How much protein should I eat?
This is an age old question, along with others like:
How much sleep do I need?
How much water should I drink?
How many time per week should I exercise?
The simple answer to all of these questions for the vast majority of us is: More than I'm doing now!
We all tend to fall short on our required sleep. I mean, is there even enough time in the day to squeeze in all the sleep we need? And why drink water when there are so many "sports drinks" out there (and lots of wine too!) And, if I can't find the time to sleep, how am I going to find the time to exercise?
Well, it is January and that means time for New Years Resolutions. Why not resolve to get more sleep, do more exercise, and drink more water this year.
As far as the protein question is concerned, the simple rule of thumb that we've been using for years as pretty active people is: 1 gram of protein for each pound of body weight.
For a fairly active man who weighs 180 lbs, he should consume 180 grams of protein per day. Pretty simple.
If you're looking for a more exact figure for your particular situation, age, gender, level of fitness etc. I would recommend that you take a look at this nifty Protein Calculator from our friends at FitnessVolt.com to help you calculate your optimal daily protein intake:
https://fitnessvolt.com/protein-calculator/
Where will I find all of this protein?
The first place you want to look for protein are natural sources such as eggs (free range if possible), grass fed meats, and good quality dairy. Thats the easy part!
Most of us will have to supplement in order to hit our daily protein goals. A Muscle Up Bar (or another high protein, low sugar, no sugar alcohol bar) as a midday snack, or as a pre-workout energy boost will be very helpful.
During your workout, it's important to hydrate and supplement. We like to shake up a combination of amino acids and collagen protein and 32 oz of water. The amino's help to get us through a tough workout and collagen protein mixes in well with the amino's (you won't even know its in there!)
Post workout, we always mix up a quick protein shake with one scoop of good quality whey protein, one scoop of good quality collagen protein and 16 oz of water to help our muscles and joints recover quickly.
With that simple pre - during - and post workout supplementation, we are adding approximately 75g of protein and 48oz of water to our daily intake, while optimizing our workouts and our recovery. All you have to do now is get to bed early, and you've covered all your bases!
If we all resolve to take better care of ourselves (physically and mentally) while also taking better care of our friends, relatives and neighbors, we can all make 2021 an amazing year!