How Much Protein For Weight Loss

Weight loss is a much-desired situation for most people and there are many ways to achieve it.

One of the common ways that many diet programs follow is the High Protein Intake to lose weight. In this article let us see how this happens and how much protein we should take for losing those extra pounds and discover whether it is indeed a good idea?

Protein and its importance

Protein is a macronutrient, just like Carbohydrates and Fats. These three macronutrients are required in the right proportion in the body and function as a building block.

Protein should be consumed on a daily basis for getting its benefits. Proteins are compounds made of smaller blocks known as amino acids. A protein comprises a chain of AA or amino acids.

There are 22 types of amino acids. ( out of these are considered as ‘essential amino acids’ since these are needed by the body and cannot be prepared by the human body. )

Thus, depending on the Amino Acid profile some food is considered to be a better source of protein than others.

When compared to plant sources, Animal sources of protein like eggs, meat, poultry, fish and dairy products are considered to be complete since they contain all the essential amino acids in the right quantity needed by the body.

For vegetarians, it is thus essential to combine two or more plant sources to get the complete profile of proteins. High-protein vegetarian sources are soy, legumes, nuts, beans and seeds.

Proteins are needed in the body for many important functions they play :

●      Hormonal balance: Hormones in the body are made of proteins and hormones are essential for synchronizing various functions in the body.

 

They act as chemical messengers between different parts.

 

●      Enzyme formation: Enzymes are the body’s catalysts that help in various chemical processes in the body example, digestion, respiration etc. These enzymes are made up of proteins.

 

●      Maintenance and repair: Daily wear and tear of the body parts like muscles etc are replenished using protein. Cells of certain parts like hair, skin etc are in a constant state of replacement.

 

These are made of proteins and to build the new cells, the body uses the amino acids in the body to make the protein molecules of which these parts are made.

 

●      Circulation: Blood is the major part of the circulatory system which transports important substances like oxygen, nutrition molecules, waste materials etc throughout the body.

 

●      Build and maintain muscle: Major composition of muscles is proteins and hence high intake helps to maintain muscle mass and repairs any damages.

 

●      Helps in healing:  The wound healing process or even the immune system requires a lot of protein which helps to form the right antibodies and right healing cells.

Why or How does eating protein help in weight loss?

There are a lot of weight loss programs that show evidence that a higher protein intake can help in weight loss.

Scientifically this can be explained by looking at the effects of high proteins on metabolic rates, appetite and changes it causes in the body structure and composition.

●      Proteins can increase Metabolic Rate: It takes more effort to break down or digest, absorb or metabolize, and finally use the nutrients from a protein-rich diet, thus, it needs more calories to process high protein food.  

 

It is seen that there is a boost of 20-35% of metabolic rate during the process of protein digestion whereas carbohydrate digestion on the other hand increases the speed by 5-10%. This increased metabolism is the key reason for burning a lot of calories.

 

Research shows that on high protein consumption, the calorie-burning process continues for many hours even after eating.

 

●      Feeling of satiety: High protein diet suppresses hunger and makes one feel full for long.

 

This is due to the production of PYY and GLP-1 hormones that induce a feeling of fullness. Not just that it increases satiety hormones, it also reduces the hunger hormone – ghrelin.

 

●      Changes in the body due to high protein intake:  Many studies have shown that due to reduced hunger and a lower intake of food, the body uses fats as its source of energy and thus high protein diet promotes loss of fats and in turn weight loss.

In the case of diet plans that cut down on carbs, the body shifts to breaking down of muscles for its energy.

Muscle loss makes a person weak and tired while in a high protein diet, the muscle built up is maintained even when the metabolism is high. Thus the body looks lean and muscular.

How much protein to eat for weight loss?

Before using proteins as a tool for weight loss, we need to know how much is needed for daily requirements.

The DRI meaning the Dietary Reference Intake – i.e. the amount of protein intake that should be taken is 0.8 grams/ kg body weight or 0.36 grams/ pound body weight.

Though there is a little controversy around this as few schools of thought believe that this amount is only useful for the preservation of current body state to an extent but for optimal health, slowing down ageing and to maintain muscle mass 1.3 grams of protein/ kilogram or 0.6 grams protein/ pound, is needed.

Keeping the above guidelines in mind, a high protein weight loss inducing diet must have higher portions of protein.

Generally, the DRI quantity is doubled to 0.75 grams protein/pound ie 1.6grams of protein per kg, in a high protein weight loss diet chart. It is believed that any amount more than this does not have any beneficial effect and thus one can limit this quantity.

Also, it is not just the quantity but also the quality and the timings of intake that matters.

Protein consumption should be evenly spread out throughout the day. Otherwise, the body tends to expel the excess through its excretory system or the excess can cause more damage than good. 

Composition of the high protein diet

A protein-rich diet can be creatively customized to get further benefits.

For example, a combination of high protein, low carb is useful for reducing blood sugar. Those who have lactose intolerance can go for other plant or animal proteins other than milk.

Since we now know the quantity of protein per kg of body weight needed for weight loss, one can easily multiply this with body weight to arrive at the actual quantity of protein intake needed for losing weight.

This plus maintaining a diary can help to keep the calibrations in place. Also one should track the carbohydrate and fat intake so that the optimum need can be maintained. A balanced diet is a must for overall health and wellbeing.

Not just that, the body accepts proteins better when they are combined with carbs.

It is considered better to have a mix of both plant and animal proteins. A combination of both is considered better than a high intake of any one type.

Pros and Cons of a High protein diet? 

Like every program, there are pros and cons of the High-Protein weight loss program too.

As a major pro, the high protein diet is not a restrictive diet meaning it does not make one cut down on anything and starve or crave. Thus it is easy to follow and more sustainable.

Also since there are tasty choices available, it is fun to follow. While we have seen that proteins can help in various ways to build, maintain and sometimes reverse the signs of ageing, there are also potential pitfalls one should be aware of. 

High protein can cause increased kidney problems especially for those who have uric acid issues. Though this is not so common for people with healthy kidneys, those who have advanced kidney diseases need to be extremely cautious before trying this diet plan.

This can increase urination. The high amount of animal proteins may also cause the formation of kidney stones. Excess proteins can cause cramping in the stomach and also may lead to constipation.

Conclusion

Thus, to summarize the above, a protein-rich diet helps in weight loss but it is important to consume the right quantity and ensure that the quality of proteins consumed covers all the amino acids, especially the 9 essential ones.

For this one might need to get more creative especially the vegetarians and the vegans. A high protein diet keeps one feeling full, does not cause any cravings and feelings of deprivation and has a lot of variety to follow. They help to build the body’s muscle mass making the body toned.

Having said all that, it has its problems and especially for those who have a weak liver and kidney. Thus, just like any other diet plan, before launching on a High protein diet, one should consult a doctor to check their state of health.

Also, indulge a dietician who can chart out a balanced meal option based on your lifestyle and culture, that can help you reap the rewards of the program.