Rec tip of the week
Protein – How much do I really need?
Protein. Each of us needs it, considering it’s the building block of the human body, used to form muscles, skin, hair, teeth, nails, etc. You get the point, it’s necessary. The question is how much do I need?
The recommended daily intake of protein for the sedentary adult is about 0.4 grams per pound of body weight. However, this doesn’t factor in activity level, body weight or gender. If you are a heavy exerciser, athlete or body builder, you might require more protein because the increased activity level breaks down muscle tissue more rapidly. For those who are moderately to highly active, that amount increases to .5 – .8 grams per pound of body weight.
Don’t overdo it! So more protein = more muscle, right? Wrong! Doubling your bodily requirement for protein won’t tack on extra muscle. In fact, you’ll probably end up adding extra fat. Research has shown that consuming large amounts of un-necessary protein will not add extra muscle, contrary to many body building and supplement websites.
Most American adults get enough protein every day without really doing anything special. Consider that a 6oz serving of chicken breast (slightly larger than a deck of cards) has 42 grams of protein. Overdoing it is easier than you might think. Try to avoid getting all your protein from animal sources (red meat, chicken, pork, etc.) and mix it up by eating nuts, cottage cheese, beans and Greek yogurt.
Want to calculate your basic protein requirement? Here is the equation:
*first determine if your activity level is sedentary (currently not engaging in physical activity on a regular basis) or active*
Sedentary: Weight in pounds x .4 (example: 154lbs x .4 = 62 grams)
Active – Very Active: Weight in pounds x .5 - .8 (154lbs x .6 = 92.4 grams)
