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We're always looking for ways to pack some muscle on our peeps -- and one of the easiest ways to do this, aside from CF-ing and power-lifting and olylifting is to make sure protein intake is adequate.
So, how much protein per day? Well assuming adequate caloric intake and that 2/3rds of your day's protein sources are are of quality (think grass fed beef vs tofu) -- then the general recommended allowance is 0.8g per kilogram of body-weight for adult men and women. If you're calorie restricted and you don't want to lose muscle mass, then you're always looking at more than the 0.8g/kg recommendation. This is because when you're in a negative calorie balance mode - protein can be metabolized as a source of energy. This means the protein cannot be used for it's intended purpose of replacing the amino acid pool.
Do you see the inverse relationship? When caloric intake goes down, protein requirements go up.
For athletes, we're generally looking at 1.5g to 2.0g/kg of body-weight and adjusting on a personal basis. If you're otherwise healthy - this excess protein over 0.8g/kg of body-weight is not an issue. The excess amounts get broken down and the resulting nitrogen is excreted as urea in urine. However, levels of 4 g / kg should not be messed with if you've got impaired renal function, low calcium intake or restricting fluids. A more CF-ish method is to figure out your lean body mass and eat to support that. This leads to leaning out while maintaining or adding some muscle.
How to use this?
Well, let's assume we have someone who wants to maintain / lean out
- 140 lb female (64kg)
- 20% body-fat (this is "athletic level, btw")
- 112 lbs lean body-mass (51 kg)
- convert lbs to kilos: 112 / 2.2 = 51 kg
- multiply lean mass by your conversion factor of choice : 1.5 OR 2.0
- Protein intake range: 77- 102 grams
Without using lean mass - we're looking at 96-128 grams of protein per day for someone looking to gain. Either way -- it's hardly all you can eat buffet levels. Your mileage may vary.
Tomorrow: Carbs!
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