All The Tools You Need to Hit your Protein Intake
You should care about this post - even if you aren’t exercising regularly. Getting enough protein is essential for everyone regardless of activity level. Pay special attention of you do train regularly - those of us that participate in regular strength training can benefit from above average protein intake.
Why? Protein helps us to repair and build muscle after a resistance training workout (meaning we’ll get stronger, have a higher resting metabolism, and generally feel like our hard work is paying off) and it keeps us feeling full (it’s most satiating macronutrient per calorie!).
I love fat SO much (avocados, nut butters, cheese...mmmm) that before I ever logged my food, my diet was about 15% protein. Given that I was probably also undereating, that’s about ⅓ of what I should have been eating (and I wondered why I wasn’t getting stronger from all of those hours in the gym…). Learn from my years of mistakes - no matter how hard you work out, if you’re not fueling your body properly for recovery you won’t see great results. Also, if you want to make progress you might have to take some time out of your day to think about what you’re eating.
Step 1: Understanding protein, fats and carbs.
Protein is one of the three basic macronutrients. Before we dive into the subject of protein, a brief overview of all the macronutrients, what that means, and why it matters for you.
“Should I count calories or macronutrients??”
Well, if you’re counting macros you are already counting calories. Counting macros is a helpful approach because it allows you to diet flexibly AND understand that it’s not all about just limiting (or adding) calories. Different foods provide different types of fuel and have different roles to play.
1g carbs = 4 kcal (the easiest energy for the body to break down, provides fuel for physical activity. Plus, if we don’t eat enough carbs, our bodies won’t be able to use protein for its intended purpose!)
1g protein = 4 kcal (helps to repair muscle tissue post workout via muscle protein synthesis, the most satiating per calorie)
1g fat = 9 kcal (the most energy dense - we use it to store energy long term in our bodies! Also important for hormonal balance.)
1g alcohol = 7 kcal (No, alcohol isn’t just a carb. We do often “borrow” calories from our carb budget to flexibly fit moderate alcohol consumption into our diets. However, alcohol is a 4th macronutrient and it’s nonessential!)
Step 2: Determining your resting metabolic rate.
What factors affect your daily caloric expenditure?
Height, weight, body fat %, exercises, non exercise energy expenditure, stress level, genetics, sleep, diet history (have you been eating low calories for a long time? Your body might have adapted to survive on less!), weather, and more.
There are so many things that factor in, that’s why figuring out the ideal diet for your body, lifestyle and goals is a giant experiment. There is no ideal diet. Be very skeptical of anyone claiming that there is a simple answer or a quick fix.
Go ahead and just google “RMR calculator” All of the calculators out there are estimates, but they provide a jumping off point and are a good point of reference. This bodybuilding.com one is fine for an estimate.
Step 3: Determining your (actual) daily caloric needs.
The equation linked in the previous section will give you the calories you need AT REST. That means if you did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING all day. In reality, active people need much more to maintain current weight. Even sedentary people need slightly more. That’s where activity factors come in.
Take that number and multiply by the following:
Sedentary — desk job and little to no exercise (multiply by 1.2)
Lightly Active — light exercise/sports 1–3 days/week (multiply by 1.375)
Moderately Active — moderate exercise/sports 3–5 days/week (multiply by 1.55
Very Active — hard exercise/sports 6–7 days/week (multiply by 1.725)
Extremely Active — hard daily exercise/sports and physical job or training (multiply by 1.9)
Example (me):
My RMR, as calculated by the online calculator: 1751 (Female, 5’8”, 27 y/o, 142 lbs, 18% BF): 1751
I’m pretty active, so I’ll multiply by 1.55 or 1.725
→ x1.55 (conservative estimate): 2,714 kcal OR X1.725 (generous estimate): 3,020 kcal
YES that is accurate! I am a relatively slim woman and I eat 2500-3000 calories a day when I’m trying to maintain weight (!!!). If your metabolism isn’t messed up from chronic dieting and you are exercising most days with intensity, you can actually eat a lot without gaining weight!
You should NOT be constantly dieting, there are drastically diminishing returns when you spend the majority of your life attempting to diet. Also, you should not start dieting unless your metabolism is in good shape. Most women (and just a lot of people in general) have been chronically attempting to lose weight their entire adult lives. If that sounds like you, try being consistent at maintenance (not above), training with intensity to build muscle and strength, and hitting protein goals for at least a month or two before trying a fat loss diet.
Step 4: Finding out how much protein you should be eating.
Again: this is all a bit of an estimate, try things, adjust by small amounts, and find what works!
To begin, try aiming for .8-1 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. If you’re on a weight loss or weight gain diet, aim for your target bodyweight in grams. There’s not much need to eat more protein than this for most people. Jumping back to my example, I would aim for 142g of protein as I have no weight loss or weight gain goals at the moment.
Until you can be consistent with protein intake, don’t worry about the exact ratios of either fat or carbs. Simply fill the rest of your diet with (mostly healthy) fats and carbs.
Step 5: How to figure out how much you’re eating.
There are two main ways to go about this, choose the one that’s realistic and healthy for you.
Option 1: measuring, logging + weighing food.
If you’re new to this, I’d recommend measuring and logging foods for a week or so, just so you have an idea of what the portions should look like. *This is a great idea for most people, but its a bad idea if you have any history of disordered eating.*
I suggest using an app as this is already complicated enough. Favorite is Cronometer as it has sources often verified by organizations like the USDA and it doesn’t the aggressive weight loss focus that some apps do (LoseIt!, MyFitnessPal, etc). If you’re used to one of those other ones, they work fine too.
It might be useful to log consistently until you have a good understanding of what you eat and what appropriate portions look like! If it’s working for you feel free to continue, but if you notice yourself getting obsessive about measuring, step back and give yourself a break.
Common logging mistakes (avoid these!)
If you’re taking the time to log, you might as well be accurate! If you don’t care enough to pay attention to stuff like this, logging might not be for you.
Using really generic food items. You’d be surprised how often I see someone send me their food log and it just says “Chinese food”, “pizza”, “cheeseburger” or “salad.” These could all mean so many things and won’t give you a valuable number. Try logging each main ingredient separately instead (i.e: ¼ lb ground meat, 3oz cheese, 1 bun, assume 1 tbsp oil if at a restaurant)
Heaping cups and spoons. Remember to level out if your measuring! Measuring properly is especially important with fats as they’re very dense. The difference between 2 and 3 TBSP of nut butter is much greater than that between 5 and 10 carrots.
Not logging small snacks. When I log food, most of my calories tend to come from “small” snacks that add up between meals.
Useful quick tricks for accurate logging:
Measure with a scale if you’re unsure. After a few times you should have a better idea of what 4oz, or whatever measurement, looks like.
Log dinners out before going. No one wants to be stuck logging @10pm after glasses of wine. Really, plan and log before eating as much as you can! Many menus are online, so you can have an idea of what you’ll have before arriving at a restaurant.
Log 1 TBSP cooking oil for all meals out.
Log raw weight when tracking meats, potatoes and vegetables. Nutrition info listed on labels refer to the raw oz. All of these things will all shrink when cooked.
Logging cooked meat? Assume meat, vegetables and potatoes lose 25% of their volume when cooked. A 4oz COOKED steak is likely closer 5oz meat.
This can be a little tedious, but getting healthy is going to require you to actually think a bit about what you’re eating most of the time! Additionally, if you’re my client this will give me some insight into what you’re doing when I’m not around so that I can provide relevant feedback.
If figuring it all out feels overwhelming and you have the budget, hire a professional to help out! After getting the ball rolling you can determine whether or not you want to continue with that person long term. If you like the idea of working with me, give my nutrition services a look and reach out!
Option 2: Figuring out how much you’re eating: eyeballing portions.
So you either have used a scale/measuring cups enough to be comfortable with more intuitive eating and portion control, or you just don’t want to log. Maybe you usually do log, but you’re out at dinner and not about to bring a scale with you (I wouldn’t do that…)
Anyways, there are plenty of reasons to not log. I don’t think it’s a good long term plan for most people, unless you find you’re only successful when rules are really black and white. Due to my past history of an eating disorder, and also generally just a desire to spend my time on things besides weighing things out, I don’t measure or log my foods regularly. I can manage to eyeball everything and stay on track because I have a good sense of what a portion should look like.
Use these common size comparisons to keep portions in check.
Step 7: Where to get that protein
Check out this google document that I made- a useful evolving list of common protein sources and their macronutrient breakdowns. Most of the portion sizes listed are reasonable, healthy sizes to aim for. Additionally, they are sizes that correspond directly with the eyeballing cheat sheet above. If you want me to add something, shoot me a message!
Useful graphics
Steak can certainly fit into a healthy diet, but it matters what cut of steak you choose. If you eat steak, check this graphic comparing lean steak cuts and choose the one that fits with you goals.
Wild fish is typically healthier than farmed and worth the extra dollar, check this salmon comparison out:
Common questions answered + other fun facts:
1. Vegetarians + protein:
Although the idea of complete vs incomplete protein is outdated, it’s true that some proteins are more bioavailable (or easily digested and utilized) than others. Animal proteins are typically the easiest protein source for humans to break down and use. Some vegetarian protein sources are more bioavailable than others, but overall you can assume your body is less likely to fully utilize plant based protein.
What does this mean? Vegetarians typically require about 10% more protein in their diets.
—> Example (me again!):
140 lb person (me) who eats meat should aim for 140g protein/day
140 lb person who does not eat meat (not me) should aim for 154g/day
2. Why do you list 0% fat dairy? Is it the best option?
0%, 2%, and whole milk products can all fit into your diet. There’s no ‘best’ fat percentage, it should depend on your own needs and taste preference. O% fat dairy is great if you’re looking for a food that’s primarily protein and low in calories. If your diet is lacking in good whole foods with healthy fat and you want something more satiating, try 2% or full fat. Fat also helps to break down fat soluble vitamins so it might be a great choice if you’re pairing with nutrient dense fruits, for example.
All (non fortified) dairy products have a similar protein content, products with a higher fat percentage will just have a higher overall calorie content.
3. Should I eat fewer calories or less protein on the days that I don’t exercise?
Many tracking apps have you log exercise and food so that you aim to reach a set net calorie intake (calories consumed - calories burned = net caloric intake). While this can be motivating for people who struggle to make it to their workouts, I don’t recommend that the average person vary caloric intake day to day for a couple of reasons:
There is no good way to accurately estimate caloric expenditure outside of a lab setting.
We shouldn’t be basing the value of a workout on the calories burned (for example - a strength workout might not burn a ton of calories, but it will help you to build muscle which will, in turn, help raise your RMR).
Your days off are recovery days! Your body needs fuel to repair muscles and replenish depleted energy stores during days off. Nutrition on off days is just as important as it is on training days.
4. When should I start worrying about fat and carb ratios?
After you’ve successfully hit targeted calorie and protein intake for 3-4+ weeks minimum. Other things to get under control first: sleep, water intake, regular exercise, fiber intake, stress.