KNIFE, FORK, MUSCLE_ Book I_ DI - Brooks D. Kubik (1)

Q. How much protein do I need?
A. Protein is measured in grams, and you need to consume it every day, so the
question becomes “How many grams of protein do you need to consume each
day?” This is a difficult question to answer precisely, but there are several
general parameters that will allow you to determine your approximate protein
requirements. Your personal protein needs depend on many factors, including
your lean bodyweight, your age, your activity level, the type and quality of
the protein you consume, how well you digest your protein, and whether you
are trying to gain muscular bodyweight.
Scientists and nutritionists debate the exact numbers, but over the past 80 or
so years the consensus among them seems to be that the average, untrained
adult man (not currently involved in strength training) requires no more than
one gram of protein for every kilo of bodyweight. (Many place the number
significantly lower.) A kilo is roughly 2.2 pounds, so that works out to just
under one gram of protein for every two pounds of bodyweight, or half a
gram for every pound of bodyweight.
Note that this simple formula – one gram of protein for every two pounds of
bodyweight –is based on total bodyweight rather than lean muscle mass.
Since the human body requires protein to feed muscles, but not to feed bodyfat,
you can get a more accurate determination of a person’s protein needs by
determining his lean body mass and basing the calculation on lean body mass
only.
To illustrate what happens, let’s assume we have two men, one untrained and
the other an advanced trainee. Each man is 5′9″ tall, and weighs 220 pounds.
But their bodies are completely different. The first man is an average,
untrained individual, with minimal muscle and a high percentage of body-fat.
For purposes of illustration, we’ll assume his body-fat percentage is 35%. The
second man is an advanced lifter who has added more than 50 pounds of
muscle to his body as the result of his training program. Let’s assume his
body-fat level is 12%. And remember, the two men are the same height and
the same weight.
If we consider the protein needs of the two men based on bodyweight alone,
we see that they require 110 grams of protein per day. But when we compare
the protein needs of the two men based on their lean body mass, we get much
different results. The untrained man’s lean body mass (LBM) is calculated as
follows: 220 lbs. x .65 = 143 lbs. LBM. Thus, the untrained man’s daily