5 Ways Protein Can Help You Lose Weight Naturally

Increasing your daily protein intake can help you lose weight. Protein is a macronutrient the body uses to build and maintain the health of bones, muscle, and skin. How much you need depends on factors like age, gender, body size, and activity level.

Adding more protein-rich foods to your diet can help increase satiety (fullness). This may lead you to consume fewer calories overall, resulting in weight loss. Protein-rich foods can also help you build lean body mass and boost your metabolism, making your body more efficient at burning calories.

Several studies have linked high-protein diets to increased fullness and decreased appetite. One review highlighted that satiety typically increases after meals containing 25% to 81% protein.

This may be because eating more protein leads to an increase in satiety hormones in the body, such as glucagon-like peptide- 1 (GLP-1) and cholecystokinin (CCK), and a decrease in the hunger hormone ghrelin.

An older study found that participants whose dietary protein intake increased from 15% to 30% reduced their daily calorie intake by 411 calories. These participants lost an average of 11 pounds over 12 weeks.

Protein increases the amount of calories your body burns, which can contribute to decreased appetite and weight loss.

When you eat food, your body uses calories to digest, absorb, and metabolize it. This is known as the thermic effect of food (TEF). Protein has a higher thermic effect than fat and carbohydrates, meaning your body burns more calories while processing it.

Studies suggest that about 20-30% of calories are burned during protein digestion. Fat has the lowest thermic effect (around 0-3%), while carbohydrates have a thermic effect of 5-10%.

When you lose weight, you lose both fat and lean muscle mass. Studies show that people with overweight or obesity can lose 20-30% of their muscle mass during periods of weight loss.

Muscle tissue is metabolically active and burns more calories than fat. Having less of it will slow calorie burn, making it more difficult to lose weight.

Incorporating resistance training into your workout routine and following a high-protein diet can prevent muscle mass loss. This can help keep your metabolism from slowing down.

Several studies support a protein intake above the current guideline of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day during weight loss. One 2020 study in middle-aged men with overweight or obesity found that a low-calorie diet with 1.42 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily led to a greater preservation of muscle mass than a low-calorie diet with 0.96 grams of protein per kilogram daily.

A high-protein diet can boost your metabolism because of its higher thermic effect and ability to support lean muscle mass retention. This means your body will burn more calories throughout the day, even while you’re asleep. Studies show that high-protein diets can increase daily energy expenditure by 70-200 calories.

Losing weight is hard. But it can be even harder to keep it off. One review of 29 long-term weight loss studies noted that on average, participants regained over 50% of their lost weight within two years, and 80% within five years.

High-protein diets can help prevent these regains. One study found that participants placed on a diet in which protein made up 18% of their daily calorie intake saw 50% less weight regain than participants who consumed just 15% of their daily total energy as protein.

Protein is a macronutrient, which means your body needs large amounts of it to function optimally.

Every cell in the human body contains protein. You need it to help your body repair and build cells and tissue. Protein is a major part of your muscles, bones, hair, skin, and internal organs. It is essential for growth and development, especially in children, teens, and pregnant people.

Protein is also involved in bodily processes, including:

• Fluid balance
• Blood clotting
• Immune system response
• Vision
• The production of enzymes, hormones, and antibodies

The amount of protein you need daily depends on your age, gender, body size, and activity level. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that 10-35% of an adult’s calorie intake come from protein. Some studies suggest a daily protein intake of 30% of your total daily calories to promote weight loss and satiety.

Each gram of protein contains four calories. To calculate the grams of protein you need for weight loss, multiply your daily calorie needs by 0.3 and divide that number by 4.

Alternatively, you can aim for a specific protein target based on your weight. Researchers often recommend 1–1.2 grams per kilogram (.45 to .55 grams per pound) of ideal body weight for weight loss.

Talk with your healthcare provider to determine how much protein you need daily. Too much protein may cause problems in people with kidney disease or who are at high risk of it.

You can increase your daily protein intake by incorporating a source of protein into all of your meals and snacks.

The following foods contain around 14 grams of protein:

• 2 ounces of meat, fish, or poultry
• 2 large boiled eggs
• 1/2 cup of tofu
• 1 cup cooked beans or lentils
• 2 ounces of cheese

Greek yogurt is also a good source of protein, containing around 20 grams of protein per 7-ounce container. If you find it difficult to hit your protein target, you can also try mixing protein powder into oatmeal, smoothies, water, or milk.

Protein is an essential nutrient that supports many bodily functions. A high-protein diet can aid weight loss by increasing satiety, boosting metabolism, and helping you maintain lean muscle mass.

You can increase your daily protein intake by incorporating lean protein sources into meals and snacks. You can also mix protein powder into smoothies or milk to help you hit your daily protein targets. Talk with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider to determine how much protein is suitable for you.