Good sources of protein include fish, left, lean red meat, poultry, milk, yogurt and beans. Many man consume too much protein. A general rule is to eat one gram of protein for each pound of body weight.

The typical western Kentucky man probably eats too much protein, according to data provided by Paducah specialists.

“Men should eat a gram of protein for each pound of body weight,” recommended Debbie George, the director of personal training at Energy Fitness in Paducah.

A 200-pound man, for example, should consume 200 grams of protein each day. There are about 456 grams per pound, which means the average man should consume less than half-a-pound of protein for an entire day.

In addition to meat, protein can also be obtained from milk, yogurt, beans and fish, stated the Centers for Disease Control.

• A cup of milk, which is eight ounces of milk, has 8 grams of protein
• A three-ounce piece of meat has 21 grams of protein
• One cup of dry beans has 16 grams of protein
• An 8-ounce serving of yogurt contains 11 grams of protein

In comparison, the average male eats about two pounds of meat a day, according to George’s information. If men replaced 1.5 pounds of their daily meat consumption with the same quantity of fruits and vegetables, they would consume 1,600 fewer calories per day.

“Meat seems to be the centerpiece of our meals,” said Ruth Kraper, a registered dietician with Western Baptist Hospital. Kraper said meat should be considered as a side dish at a meal with a three ounces serving size.

“This is a matter of portion control,” said Patrick Withrow, chief medical officer at Western Baptist Hospital. Unless people increase their exercise levels to “work off (that extra food), they are going to be overweight,” Withrow said.

He described the proper serving of meat, per meal, would “be about the size of your hand,” or about 25 grams.

More physically active men can consume more protein and calories, both George and Withrow said.

“(U.S. Olympic swimmer) Michael Phelps can consume 10,000 to 12,000 calories a day while he’s training because all of his exercise is burning through all those calories,” Withrow said.

Since the CDC defines eight ounces as a serving size, three servings of fruits and vegetables would weigh one and a half pounds. Withrow said he would prefer his patients to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

In terms of fruits and vegetables, “more is perfectly fine,” Withrow said. A person will experience a full feeling after eating those fiber-filled foods, Withrow explained, without consuming a lot of additional calories.

The change in diet would probably cause most men to feel hungry a few hours after the meal, George explained.

“But that’s OK. Eat smaller meals, more frequently through the day,” she said, “That allows a person to maintain a level amount (of blood sugar) throughout the day.” Instead of the usual energy crash after a meal, according to George, the new eating habits enable a person to operate at a reliable energy level.

Both George and Withrow recommend that men add leans forms of protein — fish, turkey, chicken, yogurt and nuts — to their diet.

“Red meat is perfectly fine as long as it is at least 80 percent lean,” George said, “But (men) should probably eat red meat (only) once a week.”

Contact Michael de los Reyes, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8652.