From YOU Docs Daily
Q. I'm a gym manager. I'm promoting a weight loss diet of 1300–1600 calories and at least 100 grams of protein a day for our women members. Most are over 40. They do cardio and lift weights 3 days a week. One woman's doctor told her the amount of protein I'm suggesting is unhealthy. What do you think? -- Hailey, Lee’s Summit, MO
A. Your average gym rat will tell you that protein turns to muscle as fast as Tony Stark's suit changes him to Iron Man. But that's comic-book science and just a great way to sell protein shakes.
A fortysomething woman who works out 3 days a week doesn't need 100 grams of protein a day. That's closer to what an athlete needs -- someone who exercises more than an hour in a row, multiple days of the week. Time, not trophies, matters here. Here's how to calculate your clients' needs, and your own (we assume you are fairly active, too). Bump up the basic protein requirement to 0.5 grams per pound. For a 150-pound person, that's 75 grams of protein a day.
Getting more protein than that will just be turned to fat and make you pee a lot. Consuming too much protein can stress your kidneys. Too much animal protein can lead to kidney stones, which are excruciating. Otherwise, serious problems are rare. But why risk them?
Q. I'm a gym manager. I'm promoting a weight loss diet of 1300–1600 calories and at least 100 grams of protein a day for our women members. Most are over 40. They do cardio and lift weights 3 days a week. One woman's doctor told her the amount of protein I'm suggesting is unhealthy. What do you think? -- Hailey, Lee’s Summit, MO
A. Your average gym rat will tell you that protein turns to muscle as fast as Tony Stark's suit changes him to Iron Man. But that's comic-book science and just a great way to sell protein shakes.
A fortysomething woman who works out 3 days a week doesn't need 100 grams of protein a day. That's closer to what an athlete needs -- someone who exercises more than an hour in a row, multiple days of the week. Time, not trophies, matters here. Here's how to calculate your clients' needs, and your own (we assume you are fairly active, too). Bump up the basic protein requirement to 0.5 grams per pound. For a 150-pound person, that's 75 grams of protein a day.
Getting more protein than that will just be turned to fat and make you pee a lot. Consuming too much protein can stress your kidneys. Too much animal protein can lead to kidney stones, which are excruciating. Otherwise, serious problems are rare. But why risk them?
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