Posted on May 08, 2015 by Kate Halsall

Are you concerned that you’re not getting enough protein in your diet or that you’re having too much? How much protein should I eat per day….as personal trainers we get asked this question a lot. But if we said to you that you need to eat 80g of protein a day (rhetorically speaking)- would you know what that equated to? Is it 4 chicken breasts a day? Is it the biggest steak you can find? Is 3 eggs? Does this mean you need protein shakes too? This blog is aiming to help you to understand how much protein you should be eating per day and what a portion of protein looks like.

First things first, let’s answer the question….How much protein should I eat per day?

To work it out you need to keep in mind that it is dependant on your goal and activity levels. If you are active and doing any form of resistance training, you should be eating between 1.2-1.7g of protein for every kilo of lean body weight. (If you’re unsure how much of your body weight is actually lean – book an MOT with us and get your body fat measured!)

For example if your total body weight is 65kg or 10st 3.0lbs. You go to the gym 3 times a week and do weights and HIIT training and you’re looking to get lean. From having your body fat measured, your lean body weight is 53.31kg.

53.31kg x1.5g= 80g of protein a day.

On a general note for the essential functions of the body men need at least 56g protein per day, women need at least 46g protein per day (71g if pregnant or breast feeding).

 

So now we know how much you should be having, what does that actually look like with regards to actual food? Here’s some examples:

85g or 3oz chicken breast = 28g protein. If it helps, the average weight of a chicken breast is normally around 120g
85g or 3oz steak = 26g protein
85g or 3oz salmon = 22g protein. If it helps, the average salmon serving is around 125g.
170g or 6oz fat free Greek yogurt = 18g protein
170g or 6oz tofu = 20g protein
125g or 4oz of lentils = 18g protein
1tbsp peanut butter = 7g protein
28g or 1oz almonds = 6g protein
1 large egg = 6g protein

Different websites will give you slightly different values (they don’t vary by much) – but you get the general idea! This website actually gives you visual representations too: http://www.fitnesstreats.com/2012/04/what-does-20-grams-of-protein-look-like/

Essentially a portion of protein can look like anything, you just need to spread your daily intake of protein throughout the day. If you want any help with your food and understanding how much protein you need, book in for one of our Nutritional Consultations – we’re here to help!

For more information about protein, see also:
www.todaysdietitian.com/pdf/webinars/ProteinContentofFoods.pdf
http://www.m8north.co.uk/blog/6-top-questions-protein/