As a personal trainer I get asked the same 4 questions about protein all the time. These questions come from personal training clients, students, or people at the local gyms in Little Rock.

What kind of protein should I get? How much protein should I eat? When should I eat protein? How often or how much should I have with each meal?

The kind and daily amount (daily average 0.75-1.0g per pound) are VERY important and are things everyone should focus on when being active and resistance training.

But when it comes to when, how often, or how much with each meal those should be things you do not prioritize. Unless you are looking for a longer to do list or training for the Olympics and trying to win a race by 0.01 seconds. These factors of when you consume protein, how often during the day, or how much with each meal MIGHT impact your results by less than 1% (made up number, but research shows it is not a significant difference).

I have many successful personal training clients who eat 4 meals/2 snacks, 3 meals/3 snacks, 2 meals/2 snacks, etc. The timing of when they consume their protein doesn’t matter and there is no true window post workouts. The amount they eat with each meal doesn’t matter because their body will just take longer to digest the more protein you consume and your body will use what is needed. There is a slight benefit to consuming protein throughout your day and not 100g in one sitting, but again that should come way after thinking about what is easier for your schedule, what type of protein you can consume, and what your preference is for your meals/snacks that day.

Bottom line make sure to eat quality protein, 0.75-1.0g per pound daily, and get it in whatever way works best for you!