Thread: How Much Protein?

Most people try to get in about 1 to 1.5g of protein per lb of body weight and some go by lean body mass. Try to get that 1 to 1.5 from complete protein sources like meats, eggs and such. Whole food is always better than whey except pwo.

Originally Posted by Scorpion

How much protein should I be taking per day? I am 5'9 135 lb and go to the gym 4 days a week. I usually have about 60 g, with 1/3 of that being from a whey shake. Im not really into gaining that much mass, just want definition and strength.

Wow - you are way too skinny at 5'9 and 135#..... :eep: And you say you are not interested in gaining more mass??!! Why?

In terms of protein - as said, you want between 1.0 and 1.5g per pound lean mass. I like at least 1.2g per pound lean mass... So this means you want to know your BF%. You still need this much protein if you are looking for strength - as to have good strength you need to do a specific type of training and this will require you to have an increased protein intake to repair and restore those muscles.

But, say you had a BF% of 15% - that would mean your protein intake should be between 115g and 170g a day.

Which means you are getting about half of what your MINIMAL intake should be!! What do you typically eat in a day? If you write it down maybe we can help you get more protein...

Oh, wow I didn't know I needed that much protein per day. Some people say its 1g/kg of body weight. I usually have between 0-15 g of protein for breakfast(depends on egg or cereal), 10 g for lunch(PB sandwich), and about 15 for dinner on a typical day(pasta w/ cheese or chicken). I also have the shake (20 g whey). I am not much into eating meat everyday, just occasionally. Most of my diet is carbs, is that good or bad? I also haven't gained any mass since I began working out 3 months ago, but I have become much more stronger and defined. I was also thinking of getting a shake with more protein(40 g) or taking 2 a day.

Originally Posted by Scorpion

Oh, wow I didn't know I needed that much protein per day. Some people say its 1g/kg of body weight. I usually have between 0-15 g of protein for breakfast(depends on egg or cereal), 10 g for lunch(PB sandwich), and about 15 for dinner on a typical day(pasta w/ cheese or chicken). I also have the shake (20 g whey). I am not much into eating meat everyday, just occasionally. Most of my diet is carbs, is that good or bad? I also haven't gained any mass since I began working out 3 months ago, but I have become much more stronger and defined. I was also thinking of getting a shake with more protein(40 g) or taking 2 a day.

I would certainly try to balance your food more - a diet of pure carbs is really unhealthy.

Increase your lean proteins and nuts and seeds and swap your carb sources to whole-grains and legumes. Also, ensure you are getting lots of vegetables and some fruits as well. Skim dairy is also a great addition to a diet.

I would also make sure you eat meals 'everyday' and try to get 5 meals in each day. Look into the sticky at the top "guide to...." and it will give you an outline of how to construct a better diet.

Originally Posted by Scorpion

Oh, wow I didn't know I needed that much protein per day. Some people say its 1g/kg of body weight. I usually have between 0-15 g of protein for breakfast(depends on egg or cereal), 10 g for lunch(PB sandwich), and about 15 for dinner on a typical day(pasta w/ cheese or chicken). I also have the shake (20 g whey). I am not much into eating meat everyday, just occasionally. Most of my diet is carbs, is that good or bad? I also haven't gained any mass since I began working out 3 months ago, but I have become much more stronger and defined. I was also thinking of getting a shake with more protein(40 g) or taking 2 a day.

Yeah bro, from a bodybuilders view your diet is crap. Youre gonna need to follow a proper bodybuilding diet to gain strength just as you would to gain size. Generally speaking, to gain strength, by defualt youre gonna have to bulk up and gain some mass as well.

Is it still possible to make gains with my diet and protein intake? My main goal is to get my bench up 30 pounds by summer and look good with my shirt off.

Originally Posted by Scorpion

Is it still possible to make gains with my diet and protein intake? My main goal is to get my bench up 30 pounds by summer and look good with my shirt off.

I doubt it. Maybe you could because youre a begginer but theyre not gonna be too much. How old are you?

If youre continously lifting your muscles will stay fairly pumped if trained regularly and appear slightly larger than if you werent.