“High protein this, high protein that…”
These claims aren’t just marketing scams pushing the newest release of ‘Fit’ yogurts.
However, in saying this, knowing how much protein per serve you’re actually getting in a 300 calorie ‘protein bar’ is something to be mindful of.
Why Protein for Fat Loss is Important
It’s important to note the words fat loss are used here and not weight loss. There is a difference. Putting yourself in a calorie deficit by cutting carbs, reducing portion sizes, intermittent fasting, doing a juice diet or stupidly having shakes and diet pills (sorry, but unfortunately we’ve all been here!) will see a reduction in the numbers on the scale, however the aim of the game should always be to see fat reduce rather than the precious muscle you have worked so hard to create.
Side note: Why we need to keep our lean muscle, if not, aim to increase it
Lean muscle creates beautiful shape and tone to our body. Having considerate muscle increases your bone density which is especially important for us females. It allows for more advanced performance at the gym therefore leading to greater energy expenditure not only in that window of the workout, but in the 36-48 hours of recovery that follow.
Also, the greater amount of lean body mass your body carries will also dictate how many calories your body needs just to sit at maintenance. If you’re a foodie like me, the higher the better (yay food!).
Back to the importance of protein during fat loss
When in a calorie deficit, especially an extreme deficit (30% or greater), the body will look for calories where it can. It will look for other forms of stored ‘energy’ that the body is holding onto, which will include fat or precious muscle. The body’s main concern is not to maintain its muscle stores, especially if they’re not being used.. (in comes strength training).
Protein Intake for Muscle Loss Prevention During a Diet Phase
Having high protein signals to the body, “We have nutrients to keep this muscle!” This is especially important when muscles need to recover from high volume exercise or long bouts of cardio. To lose body fat while maintaining your physique, it is best to moderately decrease calories by 10-20%. This method is preferable rather than going extreme from the get go. Unfortunately however, some of us tend to do it to ourselves in fear of not being bikini body ready 1 month before heading to Bali.
So plan ahead. When you’ve booked those tickets 2-3 months in advance, this is a great time to start making small changes. The likelihood of the body fat staying off in the long term will also be higher.
Protein is Very Satiating
When it comes to planning your meals, it is best to build it around your protein source. Aim to have protein with every meal to keep you satiated and stay fuller for longer. Not all calories are created equal.
When in a deficit, I know I would rather feel full and not have to be controlled by hunger throughout the day. Sitting at a desk, trying to concentrate on my work whilst thinking about food… there’s nothing worse.
High protein food sources include, high quality meats such as organic beef, chicken, fish and seafood as well as eggs and greek yoghurt if you can tolerate it. Some vegan sources include flaxseed meal, hemp seeds tempeh and even sesame flour but with these sources, it’s important to be mindful of the fat to protein ratio that can potentially throw the calorie deficit off.
Thermic Effect of Protein
I hope by now you can appreciate the miracle that is the human body. In order for our bodies to actually use protein, it needs to break it down into the raw materials aka peptides and amino acids. This method is energy expensive to the body, and studies have shown that 20-30% of the calories from protein alone are used to actually break it down.
So how much protein do I actually need?
How much protein to have has become an area of controversy, however the newest literature reveals the optimal prescription is between 1.8 – 2.2g per kg of body weight.
For Example: if your goal is fat loss and you weigh 63kg,
Your recommended daily intake for optimal performance and fat loss should be,
63 x 2.2 = 138.6 grams per day.
In Action
Here’s where the numbers may throw some people off. This doesn’t mean simply eating 138 grams of chicken breast for the day. In most protein sources, roughly one fifth of its weight is actually protein, so having a food tracker like My Fitness Pal is ideal for understanding the macro content of a particular food.
Let’s take 100g of raw chicken breast, it has approximately 23g per 100g. When your total for the day is 138g, it becomes evident that some planning and organisation is required. Do some research into protein sources and make sure you’re hitting your daily targets.
Conclusion
As presented, there is method to the madness when numerous advertisements, cereal box labels and yogurt companies are convincing you to buy their high protein product. These are all well and great, but important to note, whole food sources should always be the priority due to their nutrient density!
As listed, protein is beneficial for the sometimes uncomfortable process of fat loss and should not be underestimated. Holding onto your muscle, if not building some is imperative to the fat loss process. Feeling fuller for longer and not being driven by that hungry monster within will drive success.
If you’re interested in getting some extra assistance with how this might look for you, please reach out!
Simply strength and health.
