How Much Protein Should I Really Be Eating?

Protein, you hear your trainer talk about it, watch the fitness girlies post about it, and know you should probably be eating it, but the exact amount has always been a mystery - Like the Bermuda Triangle or why Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet are dating.

Let’s make your life easier and break down how much you should be eating on a daily basis.

According to Harvard Medical School, The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is a modest 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. RDA is the amount of a nutrient you need to meet your basic nutritional requirements. In a sense, it's the minimum amount you need to keep from getting sick — not the specific amount you are supposed to eat every day.

For someone who is pretty active throughout their day, including exercising, that amount goes up as you're expending calories through movement. Try out this calculator to help you determine a reasonable goal for your activity level.

If you want to build muscle too, you need to increase your protein intake. But why? The amino acids found in protein serve as the building blocks for repairing and maintaining muscle tissue. More often than not we see clients not reaching their goals because they aren’t eating enough protein. That’s right we are telling you to eat more! Bet you didn’t see that one coming. Without proper protein intake, you’re not providing enough fuel for your muscles to recover and grow effectively. So all those killer workouts might not be put to good use if we aren’t eating enough protein to help us recover.

Back to the dilemma at hand - For muscle growth how much should I really be eating? A common method is to start at 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, so if I weigh 130 pounds, I want to shoot for 130 grams of protein. Now I’m not telling you to shove baked chicken breast down your throat for the rest of your life, learn from my mistakes. No one wants to silently cry in their kitchen as they eat dry chicken and question their sanity – True story. There are plenty of foods you can get protein through. Some of our favorites are Greek yogurt, protein supplement powders, fish, turkey, lentils, beans, nuts, and protein bars. The most important thing to remember is to do what works for your body. Maybe you try 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight and you feel horrible, scale it back, try intuitive eating with a focus on protein dense foods at the core of your meals and snacks.

Your body will give you signs to indicate how a change in eating habits is going, make sure to honor them!

Check out some easy protein breakfast options to get you started

X2O X2O,

Rachaelle Strausbaugh