(Q) How much protein do I need to eat every day if I'm weight training three times a week? When and in what form--food or supplement--should I get it? I've heard that too much protein will actually make me fat..
A) Small amounts of protein are indeed important for building and repairing muscle tissue, but contrary to popular belief, weight training does not dramatically increase your daily protein needs, says Boston-area nutritionist Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Third Edition (Human Kinetics, 2003). For a sedentary person, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is about 0.4 gram of protein per pound of body weight--about 58 grams of protein per day for a 145-pound woman. An active woman--one who exercises three to five times a week, whether doing cardiovascular exercise or strength training--needs about 0.5-0.6 gram per pound of body weight, Clark says. For a 145-pound woman, that's about 73-87 grams per day--the extra protein equivalent to 2 ounces of tuna (17 grams).
So there's little reason to spend your money on protein supplements, Clark says. "I have yet to meet an athlete who cannot get the protein she needs through her diet. Supplements are a need
So there's little reason to spend your money on protein supplements, Clark says. "I have yet to meet an athlete who cannot get the protein she needs through her diet. Supplements are a need
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