Protein Intake for Athletes: How Much, When, and What to Eat
Welcome to the first of what will (hopefully) be many updates where we take topics that come up in coaching sessions and break them down for everyone. The goal here is to extend the value of our coaching beyond just the one or two weekly sessions, and help you take more control of what happens outside the gym - which, as we know, is just as important for performance.
This week’s focus? Protein intake - specifically:
This week’s focus? Protein intake - specifically:
- How much protein do you need?
- When should you be eating it?
- What should it actually look like on your plate?
1. How Much Protein Do You Need?
This one’s pretty simple. Aim for 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Here’s a quick guide:
You don’t need to hit that exact number every single day, but you want to average it across the week. Most people will get there by eating 3–5 meals a day with around 25–30g of protein in each.
And no - despite what you may have heard, your body can handle more than 30g of protein in a meal. It won’t go to waste. You might just feel a bit fuller.
This one’s pretty simple. Aim for 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.
Here’s a quick guide:
- 60kg person → ~96g protein/day
- 80kg person → ~130g protein/day
- 100kg person → ~160g protein/day
You don’t need to hit that exact number every single day, but you want to average it across the week. Most people will get there by eating 3–5 meals a day with around 25–30g of protein in each.
And no - despite what you may have heard, your body can handle more than 30g of protein in a meal. It won’t go to waste. You might just feel a bit fuller.
2. When Should You Eat Protein?
Protein timing is less important than total intake. But if you’re training consistently, here’s a simple structure:
Again, focus on getting enough first. If you’re not hitting your targets, the timing won’t matter much.
Protein timing is less important than total intake. But if you’re training consistently, here’s a simple structure:
- Main meal: 3–4 hours before training
- Pre-training snack: 60–90 minutes before
- Recovery meal: 1–2 hours after
Again, focus on getting enough first. If you’re not hitting your targets, the timing won’t matter much.
3. What Does 25g of Protein Actually Look Like?
Knowing your number is one thing. Recognizing it on your plate is another. Here’s what ~25g of protein looks like in common foods:
Knowing your number is one thing. Recognizing it on your plate is another. Here’s what ~25g of protein looks like in common foods:
- Chicken breast (small/medium): 25–30g
- Sirloin steak (medium): 25g
- 2 whole eggs: ~12g
- 1 scoop whey protein: ~25–30g
- Pint of whole milk: ~15–20g
- Beef mince (100g lean): 25g
- Lentils or beans (larger portions): varies, often lower per gram and higher in volume needed
Eat More, Eat Some, Eat Less: A Simple FrameworkWhen thinking about quality:
Example: Building a High-Protein Meal
Here’s how you could hit 100g+ of protein in one meal (useful if you're catching up or fueling a hard training day):
- Eat More: Lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy, lentils, beans
- Eat Some: Higher-fat meats like pork or lamb, oily fish
- Eat Less: Processed meats, breaded/fried proteins
Example: Building a High-Protein Meal
Here’s how you could hit 100g+ of protein in one meal (useful if you're catching up or fueling a hard training day):
- Chicken breast: 25g
- 3 bacon rashers: 25g
- 2 eggs: ~12g
- Whey protein shake: 30g
- Pint of milk: 15–20g
= 105–110g protein total
Final Thoughts
When it comes to protein:
When it comes to protein:
- Focus on your weekly average, not daily perfection
- Nail your quantity first, then fine-tune timing and food quality
- Make sure your meals actually add up—eyeballing isn’t always accurate
If you haven’t yet, check out the Performance Nutrition Guide and Performance Nutrition Video we’ve put together below. And if you have questions or want help dialing in your protein intake, head to the contact page where you can reach out to us!
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