About 0.75 grams protein per pound body weight (1.5 grams protein per kilogram) is a more-than-adequate intake for both types of athletes. While this need might be slightly higher if the athlete is dieting (restricting calories), new to lifting weights, or is in a growth spurt, one gram of protein per pound (2.0 g pro/kg) is the maximum an athlete can use per day to build muscle.
MORE: Jo Innes on health issues | Howard Bloom on sports business | Jason Fitzgerald on NFL contracts | John Infante on NCAA compliance matters | Sports Media Watch | Become a contributor
Now let’s do some math:
140 pound runner = 106 g protein/day
240 pound body builder = 180 g protein/day
Both runners and bodybuilders can easily consume that amount of protein by enjoying a protein-rich food with each meal. Here are three easy ways to pump protein into your sports diet:
Cottage cheese, 1 cup: 30 g
Tuna, 5-ounce can: 25 g protein
Chicken breast, 6 ounces: 50 g
Because a hungry 240-pound bodybuilder can devour a 16-ounce (two cup) tub of cottage cheese (60 g pro) and a few cans of tuna (50 g pro) for a mere snack, and consume two chicken breasts (100 g pro) at dinner, he’ll match his protein requirements without needing supplements. The runner can also easily consume an abundance of protein via meals and snacks.
I vote for more focus on real foods instead of commercial protein powders, bars and shakes. Food works!
For more information:
If you have doubts about your protein intake, please refer to the chapter on protein in Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook .
Nancy Clark is a Boston-based sports dietitian and contributor for Sporting News. Her Sports Nutrition Guidebook has sold more than half a million copies. Read more on her website and follow her on Twitter @nclarkrd
