BODY BY EMILEE

HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO I NEED?

I get asked this question A LOT! Most people are confused about how much protein they should be eating each day. How much is enough? Can you eat too much? How do you figure out how much you need?

There are a few factors to take into account when determining how much protein you should be consuming daily. You need to consider your weight, activity level and whether you are trying to gain muscle, maintain your current physique or lose weight. The recommended amount of protein for a healthy adult is 0.6 grams to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

If you are looking to maintain your current weight and physique and are minimally active, 0.6 - 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight is suffiecient. If you are an active and athletic female wanting to build muscle and lose fat, you want to consume 1 gram of protein a day per pound of body weight. Males involved in vigorous exercise programs looking to build muscle are going to need to consume 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

Wondering what this looks like?

A 135 pound athletic female participating in active workouts should be consuming 135 grams of protein a day. Here is an example of how she can get there...

BREAKFAST: 3 Egg White Omelette with Turkey, Veggies and Orowheat Double Fiber English Muffin
Egg whites=12 grams
Turkey = 9 grams
English Muffin = 5 grams

SNACK: Greek Yogurt with Berries
Greek Yogurt = 18 grams

LUNCH: Salad with 4 oz. Chicken Breast and Veggies
Chicken Breast = 26 grams

SNACK: PureFit Protein Bar
Protein Bar = 19 grams

WORKOUT RECOVERY: Protein Shake with Fresh Fruit
Protein Shake = 20 grams

DINNER: Grilled Salmon with Veggies
Salmon = 25 grams

DAILY TOTAL = 135 grams

Protein is essential for muscle growth, recovery and repair as well as for fat loss, metabolism regulation and blood cell development. As always, water is an essential part of healthy living and necessary for the digestion of protein. Make sure you are drinking 64 - 96 ounces of water every day!