How Much Protein Should You Eat? 

Should you eat a lot of protein?, should you eat it with every meal? Can you eat too much protein? The questions are endless. 

In this article I will explain everything you need to know about protein, based on the knowledge and 9 years experience of a Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach with a degree in Exercise, Nutrition and Health (find more out about me here).

Conflicting Advice You’ve Probably Heard… 

You need to eat a high protein diet to lose weight. 

Too much protein will damage your kidneys. 

You need to eat as much protein as possible. 

We eat too much protein. 

This conflicting information is obviously confusing, especially if you just want to lose some weight, feel better and be healthy. 

What is important to note, if you do just want to improve your health, lose weight and feel better you don’t need to know every detail. This is why i’ve made this article as simple as possible. 

Why We Need Protein

Protein is one of three main macronutrients (other two fats and carbohydrates). 

Protein is made up of amino acids and amino acids are the building blocks for our bodies. 

If we don’t eat enough protein our bodies will start to struggle with muscle loss etc. 

We have to constantly replenish protein by eating it. Your hair, fingernails, most of your muscle, bone and organs as well as hormones are made up from protein. Hence its importance in our diet.

How Much Do We Need?

This is where it gets slightly confusing. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) states that we need 0.8grams of protein per kg of body weight. This is approximately 10% of our daily calories. 

However the RDA figures aren’t especially reliable as they indicate the minimum amount we need to essentially survive. 

Also it doesn’t take into account factors such as age, sex, activity levels, calories burnt etc. 

A more appropriate protein intake would be anywhere between 1.2 and 1.8 grams per kg of body weight. The range allows for you to make your own judgments. 

Eat more if you are; 

• Physically active 
• Ill 
• Young and growing 
• Older and maybe losing muscle

In addition high protein diets can also; 

• Lower blood pressure 
• Improve blood cholesterol 
• Improve other indicators of health 

If you are a normal person who wants to lose weight, get fit and healthy then follow this advice. (Normal person being not an athlete). 

• Try to eat a portion of protein with each meal. 
• Aim for 1.2 – 1.8g of protein per kg of body weight per day 
• Try different types of protein
• If you don’t eat meat you may have to work a little harder to ensure you eat adequate protein.