How much protein should I consume each day?

According the the food pyramid, I'm supposed to consume 5.5 cups of meat and beans a day, based on a 2,000 calorie diet. What I'd also like to know is how many grams of protein I"m supposed to consume. I'm not looking to do the high protein/low carb diet, I just want to have a ball park idea of what is the right amount. Any ideas?

Wed. Oct 26, 9:23pm

a deck of cards is one serving of meat and i think youre supposed to have 2-3 of those a day dont quote me but im pretty sure

Wednesday, October 26, 2005, 9:46 PM

I've heard that you're supposed to get any where from 20-35% of your calories from protein. So if you're aiming for 1800 calories a day, you want to get from 360 to 630 calories a day from protein. Since each gram of protein has 4 calories, that's 90-157 grams of protein a day - a lot!

Thursday, October 27, 2005, 5:58 AM

They (at the food pyramid) say 20-30% of your diet should be protein, by calorie, but remember, protein is a very low calorie food!

Shoot for 50g of protein for a 2000 calorie diet.
If you're trying to body build, they go up to 1g of protein per pound of body weight! (That is SO hard to do.)

Thursday, October 27, 2005, 10:13 PM

If you lift weights and are active in the gym you need more protein then what they recommend

Thursday, October 27, 2005, 11:53 PM

Protein isn't THAT low calorie.
Each gram of protein has 4 calories.
Each gram of carbs has 4 calories.
Each gram of fat has 9 calories.

On a 2000/day calorie diet, 20-30% of your calories from protein is 100-150 grams of protein a day (2000 calories x 20% = 400 calories should be from protein. 400 calories divided by 4 calories per gram of protein = 100 grams of protein).

Protein makes you feel full! You'll eat less other stuff if you can eat more protein. Just make sure it's lean (chicken, ham, tofu, cottage cheese), so you're not getting a lot of fat along with it.

Friday, October 28, 2005, 5:51 AM

I normally have a protein smoothie for breakfast along with toast for fiber. The protein powder says it has 25g of protein per scoop and states that's about %50. I'm a vegetarian, so I find it helpful to have the smoothie to make sure I get all my protein. You can also mix the stuff with milk or water and it comes in different flavors, chocolate or vanilla are good. I find it helps me get one of my fruit servings in too.

Friday, October 28, 2005, 10:03 AM

What brand of protein powder are you using? I have had lots of trouble finding one that I actually liked the taste of.

Friday, October 28, 2005, 10:29 AM

Protein Calculator

Here's a cool protein calculator that takes into account your age, gender, and activity level.

Link

Friday, October 28, 2005, 1:24 PM

I forget the brand name of the powder I use, it's a soy powder and I use the unflavored kind, but I blend it with fruit and pure cranberry juice and it wort of masks the flavor. The smoothie tastes a little grainy/chalky, but I know I need the protein, so deal with it.

I'll check the brand name when I get home tonight

Friday, October 28, 2005, 2:00 PM

Oops! I mean SORT of, not wort of. I hope this doesn't inspire a posting about spell checking LOL :)

Friday, October 28, 2005, 2:02 PM

Thanks for posting the link to the Protein Calculator.

Love the protein calculator. Didn't realize the more active you are the more protein you need. I always thought I was eating enough, but I see by the results you have to increase on workout days.

Friday, October 28, 2005, 11:54 PM

Improving the taste of most protein drinks

I usually add 1 1/2 cups of water to 1 scoop of powder. The extra 1/2 cup of water makes it so much better. Then I add a few shakes of cinnamon, some shavings of fresh nutmeg, and 1/2 a tablespoon of cocoa powder.

Saturday, October 29, 2005, 12:02 AM

What happens to you if you don't eat enough protein?

I know I don't get enough. Even, now that I'm trying, I hardly get enough protein. I eat too much fruit/veggies/bread.

Sunday, October 30, 2005, 3:56 PM

Protein

I am not certain the exact amount needed for a daily intake of protein. The calculator above may be a good way to customize a plan. It certainly would need to be based on your body size and your amount of muscle mass.

But, once you find out the amount in grams, it is very good to divide this up. The body can only use on average 15 grams at a time (a meal). So, over eating protein is going to 1. be turned into a form of stored energy (fat) and 2. be extra unnecessary work on your kidneys.

Extra Tip: If you find you are craving sugar... you may be in need of more protein. Try eating some protein and you'll more than likely stop wanting the sweets as much.

Sunday, March 28, 2010, 9:30 PM

Two interesting links for you to consider regarding protein...

Just thought I'd post something different about "protein" for some of you to think about. I know this isn't for everyone... but just consider...

this one is from a PT member's blog...
Healthy Girl's Kitchen: The Great Protein Myth
http://healthygirlskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/03/great-protein-myth.html

and this one is from PT...
How Much Protein Does An Athlete Need To Consume In Their Diet? Dr. Joel Furhman Explains What He Tells NBA Players and Olympic Skiers
http://blog.peertrainer.com/tip_of_the_day/2010/03/how-much-protein-does-an-athlete-need-to-consume-in-their-diet-dr-joel-furhman-explains-what-he-tell.html

Link

Sunday, March 28, 2010, 10:09 PM

Protein powder

I use the GNC whey protein in vanilla....I blend it with almond breeze and a banana and berries and a little plain greek yogurt. It's tasty and my husband, no fan of things healthy, loves it!

Saturday, April 3, 2010, 7:23 PM

pp, we make those exact same smoothies in our house and they are a big hit!

Saturday, April 3, 2010, 7:31 PM

Calories.

A 2000 calorie diet is a child's diet, or a teen for females is 2400, and boys 26-2800, now a adults is probably about 3000.
-Bug

Link

Sunday, July 11, 2010, 11:21 AM

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