If you are embarking on a weight and fat loss journey, you are likely wanting to be setting yourself up for success. Research shows that the role of protein within your diet could be one of the most important tools to unlocking your long-term success with weight loss. This article provides the benefits of protein during weight loss, how much you should be consuming and some tips for optimising your protein choices.
Changes in protein needs during weight loss
During energy restriction, the amount of protein contributing to energy output increases for numerous reasons: because less carbs and fats are available due to caloric restriction, protein is used more as a source of fuel. Additionally, because body stores of fuel such as glycogen and body fat are used more due to the decrease in dietary carbohydrate and fat available, the body is forced to rely more on protein as an energy source. Additionally, often during weight loss, activity is increased to contribute to a greater energy deficit. Greater increases in both cardio exercise and resistance exercise also increases protein requirements.
Therefore, during caloric restriction and weight loss, there may be an increased use of protein stores, as well an increase in muscle protein breakdown which may contribute to the ratio of loss of lean muscle mass versus body fat during your weight loss journey. With our in clinic clients, we are able to track composition changes to help ensure that even on a weight loss journey you are not sacrificing muscle mass.
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Studies and experience show that increasing protein intake may help counteract muscle loss! Read on to find out about the multiple reasons as to why hitting your protein intake may be key for your weight loss success.
What are the benefits of protein consumption when losing weight?
Keeping you full
Protein is the most satiating macronutrient. When you consume protein, it stimulates the production of certain substances that send a message to the brain to signal that you are full. Consuming adequate protein is therefore key in keeping you full and reducing energy intake.
Greater weight loss
A study comparing two calorie matched groups, one with a higher carbohydrate intake and one with more of their carbs replaced with more protein, showed that the group with a higher protein intake benefited from greater weight loss (Iodia et al. 2003).
Greater fat loss
Multiple studies comparing higher to lower protein intakes, of calorie matched diets show that a higher protein intake results in a greater amount of fat lost Ellen et al. 2012, Noakes et al. 2005)
More lean muscle mass
A higher protein diet may be better for preserving more lean muscle mass during dieting and aiding body composition results (Layman et al. 2005).
Increased energy output
Different macronutrients have differing contributions to metabolic rate. Protein has the greatest contribution to energy output
Harder to store protein
Converting protein to a source that can be stored is more energy consuming than either fat or carbs and therefore it is more challenging to store excess protein as fat than it is carbs or fat.
May benefit health
Higher protein diets may be associated with reductions in important markers such as reductions in levels of fats in the blood and blood pressure (Leidy et al. 2005).
Better weight loss maintenance
Higher protein diets, where protein intake is distributed between meals throughout the day are associated with more successful long term weight maintenance (Leidy et al. 2005).
What is the right protein intake for weight loss?
A wide range of research recommends a protein intake of 1.6-2.7 g/kg bodyweight may be recommended for losing more body fat and preserving more muscle mass. Whilst you could choose anything between this range, an intake between 2.2-2.6 g/kg bodyweight may be optimal during a weight loss phase. However, it should be noted that this calculation can result in significantly too much protein if you are overweight or obese. In that case, calculating protein intake based upon your optimal bodyweight for your height may be a better estimate that avoids excessive protein intake.
In clinic, our nutritionists use body composition testing to analyse one’s body composition, allowing us to make more accurate predictions on calorie and macronutrient requirements. These general calorie and macronutrient goal calculations have significant limitations when it comes to working with overweight and obese individuals.
Take an 80kg female who is 40% body fat. A more optimal body fat percentage might be around 25%, assuming average levels of muscle and water. If reducing total body fat percentage by 15% equates to a 12kg drop in bodyweight, it may be better to use 68kg multiplied by say 2. This would provide a protein goal of 136grams per day vs 160grams per day had you used their current bodyweight.
Equally, you have to be flexible with protein goals depending on someone’s dietary preferences. If someone is fully plant-based, it is going to be much more challenging to meet the research based optimal protein goal for weight loss. Remember, calories are king, so managing overall calories and optimising protein as best as you can in relation to your dietary preferences is most important. We have seen plenty of clients get amazing weight loss results being nowhere near their so-called optimal protein goal for weight loss.
All too often, we see clients that have been told to eat >2grams per kg of bodyweight and they really do not like doing this. As a result, they either fail to get there in the first place, knocking their confidence or not sustaining that change because it feels intrinsically wrong to them to eat that level of protein.
Personalising your approach to weight loss, based upon goals, needs and preferences is crucial to successful weight loss and the maintenance of habits that will help you maintain lower body fat levels.
Additionally, a thorough health history should be taken before embarking on a said protein goal. Anyone with an underlying kidney issue, history of kidney stones, gout etc may have to moderate their protein intake. Again, this comes down to personalisation of recommendations and accounting for health as a priority alongside the weight loss goal.
Check out our weight loss specialist page, where you can learn more about our services, clinicians and the support and programs that we offer. We are a team of qualified nutritionists and health professionals with a vast amount of experience supporting both health and weight loss.
Tips for optimising your protein intake during weight loss
Prioritise opting for whole food sources of protein: the less processed a food is, the more likely it is to be more satiating. Therefore, if you choose a chicken breast rather than a protein shake, you are likely to feel full for longer.
For increasing energy output: animal protein sources seem to contribute to a greater energy output than plant protein sources (Westerp-Plantega et a. 2003) and therefore this may be a consideration if you include animal sources of food within your diet.
For optimising fat loss: studies show that proteins with a higher percentage of essential amino acids (EAAs) are better associated with fat loss (Jeremey et al. 2012). For EAA-rich protein sources, choose animal proteins, such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy.
Distribute your protein intake throughout the day: this may be optimal for keeping you full throughout the day and reducing energy intake, as well as for your lean muscle mass!
If choosing protein powder: opt for a protein powder with no added sugars. If concerned about retaining lean muscle mass, whey protein may be superior at preserving muscle mass (Hector et al. 2015). However, a well-designed protein powder with the right split of plant-based protein with additional leucine can mimicking a similar amino acid profile to whey protein, providing the same benefits.
Check out PFORM Restore, formulated by Steve. This provides a specific blend of pea and rice protein with additional leucine, creatine, magnesium and ashwagandha.
Remember, if you require support on your weight loss journey, be sure to get in touch and one of our weight loss specialist professionals will be able to help.
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References
- Leidy et al. (2005). The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance.
- Ellen et al. (2012). Effects of protein intake and gender on body composition on body composition changes: a randomised clinical weight loss trial.
- Noakes et al. (2005). Effect of an energy-restricted, high protein, low-fat diet relative to a conventional high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet on weight loss, body composition, nutritional status and markers of cardiovascular health in obese women.
- Iodia et al. (2005). Effects of protein versus carbohydrate rich diets on fuel utilisation in obese women during weight loss. Layman et al. (2005). Dietary protein and exercise have additive effects on body composition during weight loss in adult women.
- Jeremy et al. (2012). Quality protein intake is inversely related to abdominal fat.
- Hector et al. (2015). Whey protein supplementation preserves postprandial myofibrillar protein synthesis during short-term energy restriction in overweight and obese adults.
- Donato et al. (2006). Effects of leucine supplementation on body composition and protein status of rats submitted to food restriction.
