Protein is used to help build and rebuild your body, but protein is also important in providing energy. Eating too little protein will affect your performance and damage your health.

Typically, an athlete needs between 0.5 and 0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you will need between 70 and 126 grams of protein per day.

You can also figure out your protein needs as a portion of your caloric intake. Protein should make up about 15% of the total calories you eat per day. A gram of protein, like a gram of carbohydrates, has about 4 calories. If, for example, you eat 2,000 calories a day, take 15% of 2,000 (multiply 2,000 by 0.15) and divide by four:

2,000 x .15 = 300 calories of protein. 300 ÷ 4 = 75 grams of protein per day.

If you are attempting to lose weight, determine the amount of protein you eat by using this second formula. This will allow you to lose weight safely and not harm your performance -- or your health.

High Protein Foods:

Food	Amount	Grams of protein
scrambled eggs	2 large	12 g
skim milk	12 oz	8 g
American cheese	2 slices	13 g
baked chicken breast	3 oz	25 g
baked flounder	3 oz	21 g
fried hamburger	3 oz	21 g
tofu	3 oz	12 g
veggie burger	1 patty	18 g
peanut butter	2 Tbs.	8 g
humus	1/2 cup	6 g
black or kidney beans	1/2 cup	8 g
bagel	1 whole	7 g
cooked pasta	1 cup	6 g
cereal	1 cup	1 to 15 g

• Part 1: Fueling Up
• Part 2: Carbohydrates
• Part 3: Protein
• Part 4: Fat

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