19 Comments

Thank you so much for sharing

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It's my pleasure. Thanks for reading it!

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Please address protein requirements from active menopausal women who are lifting weight 3-4 times a week and getting 150 mi s of aerobic exercise. Thanks!

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Hi Debra, You can go as high as 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight as suggested in my article, but you probably won't get an advantage going higher than that. This is what I say in the piece: "If weight loss is your goal, or you’re very physically active, you could eat as much as 1.6 grams of protein for every kg (0.72 grams per pound) of body weight daily." Does that answer your question?

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Thanks so much for your quick response. I have been reading other recommendations from Stacy Sims and Bill Campbell that 1 gr/body weight is ideal for women who lift in order not to lose lean mass. It’s confusing!

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I would follow Dr Bill Campbell, Dr Brad Schoenfeld, and Dr Don Layman. As everyone (men and women) get older, our ability to metabolize protein becomes harder and we need more to make up for this. Brad Schoenfeld, recently posted a new study. Check it out!

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I know! It's confusing! I haven't seen research that says you need 1 gram per pound of body weight. That would be 170 grams for someone who weighs 170 pounds, and quite frankly, that would be difficult to maintain. At 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight, a 170-pound person would need 123 grams of protein daily, which is more doable. People can't just add protein. They need to balance it with carbohydrate and fat intake to keep within a calorie limit, which everyone has. 170 grams of protein is 680 calories. I think it's reasonable to stay within 100 - 125 grams of protein daily because you want to be able to do this for the long haul. This resource may be helpful: https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/files-for-resource-library/protein-intake-for-optimal-muscle-maintenance.pdf

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Great article! very informative. I have to increase my protein intake using protein supplements and notice the improvement quickly.

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Thank you! I’m glad it was useful!

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Nice article, but I would just add that the PROT-AGE group suggests 1.2 - 1.5 gm/kg protein for people with acute or chronic illness. In a world with chronic Lyme, long Covid, Crohn's, MS, Parkinson's UC, MS and ALS, there are truly lots of people needing the message that more protein is a good idea.

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Great point, Charlie! Thanks.

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Great article, Liz!

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Thank you!

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Another great article!

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Thank you, Rita! Do you have any questions about protein?

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Do we adjust protein needs for larger body sizes? …such as for a woman who weighs 250 pounds?

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Yes, I mention that in the piece under the section showing the calculations for protein based on body weight. When calculating for a larger body size, dietitians use adjusted body weight. Let me know if you have any questions about that section!

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Great article. Getting a lot of protein is something I struggle with.

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Thank you Julie. Glad to help!

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