Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • Arnold Classic
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Results
      • 2022 WSM
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • Arnold Classic
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Results
      • 2022 WSM
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
No Result
View All Result
Nutrition Tips

Protein Intake Give Your Body What It Needs to Grow!

F.V. Team

Written by F.V. Team

Last Updated onFebruary 24, 2018

High Protein Food

Opinions on protein intake vary across a broad spectrum. Some claim the best bodybuilding diets have very high amounts of protein. Others cite the benefits of eating low protein diets. Who is right? Actually, the better question is what’s the best protein intake for you?.

In a nutshell:

You should be eating the amount your body requires to function optimally. No more, no less.

Sedentary people need relatively little protein while Olympic strength athletes may need loads of protein just to keep up with their demanding training. Most of us fall somewhere in between. Bodybuilders will typically be in the higher range but it really depends on your size, training style, and schedule.

Why is protein so important?

Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are the foundation of life itself. In fact, after water, our bodies are mostly protein. The all important immune system is made up of protein structures as are all the other cells of your body. The proper protein intake allows you to function optimally.

The body is constantly turning over proteins as it tears down worn cells and rebuilds new ones. The rate of this turnover depends on your activity level. The more active you are the higher your individual protein requirements are. Bodybuilders in training are always in a higher turnover mode.

The type of bodybuilding training you do affects your individual needs. High volume training 4-5 days a week will require a greater protein intake than high-intensity training 2 days a week.

Too Much or Too Little

If you suddenly begin a bodybuilding program and do not increase protein intake your body will not be getting enough raw materials. Of course, the body doesn’t just shut down when this happens. It gets the raw materials it needs from within.

Muscle tissue is broken down to fill the gap between the protein from your diet and your protein requirements. The body will sacrifice muscle to keep the essential organs running. This is a bad situation. After all, exercise is supposed to build muscle, right?

On the other hand, if you stop training and don’t reduce your intake the extra protein will be stored for later use. Like all excess calories, it will be converted and stored as body fat! This is what happens to some professional athletes after retirement. Ex pro football players are notorious for this.

Some people say that their muscle turned to fat. That’s not true. After stopping their hard training they lost the muscle they once had. At the same time, they gained fat by not cutting back on their food intake. Their bodies just don’t need all those raw materials anymore.

The point is is that your protein intake should fluctuate depending on changes in your activity levels. If you increase or decrease your training your protein intake should change with it to stay within the optimal range.

So how much do you require?

Several factors go into determining the right amount of protein for your training needs. These factors include body weight, lean body mass(body weight minus fat weight), and activity levels(training style and volume).

The first thing to do is to determine your lean body mass. Have an accurate flexible measuring tape handy and click on the following link to determine both your current body fat and lean body mass. This calculator is fairly accurate and easy to use. It will open in a new window. Once you get your results write down your “lean weight”. You’ll need this number later.

Read more:

  • Simple Fat Intake Calculator
  • Calculate your recommended Protein Intake with our Best Protein Intake Calculator

Your lean body mass is just your body weight minus your body fat. Protein intake is based on this number because your body fat doesn’t have much direct influence on protein needs.

To find your ideal protein intake you’ll next need to determine your activity level. Both Dr. Michael Colgan, author of Optimum Sports Nutrition and Dr. Barry Sears, author of The Zone series of nutrition books use similar tables to determine activity levels and optimal protein consumption. Dr. Sears’ table is an excellent reference for most people. Here is Dr. Sears’ activity factor guide.

  • 0.5 – Sedentary (no formal sports activity or training)
  • 0.6 – Light Activity (ex. regular walking)
  • 0.7 – Moderate Activity (3 days per week or sports participation)
  • .08 – Active (Daily aerobic training or moderate weight training)
  • 0.9 – Very Active (Intense weight training 3-4 days per week or other daily high volume exercise)
  • 1.0 – Elite Athlete(or weight training >5 days per week)

Note: If you feel you are between levels use a number such as .65 or .75 as your activity factor.

Your activity factor is the amount of protein(in grams) you require per lb of lean body mass. For instance, if your lean body mass is 160lbs and your activity factor is .85, then your protein requirement is 160 x .85 or 136. That means your body requires 136 grams of protein per day.

Calculate your own protein requirement and write it down. It is a very important number. Remember, however, that if you make any big changes in your regular activity levels or lean body mass your protein needs will change.

Stay on top of the latest fitness news and updates by adding Fitness Volt to your Google News feed: Follow us on Google News You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for even more content.
Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard LinkedIn
Categories: Nutrition Nutrition Tips
Previous Post

How Many Carbs Do You Need?

Next Post

How to Find the Best Fish Oil Supplement

F.V. Team

F.V. Team

Fitness Volt Team, Your #1 source for workouts, news, analysis, opinion, and entertainment in bodybuilding & fitness sports.

Related

Gym bros try dog food

Video: Viral TikTok Trend Shows Gym Bros Eating Dog Food for Protein

Consuming protein is one of the most important aspects involved in building muscle. In a TikTok video that's gone viral,...

Hunter Labrada

Bodybuilder Hunter Labrada Shares ‘2 Golden Rules’ of Meal Timing & Frequency

American bodybuilder Hunter Labrada rose to prominence for his insane muscle mass, size, and posing skills. In a recent video...

Bigger Abs Workout

Bigger Abs Workout and Diet Guide  

A large and growing percentage of the world’s population is overweight and getting fatter. As such, a lot of abs...

Endomorph Program

The Best Endomorph Workout and Diet Program

Are you one of those who only have to look at food to gain an extra pound? Are you naturally...

Tips For Fasting Safely

How to Get the Most Out of Your Fasting Routine [Tips from Experts]

Fasting has been a spiritual practice used for millennia to cleanse the mind and body. It has evolved beyond a...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

Powerlifter Inderraj Singh (120KG) Crushed 385.5-kg (849.9-lb) Raw Deadlift; The Heaviest In BP Federation’s History

Hunter Labrada Shares Vital Tips on Standardizing Form for Workout Progress

Kellan Lutz Workout And Diet Routine

Iain Valliere Says He’s a ‘Dry 280 Lbs,’ Talks Diet and Reintroducing Deadlifts for 2023 Contest Prep 

Suspended Row Exercise Guide: How-To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations

Jay Cutler Shows How To Build ‘Olympia Chest’ In The Gym

Reviews

Best Preacher Curl Benches

10 Best Preacher Curl Benches in 2023 (Review & Ranked)

Ancheer Treadmills Review

6 Best Ancheer Treadmills in 2023 (Review & Ranked)

Best Bone Broth Supplements

10 Best Bone Broth Supplements of 2023 (Reviewed & Ranked)

Fitness Volt

At FitnessVolt.com Our mission is to help our readers to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where you’re at on your journey, we are on a mission to educate You with the latest from strength and fitness space. Read more.

Email: sm(at)fitnessvolt.com

Disclosure: FitnessVolt.com has an affiliate relationship with different brands and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. However, our reviews are based on well research backed analysis.

Follow Us

Trending Topics

  • Mr. Olympia
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • Powerlifting
  • CrossFit
  • At Home Workouts
  • Bodyweight Exercises
  • Best Pre-workout
  • Best Fat Burners
  • Bodybuilding Diet
  • Bicep Workouts
  • Triceps Workouts
  • Chest Exercises
  • Back Workouts
  • Leg Workouts
  • Front Squat Guide
  • Calf Workouts & Exercises
  • Forgotten Exercises
  • Jefferson Deadlift

Calculators

  • Calorie Burning Calculators
  • IF Calculator
  • TDEE Calculator
  • Calorie Calculator
  • Keto Calculator
  • RMR Calculator
  • Macronutrient Calculator
  • Creatine Calculator
  • Wilks Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • FFMI Calculator
  • IBW Calculator
  • LBM Calculator
  • Fat Intake Calculator
  • Calories Burned Swimming
  • Calories Per Meal Calculator

  • Food Nutrition Analysis
  • Carb Cycling Calculator
  • Weight Gain Calculator
  • Weight Loss Calculator
  • Calories Burned Calculator
  • Strength Standards
  • One Rep Max Calculator
  • Body Fat Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • Weight Loss Percentage
  • Treadmill Calorie Calculator
  • Body Surface Area Calculator
  • Running Pace Calculator
  • Bench Press Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Water Intake Calculator
  • Body Type Quiz
  • Steps to Miles Calculator
  • Calorie Deficit Calculator
  • Home
  • About
  • Jobs
  • Accessibility
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Syndication
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Copyrights
  • Terms
  • Privacy

© Copyright 2010 - 2023 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Bodybuilding
  • Arnold Classic
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • CrossFit
  • Workouts
  • Exercise Guides
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Shoulders
  • Training
  • Nutrition
  • Reviews
  • More
    • News
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2022 WSM
    • Diet
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • Food Facts
    • Fitness Calculator

© Copyright 2010 - 2023 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.