How to Easily Get 1g/lbs Protein Daily to Build Muscle

Dec 5th, 2007 by Mehdi Tags: Build Muscle, Nutrition

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Reader Charlie asked:

I am having trouble fitting in the 1g of protein/lb of body-weight. Usually I’ll eat:

Breakfast: 3 eggs and a bowl of quick oats with milk

Lunch: salami and cheese sandwich, and a banana

Snack: apple

Dinner: pasta, steak and sausages, butter chicken or some Indian dish, roast beef, tacos or takeaway (once a week)

I weigh 70kg and my aim is 154g of protein daily. I have been thinking about adding 2 scoops of whey to my oats in the morning, and also having a post-workout shake which would include whey.

I don’t know how to find out the protein content of certain meals, e.g. a turkey sandwich, spaghetti with meatballs, etc. I am having trouble with the nutritional side of strength training.

Could you give me some guidance?

Daily Protein Intake. You need at least 1g/lbs protein daily to build muscle & to recover from your workouts. Here’s an easy way to get your 150g daily protein intake at 70kg body-weight:

200g quark as snack with apple
1 can of tuna at lunch with sandwich
300g steak/chicken for dinner
500ml milk through the day

That’s 20 + 40 + 70 + 20 = 150g protein daily.

Whey. You can get 1g/lbs protein daily without whey. Drink one shake of 1/2 scoops whey if you need more protein. But make sure the majority of your diet comes from whole food, don’t count on supplements to do the job.

I’ve used Optimum Nutrition Whey for several years now. Dwayne has written a review of True Protein. Quagmire recommends myprotein.co.uk. People I trust have also recommended me these 2 companies, so you might try them too.

Protein from Meals. If I have dinner with friends & they make spaghetti with meatballs, I don’t care about the protein. I just eat it. My daily protein intake doesn’t come from these meals, but from those I have the rest of the day.

Use Fitday if you want to know the protein content from certain meals. If you’re not getting enough protein & need more: ask an extra portion chicken, buy bigger steaks, throw a can of tuna on top of your pasta/rice, etc.

Sources of Protein. These protein sources are/have been a staple of my diet during the last years. Gives you some inspiration if needed.

Meat: steak, ground round
Poultry: chicken breast, whole chicken
Fish: tuna, mackerel
Dairy: milk, cottage cheese, quark cheese
Eggs: scrambled, whole eggs

Make Your Own Food. Buy cans of tuna’s & sandwiches for a week. Eat 1 can of tuna daily with as much sandwiches as needed. This way you’re sure your getting 40g protein out of your tuna sandwiches.

It’s easy to prepare, saves money & is often healthier than most foods bought outside. Sandwiches at work/school are usually low in meat & you have to question their freshness.

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40 Responses to “How to Easily Get 1g/lbs Protein Daily to Build Muscle”

on 05 Dec 2007 at 5:20 pm1KL

I thought Milk and Cottage Cheese is a no-no on the Anabolic Diet ? Well for the carb free days at least
on 05 Dec 2007 at 5:23 pm2Mehdi

They are no-no on the Anabolic Diet. StrongLifts.com is not about the Anabolic Diet solely KL
on 05 Dec 2007 at 5:43 pm3Tony

I have seen several references on this blog to “quark”. I have never heard of this. What is it? I even looked it up on Wikipedia.com but it said nothing about it being something to eat. Does anybody know if it is available in the US or maybe goes by another name? Thanks. Great article by the way. I love reading stuff like this.
on 05 Dec 2007 at 5:49 pm4Mehdi

Here’s the entry on Wikipedia about Quark Cheese. Aldi sells it in Europe, I don’t know if they sell it too in the US. 1kg quark is 100g protein & costs less than 1€ (1,4$)
on 05 Dec 2007 at 6:12 pm5Roy

I’m a big fan of protein powder and MRP’s. I drink about three a day. I know its not the best, but they are quick and most important since I live in an expensive city..cheap. I eat 4 whole eggs for breakfast and a big portion of chicken for lunch and dinner. Sometimes I’ll have eggs for dinner or a snack as well. If i can afford to get a steak or other things I eat them too. I eat the same thing every day, much easier that way.

Basically I just eat like an animal but with supplements…lol.
on 05 Dec 2007 at 6:20 pm6Mehdi

Thanks for sharing Roy. There are ways to get non-whey protein cheaper. I’ll post about it in the future. Totally agree with “eat the same thing every day”. I’ve been doing that for years and it’s far easier than varying meals.
on 05 Dec 2007 at 6:31 pm7Dan

Being a vegetarian, I get nearly all of my protein from plant based sources. Some staples of mine are: beans (black, garbonzo, hummus), nuts (almonds, walnuts, macadamias), legumes (lentils), soy (tofu, soy milk), seeds (hemp, flax, pumpkin, sesame), and whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, pita bread). I used to eat a lot of eggs, egg whites, meat, cheese, and whey to get my protein before switching over. Overall though, I have found that as long as I consume enough calories, my protein intake is adequate.
on 05 Dec 2007 at 6:44 pm8Mehdi

It gets a bit harder as a vegeterian to get your daily protein intake, but you give a nice example of how it can be done Dan. Thanks for sharing, great tip.
on 05 Dec 2007 at 7:16 pm9Parker

I have been trying to bulk up (in 2 months on the 5×5 I have put on 12lbs). I have been shooting for more than 1g protein per lb. Should I continue to do so, or is too much a waste?

Also below is the breakfast I have been eating. Mehdi - I have no idea how you consume so many eggs for breakfast, I was burnt out after a week of trying your breakfast!
_______________________________________
The Ultimate Power Breakfast (from Men’s Health)

1 egg
1 cup low-fat milk
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup mixed berries
1 tablespoon chopped pecans or almonds
1 teaspoon whey protein powder
1 teaspoon ground flaxseed
1/2 banana, sliced
1 tablespoon plain yogurt

In microwave-safe bowl, mix egg well, then add next 6 ingredients and nuke for 2 minutes. Remove, let cool for a minute or two. Top with sliced banana and yogurt.

Nutritional information, per serving: 590 calories, 30 g protein, 80 g carbs, 17 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 193 mg sodium, 12 g fiber
on 05 Dec 2007 at 8:51 pm10Quagmire911

Lots of raw eggs, beef and whey.

I actually aim for 2 g/lb

Mehdi, I thought you used to advocate 2g/lb instead of 1g/lb? If so what changed your mind. For gaining muscle whilst staying lean 2g/lb works better in my opinion and is more optimal than 1g/lb. I’d at least aim for 1.5g/lb either way.

Quagmire
on 05 Dec 2007 at 9:06 pm11Jojo

I am from germany but currently i am studying in france. in supermarkets here you can buy 1kg of quark (90 gramms of protein) for only 1 euro.
i eat 1 kg of quark and a can of tuna over the day and the rest of protein i get from chicken or steak. works fine for me.
on 05 Dec 2007 at 9:17 pm12AJ

Hamnburger meat. It’s pretty cheap, and i cook it often and sometimes i put in certain spices to make it tastier.
I eat it without the buns ofcourse !
on 05 Dec 2007 at 10:14 pm13Dan

Parker - I’m not sure what temperature you are heating to in the microwave, but you may want to put the flaxseed in afterwards (with the banana and yogurt) as the EFA’s are converted to unhealthy fats at higher temperatures.
on 05 Dec 2007 at 10:48 pm14Charlie

Thanks a lot for this article mehdi, it really helped.
on 05 Dec 2007 at 11:02 pm15Nicholas David

I used to think it was hard to get in my protein, until I realized I just wasn’t eating large enough portions.

I bumped up my breakfast to 5 whole eggs and a bowl of cereal with fat free milk. (40 grams protein)

pb&j 2 hours after that (10 grams protein)

lunch - 1 cup (uncooked) barilla plus pasta mixed with 1 can of tuna or brown rice and steak/chicken
(40 grams protein)

ON whey shake mixed with fat free milk- 2 per day (day and after nigh workout) (110g protein)

Throw in some other food throughout the day and you’re well over the amount needed
on 06 Dec 2007 at 12:04 am16Earl

Nicholas - I would recommend eating your pb&j on a whole wheat bagel. The kind that I have (”Thomson Hearty Grains” whole wheat bagels) contain 270 calories, 55g carbs, and 12g protein. If you toss your pb&j on that, you’re talking over 20g protein.

IMHO, the Thomson Hearty Grains bagel tastes a ton better than plain bagels anyways.
on 06 Dec 2007 at 1:34 am17Nicholas David

Earl, Thanks for the tip. My next stop at the grocery, I’m gonna pick those up.
on 06 Dec 2007 at 4:13 am18mjh

Protein powders are an easy delicious way to get a nice chunk of protein, but when buying your supplement look into how this stuff is flavoured. Many of the powders out there are sweetened with poisons like aspartame. Here’s a good run down of what to consider when buying protein powders (written in my homeland, New Zealand, even!):
http://www.frot.co.nz/dietnet/basics/protein_whey_2.htm
on 06 Dec 2007 at 1:29 pm19Mehdi

@Parker
The trick is to eat less before going to bed & ease into eating big breakfast. Start with 2 eggs. Then 3 eggs, Then 4. etc. Then add meat & veggies. If you take it slowly, you’ll get used to it. But don’t over eat before going to bed. Like you’re going to sleep at 11pm, dinner at 7pm, light snack at 10pm, then nothing until breakfast.

@Quagmire
Yeah the rule is at least 1g/lbs protein daily. I changed it in the article, overlooked that, thanks for correcting I always like people getting used first to 1g/lbs protein, then experiencing with more to see how they feel on it.

@Charlie
No thank to you Charlie, you gave me the idea for the article.

@mjh
Great links, thanks for sharing. Agreed that aspartame is poison, it causes cancer.
on 07 Dec 2007 at 8:25 pm20Earl

Mehdi - what are the pitfalls of taking in too much protein? I’m currently trying to cut some body fat and have been staying away from bad fats in my diet and cutting some calories while at the same time keeping my protein consumption up around 1g/lb. Given that an individual is working out 3-4x a week, how much protein is too much? Will 2g/lb per day result in some unused protein turning to fat?

I’ve heard a variety of opinions on this issue, but haven’t found a reputable source yet.

And, by the way, thanks again for the great work on this website! It’s been a standard stop on my internet surfing.
on 07 Dec 2007 at 9:14 pm21Mehdi

Thanks for the motivating words Earl. Proteins are calories, so too much proteins can turn into fat if you overdo your total calorie consumption. But I doubt that would ever be the case.

I’ve been on +2g/lbs protein daily before (anabolic diet), eating 300g/protein daily. Never had a problem.

Only pitfal I’d see is increased acidity from eating a high protein diet. But if you eat plenty of green veggies, that should balance things.
on 07 Dec 2007 at 9:29 pm22Earl

Interesting. Thanks for the response. How much do you think is overdoing my calorie consumption? Currently, I am ~210lb. and eating about 3000-3500 calories/day with about 200g protein.
on 07 Dec 2007 at 10:29 pm23Mehdi

As a general rule you need your bodyweight in lbs * 18kcal for maintenance. Decrease 500kcal or add 500kcal from there depending on wanting to lose weight or gain weight. I’m 155lbs & eat 3000kcal daily to keep my body-weight (workout 3x/week, no cardio).
on 11 Dec 2007 at 5:42 pm24Jared

How much green vegetables would you need to eat to counteract the acidity from all the protein?
on 11 Dec 2007 at 5:47 pm25Mehdi

The more protein you consume, the higher the need for green veggies. I don’t have numbers Jared, but you can take a look into alkalize your body etc.
on 11 Dec 2007 at 5:55 pm26Dan

I think spinach is a staple that belongs in everyone’s diet. From what I recall it is one of the highest alkalizing foods there is. A rule of thumb I try to meet is 1 bag (8-10 oz) per day.
on 11 Dec 2007 at 6:21 pm27Mehdi

Spinach indeed Dan. Lemon & raisins are also alkalizing.
on 22 Dec 2007 at 4:54 pm28Nishit

What advice would you give vegetarians to get enough proteins to build muscles.
on 22 Dec 2007 at 4:57 pm29Mehdi

Same advice is for meat eaters. Only difference is protein intake that can be a bit tricky, check comment 7 by Dan he has given great advice. I’ll write a full article aimed at vegans/vegeterians in the future.
on 22 Dec 2007 at 6:12 pm30Nishit

Cool. Looking forward for it.. Thx
on 23 Dec 2007 at 2:25 pm31Mehdi

No problem, but don’t hold your breath. Can take a while.
on 03 Feb 2008 at 2:47 am32joe the hammer

oatmeal with honey4:30 am
8:00 am can of tuna with apple {simple carbs)
1:00 high fiber sandwich with turkey or ham apple
3:00 protien shake yogurt before workout
post workout protien shake tuna
salad for dinner
apple
water water waterwater water waterwater water
on 05 Feb 2008 at 9:01 am33Richard

Something that Im always hearing different opinions on is how much water to drink per day. I use protein shakes at the moment and reckon I will continue…so with this in mind what amount of water should I consume? Currently I go for 2 litres per day. And are there any negatives with drinking too much water? Great website! Cheers!
on 05 Feb 2008 at 10:51 am34Mehdi

@Richard
Take a look at this article
on 06 Feb 2008 at 7:40 am35Richard

Thanks Mehdi, article answered my questions. If you dont mind me asking, in addition to strength training, do you do any other sports?
on 06 Feb 2008 at 10:55 am36Mehdi

@Richard
Indoor climbing sometimes.
on 15 Feb 2008 at 12:34 pm37Zak

I’m 74KG, so how much protein will I need??
on 21 Feb 2008 at 3:53 am38santa

isnt tuna bad for u if u eat it everyday? i thought theres a bunch of mercury in it or sometin
on 06 Apr 2008 at 2:30 am39patmanpato

A bodybuilder in my gym claimed 5-6 protein shakes a day did the trick. Along with a huge diet of steak/tuna/eggs, etc. Quantity not quality was his motto. lol.
And work for him it did! Massive in size, impressive in strength. 120kg+ bench @ 8 slow reps is easy for him.

I suspect he’s just got brilliant genes though. lol. What do you think of the other small quantities of nutrients companies shove into protein powders that are pretty hard to get through normal foods? Not just glutamine/creatine etc. but sometimes theres a huge long list of rare things added. Yay or nay?

Also… anyone had an inflamed liver before? My mate says his doc claimed his inflamed liver was from too much protein :-/

Awesome post mehdi

cheers,
patmanpato
on 04 Jun 2008 at 10:50 pm40diego maganz

for the vegetarians i think you can gain more muscle eating meat but hey you don’t like dead flesh.

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