Protein Calculator for Weight Loss & Muscle Gain

Enter your age, weight, and exercise degree, and the Legion Protein Calculator will inform you precisely how a lot protein you should eat per day to drop some weight, construct muscle, or preserve your physique.

What Is Protein? 

Protein additionally plays a key function in varied bodily features, comparable to 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, but it surely should get the remaining 9 out of your eating regimen, which is why consuming protein is important 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 should 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 needs to be adjusted upward to 1.0 g/kg/day, or about 0.45 g/lb/day.

For instance, in a research revealed within the British Journal of Vitamin, wholesome, sedentary adults ate 40% extra energy than they wanted to keep up 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 eating regimen (greater than 1 g/lb/day) isn’t “dangerous,” however analysis exhibits it most likely isn’t any higher than consuming a reasonable quantity of protein (0.8-to-1 g/lb/day). 

Many health of us intentionally eat a bit extra protein than analysis exhibits is critical as a method to make sure they aren’t lacking out on any of its advantages. For instance, as a substitute of consuming 0.8 g/lb/day, which for a 200-pound man can be 160 grams of protein, they select to eat 1 g/lb/day, which is 200 grams. 

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

What you don’t wish to do is eat a lot further protein that you must considerably scale back your carbohydrate and fats consumption, as this may negatively impression 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 acquire, and satiety, whereas nonetheless leaving ample room for carbs and fats in your eating regimen. 

The Advantages of Utilizing the Legion Protein Calculator for Weight Loss

If you happen to’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.

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

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

And should you’re sedentary (which isn’t supreme if you wish to handle your well being), research exhibits you may eat as little as 0.4 grams of protein per pound of physique weight per day with out shedding muscle. 

Except for preserving muscle mass, one more reason to eat extra protein than the RDA is that it improves satiety, which makes it simpler to keep up 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 impression on weight reduction).

Some protein calculators advocate a lot greater intakes than this—all the best way as much as 1.5 g/lb per day or extra. These solutions are based mostly on outdated research (or simply good ol’ normal broscience), which overestimated the quantity of protein you should stop muscle loss whereas weight-reduction plan. 

Newer studies have proven that these suggestions are extreme and may make weight-reduction plan tougher by decreasing the energy obtainable for carbs and fat.

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

If you happen to eat so much protein that you must severely prohibit your carbohydrate and fats consumption, this may additionally damage exercise efficiency, restoration, and hormonal well being.

Thus, when making an attempt to drop some weight, you wish to eat sufficient protein to protect muscle and keep glad between meals, however not way more than this. 

Protein is only one piece of the fats loss puzzle, although. You additionally must eat the proper variety of energy and the proper stability of carbs and fats. For personalised recommendation on energy and macros, take a look at our macronutrient calculator:

The Legion Macronutrient Calculator

The Advantages of Utilizing the Legion Protein Calculator for Muscle Achieve

Research exhibits 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 acquire for weightlifters. 

Your physique’s potential 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 further muscle acquire. 

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

If you happen to’re not sure in regards to the precise quantity of protein to construct muscle, our calculator can provide you personalised suggestions based mostly on the newest analysis.

After all, protein alone gained’t get you the outcomes you’re after. It is advisable to observe a well-rounded eating regimen with the proper 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 eating regimen and coaching plan in lower than 60 seconds. 

Learn how to Use the Legion Protein Calculator for Seniors

Research exhibits that folks over 60 years outdated 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 normally enough for stopping muscle loss in sedentary individuals, whereas the upper finish is useful for maximizing muscle acquire and upkeep for older of us who carry weights.

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

Research persistently exhibits that protein performs a vital function 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 revealed 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 threat of hip fractures, which highlights the function of protein in bone well being.

Increased protein intakes additionally scale back the danger of continual illnesses.

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

For each 3% enhance in whole 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 day by day protein consumption that will help you keep sturdy and important as you age.

Learn how to Meet Your Day by day Protein Purpose

• Eat 30-to-40 grams of protein per meal. One of the simplest ways to fulfill your day by day protein wants is to be sure you eat 3-to-4 meals with 30-to-40 grams of protein in every. If you happen to do that, it’s exhausting not to get near your day by day protein goal on daily basis. 
• Complement with protein powder, bars, and cookies. Whenever 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 technique to increase your protein consumption.
• Snack on high-protein meals: Hold 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 Greatest Excessive-Protein Meals?

Under are a few of the greatest meals for making ready high-protein meals.

• Poultry: Hen breast, turkey breast, floor turkey, rooster thighs.
• Pink Meat: Floor beef (90% lean or greater), 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 should you divide your day by day protein consumption throughout 3-to-4 meals per day, a minimum of 3 hours aside, with a minimum of 20-to-30 grams of protein in every meal. 

It is because eating protein will increase muscle protein synthesis (the creation of recent 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 supreme to devour a number of protein-rich meals all through the day, which boosts protein synthesis and suppresses protein breakdown for so long as potential.