Protein and weight loss

Conversations about weight loss typically go down two roads, either cutting back carbs or fats. While both methods do work, personal and metabolic factors tend to favor one over the other. What is often not talked about during weight loss is protein intake. Think about the last time you tried to lose weight, did you put the focus on protein? There is a good chance you didn’t even think about your protein intake outside of the fat content of your protein source. 

What's important about protein during weight loss?

Regardless of which diet you may be following to lose weight; protein intake should be the same and most likely higher than you think. During weight loss due to eating less calories our body will lose both fat and muscle. Rapid and high amounts of weight loss typically result in a high amount of muscle loss along with fat. While slower and lower weight loss may preserve more muscle in the body while still losing fat. 

Protein helps preserve your current muscle, reduce any possible muscle loss, and can even help increase muscle during weight loss. This is largely due to our body needing amino acids for many functions on a daily basis. If your protein intake is low from eating less calories overall, your body will break down its own muscle to get the amino acids it needs. Keep in mind that to the body maintaining its daily functions takes priority over muscle mass. 

Supplying your body with a higher amount of protein on a daily basis will provide your body all the amino acids it needs and keep it from breaking down its own muscles. When combined with some form of resistance exercise the two together will stimulate muscle protein synthesis. This will prevent muscle breakdown while losing weight. If done with enough volume it can even result in muscle gain during weight loss. 

Protein is also a satisfying macronutrient that doesn’t take much to feel full on. Think of a time you ate too much food. What was the food you overate? Most likely that food will be a carb, fat or combination of both. It is unlikely that you have ever eaten too much protein by itself. 

By putting the emphasis on eating your protein source first during weight loss can help you feel fuller on less, for longer. Which overall will decrease the total calories you will eat in a meal and in a day. 

Isn’t a higher protein diet bad for your health?

There have been concerns that eating too much protein can damage the kidneys or impact bone health along with other possible health impacts. 

Currently there is no evidence that more protein intake can cause kidney damage. However, if you have kidney disease your protein intake should be limited, and you should follow your physician’s and dietitian’s recommendations. 

There is also no evidence that more protein intake can decrease bone density. In fact, a greater protein intake can actually help maintain your bone density and decrease risk of osteoporosis and fractures as you get older. 

Although there is a chance that extremely high protein intake can have negative effects on your body, the amount of protein you would have to eat would be impossible. Outside of being force-fed protein in a lab, you will get sick to your stomach well before you can eat the amount of protein that can cause health issues. 

How much protein do I need?

The RDA for protein in the USA and Canada is 0.8 grams per Kilogram of body weight. Keep in mind that this amount is what is needed by the average population on a daily basis to prevent deficiency. This is not the amount needed for optimal health or preserving muscle during weight loss. 

The recommended amount of protein for optimal health is 1.5 - 2 grams/Kg. Keep in mind this is for someone that is maintaining a healthy weight, not losing weight.

The recommended amount of protein during weight loss is 2 - 2.5 grams/Kg. This greater intake is needed to compensate for the reduction in calories and the body’s need for increased amino acids to preserve muscle mass during weight loss. The more weight you have to lose the greater your protein needs will be. A dietitian can help calculate how much protein intake is best for your current weight and weight loss goal. 

There is no need to be exact to the gram as the body is not impacted by small changes in protein amounts. It is more important to aim for an average amount each day and spread the protein intake out across the day. Ideally aim to get a minimum of 20-30 grams of protein at each meal.

Keep in mind that more is not always better. Exceeding 2.5 grams of protein/kg per day does not provide more benefit for most people. Working with a dietitian to create a custom plan for your goals takes the guesswork out of what and how much to eat. 

The main points

• Aim for 2 - 2.5 grams of protein per Kilogram of body weight. A good place to start is 1 gram of protein per 1 pound of body weight. Someone who weighs 180 pounds = 180 grams daily protein.

• Spread the protein intake out across the day and all meals evenly. Aim for 20-30 grams minimum per each meal. On average a portion of protein the size of your palm (or full hand for smaller people) will provide about 20-30 grams of protein. 

• Eat your protein source first. This will reduce your overall calorie intake and keep you feeling fuller longer without counting calories.  

• Use a protein supplement to help boost protein intake and keep calories low.

• Add some form of resistance exercise at least 2-3x/week to boost muscle protein synthesis and help preserve the most muscle. This can be heavy yard work (digging, moving a wheelbarrow), heavy manual labor, bodyweight exercise at a slow and controlled pace, lifting weights or any other form of muscle loading work.