October 2018 Issue #22 October 2018 Issue #22 | Page 69

“Protein is part of the large group of macronutrients. They give you energy if case you
run out of carbohydrates and fat. Protein is also crucial for your growth and the regen-
eration of cells like those found in your muscle tissue,” continues Raigué. “[Proteins]
are crucial for humans, because unlike carbohydrates, our bodies body can’t produce
them on their own, The only way you can get them is through your food, so watch what
you eat!”
How Much Protein Should I Eat?
The UK government recommends at least 55g protein a day for males over 19, and
45g a day for females. For those who live a sedentary, or physically inactive, lifestyle,
the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) in protein is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight per
day. For those who are physically active and work out at least three times a week, their
protein needs double, at least.
“Requirements for an active male are 2g of protein per kilo of desired bodyweight,”
explains Luke Worthington, elite trainer at London’s Third Space gym. Should you be
wanting to lose or gain weight, this will change, as Worthington explains. “A 120kg man
wanting to drop down to 100kg will require 200g of protein per day. If that man has a
2500kcal diet then 800 of those calories will need to be coming from protein.”
To tailor this to your needs, it’s worth consulting a macro calculator, which will help you
work out how much protein, fats, and carbs you need per day, depending on your fit-
ness goals and how many burpee workouts you have in the diary.
Plant Protein Or Animal Protein?
As the increase in veganism and vegetarianism shows, it’s possible to consume only
plants and be perfectly healthy, if not healthier than your carnivorous counterparts.
However, it does take more effort to get the same benefits.
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