Protein is a macronutrient that does not get the same spotlight as carbs and fat in our society. It often gets passed off by health professionals as something we don’t have to be concerned about eating. In my dietetics degree program, it was taught that the majority of Americans eat more protein than is needed. However, protein is an important macronutrient for our health and plays many key roles in successful long term weight loss. If you want to learn more about protein and its role in our overall health, check out this prior blog on protein. 

Protein’s role in weight loss

In order to lose weight, you have to reduce your calorie intake. You can choose to reduce carbs, fat or a combination of both. Even though protein is not talked about much with weight loss, it is rarely mentioned to cut back on. One of the main reasons is because protein, unlike carbs and fat, is not stored in the body. 

If you do not eat enough protein, your body will breakdown its muscle to obtain the amino acids it needs. Even though muscle loss may result in a faster drop on the scale it is not a good way to lose weight. Muscle is metabolically active and keeps your metabolic rate higher. If you lose a good amount of muscle your metabolic rate will decrease, and you may find it harder to lose more weight or even start to regain weight.

Eating enough protein during weight loss can minimize muscle loss. When combined with frequent resistance training, you can gain muscle. This means you can increase your metabolic rate while losing weight and be less likely to hit those annoying weight loss plateaus.

Protein also has a high satiating effect, which means that you will feel fuller for longer with less food. One of the biggest hurdles with weight loss is increased hunger. Protein has the great ability to make you feel full while keeping calories low. Just think of a time that you ate too much steak or chicken. Chances are you haven’t as it is very difficult to overeat protein.

Not only does protein make you feel fuller, but it also helps keep you feeling fuller for longer between meals. This is especially helpful if you find yourself snacking throughout the day or searching the pantry later in the evening. 

One of the most interesting aspects of protein in weight loss is its role with the body’s preferred fat stores. There is a theory that the everyone’s body has its own preferred amount of stored fat. If you go below your body’s preferred level the body responds by decreasing the metabolic rate and increasing your hunger. 

Increased protein during weight loss can signal to the brain that the body still has its preferred fat stores when you start to dip below its threshold. This signaling is key to keep your metabolic rate up, maintain continued weight loss and sustain the weight loss long term. 

How much protein do I need during weight loss?

The current RDA for protein in the USA is 0.8g of protein per kg of bodyweight. The important thing to remember about the RDA is that it is the amount needed to prevent deficiency in the majority of the population. Preventing deficiency is important, but this is not the same as what is needed for optimal health and, in this case, weight loss. This amount is simply the bare minimum and not the upper level of what the body needs.

There have been countless studies over the last few decades on protein intake and our health. What they have found is that a higher protein intake is not only safe to our body but beneficial to our long-term health in many ways. For more information on this topic check out the prior blog on protein.

Although an exact amount of protein will be different for each person and situation, a good place to start is aiming for 1g of protein per pound of body weight. You may find this amount difficult to consume in a day. It’s important to listen to your body and stop eating when you are full so don’t worry about hitting the specific daily amount. The key is to focus on eating the protein portion of your meal first. It will also naturally limit how much of the carb portion of your meal you will be able to eat.   

It may be necessary to use a protein supplement to obtain the higher amounts of protein needed during weight loss. Which protein supplement you choose will depend on personal taste and preferences. Although a whey protein is the preferred choice, a plant based protein or other source is fine as well. You may find that your body tolerates one protein supplement better than another type or brand. So make sure to try a few different types to find your preferred protein supplement. 

The final notes

Higher protein intake of 1g/pound of bodyweight during weight loss is essential to your success and can:

• Minimize muscle loss

• Increase muscle when combined with resistance exercise

• Help you feel full sooner with less

• Keep you feeling fuller for longer after a meal

• Prevent snacking, especially night time snacking

• Maintain a higher metabolic rate during weight loss

• Allow you to surpass your body’s preferred amount of stored fat

• Create a sustainable long term weight loss

If you want help in developing a meal plan to fit your specific needs or more information on how to lose weight successfully for the long run, schedule your free consultation with Adam today!

Written by: Adam Skowyra MPPD, RDN, LD