It's okay! You don't have to chug 20g of protein the second you're done with your workout! Phew...
Protein timing matters depending on who you are and what your goals are.
But before even focusing on protein timing and distribution, we need to make sure we are eating enough protein to begin with.
HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO I NEED?
Below is a simple formula that will help us determine our daily protein intake range.
GOAL BODY WEIGHT (in lbs) x .8-1 = # of grams of protein/day
Example:
Current body weight - 180 lbs
Goal body weight - 150 lbs
160 x .8 = 128 g
160 x 1 = 160 g
Total daily intake = 128 - 160 g of protein/day
Common Questions:
1. Why is there a range of protein?
Individuals who are less active can use the .8 multiplier. Individuals who are more active can use the 1 multiplier. When you're not as active, your body does not need as much protein to support daily activities and muscle protein synthesis (the building of new muscle). On the other hand, the more active you are the more protein your body needs to repair those torn muscle fibers to build newer, stronger ones.
The range of protein grams is useful, because if you start increasing your daily activity you can start to work your way towards the higher number.
2. Why use goal body weight over current body weight?
We want to eat the amount of protein we would need if we were in "ideal" shape. Think of it like this: if someone weighs 400 lbs, are we going to have them eat 400 g of protein every day? No way, Jose! That's a lot of protein! Say their goal weight is 190 lbs. This would be a much more reasonable number. They would eat anywhere from 152 - 190 g/day.
BACK TO TIMING...
So, does protein timing actually matter?
If our goal is overall health and wellness, protein timing isn't something we should go crazy stressing about. What's more important is:
making sure we're eating enough protein on a daily basis
eating 3-6 meals/day with a solid amount of protein at each meal
making sure we're eating most of our meals throughout the day (rather than squeezing most of our food/macros in at night)
getting the majority of our protein from whole, nutritious sources
For higher level and elite athletes, protein timing could add some benefits that will allow for maximal muscle building potential. My recommendations are:
eat 4 meals throughout the day with at least 1 g of protein/pound of body weight (ex. 150 lbs female should eat 4 meals with at least 37 g of protein at each meal)
eat an additional 20g of protein in the meal after training
eat more whole, complex protein options (more beef, chicken, fish - less powders, bars, supplements) to allow for a more consistent stream of amino acids (what makes up protein) into the body to potentially reduce muscle protein breakdown
IN SUMMARY
The best advice I can give is do what works best for you. As long as you get the recommended amount of protein intake by the end of the day, everything else can be a work in progress while still seeing results.
Comentarios