How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

NUTRITION ,

When people think about working out, they often think about protein along with it. If you’re someone who exercises regularly, then you should have protein on your mind.

You may know that this nutrient is essential for working out (actually – it’s essential whether you workout or not), but you may not know exactly how much of this nutrient you need in order to get the job done. 

And that’s what we are here to talk about today: how much protein you actually need. 

How much protein do you need?

The amount of protein a person needs varies from person to person – there is not a one-size-fits-all with this, which makes sense when you think about it. The amount of protein Arnold Schwarzenegger in his bodybuilding days looks a lot different than what you need to help you get through your Pilates workouts and everyday life. 

The best way to determine how much protein you need is by doing a little bit of math. 

But don’t worry – it’s simple. 

The only thing you need to know in order to calculate is your body weight. 

Then, here’s what you do with it:

  1. Take your body weight in pounds and divide it by 2.2 to get your body weight in kilograms. 
  2. Multiply your weight in kilograms by the recommended daily allowance for protein (which is 0.8 kg per kg of weight).
  3. And that’s how much protein you need!

Let’s use an example. 

Say you weigh 150 pounds.

  1. 150 / 2.2 = 68.2 kg
  2. 68.2 x 0.8 = 54.5 grams of protein

This number represents the amount of protein a person who is not regularly exercising needs. So, as a Pilates Platinum lover, you’re going to need to boost that number up a bit.

You should aim to get around 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram you weigh. So, if you weigh 68.2 kg, then you want to aim for around 100 grams of protein a day. 

If you’re working out to build muscle, then you’ll want to increase that number to about 1.8 – 2 grams per kilogram you weigh. So, with a 68.2 kg weight, that means about 130 grams of protein a day. 

If weight loss is your goal, you want to make sure you’re getting plenty of protein as that will help keep you healthy during your weight loss by helping you focus on fat loss. 

What food is high in protein?

The best protein-rich diets are those that include meat, eggs, and fish. It is possible to get enough protein if you live a plant-based life, but it may just be a bit harder for you to find the best foods. 

Here is what we recommend eating to keep your protein levels high:

  • Nuts
  • Nut butter
  • Meat
  • Eggs
  • Poultry
  • Fish
  • Cottage cheese
  • Beans
  • Quinoa
  • Clean protein powder
  • Lentils
  • Yogurt

Check out some of our favorite protein-filled smoothie recipes here.