How Much Protein is Required for Gym Goers
It is a very general question that every gym-goer often asks- “How much protein do I need to build muscle”? However, this general question has not one generalized answer as the diet recommendation depends on the category in which you fall. The amount depends on your goals as it is different for regular gym-goers, bodybuilders and the pregnant women.
Daily Human Body Needs
According to the World Health Organization, the standard- Safe Level of Protein (SLP) amount in the human body is 0.83 g per kilogram of body weight per day.
Required for an Average Gym-Goer
An average gym-goer needs 1-1.2 grams per kg of body weight. The common formula to find out how many grams of protein a physically fit person requires is to multiply your weight by 2. For instance, if you are 70 kg. person, who regularly workouts, you need somewhere around 140-150 grams of protein every day. Though it is not an exact formula, obviously none consumes an exact gram of protein per day either.
Requirement for An Athlete
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Dietitians of Canada, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommend 1.2 to 2.0 grams of protein intake per kg of body weight every day for athletes, depending on training.
Requirement for a Pregnant Woman
A pregnant woman should consume around 70-100 grams of protein per day, depending on her body weight. To put this into viewpoint, a half cup of lentils gives 9 grams of protein, a hard-boiled egg provides about 6 g protein, and skinless chicken breast gives 26 grams. There are several other protein-rich foods which you should also incorporate in your diet to meet your body’s requirement.
Protein You Need After A Workout
Registered dieticians or personal trainers might suggest you aim for between 1.2 to 1.7g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day if you want to gain weight. So, a 200 lb guy should need between 100 and 154 grams per day.
So, if you are one who plans to consume somewhere in that range, for instance, 120 g per day, divide the intake into four hours apart. This will help you to get upwards of 30g of protein at every meal, which energizes your muscles with leucine, an amino acid that stimulates protein synthesis and grows more muscles.
And the protein intake is also different for men and women. In general, for a normal healthy person who also workouts, his or her diet should contain at least 35 percent protein, which means around 60 grams for men and 46 grams for women.
Ideal Time to consume
Usually, it is consumed after an exercise helps build muscles, whereas carbohydrates consumed before an exercise provide energy. So, having a protein-shake before going to the gym is not an ideal strategy. It is because protein does not digest fast which means it stays in your stomach for a longer period and causes discomfort during a workout. But you can have a light pre-workout protein snack to fill you up.
Excess of Anything Is Harmful
Although protein is essential building blocks for the body, the overdosing can cause severe side effects like poor sleep, cramping, fatigue, headache or constant flu. In rare cases, it may also put an extra strain on your liver and kidneys. So, to avoid these side-effects, always count your calories to get the right amount of protein needed to grow and repair muscles.
