protein help

Question
Dear Kimberly,

My name is David. Let me summerize everything to make it simple.

- i am 18 years old and lifting for 2 months
- i have not gained any weight for the last 5 months, so i bought 5lb - whey protien powder.
- i want to see real results, so here are my questions..

i want to know how much protein i should be taking per day ( i am 140 pounds and 5'2 with around 20% body fat) and when is the best time to take protein? do i make a bottle of protein shake and drink it for like every hour? or do i take certain amount per # of hours?

and i dont want to take too much protein, is it possible to tell that im taking too much by my urine color?

Thank you for taking ur time to read and help.
:-)

Answer
For an adult building muscle mass, the protein requirements are 0.7-0.9 grams of protein per pound of body weight.  I suggest trying to get your protein in through food sources first.  Those include LEAN meats, low fat or fat free dairy products, beans, eggs/egg whites, fish, nuts/seeds, soy foods, etc...
You should not take more protein than your body needs.  Too much protein can cause stress on the kidney's as well as other problems.  There is no way to tell if you are getting too much protein except for paying attention to your diet and counting the number of grams you get daily.
IF you decide to use the whey protein you need to fit it in to the number of grams you should be getting daily.  The best way to eat and to include your protein powder is to eat 6 meals a day and to eat consistently throughout the day.  Don't forget to drink plenty of water also!!  
A good book you may want to check out is:
Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook.  You can find it on www.amazon.com.
Thanks,
Kim Tessmer,RD LD
www.Nutrifocus.net

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