Protein intake?

Protein intake should be adjusted to individual goals and needs. Whether you want to lose fat and keep muscle mass or build muscle over a specific period of time, how much protein you consume is important.

How much protein should you eat for weight loss?

For active people, a sufficient amount would be:

Endurance: 1.2 – 1.4g protein kg/day

Strength: 1.6 – 1.8g protein kg/day

So for a person weighing 80 kilograms, the desired daily protein intake would be between:

Endurance: 96 – 112g protein kg/day

Strength: 128 – 144g protein kg/day

Thermogenic effect of food

Protein is the most satiating macronutrient and has the highest thermogenic effect. Meaning 30% of energy coming from protein will be used for digestion, absorption and disposal of that nutrient. Eating more protein means our body will store less fat, compared to eating the same amount of calories from fat or carbohydrates. 

For example, let’s assume we eat 100 calories from protein and the same amount of calories from fat:

• Protein: 30% of calories will be used to process the food (thermogenic effect) and the rest (70%) will be stored as fat, which our body will probably use later in the day.
• Fat: the thermogenic effect is around 5%, so 95% will be converted into fat.

What does it mean for people trying to lose weight?

You can eat more calories during the day and continue losing weight. However, it’s worth clarifying, the most important factor in weight loss process is calorie deficit. The calorie intake we consume has to be lower than the amount of calories we burn.

Protein intake for people trying to gain muscle!

The daily protein intake during a bulking phase should be spread across meals. Eating every 3-4 hours, each meal should contain around 20-40 grams of protein to improve muscle growth.

There are no such restrictions on how much protein one should eat daily, but as the law says…’everything should be eaten in moderation!’.

If you need some guidance and you’re a little unsure on what this should be, drop me a line and I’ll do my best to help!