Article: How Much Protein Do You Need . . .
I came across this article, How Much Protein Do You Need To Build Muscle & Lose Fat? written by Kevin Richardson who is a natural body building champion. In the 28 Days To Health™ program we talk about the importance of protein and how to plan meals that incorporate more of this vital micronutrient. I spent 10 years as a personal trainer so I have heard plenty debate on protein and how much is truly needed to maintain a healthy body composition.
Kevin sites in this article that the RDA for protein is .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. I coach clients to aim for .5 or half your body weight in grams of protein per day. Body builders can increase this amount to as much as 5 times their weight in grams. Yikes! Kevin covers the various angles from too much protein to athletes vs sedentary and so on.
If you are familiar with the topic and know a bit about protein you can skim through the article but definitely check out the last section called, “Increasing Muscle Mass With Relatively Low Protein Intakes.” He mentions that growing up on a tropical island he regularly saw homeless people with great muscle mass. They obviously weren’t getting the recommended daily allowance of anything.
In 28 Days To Health we coach clients to pick their protein source first when planning a meal. You should plan to have “chicken with your rice and veggies” and not “rice and veggies with some chicken.” For many, having a protein supplement is key because in the reality of life cooking up eggs, chicken or fish three times a day is not possible.












