Building Lean Muscle: What You Need to Know About Protein
- Apr 28
- 4 min read
If you want to get stronger, build lean muscle, and improve your running, protein needs to be part of your plan.
But it’s not just about drinking a shake after training.
Here’s what you need to know — backed by science but written in real-world terms you can actually use.
Why Protein Matters
Protein repairs and rebuilds muscles, helping you come back stronger.
This rebuilding process is called muscle protein synthesis (MPS).When you train, you stimulate MPS. When you eat enough protein, you fuel MPS.
Without enough protein:
Your muscles can't fully rebuild.
You may recover slower.
You limit your strength, size, and fitness gains.
✅ Strength training needs it
✅ Running needs it
✅ Everyday recovery needs it
How Much Protein Do You Need?
Research shows that to build muscle, you want about 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (Morton et al., 2018).
70kg person → 112–154g protein/day
The more training you do (lifting + running), the higher you should aim within that range.
Why?
Training increases the "demand" on your muscles.
More training = more muscle breakdown = higher need for amino acids to recover and rebuild.
👉 If you're over 30, your body doesn’t respond to protein as efficiently (a process called anabolic resistance).
This means you might need even more protein and be more consistent across the day to keep building muscle.
Timing Your Protein (Without Stressing About It)
You might have heard you need protein "within 30 minutes" of training.
The truth is:
✅ Your body is still very receptive to protein for up to 4–6 hours after a workout.
✅ The most important thing is how much protein you eat across the whole day (Schoenfeld et al., 2013).
But why aim for 20–40g per meal?
Because this amount gives enough leucine (the key amino acid that switches on MPS). Research shows:
20–25g of high-quality protein is enough for younger adults.
30–40g might be needed for older adults (Moore et al., 2015).
Simple takeaway:
✔ Eat a decent-sized serving of protein every 3–4 hours.
✔ Don't panic if your post-workout meal is a bit late — just get it in.
Why Carbs and Creatine Matter Too
After a tough workout, your body needs more than just protein.
Carbs are crucial because:
They refuel your muscle glycogen stores (your muscles' energy tank).
They boost recovery and reduce muscle breakdown by increasing insulin (Pasiakos et al., 2021).
Creatine is powerful because:
It increases strength and power output.
It improves repeated sprint ability (great for runners and strength athletes).
It's one of the most researched, safest supplements (Glaister et al., 2022).
Best practice:
After training, aim for:
Protein (20–40g)
Carbs (at least 1g per kg of bodyweight if possible)
Creatine (5g) if you use it.
This combination refuels your body, builds muscle, and speeds up recovery for your next session.
Best Protein Sources
Not all protein is created equal.
High-quality proteins are those rich in essential amino acids (especially leucine). These proteins are the best at triggering muscle protein synthesis.
Top picks:
Chicken
Eggs
Greek yoghurt
Whey protein
Beef
Fish
Why does quality matter?
Because hitting the "leucine threshold" is key to switching muscle-building on.Lower-quality proteins (e.g., some plant sources) might not have enough leucine unless eaten in bigger amounts or combined.
✅ If you’re plant-based, you can still absolutely build muscle — you just need to combine different plant proteins(like rice and beans) and aim for a bit more total protein.
Example Day of Eating (2200–2500 Calories)
Here’s how you might structure a high-protein day:
Breakfast:
3 scrambled eggs
2 slices wholegrain toast
Sautéed spinach
Snack:
200g Greek yoghurt
Handful of berries
Drizzle of honey
Lunch:
Grilled chicken wrap with avocado and mixed salad
Snack (Post-Workout):
Whey protein shake (with 5g creatine)
1 banana
Dinner:
Baked salmon
Roasted sweet potato
Steamed broccoli
Why structure it like this?
✔ You hit 20–40g protein at each meal.
✔ You get carbs around your workout.
✔ You spread recovery fuel across the day.
The Most Important Thing: Consistency Over Perfection
You don’t need to be perfect. You don't have to slam a shake the second you finish your workout.You don't need to count every gram forever.
What you do need:
Hit your protein target most days.
Space it out through the day.
Be consistent across weeks and months.
👉 Over time, consistency builds results, not magical timing or stress.
References:
Morton RW et al., 2018, British Journal of Sports Medicine (Protein intake for muscle building)
Schoenfeld BJ et al., 2013, JISSN (Protein timing)
Pasiakos SM et al., 2021, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (Carbs + protein recovery)
Glaister M et al., 2022, Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab (Creatine and sprint performance)
Moore DR et al., 2015, J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci (Protein needs for older adults)