How much protein do I really need?
 

This book: http://www.amazon.com/Cyclists-Food-.../dp/0971891117

Suggests that I, a 160 lb cyclist trying to restrict calories, eat 0.8-0.9 g of protein per pound of body weight per day. That's 128-144 g of protein per day.

This seems insane to me. I don't trust typical high protein advocates (bodybuilders) and low protein naysayers (vegetarians). I've always tried to get flesh in at least one of my meals a day, as I don't eat much in the way of grain, legumes, or dairy/eggs. The RDA range seems to be between 40 and 70 g, and I try to stay there. Should I be eating more?

Almost a gram per pound? Maybe, if you were a bodybuilder. As a cyclist, even in hard training, I suggest that a gram per KILO is nearer the mark.

Vegetarians aren't low protein naysayers, btw. It's perfectly easy to get decent amounts of protein as a veggie. Takes more planning as a vegan, but can still be done.

Most recommendations I've seen for cyclists vary from 1.0g to 1.4g per kilogram body weight. 1.4g for balls-to-the-wall training, otherwise 1 - 1.2 is plenty.

I think they actually recommend .5 to .9g per pound for cyclists in training. Assuming you're eating 3000 Cals/Day you'd be getting 19% of your calories from protein. That doesn't sound out of line.

Vegetarian = low protein? WTF?
I eat quite a bit of protein. Nice generalization...not.

Sorry, that was unfair of me. Most of my friends are vegetarians and swear by 20-30g a day. It frequently drives us to feverish debate.

That is bizarre.

Here is a good article on protein http://www.vanderbilt.edu/ans/psycho...gy/Protein.htm

If you track your protein intake you will see that a normal cyclist or most people on these forums, even the racers and hard trainers, will be able to provide enough protein through their diet without supplements. And be able to eat real food! A nice extra lean chunk of steak has a lot of protein.

Making a point to discuss protein in some kind of "void" is as silly as people who discuss "carbs" - as if they actually understood nutrition.

First of all there are several types of protein that usually come with their own selective "baggage" or good points. Second, using "weight" as an indicator without knowing actual lean body mass, is just another example of this being a "toy BS thread."

Yeah 5oz of protein would be a lot. So what.

I monitor and record all caloric intake (as well as workout calories bured). I weigh just under 150 lbs, <5% body fat (working on adding a couple of lbs of fat). Since Jan I have averaged 3017 calories a day and 162g of protein (22%) and the majority is Whey and Soy isolate. I do weight train 5 days a week and run plus other cardio (new to biking). Besides just looking at the grams per body weigh you also need to look at percentage of total caloric intake.