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protein

How many grams of protein should I be consuming? I'm 1200 calories and I'm 50 years old; exercise 30 to 60 minutes 5 times a week.
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Gosh, an ally against gymdandee and his one size fits all theories  (this is in part a joke between gym and me, we are friendly antagonists).
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What is recommended by fitness professionals (I have the training) is that you really just need to eat small amounts of protien throughout the day, because it's used to repair muscles and keep your internal organs strong, it's not used as a fuel.

The only way you can know is by judging how fast it takes you to recover after your workouts. If you aren't having any trouble, you are eating enough protien. If your muscles aren't recovering as fast as they should, you need more protien.
Now, I don't like eating all day long, so what I do is just make sure to incorporate meat at every meal and I have had no problems getting fit, building muscle and recovering from workouts just by listening to the cues my body gives me.

Honestly I wouldn't even advise anyone to follow a strict calorie plan, and 1200 calories is very low for someone who isn't sedentry. Your body is perfectly capable of telling you how much you need to eat to keep it healthy and fit and it will also give you cravings when you are lacking certain nutrients, so your body always knows what you need better than the internet does. For example, if you are feeling hungry all the time, you need to be eating more.
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There are as many theories (and books) on how much protein to consume as there are ants in your back yard.  Nobody knows the answer to this, as people are different, and it depends on what you're trying to accomplish.  Too much protein is bad for your kidneys, too little is bad for growth and recovery from exercise.  The above suggests certain people "need" a specific amount of protein, but that's not true if health is your goal -- different people will react differently and different conditions require different amounts.  So there is no exact answer.  I would suggest you read some of the many many books out there and then decide what you want to accomplish -- this is a subject you can do your own homework on.  And more important, at least for health, isn't a specific amount of this or that, since we don't really know that answer, but what you're eating and how you're feeling and how your body seems to be responding.
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Avatar universal
To find your optimal level, Lets say you want to lose weight. That means you should probably follow some simple guidelines like eating less sugar. But research also indicates that eating more protein can help you towards this goal.
You need more protein during a weight-loss program, both to lose fat and to preserve your muscle.
Researchers put a group of subjects with high blood pressure and less-than-ideal cholesterol, and tested the impact of adding more protein to their diets. No one was allowed to gain or lose weight during the test, so any changes couldn’t be chalked up to the benefits of dropping a few pounds. Some subjects ate a diet with 18 percent of their total calories coming from protein, which is pretty close to the USDA’s recommended amount. A second group upped their protein intake to 28 percent.
The higher-protein group showed better health across the board. People in that group had greater decreases in blood pressure, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. What’s more, their estimated 10-year risk of heart disease decreased compared to those on the lower protein track. Had these subjects been allowed to lose weight, the results may have been even more dramatic.
About 30 percent of your calories should come from protein. At that level, you won’t have to worry about deficiencies, and you’ll know you’re getting enough of the nutrient to lose fat while also improving your heart health. Have some protein at each of your meals and snacks.

Protein can help displace carbs. The amino acids that form the building blocks of protein make a lower insulin response than the one triggered by a high-carb meal. So consuming more protein will have a less affect on your blood sugar.
The most important amino acid is leucine, which is found in just about every protein-containing food. For leucine to optimize and maximize your ability to turn protein into muscle there needs to be a certain amount present. Scientists estimate that this threshold is about 30 grams of protein. You can build muscle with less than this amount or more, but this dosage is what research has found is ideal for optimal functioning.
A good book to get is by Dr. Mike Roussell, “The 6 Pillars of Nutrition”

Now all that being said try this formula,

Multiply your weight by 0.45 to convert to kilograms. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you weigh about 68 kilograms.

Multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.8 to determine how many grams of protein you need per day. For example, if you weigh 68 kilograms, you need about 54 grams of protein per day. Weight lifters need up to 1.8 grams per kilogram per day, while endurance athletes require up to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

Multiply your daily caloric intake by 0.15 or 0.2 to estimate how many of your calories should come from protein. For example, if you eat 2,500 calories daily, you should get between 375 and 500 calories from protein.
If you tire easily, you may not get enough protein.

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