“How MUCH protein should I be getting on daily basis?”
Like so many health and fitness topics, it’s really confusing and the studies are all over the place.
So let me simplify it for you.
First of all, protein itself is vital to living.
In fact, you could go months, even years without eating carbs (NOT recommended – of course), and still survive and keep on living.
But if you eliminate protein, it would only take a few weeks before your muscles would turn into mush, but more importantly, your organs would shut down.
So basically, you would start to die.
With all this being said, too much of a good thing can still be harmful. But more than likely, you’re not getting enough high quality protein… especially with all the awesome finishers you’re doing.
Keep in mind, if you’re exercising intensely on a regular basis your protein demands will be MUCH higher than somebody who is inactive or watches episodes of Honey Boo Boo all day.
Like syrup and pancakes, protein works WITH your workouts to stimulate protein synthesis. That means your protein needs are higher if you are looking to lose fat (and not just weight).
Some examples…
Intense exercisers wanting to burn fat = 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight daily…
Intense exercisers wanting to gain muscle = 1.5 grams per pound of lean body weight (larger, more advanced individuals could even go higher)
Moderate exercisers looking to maintain or burn fat = .75 grams per pound of lean body weight…
Sedentary person = .5 grams of protein per pound of lean body weight
This is NOT one-side-fits-all or an exact science, but it gives you a great guideline to follow without being confused.
Most studies and research done on protein show that inactive people really don’t need much more than 20 grams per serving…
…Where guys like me will consume up to 50 grams per serving in our post workout window, when absorption rate seems to be the highest.
IMPORTANT HEALTH WARNING ABOUT PROTEIN
Make SURE you “Go Alkaline”.
If you hammer down too much protein on a daily basis for long periods of time, you can stress out your adrenal glands and overwork your kidneys, while you make your body VERY acidic.
At least two or three times a year, go on a protein “fast” for 2 or 5 days straight, and replace your protein intake with high quality, proven juicing recipes.
This will filter out your liver and kidneys and give them a much-needed break, which will also help you avoid excessive acidity and high levels of inflammation.
When you keep your body alkaline, you’re guaranteed to absorb more of the nutrients your body needs so you continue to lose fat and gain quality muscle.
If you don’t make sure to AVOID an acidic environment you’ll NEVER get the fat-burning benefits of eating more protein.
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