Are you getting enough protein?

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband, Marc! He is always pushing me to be my best self and focus on the stuff that makes me happy. I am so lucky to have him by my side and hope to motivate each other for a long time to come!

Between injury and pregnancy, I haven’t been all too motivated to step out of the box. But literally, when I was at quite possibly my lowest point, I took a Sports Nutrition class online with Shaw Academy and I have been waiting for a special occasion to share some of what I learned.

For a bit of a gift to my 32 year old husband, I wanted to write an article on how much protein he should personally get on a daily basis and what exactly that looks like. I will calculate two protein intake amounts based on when he is highly active versus when he is injured/taking a break from endurance activity.

For a 150 lb male that is training for endurance sports at a high intensity, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics estimates that their protein intake be 0.7 to 0.9 grams of protein per pound. (Average; 0.8 x 150 = 120).

What does 120 grams of protein look like:

• 3 scrambled eggs = 18 grams of protein
• ½ cup mixed nuts = 14 grams of protein
• 1 container plain greek yogurt = 17 grams of protein
• ½ cup garbanzo beans (on salad) = 20 grams of protein
• 1 cup cooked quinoa = 8 grams of protein
• 1 cup diced chicken breast = 43 grams

For the off-season, Marc would require less protein on a daily basis. For someone whose endurance activity is low to moderate, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics estimates that their protein intake be 0.55 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound. (0.68 x 150 = 102).

What does 102 grams of protein look like:

• 1 avocado on 2 slices Ezekiel bread toast = 12 grams of protein
• 1 oz whey protein/almond milk smoothie = 25 grams of protein
• 1 can water-packed tuna = 35 grams of protein
• ½ cup edamame = 8 grams of protein
• 3 oz ground beef = 22 grams of protein

I would love to hear your feedback about this article! Does that seem like a lot of protein for some? Are you getting your daily intake? What other sources of protein do you rely on?