The equation helps you ensure you have a healthy daily diet
A Liverpool gym owner has revealed the simple sum he recommends everyone should know. Connor O’Brien, the founder behind Castle Street’s Absolute Body Solutions, said the equation was essential for “growth, repair and maintenance of the body”.
The sum works out how much protein you should eat daily to ensure a healthy diet. Protein is one of the macronutrients, with carbohydrates and fats being the other two, the body requires in large quantities to provide energy and maintain its structure and systems.
Whether you’re aiming to lose weight, add muscle or maintain health, protein is “probably the most important nutrient” to get right, and you should always aim to hit your protein target daily.
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How much protein should you eat?
Connor said that, as a general rule, one gram of protein per pound of body weight should be consumed daily. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, you should aim to eat 180 grams of protein per day.
If you want to shed weight, aim for at least 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight, and if you’re looking to gain muscle, aim to get 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight from lean sources.
The best protein sources
Protein is the most satiating nutrient and helps you to feel full for longer. Eating protein can also be classed as low-level thermogenesis as it’s harder to digest and chew. You should aim to get the best, most complete protein sources in your diet daily.
This can be anything from below:
- Dairy – eggs, milk, cheese
- Poultry – chicken and turkey
- Red meat – specifically grass-fed sources
- Fish – cod, salmon, tuna
If you’re tracking your calories or are on a specific nutrition plan, it’s useful to know that protein equals four calories per gram. For example, 100 grams of protein would equal 400 calories.
