Just like other nutrients inside your body, you need an adequate amount of protein to build muscle mass. Protein is considered the building blocks of all organisms, aiding your body’s tissues, enzymes, hormones, and organs. That’s why consuming it is crucial for your fitness goals.
However, remember that gaining the muscle mass you want is impossible by only eating protein yet you’re living a sedentary life. Protein helps build up the muscle that’s broken-down while doing some workout exercises.
Hence, it’s important to know how much protein you should need for developing and keeping muscle mass. Keep reading this article to learn more about this.
What Is Protein?
Protein has many roles in a person’s body. For instance, it plays a vital role in one’s metabolism and muscle development. These two processes are crucial in one’s body because a person cannot survive without them. Without proper metabolism, your muscles will deteriorate and you’ll be susceptible to obesity, which can lead to different health problems.
To ensure you’re properly intaking protein, below are the best sources to keep in mind:
- Plant-Based proteins – These can include legumes, seeds, nuts, spinach, kale, and many more. However, when using plant-based protein sources, always look for a food recipe that’ll preserve their nutritional contents.
- Meat And Seafood – These can include seafood, eggs, lean meats, poultry, and other dairy products. To maximize their nutritional benefits, you should grill or roast them to avoid unhealthy fat.
- Protein Shakes And Supplements – Aside from natural protein sources, you can also make use of protein shakes and other known supplements as a source of your protein. This is especially true if you’re living an active lifestyle or you’re someone who wants to develop a firm muscle mass.
Thus, if you want to consume protein shakes and other supplements before or after a workout, providers like Optimum Nutrition can give you a variety of options.
As you can see, protein is important to your body. When you don’t eat enough protein, your body will start to break down muscle, affecting your ability to perform things.
However, too much protein inside your body also comes with side effects. When you eat large amounts of protein, it can lead to weight gain and dehydration. With those being said, it’s best to know the right amount of protein that your body needs to keep yourself fit and healthy.
Determining Protein Needs For Building Muscle Mass
Now that you know about protein, it’s time to familiarize yourself with how much protein you should need when building muscle mass.
Generally, knowing the amount of protein for muscle mass development can do done through the following methods:
- Percent Of Daily Calories – By knowing how many calories you consume every day, you’re able to determine the right amount of protein your body needs when exercising. When calculating your calorie intake, you should consider some important factors, such as age, weight, height, and many more.
Once you get the total percent of daily calorie consumption, multiply it by 10% or 35% to come up with the appropriate amount of protein intake. Remember, this 10% and 35% is the estimated calorie consumption rate from protein by both men and women.
- Protein Grams Per Day – If you’re looking for an alternative to the percentage approach, you’ll know the amount of protein your body needs by getting the protein grams per day.
To get started, you must know that each calorie of protein is made up of four calories. Thus, you just have to divide your calorie range by four and then you’ll be able to get the amount of protein you should have for muscle mass development.
- Lean Body Mass (LBM) – Another method to determine the amount of protein your body requires is your lean body mass. This can be a more effective method since your lean body mass is needed for you to maintain your body.
In its simplest terms, the lean body mass refers to the amount of weight that’s not considered fat, such as your bone, water, muscle, and other tissues. To get the appropriate protein intake for your body, it’s important that you’re able to calculate your body fat, which can be done by using a body fat calculator. When using the body fat calculator, multiply your body fat percentage by your body weight. After doing so, you can proceed by calculating your LBM. This can be done by subtracting your body fat weight from your total body weight.
To know your daily protein need, multiple your lean body mass by the necessary activity level. If you’re very active, you need to multiply your LBM by 0.9.
As shown, there are several ways to determine your protein needs. However, you must take note that the amount of protein you need will depend on your goals, lifestyle, and weight. For example, if you’re a sedentary person, you may need a much lower amount of protein. On the other hand, if you’re an active person, you’ll certainly need more.
Moreover, the amount of protein your body requires for muscle buildup may also depend on the type of protein you consume. That’s why it’s important to eat a variety of foods so you can get a good amount of protein each day.
However, if you’re taking a supplement, be sure to take the proper amount of protein to get all the amino acids and nutrients you need. This will allow you to maintain your health and gain your desired muscle mass. Typically, most protein supplements contain an equal amount of all the different types of protein. This way, you’ll able to get the full effect of the protein supplement without having to worry about getting too much protein.
Bottom Line
Protein is essential to your life. Thus, if you’re a healthy person who’s trying to build muscle and keep yourself healthy, then consuming protein-rich foods can help you bring your consumption to an optimal range, allowing you to get the results that you want.
Hopefully, you find this article useful in determining your body’s protein needs, especially when it comes to your body workout and muscle development needs.
