Stop!

There is a much more important question.

And that question is…..

What is my total daily intake requirements for protein?

As in, how many grams of protein should I be eating per day.

Simple answer:

 

Anywhere between 1.2g and  2.2g of protein per kg of bodyweight…

 

and thats it…

 

Have a great day….

 

 

😀

Just kidding.

 

The above is a guide. And as always with the fitness industry,

the answer begin with… it depends…

 

If you are looking to bulk up and build mass..

Aim for the higher end of the scale (2.2g/kg)

Similarly, if you are an athlete who trains at a high intensity 4-5 times per week,

Inter-county GAA athletes, Rugby players etc.

aim for the higher end of the scale again.

This because you are subjecting your muscle tissue to high stresses regularly and they need to adapt, repair and grow. A high protein diet will help this.

 

Should you be an average joe such as myself, who is training 5-7 times per week.

1-2 tough sessions per week, 3-5 punch the clock sessions/technique sessions

then we are going to be a little less concerned about it.

It’s still the target though…

 

I’m going to use “Joe” as an example.

He/she has a little bit of christmas weight still hanging around.

He’s/she’s a little bit worried now because their better half has booked the Algarve for a week in May, which is only around the corner.

Joe decided to hit some local HIIT classes that give you a “Serious sweat” 4-5 times per week.

Joe also starts eating more “food” labelled as “fat free”, “part of a healthier balanced diet”, “gluten free” and “fortified with…..”

Nice effort Joe.

But there’s a good chance you are now training bad movement patterns,

at high volume and high intensity which has a high risk of leading to injury.

Joe is also eating more processed food and sugar replacements which means the food quality has gone back..

Also, they tend to taste awful…

 

 

 

There is a more efficient model though.

Let say Joe is 75kg.

Joe will aim to eat somewhere between 120g and 150g of protein per day.

So

-90g on Monday…because its harder than it looks

-110g on Tuesday…because Joe got better trying

95g on Wednesday…Wednesdays is a busy day as the kids have swimming and GAA

160g on Thursday…Joe ate out with their partner and had a large steak which pushed it up

120g on Friday… getting the hang of this now

150g on Saturday… They always have a fry up on a Saturday

100g on Sunday…Went to parents so had to eat what was on offer

So average over the whole week…

117g per day..

Super. Nice work..

You’ve nearly hit into your target and its still only week one.

Move on to next week. Start again..

Whats nice about this model is there ain’t any stress to it.

It can fluctuate and adapt with our ever changing lifestyles.

Increasing our protein intake at each meal will leave us feeling fuller for longer.

Reducing our food cravings between meals hence less snacking.

It will build and repair muscle, complimenting our structured training program.

Also, during a weight loss phase, increased protein intake has been shown to

help maintain our lean body mass while in a calorie deficit..

(So we just lose fat)

 

 

So, does Joe need a protein shake?

Not necessarily.

Would it help?

Yes.

One 20g scoop per day would have brought Joe right up to their target of 150g/day.

At the same time, extra food would be better.

A protein shake is only a supplement and should not become the primary source.

 

Personally, the last bag of protein I bought had expired before I got to use it all, so I only use it from time to time, for convenience.

ie. having to run out the door fast and haven’t eaten, or getting in a post workout “something” before a client arrives.

 

 

Hope it helps…

 

Ronan “Time To Order More Protein” Brady

 

P.S

 

Example of protein daily intake:

4 eggs for breakfast.. 28g of protein

2 chicken breast for lunch… 48g of protein

200g of mince for dinner…. 40g of protein

3 turkey sausages for tea…. 27g of protein

 

Total: 143g of protein…..

 

Day done…

 

#becomeyouranomaly

If you have any questions or need some help with your training or nutrition then get in contact.

ronan@becomeyoueanomaly.com

or

086 34 800 38