Tearing muscle tissue down and building it back up bigger and stronger requires strenuous workouts, rest, and adequate carbohydrate and protein intake. One caveat: The protein you consume is better used by muscle tissue if it has a balanced amino acid profile, as with meat and dairy products. If you don't eat any animal sources of protein, you should eat about 10% more protein to cover the variation in protein quality from plant sources.
Although excess dietary protein (above 0.67-1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight doesn't offer the body additional benefits, inadequate protein intake can slow tissue growth and recovery from exercise. While most people favor the leaner varieties, here are a few sources with heart-healthy fat profiles.

1.) Salmon is a good source of fats that help reduce heart disease and support the immune system (eicosapentanoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid), with farmed Atlantic salmon heading the list. A 4-ounce portion provides about 210 calories, 30 grams of protein and 9 grams of total fat, 3-4 grams of which are monounsaturated (the "good" fat). This tasty fish is also an excellent source of B12, a vitamin used in the metabolism of carbohydrates, protein and fat, and a known reducer of homocysteine blood levels, which lowers the risk of heart disease.

2.) Venison. Because wild deer have a natural grass diet, venison is lean; in fact, it has about 2-3 times less fat than some beef. A 4-ounce serving provides 135 calories, 25 grams of protein, 3 grams of total fat, iron and 25% of the RDA for niacin (B3). B3 is needed to help convert food into fuel, while iron helps transport oxygen to exercising muscles. If you aren't a hunter, venison can be puschased at a health-food store, where it is available fresh or frozen, or on the Internet.

3.) Lean Beef. If you've been avoiding beef for fear of fat, it's time to pick up that steak knife and dig in: Beef is an excellent source of protein, B3, B12 and zinc, which aids in the immune system. It's also a good source of iron.
The saturated fat and dietary cholesterol found in beef can be of a concern, but a balancing benefit is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The CLA in beef may help reduce cancer risk, battling the disease at its three stages of growth: initiation, promotion and metastasis.
To reduce the amount of fat from beefm choose lean cuts such as sirloin, top and bottom round. A 4-ounce portion provides around 220 calories, 34 grams of protein and 8 grams of total fat (3 grams saturated fat, 3.5 grams monounsaturated).

4.) Whole Eggs and Egg Whites. No foods list would be complete without eggs, since egg protein provides a balance of all essential amino acides necessary for muscle growth. More than half of an egg's protein is in the white; almost all the fat can be found in the yolk. But that fat isn't all bad; 38% is monounsaturated and 14% is polyunsaturated. And to compensate for the fat and cholesterol (a large egg has about 213 mg of dietary cholesterol), yolks contain lutein and zeaxanthin and protects against colon cancer. Look for eggs that come from pastured hens; hens fed a diet of grass have increased omega-3 fatty acid content over grain-fed hens. One medium whole egg has about 75 calories, 7 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat.

Here is a few formula's you can use to calculate how much protein you should be ingesting.

To ensure that your body is in a positive muscle building state, inother words, that it is burning fat--not muscle, you should take in at least .9 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

1.) For example, if someone weighs 120 lbs. with 12% bodyfat, you would require 95 grams daily.

120 x .12 = 14 lbs
120 - 14 = 106 lbs
106 x .9 = 95 grams

2.) The latest study from the International Journal of Sports Nutrition says that people involved in strength training should get 1.6 - 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of bodywheight per day. That is .7 grams per pound. Therefore, someone weighing 120 lbs would only need 74 grams of protein daily.

It would be safe to say that consuming between 74-95 grams of protein would be acceptable for a person weighing 120. Too much protein is not a good thing because your body can't absorb it all.

If you are looking to get leaner, you should definitely follow your protein intake and limit your carbs.

A Balance is Better

Question: How much protein is "too much"?
Answer: Does high protein intake stress the kidneys, make the body lose calcium or dehydrate you? While each problem is theroetically worth a look, no hard science backs those assertions. Let's address each one. First, the kidney stress applies to people who have a history of kidney disease; for healthy people it likely isn't a problem. Second, increased protein intake does increase calcium excretion in urine, but the body adapts by increasing its absorption of calcium from your food. Third, there's some obligatory urine loss, but most healthy athletes are going to drink enough fluids.
Keep in mind that focusing solely on one nutrient in a diet isn't healthy. If you're on an almost all-protein diet, you can bet you're missing out on key nutrients. If you keep a balance between carbs, protein and fat, and don't overeat as far as total calories go, your protein intake won't be excessive.