How much protein should I eat a day?

jade097
jade097 Posts: 9 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
MFP automatically set my protien goal at 76 and that seems nearly impossible for me to reach everyday. I've heard numbers between 45-80 grams. That's a huge range. How much should I really be eating a day?

Replies

  • HaleCry
    HaleCry Posts: 387 Member
    I think the minimum recommendation for women is 41g or something? I just try to eat above that. I don't take notice of the macros, just the calories. I think people looking to build muscle eat their body weight in lbs in grams. E.g. If they weight 140lbs, they try to aim for 140g of protein. That's what I've seen anyway :)
  • Sheks41191
    Sheks41191 Posts: 90 Member
    You must not eat a lot of protein - chicken breast is 24g per 3 oz serving, I average 7 oz per serving there's over 50 grams.

    Egg whites, greek yoghurt, turkey breast, steak, eggs, salmon, calamari all great sources.

    I still struggle and have to add in a protein shake sometimes. I've found that meal prepping has helped a lot.

    RDA is 0.8 grams per kg of body weight but RDA is just that - finding what works for you is best.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    This topic is a can of worms and frequently becomes a raging argument on these boards (partially because there are people who disagree with the below WHO guidance, and also because meat based protein comes with a bunch of moral and ethical implications).

    WHO recommendations are 0.36 g/lb (about 50-60 g per day for men and a bit less for women).

    My opinion is that:
    • If you are active, you need more
    • If you are older, you need more
    • If you are in calorific deficit you need more

    Personally, I eat a tonne more than the 60g recommended because:
    • I think that there are health and gym performance benefits
    • I like protein, especially in meat form
    • I am lucky enough to be able to afford a higher meat diet
    • I have few/no moral or ethical issues with animal consumption
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Sheks41191 wrote: »
    You must not eat a lot of protein - chicken breast is 24g per 3 oz serving, I average 7 oz per serving there's over 50 grams.

    Egg whites, greek yoghurt, turkey breast, steak, eggs, salmon, calamari all great sources.

    I still struggle and have to add in a protein shake sometimes. I've found that meal prepping has helped a lot.

    RDA is 0.8 grams per kg of body weight but RDA is just that - finding what works for you is best.

    Within the "community" it is suggested to be 0.8 g/lb of lean body mass. However macros matter much less than your calorie intake. Eat in a deficit and you'll lose weight.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    To get a personal target (opinion really!) rather than general guidelines (also opinions!) then pertinent information would be:

    How much do you weigh?
    Approximate body fat percentage?
    Are you dieting / in a calorie deficit?
    Do you do hard strength/weight training sessions?
    Do you do endurance cardio?
    Your body composition / physique goals?

    76g doesn't sound a lot to be "impossible" to reach.
    Are you on a very small calorie allowance or just have a dislike of protein rich foods?

    My approximate goal when counting macros is 1g / 1lb of my estimated lean body mass.
    But it's not that vital to be precise, the "need" depends on your circumstances.
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