How much protein should we eat per day?
1. The short answer is 1 to 2 gm/kg/day based on our lean body weight.
2. Many of us are not getting enough protein. Our bodies then send us hunger signals until we are getting enough meaning we may consume excess calories.
3. Protein is satiating (fills you up!).
4. We suggest aiming at 1.5 gm/kg/day to begin with. This is based on your lean body weight (LBW).
5. In order to consume that much for me (173cm tall male LBW 65kg) I need to eat about 100gm of protein per day.
For example, this is acheived by:
Breakfast: 2 eggs with 2 rashers bacon (30gm protein)
Lunch: Tin of tuna/ salmon (180 gm which provides 35 gm of actual protein)
Dinner: Any meat or fish weighing 120 – 160 gm (30 to 40 gm protein)
Are most of us getting that much? I doubt it.
6. No snacking for 4 hours after a meal. (You do not need to eat 2 hours after meals like these!). Snacks elevate insulin levels to prevent fat burning.
7. The safe range of protein has been described as 0.8 to 2.5 gm/kg LBW
8. See Prof Donald Layman’s YouTube on protein (56 minutes). We would not agree with his recommendation to eat so much (40 gm) of carbs per meal nor his recommendation to choose low fat products!! However his arguments for this level of protein intake look strong and are based on good science.
9. Prof Layman recommends getting at least 30 gm of protein at each meal.
10. Volek and Phinney’s “The Art and Science of Low Carb Living” recommend protein intake at similar levels to Layman.
11. Anecdotally at LCDU we are aware of a number of overweight people stalled in their weight loss eating LCHF, who have resumed weight loss when they significantly raised their protein intake.
12. One often hears in the low carb world that excessive protein results in breakdown of amino acids, many of which are converted back to glucose. Rarely does one hear just what represents excessive protein.
13. Try this level of protein intake, in combination with low carb (20 to 50 gm per day) with plenty of healthy fats to satisfy your appetite. See what happens to your hunger, your waist measurement, your strength and your general wellbeing!
14. Feedback is welcomed on this important topic via [email protected] Thanks!!
To read more on protein see Dale Hoffman’s protein story.
