If You Work Out And Especially Lift Weights, How Much Protein Do You Need To Consume?

For a very long time there has been a standard amount of protein that fitness experts and nutritionists have been telling their clients to have on a daily basis. This amount is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This has been the staple for a long time and hasn’t been challenged until recently.

A Canadian scientist from McMaster University has published an extensive study on a person’s protein requirements for resistance training and came up with an exact answer!

He tested a variety of protein amounts and how they effect a person’s lean body mass index (lean muscle). He found that proper protein supplementation effected one-rep maximums and size of the muscle tissue as well. He also found that the more protein the subject ate, the more lean muscle mass they gained up until 1.62g/kilogram. This became the mark where more protein didn’t equate to more muscle. What does this equal to in pounds? 110 grams a day for a 150lb lifter, 147 grams a day for a 200lb lifter, and 166 grams a day for a 225lb lifter. 

So, the recommend amount of 0.8 grams per kilogram has been too low and robbing many people of a leaner and stronger body! We all know it’s hard to consume these amounts in solid foods as the study used protein powders along with real food to hit their marks. So, try to get a healthy balance of protein powders and solid foods in your diet and hit your minimums or some of your muscle building workout will be wasted!