Most studies suggest that 1–1.4 grams (g) of protein per lb of body weight (2.2–3.0 g per kg) is sufficient for conserving muscle mass on a cutting diet ( 6 ). For example, a 155-lb (70-kg) person should eat 150–210 g of protein per day.
No, you do not. A 200 grams protein meal plan is best left to elite athletes and bodybuilders looking to gain some lean muscle as most ordinary people do not need this much protein in their diets. The average human just requires 0.8 g of this nutrient per kilogram of body weight (5).
General recommendations are to consume 15–30 grams of protein at each meal. Studies show higher intakes — those more than 40 grams — in one sitting are no more beneficial than the recommended 15–30 grams at one time. Don't waste your money on excessive amounts.
To lose weight, diets with higher amounts of protein—between 90 and 150 grams a day—are effective and help keep you from losing muscle along with fat.
Following a high-protein diet during weight loss preserves muscle mass, and the best result is obtained when combined with strength training. A higher protein intake also increases the energy consumption, probably due to the muscle-sparing effect, since muscle mass utilizes more energy than fat mass.
You can use a similar approach to increasing protein intake as you do cutting calories by gradually increasing this macro over time. Start at a moderate amount, around 0.8 to 0.85 grams of protein per pound of body weight, and increase with each phase of your diet.
Lifting and doing strength training without adequate nutrition, especially without enough protein, can actually lead to loss of muscle tissue. Furthermore, if you aren't eating right you won't have the energy to do the workouts that lead to muscle gain.
“Yes, there is such a thing as too much protein,” Nicholas says. “The general consensus is that two grams per kilogram of body weight is the upper limit for most adult males.” So, if you weigh 185 pounds, you shouldn't be eating more than 168 grams of protein per day.
For vegetarians, 100 grams of protein might look like: Four eggs (24 grams of protein) ½ cup of rolled oats (5 grams) Two tablespoons of peanut butter (7 grams)
According to the previously mentioned studies, a protein intake of around 30% of calories may be optimal for weight loss. This amounts to 150 grams per day for someone on a 2,000-calorie diet. You can calculate it by multiplying your calorie intake by 0.075.
Excess protein consumed is usually stored as fat, while the surplus of amino acids is excreted. This can lead to weight gain over time, especially if you consume too many calories while trying to increase your protein intake.
Maintaining adequate protein intake is important on a cutting diet. Numerous studies have found that high protein intake can aid fat loss by boosting your metabolism, reducing your appetite, and preserving lean muscle mass ( 7 , 8 ).
To this end, increasing protein intake can actually help your cut! We even have studies showing that subjects can lose fat while in a calorie surplus (Antonio et al. 2015) – all due to higher protein intake!
Protein poisoning is when the body takes in too much protein with not enough fat and carbohydrate for a long period of time. Other names for this are “rabbit starvation” or “mal de caribou.” These terms came about to describe only consuming very lean proteins, such as rabbit, without consuming other nutrients.
In case you were wondering, 300 grams is actually a lot of protein. By way of reference, 300 grams of protein equals 7.5 ounces of chicken (60 grams), one 12-ounce steak (85 grams), two 6-ounce cans of tuna (80 grams), a half dozen eggs (35 grams), 3 cups of milk (25 grams), and 7 ounces of tofu (15 grams).
To consume 200g of protein per day, you'll need to eat high-protein foods like lean meats, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, beans, and soy products. Opt for high-protein snacks during the day, like plain yogurt or a handful of nuts.
While it is difficult to give exact figures due to varying study results, the optimum amount of protein for muscle-building appears to be between 1.2 and 1.6 g per kg of body weight.
A high enough level of protein in your diet boosts your metabolism (the rate at which your body uses calories). This means you burn more calories a day -- even at rest -- than you would on a lower-protein diet.
Protein is important, to be sure. After all, your muscles are made of protein, and your body requires adequate protein in the diet in order to have the building blocks it needs to build up muscle mass.
Weight and Resistance Training
Weight training is also an important component of burning off belly fat. Since muscles burn off more calories than fat does when the body is at rest, having more muscle tone can help you to burn off more fat.
Avoid or limit alcohol, foods with added sugars and deep-fried foods. In addition to your diet, whey protein, creatine and caffeine can be useful supplements.