Have a question? Protein is a vital part of the body, so we need to focus on our protein intake if we are looking to stay healthy. It is the most necessary of all macronutrients.
Proteins are the building blocks for life, and nothing would be possible without them in some form. Proteins are also made from amino acids, which all play vital roles in life, and are the main reason for protein to be taken in.
Protein can be used as energy if the body needs it, but it is so valuable that it would rather use the initial stores of carbohydrates and fats first.
Whether you want to keep your weight, lose, or gain weight, protein should be tracked and prioritized in your nutrition for optimal health.
Your exact protein requirements will vary depending on many factors, such as your weight, age, activity level, and fitness goals you have set.
For a general rule, it is recommended that all people take in 0.36 grams per pound of body weight for optimal health and a sedentary lifestyle.
Keeping that bare minimum protein requirement in mind, it is important to know that the recommendations increase significantly when someone is partaking in intense workouts, has very high-demand physical labor jobs, or is a combination of these two things.
The calculator we use on this page will tell you a close recommendation for how much protein you need in your diet based on your own body and the lifestyle that you choose to live.
To get this estimate, you must input your age, sex, height, weight, chosen body goal, and the current activity level you achieve on your average day.
The result will show you the number of grams you should get each day, giving you an easier-to-track number.
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How Is The Daily Protein Recommendation Calculated?
This Protein Calculator Uses the Mifflin St Jeor equation, which most nutritionists, dietitians, and fitness professionals consider the gold standard for finding basal metabolic rate.
The basal metabolic rate formula is:
- For men: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5 (kcal / day)
- For women: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) -161 (kcal / day)
From there, we will then multiply by your activity level, which the number is determined based on these:
- Sedentary = 1.2
- Lightly active = 1.375
- Moderately active = 1.550
- Very active = 1.725
- Extra active = 1.9
The total amount of calories required will be adjusted by the goal you have selected in the calculator.
For weight loss, the calories are reduced by 10 – 20%.
For weight gain, an additional 500 calories will be added to the equation’s product.
For maintenance of weight, we will not change the result.
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To find the grams of protein we need daily, take the protein recommended in the diet, typically 40%, and multiply it by your total calories.
This percentage has been found to keep up well with the protein needs associated with activity while ensuring you can build muscle and enhance body composition for overall health.
What Food Are Highest In Protein?
You don’t have to be a bodybuilder or powerlifter to know and care about the proper RDA for dietary protein.
Even the general population must know some food tips for reaching enough protein in your daily calories.
The best foods will be decided by dietary preferences, budgets, and preferred eating styles.
Instead of listing an entire shopping list, we will go through some eating strategies that should help ensure you are getting enough protein sources to accompany the recommendations for healthy adults.
Some Great Extra Protein Tips:
- Ensure you consume 3 or 4 solid meals daily, including 20 – 40 grams of protein each. This gets you very close to a high-protein diet.
- If you choose to be vegetarian, vegan, or have a similar restriction, make sure that you pair up some complimentary proteins so you get as many complete proteins as possible. This ensures you get all the essential amino acids your body needs.
- Having some pre-made protein-rich snack ready to go is a good idea. This includes foods like protein bars, nuts, protein shakes, or supplements like whey protein powder.
- Make sure to have a ready post-workout shake with 20 – 40 grams of protein. This is good, as you can slow down muscle catabolism.
The tips above will ensure you can hit your protein goals and optimally gain lean body mass, achieve fat loss, or properly maintain your current physique.
How Can I Calculate Protein In My Food?
Getting to your daily protein intake levels will take some time to adjust if you are not used to using a food scale or reading nutrition labels.
We must use nutrition labels, as they all show the amount of protein in our food items, and then use a scale to adjust our portion sizes.
The nutrition labels all include a serving size based on the protein amount.
With this information, you can weigh out the amount of food you are taking in and use the percentage of the serving size to get exact numbers.
It is important to remember that these are still estimates, but they will be nearly exact.
Protein powders and pre-packaged food items will be easier than other food items, as often, you will not have to weigh them if you eat the package in its entirety.
We hope this protein intake calculator has helped you with your fitness and nutrition goals!
Make sure to check out the other fitness and nutrition calculators on PTPioneer!
Tyler Read
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