Our body uses protein to grow & repair itself. Unlike fats & carbohydrates, the body doesn’t store protein efficiently, so we must consume it on a regular basis. If we stop eating protein, the body begins breaking down muscle within just a few days to meet its nutritional needs. Nutritionists typically estimate our protein requirement by multiplying our body weight in pounds by 0.37. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be getting roughly 55 grams each day of protein.