Proteins and strength training are an inevitable combination. With strength training, you ensure that your muscles are stimulated to grow. With proteins, you provide the muscles with the right building blocks to grow and build muscle mass. The daily amount of protein you need is often discussed.
But there are different opinions on how much nutrients you exactly need. Common answers are discussed here. The fact is that you cannot achieve optimal muscle growth without getting the right amount of proteins. And we will discuss that right amount later in this article.
Proteins and Strength Training
Because there are different interpretations of the amount of protein one should take as support for strength training, we discuss the following guidelines below:
- 150 grams, your body does not need more than 150 grams
- 2 grams per body weight. You need 2 grams of protein per body weight
- 30/50/20. Your protein intake should always be 30 percent of your daily calories.
150 grams of protein per day
150 grams per day: When you eat 150 grams of protein per day, this is a good starting point as a basis. The problem is that with 150 grams as a maximum, hardgainers are forced to eat an incredible amount of carbohydrates.
For example: suppose you need 4000 calories per day to gain weight. If you take 150 grams of protein as standard, you would have to eat 600 grams of carbohydrates per day.
It goes without further explanation that setting the maximum intake of 150 grams of protein per day is not optimal for some people with fast metabolism.
Two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight
Two grams per kilogram of body weight. This calculation is very popular. Let’s test this method with the following examples:
All athletes are 187 cm in height.
Athlete A – Weighs 75 kilograms
Athlete B – Weighs 90 kilograms
Athlete C – Weighs 130 kilograms
Athlete A is the thinnest athlete and is advised to eat the lowest amount of protein, namely 150 grams. In fact, this athlete needs the most protein per day because he is the thinnest of the group with his height.
In this example, Athlete B is good for 180 grams, which is a good starting point. One caveat to note here: if Athlete B is a beginner, then he could potentially achieve more muscle growth when consuming around 200 grams.
Athlete C is the thickest of the group. With his 130 kilograms of body weight, according to this formula, he is advised to eat 260 grams of protein. This can never be good for someone with this weight. He should take a maximum of 180 grams of protein, just like Athlete B.
30/50/20 protein, carbohydrates, and fats ratio
30/50/20 protein, carbohydrates, and fats ratio. Applying different ratios for proteins, carbohydrates, and fats can fall in the same gradation as the two grams of protein per kilogram of body weight example. Below an explanation.
30 – 30% of your daily calories come from proteins. Each gram of protein contains 4 calories.
50 – 50% of your daily calories come from carbohydrates. Each gram of carbohydrates contains 4 calories.
20 – 20% of your daily calories come from fats. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories.
The 30/50/20 ratio guideline does not hold up when applied to low and high calorie intakes.
1800 calories: In this example, our athlete has a slow metabolism and is cutting. When he uses the 30% rule, he should be allowed to eat a maximum of 135 grams of protein per day. This is extremely low, especially when someone wants to maintain muscles with a low calorie intake.
4000 calories: In this example, someone is bulking, with a fast metabolism. If we maintain the ratios, he should consume 300 grams of protein and 500 grams of carbohydrates. This is an incredible amount of food per day. Since fats provide more calories per gram, this person should actually eat more of them.
Daily Recommended Protein Intake
There are many guidelines and theories about the amount of protein you should take per day. Instead of all those theories, try the following guideline:
Take 30 to 40 grams of protein every 2.5 to 3 hours
When using this method, the minimum intake of protein would be around 150 grams and the maximum intake would be 240. In general, 180 to 200 grams of protein is sufficient for most strength athletes.
Do not panic if you see 240 grams of protein per day. This only applies to hardgainers with a fast metabolism and does not apply to most athletes.
