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Getting enough protein can transform your physique—and your life
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Looking to get swole? Trying to hold onto muscle while you train for a marathon? Whatever your fitness goals are, you’ll need to get enough protein in your diet to achieve them. Protein is absolutely essential for muscle growth. If you’re an ambitious gym rat, you might be aiming to put back as much as 200 grams of protein per day. This is harder than it sounds. So how do you pull it off? Look no further. We’ve put together a guide to help you hit your daily protein goal—whether it’s 50, 100, or 200 grams per day. Keep reading to learn how to eat to build muscle.
Things You Should Know
- Choose high-protein foods like meats, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, beans, and soy products.
- Use supplements like protein powders and nutrition bars for quick sources of extra protein.
- Plan your meals to ensure you’re getting enough protein. Calorie trackers and meal planning apps can make this easier.
- The average healthy adult needs 46-90 grams of protein per day. Athletes and people who lift weights should consume 1.1-1.7 grams per kg of body weight.
Steps
Section 1 of 3:
Building Meals Around Protein
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Choose high-quality protein sources. To consume 200g of protein per day, you’ll need to eat high-protein foods like lean meats, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, beans, and soy products. Opt for high-protein snacks during the day, like plain yogurt or a handful of nuts. [1] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source If you’re not sure how much protein is in a certain food, try Googling it or looking it up in the USDA’s FoodData Central database .
- Specific high-protein foods include beef, turkey, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, edamame , soy milk , tofu, lentils, kidney beans, peanut butter , almond milk, greek yogurt , cheese, whole grain cereal, quinoa, and pasta.
- Many restaurants and fast food chains offer high-protein menu options. Eating a high-protein diet doesn’t require cooking everything yourself.
- Use protein powder for quick and easy protein. The powder is mixed with water, cow’s milk, or nondairy milk, and drunk like a milkshake.
- Try protein bars for an easy snack on the go.
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Plan meals in advance and incorporate protein into every meal. The goal is to eat enough protein with each meal so that your daily intake totals 200g. Pay attention to food labels, especially protein content and serving size. Measure your food carefully to get accurate estimates of how much protein you’re consuming.
- Use a food scale to weigh solid food. This will tell you exactly how many servings you’re consuming. For liquids, use measuring spoons or liquid measuring cups . [2] X Research source
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Track your protein intake throughout the day. Use meal planning apps and calorie trackers like Mealtime and MyFitnessPal . They have huge databases with different foods and nutrition information, plus some features like goal setting for weight loss and muscle gain. [3] X Research source
- Input your calories and macros for each meal and snack. You can input everything in advance if you’ve planned your meals.
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Split your daily protein intake over 3-5 meals. 200 grams of protein is a lot, even if you split it up over breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you find that eating so much chicken, fish or tofu at once is too much for your stomach, try eating five smaller meals instead. [4] X Research source
- Certain foods are more gentle on your digestion than others. If whey protein powder and dairy products cause you trouble, try vegan powders and other non-dairy sources of protein.
- It may take time to get used to eating so much protein. Pay attention to your body and adjust your protein intake as needed.
- Some kinds of protein, such as soy, have a processing rate of 40 grams per hour. If you try to intake more than that in a shorter period of time, that remainder generally will go to fat storage or waste products.
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Section 2 of 3:
Sample Meal Plans
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Example Lunch: A tuna sandwich is a great source of mid-day protein. Tuna is one of the highest-protein foods you’ll ever eat. Add mayo and lettuce for extra flavor—or even a dab of mustard, if you’re looking for a kick. [7] X Research source
- Firm tofu is a great vegan alternative to fish and other meats. Sear it with spices and coat it with vegan mayo for a bolder taste and great texture.
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Example Dinner: Penne a la vodka with chicken breast makes a flavorful, high-protein meal. Chicken breast is both high in protein and low in calories. [8] X Research source It also has a neutral taste, which means it can be enjoyed with almost any meal since it won’t clash with whatever else you’re eating (unlike tuna, for example).
- Beans, lentils and tofu are also high in protein and go great with many dishes. They might be high in calories, so measure your portions carefully.
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Example Snack: Tofu salads and plain Greek yogurt are easy grab-and-go snacks available in many grocery stores. They’re protein-rich and much healthier than many common snack foods, like candy or potato chips. [9] X Research source
- Add a little fresh fruit or granola to give your Greek yogurt a sweeter taste.
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Section 3 of 3:
How much protein do you need?
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Your daily protein intake depends on your fitness goals. It can also vary depending on your weight, age, and other factors such as pregnancy. A general rule is that 10-35% of your calories should come from protein. For a 2000 calorie diet, this comes out to 50-175 grams of protein per day. [10] X Research source
- The average adult under 40 needs around 46-56 grams of protein per day. Adults over 40 should aim for 75-90 grams to combat muscle loss from aging. [11] X Research source
- A person who is pregnant or breastfeeding should consume around 60 grams per day. [12] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
- Athletes and people who exercise regularly should consume 1.1-1.5 grams per kg of bodyweight. For a 200 lb (91 kg) person, this works out to 100-136 grams.
- People who lift weights or do other strength training should aim for 1.2-1.7 grams per kg of body weight. For a 200 lb (91 kg) person, this works out to 110-154 grams. [13] X Research source
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It’s possible to have too much protein. The upper limit is roughly 2 grams of protein per kg of bodyweight. While excess protein isn’t harmful in and of itself, many sources of protein such as eggs, meat, and dairy are high in calories and cholesterol. Consuming too much protein and not enough carbohydrates and fats can also lead to malnutrition, since all three macros play important roles in your health. [14] X Research source
- A 150 lb person should have no more than 136 grams of protein per day.
- A 200 lb person should have no more than 180 grams per day.
- A 250 lb person should have no more than 225 grams per day.
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What Are High Protein Foods and Why Are They Important?
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do you know if you're not eating enough protein?Monica Morris is an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 15 years of fitness training experience, Monica started her own physical training practice and gained her ACE Certification in 2017. Her workouts emphasize proper warm-ups, cool-downs, and stretching techniques.There's a wide variety of issues you'll have if you don't have enough protein, like injury and weight gain. You'll also become hungry more often, and you may notice that you have drier nails and split ends.
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about working on your diet, check out our in-depth interview with Monica Morris .
References
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/macronutrients-vs-micronutrients/
- ↑ https://msdh.ms.gov/page/resources/4346.pdf
- ↑ https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health-products/g28246667/best-calorie-counting-apps/
- ↑ https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/how-many-meals-per-day-should-i-eat.html
- ↑ https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/747997/nutrients
- ↑ https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172183/nutrients
- ↑ https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/334194/nutrients
- ↑ https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/331960/nutrients
- ↑ https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170903/nutrients
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-you-getting-too-much-protein
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-you-getting-too-much-protein
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5104202/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-you-getting-too-much-protein
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/are-you-getting-too-much-protein
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