Nutrition 101, Part 3(a) of 3...Protein

So what exactly is "Protein?" That is a good question, and to answer that, let's examine some basics: First, Protein is what makes up our Muscles and most of the tissues in our bodies; Second, Protein makes up most of the body's cells and the cells in our immune system; Third, Protein also makes up many of the hormones we need for normal bodily function; and Fourth, Protein is also vital for carrying out the millions of cellular functions our bodies perform every second of every day, for our entire lifetime!

So Protein is fairly important stuff, wouldn't you agree? We need a little every day to help maintain optimal health...So How Much Protein do we need? That is a good question, and one that depends on a couple of things: 1) How active are you? 2) How many calories per day do you need?

Addressing #1, the more active a person is, the more protein they should consume each day. According to "Gold Medal Nutrition, 4ed, 2006," A Non-Athletic Adult should consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight(.08 g/kgBW), Recreational Athletes-1.0 g/kgBW, Strength Athletes (Steady State) 1.0-1.2 g/kgBW, Strength Athletes (Early Training) 1.5-1.7 g/kgBW, Endurance Athletes 1.2-1.4 g/kgBW, Power Sports 1.4-1.7 g/kgBW, Elite Endurance Athletes 1.6 g/kgBW.

Now these numbers may seem a little confusing, just do this: Divide your body weight in pounds by 2.2, this gives you Kilograms. Then multiply that number (Kilograms) by the protein number of grams that match your exercise level. So, for example, if you weigh 150 lbs, divide that by 2.2, and you get 68.18 (let's round that down to 68 Kilograms). Take the 68 kg and multiply that by 1.0 (for Recreational Athlete). That equals 68 x 1.0 = 68 grams of protein per day. Just to give you an idea, that is about 1 can of tuna and 4 cups of milk worth of protein.

Log on next time and we will discuss how much protein you should eat based on your diet and total calories per day that you consume.