What is your opinion on protein requirements?

[damdaman]

for a man over 6', trying to gain weight, with a very active weightlifting/calisthenics/cardio routine. 4,000 - 5,000 calorie diet kind of active.

 

I stopped eating protein powders because I read a lot of research that suggests that if you're getting enough calories to sustain your activity level, you're getting enough protein, as long as your diet isn't complete crap (which mine isn't). I also believe that excess protein is hard on your body (particularly the bones -- protein digestion creates acidity which requires calcium to neutralize -- and liver -- ammonia is the byproduct of protein digestion which has to be detoxed by your liver--).

 

So after tracking my food, it looks like I'm getting about 130 grams of protein a day, which constitutes about 12-14% of my calories in a day.

 

So, for building muscle mass on a large male whose workouts put his calories around the 4,000+ a day mark, do you consider this adequate or inadequate protein?

 

What percentage of calories do you feel is the healthiest?

[Zack]

I have liver problems so I watch my protein...I usually don't go too much over 120 because that is what I seem to naturally consume. I have put on 12 +pounds in the last 3 months that is not fat.

[dontxhide]

I believe its different for everyone. I have been gaining weight on about 100-110 grams a day. When my brother was weightlifting he was getting huge with only 80 grams a day.

 

Some of my friends who try what weightlifting magazines say to use, about 1 gram per bodyweight, or 2 grams per bodyweight, always seem to get more fat on them than muscle in my opinion.

[beforewisdom]

Brenda Davis RD is my favorite vegan nutritionist. Aside from cowriting "Becoming Vegan" which has to be the best vegan nutrition book out there she cowrote the American Dietetic Associations Position Paper On Vegetarianism.

 

Brenda Davis RD and other prominent vegan RDs have been coming out and telling vegans that it is a mistaken belief to believe that vegan diets are special in making vegans not needing the RDAs of any particular nutrient.

 

They claim that is a myth.

 

The US RDA for protein is .36g of protein per pound of body weight or 0.8g of protein per kilogram.

 

That isn't a lot.

 

You can get that eating beans and rice with one soy meal or a protein drink rounding things out.

[Guest]

Your right...you don't need that much more. Unless you have the time and ability to really rip your body to shreds on a daily basis there's not sense in eating tons of extra protein. If you feel sustained by your current diet you'll be fine...if you don't then eat more but increase carbs and fat accordingly and don't just eat protein. Protein doesn't give you energy and won't let you work as hard as extra carbs will.