Space Out Your Protein Intake
Let’s talk protein intake.
Did you know your body can only absorb up to 40 grams of protein at a time?
That means protein powders boasting 60 grams of whey protein per serving or meal plans that encourage 8 oz. of meat for dinner for a resistance trained athlete are not providing the full bang for their buck!
To build and maintain lean muscle, space your protein intake equally throughout the day. A recent article published by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition provides a simple equation for estimating specific needs. The current recommendations for total daily protein intake are 1.6 g/kg of body weight to maintain muscle mass (with an upper limit of 2.2 g/kg/day recommended). Using this model, researchers propose that the best method for spacing out protein is dividing daily intake by four, thus aiming for 0.4 g/kg/meal. For someone weighing 160 lbs. (72.7 kg), they would want to aim for around 29 g of protein per meal if eating four meals per day. Calculate your specific needs to learn how much protein you should be eating!