It is widely recognized that carbohydrates and fats provide the body with energy, but what is protein’s role and how much should we have? From an athlete’s perspective, protein should be thought of as the “repair guy”, rebuilding the muscle that was broken down during exercise. So while carbs and fat provide us with energy, protein provides very little (about 5% just to give you an idea).  For Americans ages 18 and above, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. This comes out to being just shy of 0.4 grams per pound. However, countless studies have shown that this is inadequate for athletes and weekend warriors. Depending on the type of exercise that is being performed, protein needs vary. For example, those who are engaged in a strength training program require anywhere from about 1.5-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram body weight (about 0.7-0.8 grams per pound). For a 150 pound person, that is 105-120 grams per day. For endurance athletes such as runners and cyclists, it is recommended that about 1.4-1.7 grams (~0.6-0.75 grams per pound) of protein per kilogram be consumed each day. Again, for a 150 pound individual, this comes out to 90-115 grams.  Athletes trying to lose weight should consume about 1.6-1.9 grams per kilogram to preserve muscle mass. These numbers are not exactly dead on (but almost exactly dead on), and are what I recommended to clients.

So we now know the numbers, great. How does that translate into actual food? First of all, great protein choices include lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, low-fat dairy products, as well as soy products. Just 1 ounce of meat contains 7 grams of protein and a serving the size of a deck of cards (~3-4 ounces) contains about 25 grams. An 8 oz glass of milk contains 8 grams, a ½ cup of cooked kidney beans has 8 grams, and an ounce of peanuts contains about 7. The average American diet is ample in protein and I rarely see clients who are NOT meeting their protein needs. With that in mind, supplements can be a convenient choice, but are, in most circumstances, not necessary.