Keto Means
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch Pexels Logo Photo: Polina Tankilevitch

How much protein should I eat a day to lose weight?

If you want to lose weight, aim for a daily protein intake between 1.6 and 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (. 73 and 1 grams per pound). Athletes and heavy exercisers should consume 2.2-3.4 grams of protein per kilogram (1-1.5 grams per pound) if aiming for weight loss.

blog.nasm.org - How Much Protein Do You Need to Eat Per Day to Lose Weight? - NASM
Why do people drink raw eggs after drinking?
Why do people drink raw eggs after drinking?

Eggs contain a high amount of cysteine. This chemical is an amino acid that assists in breaking down acetaldehyde, which is what causes hangovers....

Read More »
Last updated Nov 22, 2022
Can I drink too much almond milk?
Can I drink too much almond milk?

1. Stomach troubles. Excessive almonds can cause digestive issues such as nausea, stomach discomfort, dysentery, and bowel problems if you consume...

Read More »
Last updated Apr 4, 2021

Decades of scientific research on nutrition and weight loss has uncovered a few key pieces of information on what helps people successfully win the battle of the bulge. First, we know that while exercise is important, a person’s healthy eating habits likely matters more for weight loss than the hours they spend in the gym. Second, when it comes to dieting, there is no single best one for losing weight; many diets can work quite well as long as total calorie balance is accounted for. Third, dietary protein is one of the key “levers” in a diet that increases the likelihood of someone’s ability to lose weight. This article is going to cut through a lot of the noise surrounding protein and tell you how much protein you should be eating to lose weight and some of the things you should consider when planning your diet. This article, along with our nutrition certificate - will provide you with smart strategies for safe and effective weight loss.

In this article:

What is protein?

Protein is an important macronutrient that is involved in nearly all bodily functions and processes. It plays a key role in exercise recovery and is an essential dietary nutrient for healthy living. The elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen combine to form amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Protein and amino acids are primarily use to create bodily tissues, form enzymes and cellular transporters, maintain fluid balance, and more.

How much protein per day to lose weight?

If you want to lose weight, aim for a daily protein intake between 1.6 and 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (.73 and 1 grams per pound). Athletes and heavy exercisers should consume 2.2-3.4 grams of protein per kilogram (1-1.5 grams per pound) if aiming for weight loss. My practical recommendation to people is that if you carry a BMI of over 30 or a body fat percentage above 25-30% it makes more sense to base your protein recommendations off of your goal weight. For the correct amount of protein to gain muscle, check this resource out.

What are the benefits of protein in weight loss?

Dietary protein can be an important part of a diet that is intended for weight loss. While there are many benefits to dietary protein, there are four main areas that have direct effects on weight loss:

Satiety Lean mass Thermic effect of food Storage as body fat

Let us take a deeper dive into each of these topics.

Protein helps you feel full longer

One of the biggest things that impedes weight loss is hunger.

People are far less likely to stick with a nutrition or diet plan if they experience high levels of hunger.

Protein is the most satiating of all the macronutrients (1).

How do you make squash taste better?
How do you make squash taste better?

5 Ways to Spice Up Your Winter Squash Kick up the flavor. Braise your winter squash in stock to enhance its flavor -- try adding a glug of maple...

Read More »
Last updated Jul 7, 2022
What alcohol is best for diabetics?
What alcohol is best for diabetics?

The best types of alcohol for people with diabetes are those with a low sugar or carb content. That includes light beers, red and white wines,...

Read More »
Last updated Jun 15, 2021

Several different lines of research have all pointed to the same thing: higher protein intakes tend to provide more satiety and less hunger. For example, in one study, high protein snacks allowed people to go longer between eating and also caused them to eat less at subsequent meals (2). Another study showed that including protein into a glass of water decreased hunger compared to water alone (3). Depending on the source of protein, there does appear to be minor differences in the exact amount of satiety that protein provides, however these differences are minor and don’t really make a meaningful impact for most people (4). Currently, there is no consensus on the optimal level of daily protein intake in one’s diet with regard to stay full. However, roughly 1.8 - 2.9 grams of protein per kilogram daily (or .82-1.32 grams of protein per pound) appears to provide substantial benefit on satiety (5).

Protein preserves lean body mass

In addition, protein has another benefit on weight loss: it helps preserve lean body mass during periods of caloric restriction. One study compared the effect of low protein intake (1.0 grams per kilogram per day) to high protein intake (2.3 g/kg per day) on lean body mass over a short term caloric deficit. On average, the low protein group lost about 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds) of muscle mass while the high protein group only lost 0.3 kg (0.66 pounds) of muscle mass (6). Another similar study compared 0.8 g/kg per day against 1.6 g/kg per day and 2.4 g/kg per day and found that the two higher intakes (1.6 and 2.4 g/kg per day) spared more lean body mass than the 0.8 g/kg per day diet. They also found that there was no real benefit to 2.4 g/kg per day over 1.6 g/kg per day (7). Currently, most evidence suggests that ~1.6 grams of protein per kilogram, or .73 grams of protein per pound is a recommended daily target for protein intake to spare lean body mass loss during periods of weight loss.

Protein increases the thermic effect of food

The thermic effect of food is the “cost” of digesting your food.

Essentially, it takes some energy to break food down, digest it, and turn it into energy. Protein has the highest “cost” of all the three macronutrients. While the total effect that the thermic effect of food has on daily energy expenditure and weight loss is small, it is not meaningless and is important to note. In one study, a high protein diet increased the thermic effect of food by roughly 6-8 kcals per hour when compared to a low protein diet, which may translate to ~50-75 calories per day (8). However, not all studies show this large of an effect, and the thermic effect of protein is not likely responsible for most of its benefit, but it may be the “cherry on top” of adequate dietary protein during weight loss.

How can you lose 10 pounds in two weeks?
How can you lose 10 pounds in two weeks?

To lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, you can cut 500 calories from diet, and burn an additional 2,000 calories through exercise. ... On certain days of...

Read More »
Last updated Aug 23, 2019
What is the most vitamin rich fruit?
What is the most vitamin rich fruit?

Citrus fruits and berries may be especially powerful for preventing disease. A 2014 study ranked “powerhouse” fruit and vegetables by high nutrient...

Read More »
Last updated Dec 28, 2019

You can track things like the thermic effect of food, total daily energy expenditure, and macros with the NASM Weight Loss Calculator.

Protein is hard to store as body fat

During periods of weight loss, there are often times where more energy is consumed than expended. As such, minimizing how much of that excess energy (i.e. calories) is stored as fat is important. The body processes the three different macronutrients (i.e. proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) in very different ways. Leaving out a lot of jargon and mumbo jumbo, in order for protein to be stored as fat, it goes through a much different biochemical process than either carbohydrates or protein. This process makes it much harder for protein to store as body fat. One study found that protein is stored as body fat with roughly 66% efficiency, while carbohydrates store with 80% efficiency and fats store at 96% efficiency (9). During weight loss, overeating protein results in much less stored body fat than overeating on carbohydrates or fat. If you are looking for ways to lose weight fast, consuming protein is a great option!

Summary

Nutritional Guidelines suggest a daily intake of 1.6 and 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram, or .73 and 1 grams per pound to lose weight. Athletes and heavy exercisers should consume 2.2-3.4 grams of protein per kilogram (1-1.5 grams per pound) if aiming for weight loss. While many different diets can be successful for weight loss, the protein content of a diet is one of the important factors to consider when planning a diet. Protein has been shown to promote satiety, help maintain lean body mass, increase the thermic effect of food slightly, and can reduce how efficient the body is at storing extra calories as body fat.

Check out these nutritional resources

Here are a couple additional resources to check out surrounding nutrition:

If you're interested in learning more about protein, watch the webinar "Protein Metabolism: How to Optimize Protein intake for Muscle Gain and Weight Loss" below and consider becoming a Certified Nutrition Coach. Find out more about the NASM Nutrition Certification here.

blog.nasm.org - How Much Protein Do You Need to Eat Per Day to Lose Weight? - NASM
What squash is good for weight loss?
What squash is good for weight loss?

Butternut squash Butternut squash is low in calories and packed with fiber — making it a great choice for any healthy weight loss plan. Jan 17, 2019

Read More »
Last updated Mar 20, 2019
What foods break ketosis?
What foods break ketosis?

Acceptable foods for the keto diet include nonstarchy vegetables, dairy, protein, and healthy fats. Foods to avoid on the keto diet include...

Read More »
Last updated Jun 9, 2020
What are the 3 healthiest meats?
What are the 3 healthiest meats?

5 of the Healthiest Meats Sirloin Steak. Sirloin steak is both lean and flavorful – just 3 ounces packs about 25 grams of filling protein! ......

Read More »
Last updated Jun 7, 2021
Will one meal kick you out of ketosis?
Will one meal kick you out of ketosis?

Whether you consume 50 or more grams of carbs in a single meal or throughout an entire day, you'll kick yourself out of ketosis and cause your body...

Read More »
Last updated May 9, 2021