If you strength train regularly, you’ll need about twice as much protein as someone who’s sedentary. Protein is the building block of muscle, so you’ll need to ensure you’re consuming an appropriate amount in order to repair muscles after workouts.
If you’re inactive, you need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day. For a 70-kilogram (154 lbs) person, this works out to 56 grams of protein per day.
Strength trainees need between 1.5 and 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Your particular protein needs within that range depend on many factors such as your body weight, body composition goals, overall activity level and the type of training you do.
If you’re a 70-kilogram strength trainee, you’ll need between 105 and 140 grams of protein per day. A day’s worth of protein for this person may include a tofu scramble with seitan strips for breakfast; a smoothie made with hemp hearts, chia and flax seeds for a snack; a lunch of edamame pasta with tomato sauce and veggie ground round; and a black bean burrito for dinner.
Hitting your daily protein goal is definitely attainable as someone who strength trains regularly—it just takes a bit of planning (like any healthy diet!)
Karina Inkster is a qathet region health and fitness coach, author of five books, and host of the No-B.S. Vegan podcast.
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