Most athletes know that they need a high carbohydrate, low fat diet to fuel their training and competitions, but in the process fall short on their protein or calorie intake. The bottom line is that if you don’t consume enough protein and calories to fuel your body, your strength goals will be much harder to achieve and you’ll also increase your chances of becoming ill or injured.

How much protein do you need?
The amount of protein that you need depends

1. on your appropriate body weight,
2. whether you are trying to build or just maintain your muscle mass, and
3. how many total calories that you usually eat.

People who restrict their calories need even more protein because they are burning protein for fuel instead of using it for its intended purpose, building and repairing tissues.

You can get an idea of how many calories, protein and other key nutrients that you need to build muscle and lose fat by using the following guidelines:

Calorie Needs for Training

• usually between 24-27 calories per pound for building mass
• 20 calories per pound for maintenance for males
• 17 calories per pound for maintenance for females
  * However, if you need to lose body fat and want to preserve as much muscle as possible in the process, you’ll need about 16-17 calories per pound.
• protein needs somewhere between 0.5-1 gram per pound
• carbohydrate needs (3-5 grams per pound depending on the intensity of training; the higher the intensity, the greater the amount of carbohydrate needed to fuel the activity and muscle growth)
• fat needs (usually it’s the balance of your calories after your protein and carbohydrate needs are met or about 0.5 grams per pound)

Eating before and after a workout