How Much Protein Do You Need To Lose Fat?

The Simple Answer

For fat loss, aim for 0.7-1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily.

For a 150-pound person, that's 105-150 grams of protein per day.

For a 200-pound person, that's 140-200 grams of protein per day.

This range is backed by research showing it effectively preserves muscle mass during calorie deficits while promoting satiety (feeling full).

Why Protein Is Crucial During Fat Loss

Protein serves three critical functions when you're losing weight:

1. Preserves Muscle: When you're in a calorie deficit, your body can break down muscle for energy. High protein intake protects your muscles, ensuring you lose fat, not muscle.

2. Increases Satiety: Protein is the most filling macronutrient. It keeps you satisfied longer than carbs or fats, making it easier to stick to your calorie deficit.

3. Has High Thermic Effect: Your body burns 20-30% of protein calories just digesting it. If you eat 100 calories of protein, your body nets only 70-80 calories. This is called the thermic effect of food (TEF).

Collectively, these factors make protein your best friend during fat loss.

How To Hit Your Protein Target

Spread protein throughout the day. Aim for 20-40 grams per meal, across 3-4 meals. This supports muscle protein synthesis better than eating all your protein in one meal.

Good protein sources:

Animal: Chicken breast (31g per 4oz), salmon (25g per 4oz), eggs (6g per egg), Greek yogurt (15-20g per cup), cottage cheese (25g per cup)

Plant-based: Tofu (20g per cup), lentils (18g per cup), chickpeas (15g per cup), quinoa (8g per cup), edamame (17g per cup)

Supplements: Whey protein (20-25g per scoop), casein protein (24g per scoop), plant-based protein powder (15-25g per scoop)

Use protein powder if you're struggling to hit your target through whole foods. There's nothing wrong with supplements—they're just convenient sources of protein.

Can You Eat Too Much Protein?

For healthy people, there's no evidence that high protein intake (even 1.5-2g per pound) harms kidneys or bones. This is a myth.

That said, eating extremely high protein (over 1.2g per pound) doesn't provide additional benefits and just means fewer calories left for carbs and fats, which you also need.

Stick to the 0.7-1.0g per pound range unless you're an elite athlete with special requirements.

What If You're Very Overweight?

If you're carrying a lot of excess body fat, calculating protein based on total body weight can overestimate your needs.

Instead, use your goal weight or lean body mass. For example, if you weigh 250 pounds but your goal weight is 180 pounds, use 180 pounds for calculations.

That would be 126-180 grams of protein per day (180 × 0.7 to 180 × 1.0), rather than 175-250 grams based on current weight.

This makes the target more achievable while still providing all the benefits of high protein intake.