Maximum amount of grams of protein per meal?

[PGarcia0325]

So I'm trying to lose weight and add muscle at the same time. Since late January, I've gone from 270 to 245 and I've added 60 pounds to my bench press. I usually eat 3 meals a day and I'll eat 60 grams of protein per meal.

I'm no fitness/diet guru so I'm curious: is 60 grams too much per meal? Are my muscles using all of it? Would it be better if I had 6 smaller meals of 30 grams? Should I be eating more protein per day?

[rhadam]

The gut slows down digestion to try to use the majority of what you ingest. 60g per meal isn't bad, but I really wouldn't go over that. Science has shown that multiple meals of 20-40g of protein is most optimal, but 3 meals of 60g is fine. You aren't a world class athlete or competing in The Arnold. At 245lbs you can get away with 180g of protein. .8g of protein per lb of weight is roughly our minimum level to achieve, more doesn't necessarily mean better. Specifically in your situation you're fine doing what you're doing.

[FormulaLT1poweR]

So I'm trying to lose weight and add muscle at the same time. Since late January, I've gone from 270 to 245 and I've added 60 pounds to my bench press. I usually eat 3 meals a day and I'll eat 60 grams of protein per meal.

I'm no fitness/diet guru so I'm curious: is 60 grams too much per meal? Are my muscles using all of it? Would it be better if I had 6 smaller meals of 30 grams? Should I be eating more protein per day?

It's extremely tough to do the bolded; as both require different types of nutrition plans. To lose weight, you are going to want to stay in a caloric deficit and closely monitor your macros. To add muscle, you are going to stay in a caloric surplus, tend to eat more macros and really pay attention to your protein intake.

It looks like you are doing well with the weight loss, down 25lbs; congratulations on that! Most people tend to say .8 - 1.0g of protein per pound of body weight is ideal, so in your case 196g - 245g of protein per day. Ideally you are going to want to have some protein with every meal, which sounds like 60g/meal for you. Are you eating any snacks? Protein shakes?

[PGarcia0325]

It's extremely tough to do the bolded; as both require different types of nutrition plans. To lose weight, you are going to want to stay in a caloric deficit and closely monitor your macros. To add muscle, you are going to stay in a caloric surplus, tend to eat more macros and really pay attention to your protein intake.

It looks like you are doing well with the weight loss, down 25lbs; congratulations on that! Most people tend to say .8 - 1.0g of protein per pound of body weight is ideal, so in your case 196g - 245g of protein per day. Ideally you are going to want to have some protein with every meal, which sounds like 60g/meal for you. Are you eating any snacks? Protein shakes?

I don't snack at all. I only eat when I eat my meals. I eat in the morning before I go to work, again around 1 pm, and then again around 6 pm after I work out. I'll mix a scoop of gold standard whey protein with water and drink that with my meal and aim for 60 grams of protein. I'll usually have that for lunch or post workout (dinner).

[showjo1josh]

I think that set up is fine. I really just go by the rule of at the end of the day did I get in enough protein. Whether I do 3 meals at 60g or 6 meals at 30g is the same.

[XCriticalBenchX]

Nobody knows the exactly amount, but 60-80g I'd say, just by using my noodle.. anything more than 80g just to me, seems excessive.

Mike

[kbayne]

So I'm trying to lose weight and add muscle at the same time. Since late January, I've gone from 270 to 245 and I've added 60 pounds to my bench press. I usually eat 3 meals a day and I'll eat 60 grams of protein per meal.

I'm no fitness/diet guru so I'm curious: is 60 grams too much per meal? Are my muscles using all of it? Would it be better if I had 6 smaller meals of 30 grams? Should I be eating more protein per day?

If you were worried about MPS (muscle protein synthesis), then yes, eating smaller meals 4-5 hours apart would be ideal. In you case and current goal, I don't think you need to worry.

Personally, I'd recommend more total protein daily. Whatever your goal weight is, that's what I would aim for in total grams.