How normal people get their protein macro?

[sammmy]

I looked at some diet (MATADOR intermittent diet) and for my body weight of about 160lb, I have to consume about 160 grams protein per day. Naive me always thought that means just 160 grams of meat.

Checking the nutritional value info for chicken, beef, and fish: all are about 25% protein by weight so I have to eat 160/0.25 = 640 grams (1.4 lb) of meat every day to get 160 grams of protein.

That is an insane amount of meat per day. Do people actually eat that much of meat?

If half of the protein (80 grams) is supplemented by a high-protein powder, that would require about 100 grams of powder daily so in 30 days I would consume about 3kg (6.6lb) protein powder. Again this amount is quite shockingly high!

 

[Cheshire_cat]

Yes. Going through one container of protein powder a month is probably average for someone who takes working out seriously. It is just the easiest most cost effective way of intaking protein. I drink a Costco muscle milk style shake (that come in the boxes) for breakfast and 2 scoops of whey protein isolate (about 50 grams) post workout. Together that is 80 grams right there. That plus chicken, tuna, steak etc. Drink plenty of water. You need protein to build muscle. On TRT your body utilizes the protein better, so make the most of it!

 

[Cope]

When I was cutting, I was hitting 280 g of protein a day. I was eating around 20 lbs of chicken breasts per week. But I wasn’t hungry and I dropped my weight down to 202 with a BF % around 7.5.

Now I’m on maintenance at 240g of Protein, 275g carbs and 58g of Fats. And I only consume about 50g via shakes.

 

[poweller]

I weigh 170 lbs and eat 250 gm of protein per day without even thinking about it. I don’t need to resort to protein powders. In brief, egg whites & sardines for breakfast, cottage cheese as mid-morning snack, chicken breast for lunch, peanut butter as mid afternoon snack, and another chicken breast for dinner.

 

[Joe Sixpack]

I find protein to be quite easy to get. Eggs, cheese, bacon, beef, milk, peanut butter, all of them stacked with protein. I am eating a pretty low carb diet though.

 

[JohnTaylorHK]

I have read lots of research on the subject of "How much Protein is right for me?". Most of the technical analysis comes back round to the 1g per lb of body weight, although I think this is well over what is required for the non-athlete. The RDA of 0.8g/Kg bodyweight (0.36g/lb) was intended to achieve a zero nitrogen balance, and not the positive nitrogen balance needed for growth. So somewhere north (higher) of this figure is usually necessary. However, I have met very well developed bodybuilders who thrive at these levels, so I guess easy gainers need less? I use 0.8g/lb (I don't gain muscle easily but lose fat easily!) and have just about got it right in terms of body composition, but I don't intend to compete for Mr Olympia anytime soon. If you are on the higher amounts, I definitely recommend upping your hydration. Namaste.

 

[sammmy]

I weigh 170 lbs and eat 250 gm of protein per day without even thinking about it. I don’t need to resort to protein powders. In brief, egg whites & sardines for breakfast, cottage cheese as mid-morning snack, chicken breast for lunch, peanut butter as mid afternoon snack, and another chicken breast for dinner.

Do you track your calories? 250 g of protein is 250x4 = 1000 calories by itself and since in most of the foods you listed the protein accounts for about 50% of the calories, the total calories from those foods containing 250 g of protein will amount to 2000 calories already.

Do you eat anything else like bread, pasta, rice, lentils, salads, desserts, wine, beer etc?

 

[poweller]

I do track my calories. I was just giving you the protein highlights to illustrate how easy it is to increase protein intake. By the way, those chicken breasts are only 6 ounces. I lift 5 days a week plus 20 min cardio. Total # of calories is 3200-3400 & I do 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbs. I avoid fried foods and sugar. I keep alcohol intake as low as possible, occasionally 2 to 3 servings per week, but I shoot and often miss for zero alcohol.

 

[poweller]

It’s all Greek to me.

 

[sammmy]

I do track my calories. I was just giving you the protein highlights to illustrate how easy it is to increase protein intake. By the way, those chicken breasts are only 6 ounces. I lift 5 days a week plus 20 min cardio. Total # of calories is 3200-3400 & I do 30% protein, 30% fat, and 40% carbs. I avoid fried foods and sugar. I keep alcohol intake as low as possible, occasionally 2 to 3 servings per week, but I shoot and often miss for zero alcohol.

As I suspected, that won't work for me. My weight maintenance calories are around 2000, anything more than that would make me fat and saggy, and I do fitness 5 days weekly with more cardio/walking than you. If we scale down your food regiment proportionally to 2000 calories, it will contain (2000/3400)*250 = 147grams of protein daily.

 

[slicktop]

As I suspected, that won't work for me. My weight maintenance calories are around 2000, anything more than that would make me fat and saggy, and I do fitness 5 days weekly with more cardio/walking than you. If we scale down your food regiment proportionally to 2000 calories, it will contain (2000/3400)*250 = 147grams of protein daily.

You work out 5 days a week, and will gain weight if you eat over 2000 calories per day? Something isn't right here.

 

[sammmy]

Weight training 5 days a week does not burn significant amount of calories. That's what cardio/walking is for but since it is winter I do not walk around that much and my cardio boils down to 2 x 300 calories burned weekly on a machine.

 

[JohnTaylorHK]

For longevity, short-burst HIIT and calisthenics (isometric flexion/holds) are optimal IMVHO. The exercise doesn't burn calories, you will burn more fat lying on the couch. The post-workout afterburn is where it's at, and the above regimen is optimal for that, taking much less time and minimal facilities/equipment etc. I only go to the gym to read my FaceBook messages, where I am in good company. Namaste.

 

[Cips1975]

I weigh 170 lbs and eat 250 gm of protein per day without even thinking about it. I don’t need to resort to protein powders. In brief, egg whites & sardines for breakfast, cottage cheese as mid-morning snack, chicken breast for lunch, peanut butter as mid afternoon snack, and another chicken breast for dinner.

Curious how much of the other foods you mentioned you eat. The chicken breast 2x will be approx 100 grams of protein total. You must be eating a shit ton of egg whites as 1 cup is like 25 grams of protein and 1 cup of cottage cheese is like 25 grams. other foods sardines and peanut butter are combo fat and protein so engulfing a lot of that would be tough. I assume you are eating like 2 cups of whites and cottage.

 

[poweller]

264 gm protein today.

Breakfast: 200 gm berries (1 gm ), 1/3 cup oatmeal (4 gm ), 5 oz egg whites (17 gm), 1 large egg (6 gm ), 1 tin of sardines (21 gm )

Mid morning snack: 230 gm orange (3 gm) 2 cups lowfat cottage cheese (56 gm), 100 gm apple (0 gm).

Lunch: skillet casserole comprising 6 oz ground turkey (42 gm ), 4oz Shiitake mushrooms (2 gm) 1 TBSP olive oil (0 gm) 6 oz black beans (8 gm ), 80 gm onion (1 gm); medium yam (3 gm )

Mid afternoon snack: 3 TBSP natural peanut butter (12 gm), 1 Ezekiel cinnamon raisin English muffin (6 gm), 1 large banana (1 gm)

Dinner: 6 oz chicken breast (53 gm ), 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese (28 gm)

I think I got it all.

 

[Rock H. Johnson]

Weight training 5 days a week does not burn significant amount of calories. That's what cardio/walking is for but since it is winter I do not walk around that much and my cardio boils down to 2 x 300 calories burned weekly on a machine.

Its not about the amount of energy you use up while working out or moving around. What will give a sustained burn is getting and keeping enough muscle mass that your BMR(Base Metabolic Rate) is high enough to burn that much calories to keep the fat of the midsection, without the need of treadmills etc. So you can keep those for the cardio. High BMR = less fat = less aromatisation.

 

[poweller]

Extended cardio bad!!

 

[Rock H. Johnson]

Extended cardio bad!!

Yeah, keep the cardio for short bursts, elevating heart rate and move that thick blood around....

 

[Vtail]

Extended cardio bad!!

How do you define 'extended'?

 

[poweller]

For decades, I ran several 10Ks and half marathons per year. While training, I would run either on the road or the treadmill for 10 to 12 hours per week. Although I love to run, for the last 2 years, I’ve kept it to a 20 min session of interval training 3 or 4 times a week. I lift 5 days a week. I’ve muscled up & body fat has been cut in half.