Protein Calculator for Weight Loss & Muscle Gain

Enter your age, weight, and exercise degree, and the Legion Protein Calculator will let you know precisely how a lot protein you must eat per day to drop pounds, construct muscle, or keep your physique.

What Is Protein? 

Protein additionally plays a key position in numerous bodily capabilities, resembling producing hormones, supporting immune operate, and offering power when wanted.

There are 20 amino acids that comprise the protein in your physique. Your physique can produce 11 amino acids by itself, however it should get the remaining 9 out of your food plan, which is why consuming protein is significant for all times.

How A lot Protein Do I Want? Calculator Outcomes Defined

The present Really helpful Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein within the US is 0.8 grams per kilogram of physique weight per day, or about 0.36 grams per pound of physique weight per day. 

That stated, a big body of evidence shows that that is insufficient for sustaining or constructing muscle mass, optimizing fat loss, and maximizing your well being and efficiency, particularly when you’re energetic. 

What’s extra, latest evidence means that even the present RDA could also be inadequate for supporting well being, and that it ought to be adjusted upward to 1.0 g/kg/day, or about 0.45 g/lb/day.

For instance, in a research printed within the British Journal of Vitamin, wholesome, sedentary adults ate 40% extra energy than they wanted to take care of their weight and three totally different quantities of protein: 0.7 g/kg (a tad lower than the RDA), 1.8 g/kg, and three.0 g/kg. 

The individuals who consumed the RDA of protein misplaced muscle mass regardless of being in a calorie surplus, whereas the individuals who ate extra protein gained muscle. 

That stated, consuming as a lot protein as potential isn’t higher. Whereas research present it’s suitable for eating 1.5-to-2+ grams of protein per pound of physique weight per day, this isn’t necessary to optimize muscle development, fats loss, or well being.

RELATED: Is High-Protein Dieting Bad for Your Kidneys?

In different phrases, consuming a really high-protein food plan (greater than 1 g/lb/day) isn’t “unhealthy,” however analysis reveals it in all probability isn’t any higher than consuming a reasonable quantity of protein (0.8-to-1 g/lb/day). 

Many health people intentionally eat somewhat extra protein than analysis reveals is important as a approach to make sure they aren’t lacking out on any of its advantages. For instance, as an alternative of consuming 0.8 g/lb/day, which for a 200-pound man could be 160 grams of protein, they select to eat 1 g/lb/day, which is 200 grams. 

This solely provides 160 calories to their each day meals consumption, so it doesn’t meaningfully cut back how a lot carbohydrate and fats they’ll eat per day.

What you don’t need to do is eat a lot extra protein that it’s important to considerably cut back your carbohydrate and fats consumption, as this could negatively affect your exercise efficiency, restoration, and hormonal well being. 

Our protein calculator makes use of this up-to-date science to place you within the Goldilocks zone for protein consumption—sufficient to maximise fats loss, muscle achieve, and satiety, whereas nonetheless leaving ample room for carbs and fats in your food plan. 

The Advantages of Utilizing the Legion Protein Calculator for Weight Loss

When you’re making an attempt to lose fats whereas minimizing muscle loss, research shows it’s best to eat between 0.5-to-1 grams of protein per pound of physique weight per day.

When you’re lifting weights or doing a number of exhausting or extended exercises per week, resembling working, martial arts, or group sports activities, then you definately’ll want to purpose for the higher finish of this vary—round 0.8-to-1 grams of protein per pound of physique weight per day.

When you’re bodily energetic, however aren’t lifting weights or doing vigorous or extended exercises, and aren’t making an attempt to drop pounds, then you may get by with much less protein—round 0.5-to-0.7 grams of protein per pound of physique weight per day. 

And when you’re sedentary (which isn’t ultimate if you wish to care for your well being), research reveals you’ll be able to eat as little as 0.4 grams of protein per pound of physique weight per day with out shedding muscle. 

Apart from preserving muscle mass, another excuse to eat extra protein than the RDA is that it improves satiety, which makes it simpler to take care of a calorie deficit. 

Protein additionally “prices” extra energy to digest than carbohydrate and fats, and so consuming extra protein barely boosts metabolic rate (although the impact isn’t enough to have a significant affect on weight reduction).

Some protein calculators suggest a lot increased intakes than this—all the way in which as much as 1.5 g/lb per day or extra. These recommendations are primarily based on outdated research (or simply good ol’ customary broscience), which overestimated the quantity of protein you must forestall muscle loss whereas weight-reduction plan. 

Newer studies have proven that these suggestions are extreme and might make weight-reduction plan more difficult by lowering the energy out there for carbs and fat.

Whereas it’s superb to eat barely extra protein than mandatory “simply in case,” consuming an excessive amount of could make weight-reduction plan harder and ugly by limiting your meals choices. 

When you eat so much protein that it’s important to severely limit your carbohydrate and fats consumption, this could additionally damage exercise efficiency, restoration, and hormonal well being.

Thus, when making an attempt to drop pounds, you need to eat sufficient protein to protect muscle and keep happy between meals, however not way more than this. 

Protein is only one piece of the fats loss puzzle, although. You additionally have to eat the correct variety of energy and the correct stability of carbs and fats. For personalised recommendation on energy and macros, try our macronutrient calculator:

The Legion Macronutrient Calculator

The Advantages of Utilizing the Legion Protein Calculator for Muscle Acquire

Research reveals that growing protein consumption past the RDA considerably will increase muscle growth, particularly when mixed with strength training.

For instance, a meta-analysis of 49 research discovered that consuming 0.7-to-0.8 grams of protein per pound of physique weight per day optimizes muscle achieve for weightlifters. 

Your physique’s capacity to make use of protein for muscle constructing hits a ceiling round this level, although, so consuming extra doesn’t result in a lot if any extra muscle achieve. 

That stated, your protein wants may be barely increased relying on components like your genetics, exercise degree, coaching quantity, and weightlifting expertise, which is why many individuals making an attempt to realize muscle select to eat barely extra—usually round 1 gram of protein per pound of physique weight per day. 

When you’re uncertain concerning the actual quantity of protein to construct muscle, our calculator can provide you personalised suggestions primarily based on the newest analysis.

After all, protein alone received’t get you the outcomes you’re after. It’s good to observe a well-rounded food plan with the correct stability of carbs, fats, and energy mixed with an efficient power coaching plan to optimize muscle development.

Take the Legion Diet Quiz and Training Quiz to get a custom-made food plan and coaching plan in lower than 60 seconds. 

The right way to Use the Legion Protein Calculator for Seniors

Research reveals that folks over 60 years previous ought to eat a minimal of 0.5-to-0.8 grams of protein per pound of physique weight per day, relying on their exercise degree. 

The decrease finish is often ample for stopping muscle loss in sedentary individuals, whereas the upper finish is useful for maximizing muscle achieve and upkeep for older people who raise weights.

As we age, sustaining muscle mass and power turns into more and more necessary—it helps us keep cellular, lowers the danger of falls and fractures, and reduces the chance of sickness and frailty.

Research constantly reveals that protein performs a vital position on this course of.

As an example, a meta-analysis of seven research discovered that older adults who consumed greater than 0.5 grams of protein per pound of physique weight per day maintained higher mobility, whereas these consuming much less skilled better muscle loss and frailty.

One other systematic review printed within the Journal of the American Faculty of Vitamin confirmed that seniors who ate extra protein than the RDA (0.4 g/lb/day) considerably lowered their danger of hip fractures, which highlights the position of protein in bone well being.

Greater protein intakes additionally cut back the danger of continual illnesses.

A study printed in The American Journal of Medical Vitamin tracked 50,000 individuals over 30 years and located that older people who consumed as much as 23% of their each day energy from protein had been much less more likely to develop continual illnesses like coronary heart illness, diabetes, or most cancers. In addition they maintained higher cognitive and bodily operate.

For each 3% enhance in complete protein consumption, the research confirmed a 5% relative enchancment within the chance of growing older with out continual sickness.

Use our protein per day calculator to simply discover your optimum each day protein consumption that can assist you keep robust and very important as you age.

The right way to Meet Your Every day Protein Objective

• Eat 30-to-40 grams of protein per meal. The easiest way to fulfill your each day protein wants is to be sure to eat 3-to-4 meals with 30-to-40 grams of protein in every. When you do that, it’s exhausting not to get near your each day protein goal day-after-day. 
• Complement with protein powder, bars, and cookies. If you’re on-the-go or simply don’t really feel like making ready or consuming regular meals, protein powder, bars, and cookies are a handy and engaging solution to increase your protein consumption.
• Snack on high-protein meals: Preserve high-protein snacks readily available for in-between meals. Skyr, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, jerky, meat sticks, hard-boiled eggs, and edamame are all good choices that require minimal prep.

What Are the Finest Excessive-Protein Meals?

Under are among the finest meals for making ready high-protein meals.

• Poultry: Rooster breast, turkey breast, floor turkey, hen thighs.
• Purple Meat: Floor beef (90% lean or increased), prime sirloin steak, pork tenderloin, pork chops, bison, lamb.
• Fish: Tuna, salmon, cod, mackerel, halibut, sardines.
• Shellfish: Shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops, clams, mussels.
• Eggs: Entire eggs and egg whites.
• Low-Fats Dairy: Low-fat milk, Greek yogurt, Skyr, cottage cheese, low-fat cheese (mozzarella, Swiss), kefir.
• Legumes: Black beans, lentils (purple, inexperienced, or brown), chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto beans, edamame, peas.
• Entire Grains: Brown rice, quinoa, millet, farro, barley, buckwheat, bulgur.
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.
• Greens: Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, spinach, kale, inexperienced peas, edamame.

How A lot Protein Can Your Physique Soak up In a Single Meal? 

Your physique can absorb and successfully use 100 or extra grams of protein in a single meal.

That stated, most research shows that you’ll maximize the muscle-building advantages of protein when you divide your each day protein consumption throughout 3-to-4 meals per day, not less than 3 hours aside, with not less than 20-to-30 grams of protein in every meal. 

It’s because eating protein will increase muscle protein synthesis (the creation of latest muscle proteins), and reduces muscle protein breakdown (the breakdown of muscle proteins). 

This impact solely lasts for a number of hours, although, which is why it’s ultimate to eat a number of protein-rich meals all through the day, which boosts protein synthesis and suppresses protein breakdown for so long as potential.