Here’s exactly how much protein you need based on your workout routine

For fitness enthusiasts, protein is essential for muscle repair, recovery and growth. But for many, eating foods high in protein has become a staple in their diet, so they end up getting more nutrients, while eating more essential ones.

Good luck spoke to nutritionists and exercise experts, to clear up the confusion about how much protein you need to fuel your workouts.

Protein is an important part of our diet. It helps with metabolism, immunity, keeps us full and satisfied after eating, supports weight loss, and promotes muscle growth, Abbey Sharp, registered dietitian , mentioned earlier. Good luck.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Adults recommends 10% to 35% of your daily calories come from protein sources. For a 2,000 calorie diet, that would be between 200 and 700 calories per day.

Most nutritionists recommend consuming 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for adults. To find your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. Then multiply that number by 0.8 and 1.2 to find your protein type. A 140-pound person should aim to consume 51 to 76 grams of protein per day.

In general, people don’t need to worry about how much protein they eat per day, says registered dietitian Federica Amati. That’s because as long as you’re eating enough calories during the day, you’re probably meeting or exceeding your protein needs, Amati says.

Protein needs vary based on your lifestyle, age and sex, however. Older people need more protein. Sharp recommends that they increase their daily protein intake to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Your protein needs will vary greatly depending on your activity level, says Stella Volpe, president of the American College of Sports Medicine and a registered dietitian.

“It depends on the frequency, intensity, type and time spent exercising,” Volpe said. Good luck.

If you are someone who exercises 20 to 30 minutes every day, or goes to the occasional Pilates class – you probably don’t need to worry about eating too much protein.

“The [recommended daily intake] 0.8 kg [per kilogram] because most people are only good for their needs,” Volpe says.

Strenuous exercise, however, such as people training for marathons or participating in regular weightlifting—will have higher protein needs, Volpe says. They may consider increasing their daily intake above 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight.

Although marathon runners don’t put on as much muscle as weightlifters, both will have similar protein needs, as endurance athletes (runners, cyclists, for example) they are more prone to muscle wasting.

If you’re just starting to get serious about your exercise, you’ll also want to increase your protein intake, Volpe says. The more you’re in the middle of weight lifting or marathon training, the more you’ll break down, he says, so you’ll need to compensate for more protein. But once you get used to exercising, you can stick to 1.1 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, Volpe says.

Volpe also recommends timing your nutrition. That means that when you are not training hard, call for protein so that you do not take more than you need.

Protein isn’t the only macronutrient that helps repair muscles. Volpe says athletes should prioritize post-workout carbohydrates—especially the two hours after exercise when muscle repair is most important.

After a workout, your glycogen stores are depleted, Volpe says. Those are the body’s preferred source of energy. You’ll want to fill those right after your workout to maintain energy levels and jump-start recovery, he says. The perfect post-workout snack is chocolate milk, says Volpe, because it’s the perfect balance of carbohydrates and protein.

“Many of the most powerful athletes, their diet is 60% carbs if not more,” Sharp says. You’ll want those to be complex carbohydrates, Volpe adds, with foods like whole grains and sweet potatoes.

As for the people you see on social media with high-protein diets—sometimes bragging about eating one gram of protein per pound of body weight—Volpe says advise to imitate their behavior, even if you exercise vigorously.

“It’s not necessary,” says Volpe. “Most Americans eat more protein than they need.”

The most important thing is to make sure you have a healthy mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, Volpe says.

“In general, try to have a mix and a variety of these macronutrients every day, and you should be fine,” he says. “You’ll also want to make sure you’re eating enough calories to match your energy expenditure so you can maintain your weight, Volpe adds.

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This story was originally published on Fortune.com

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Here’s exactly how much protein you need based on your workout routine

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