 0.8 grams and 2 grams per lean body mass, the range to cater for exercise performed.
A person who does little exercise would require the lower end (0.8 grams / kg) while manual labourers and high level athletes on the upper end of the scale.
Growing children and pregnant females should also consume more than the usual.
For example a male of 70 kg with a body fat percentage of 15% would have a lean body mass of 59.5 kg. If minimal exercise is undertaken and has a desk job a factor of 1 is used. He would require around 59.5 grams a day.
For example a male of 80 kg with a body fat percentage of 20% would have a lean body mass of 64 kg. If 10 hours+ exercise is undertaken a factor of 1.5 is used. He would require around 96 grams a day.
This is purely a guide and a range of 5 above or below would easily be accommodated by our complex body systems. It is best to get an understanding of the range needed, recognise what it looks like, then use our intuition.
What does it look like?
It is a common error to interpret guidelines as meat = protein. This is not true. As a guide this is the protein content of meat:
Steak 25% – A 200 gram steak has 50 grams of protein
Chicken 22% – A 150 gram breast has 36 grams protein
Fish 21% – A 150 gram fish steak has 33 grams protein
Protein is essential for health so a little more is better than too little, it is better to err on the side of too much.
In the example above the 80 kg athlete could have the equivalent of a 384 gram steak. However other sources of protein should also be considered like nuts, dairy and eggs.
Another gauge is to compare the size and thickness of your palm. With a health diet of seeds, nuts, eggs and dairy, this should be sufficient.
Measure, then trust yourself!
I use the MyFitnessPal app for two days every now and again to check up on my ratios, but I avoid counting, Calorie and macro counting is unnatural behaviour leading to a loss of intuition. Lower the carbs to normal levels and our intuition returns.
