Why Protein is a Key Nutrient in Your Weight Loss Journey

If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve probably heard about cutting calories, exercising more, or avoiding certain foods. But there’s one nutrient that doesn’t get nearly enough attention in weight loss conversations: protein.

As a nutritionist, I like to remind my clients that weight loss isn’t just about losing “pounds” — it’s about making sure that the pounds you lose are mostly fat and not valuable muscle. And this is exactly where protein plays a powerful role.

Why Protein Matters During Weight Loss

When you lose weight, it’s not just fat that comes off. Your body can also break down muscle tissue for energy, especially if you’re not eating enough protein. Studies show that anywhere from 11% to 50% of muscle mass can be lost during weight loss if protein intake is too low.

Losing muscle is not ideal because:

• Muscle burns calories even at rest. Less muscle means a slower metabolism, which can make it harder to maintain weight loss.

• Muscle keeps you strong. Everyday tasks — climbing stairs, lifting groceries, exercising — all become easier with healthy muscle mass.

• Muscle supports healthy aging. Preserving it now means better mobility, balance, and independence later in life.

This is why protein isn’t just a “diet trend” — it’s a cornerstone of healthy, sustainable weight loss.

How Protein Helps in Your Weight Loss Journey

1. Preserves muscle mass – Protein provides the building blocks (amino acids) your body needs to maintain muscle while you burn fat.

2. Keeps you fuller for longer – High-protein meals slow digestion and stabilize blood sugar, reducing cravings and overeating.

3. Boosts calorie burn – Protein has a higher “thermic effect,” meaning your body burns more calories digesting protein than carbs or fat.

4. Supports recovery – If you’re exercising, protein helps repair and rebuild your muscles so you can get stronger.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Protein needs vary depending on your age, sex, weight, activity level, and health goals. For weight loss, research often suggests aiming for 25–30 grams of protein per meal.

Here’s a simple way to estimate:

• Palm of your hand = about 3 oz of lean meat, giving 17–26 g protein

• Your fist = about 1 cup of beans/lentils, giving 8–12 g protein

• Two thumbs = about ¼ cup nuts or seeds, giving 7–9 g protein

Protein-Rich Foods to Include

• Animal sources: chicken, turkey, lean beef, fish (salmon, tuna, trout), eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, low-fat milk.

• Plant sources: lentils, beans, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, edamame, nuts, and seeds.

 Pro tip: Combining plant-based proteins (like beans + rice, or hummus + whole grain pita) helps ensure you get all the essential amino acids your body needs.

Practical Ways to Add Protein Daily

• Start your morning with eggs, Greek yogurt, or a smoothie with protein powder.

• Add beans, lentils, or chickpeas to salads, soups, or wraps.

• Keep nuts, roasted chickpeas, or protein bars handy for snacks.

• Use lean proteins like chicken, fish, or tofu as the centerpiece of lunch and dinner.

• If you’re on the go, consider a high-quality protein shake — but remember, whole foods should come first whenever possible.

• Other Tips to Support Your Journey

• Balance your plate: Make half your plate vegetables and fruits, a quarter lean protein, and a quarter whole grains.

• Don’t forget fiber: High-fiber foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains help control hunger and improve digestion.

• Stay hydrated: Water is essential for metabolism, digestion, and appetite control.

• Spice it up: Herbs and spices not only boost flavor but can also add antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits.

• Consistency matters: Eating protein at every meal and snack is more effective than loading it all into one meal.

Fat leaves your body in several different ways:

• As water, through your skin (when you sweat) and through your kidneys (when you pee)
• As carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water, through your lungs (when you breathe out)

If you really want to understand where fat goes when you lose weight, it helps to know that our bodies are designed to store excess energy.

“We store energy in our liver and muscles, in the form of carbs and fat cells, Those fat cells are largely composed of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. The energy we get from fat cells lives in the bonds between these molecules.”

When we “burn fat,” what we’re actually doing is using the oxygen we breathe in — and some of the many hormone our body naturally produces — to kick off a series of complicated chemical processes. We metabolize fat by breaking the bonds between the hydrogen, carbon and oxygen that make up a fat cell, setting the stored-up energy free.

“Breaking down fat liberates energy for all sorts of biological functions and physical activity, It also generates heat, which keeps your body temperature normal.”

How else does your body use all that energy? In more ways than you might think:

• When you’re resting. Your heart needs energy to pump, your lungs need it to breathe and your brain needs it to think.
• When you’re active. Your muscles need energy, whether you’re only getting up from a chair or running.
• When you’re eating. Your digestive system needs energy to break down and store food. It needs a bit more energy to break down protein.

When the fat-burning process is complete, you’re left with cellular waste in the form of water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). These byproducts of fat metabolism then leave your body as carbon dioxide and water.

This process is happening all the time, without us having to think about it. We lose weight by (safely) limiting the energy we take in and speeding up the fat-burning process.

Body fat and diet

One way we limit the energy we take in is by adjusting our eating habits. When you take in fewer calories than you burn in a day , your body turns to its fat reserves — in the form of triglycerides— for energy.

“The extra energy, the triglycerides, are stored in adipose tissue all around your body,”

If you have overweight or obese,  it means you’re taking in more energy, in the form of calories, than you’re burning. To change that, you have to adjust the amount you’re taking in by changing your eating habits.

To permanently shed weight,  you have to up your physical activity levels, too.

“Data consistently shows nutrition is weight loss royalty, but for weight maintenance, physical activity wears a crown as well, It’s usually best to engage in physical activity during weight loss as well, in order to minimize muscle loss.

Body fat and exercise

Exercise speeds up the fat-burning process because it pushes you to take more frequent, deeper breaths — and you need oxygen to burn fat. When your respiratory rate goes up, it also helps more carbon dioxide (one of the two byproducts of fat metabolism) to leave your body.

And in case you’re wondering: No, you can’t lose weight just by breathing really hard and fast. That’s called hyperventilation. You want more carbon dioxide to leave your body. But hyperventilation reduces the concentration in your blood way too fast. The result is a wide range of unpleasant symptoms, including — if it continues long enough — a fainting spell.

• Trading sitting for light activities throughout the day. Think taking business calls while walking or alternating between sitting and standing with an adjustable desk.
• Spending 150-300 minutes a week exercising. A blend of cardiovascular exercise and resistance training is your best bet because, combined, they increase both your rate of oxygen use (muscle activity) and your capacity for oxygen use (muscle mass).
• Including resistance training. Weightlifting and other types of resistance training help you burn more calories and raise your basal metabolic rate.
• Using a pedometer to track your steps. “Taking 8,000 or more steps most days of the week is an excellent way to get physical activity throughout the day without consciously exercising,”

When you exercise, your muscles start by mainly burning through stored glycogen for energy.

“After about 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise, your body starts burning mainly fat,”  (If you’re exercising moderately, this takes about an hour.)

If all that exercise feels out of reach for you, start slow and build your way up. Every minute you spend being physically active counts! Trust the process

“Food and physical activity are both key to weight loss and maintenance, Generally, people who successfully lose weight and keep it off eat a low-calorie, plant-rich diet and are physically active throughout the day.”

The process of losing weight may be the same for all of us physiologically. But that doesn’t mean it always looks the same. It may take more time to move the number on your scale than you expect.

Everyone’s body responds a bit differently to food and physical activity changes. Some lose weight immediately, which is wonderful, if you don’t too much too fast. Others maintain their starting weight for a while. And, yes, some of us actually gain a few..

It can be disheartening to be in that third group. But try to be patient. That weight gain is temporary. All that hard work you’re doing is still improving your health. It’s just going to take a bit longer to see those benefits in the mirror.

Why Do People Become Overweight or Obese? by nutritionist Laiba Imran

Gaining extra weight usually happens slowly over time. The main reason is simple: when we eat more calories than our body needs, the extra is stored as fat. This is what we call an energy imbalance.

Our body uses food for two main purposes:

• Fuel for now – to help us breathe, move, think, and do daily activities.

• Fuel for later – stored as glycogen (from sugars) in the liver and muscles, and as fat (triglycerides) in fat tissue.

When we keep taking in more than we burn, the “storage tank” fills up, leading to overweight and eventually obesity. But it’s not just about eating too much — many other things like sleep, stress, medical issues, or even where you live play a role too.

What Increases the Risk?

• Not moving enough
  Sitting for long hours at work, in front of the TV, or on the phone makes it easy to gain weight. Adults need around 150 minutes of exercise a week (like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming), and kids need at least an hour a day.

• Unhealthy eating habits

Eating more calories than your body can burn.

Diets high in fried foods, processed snacks, sugary drinks, or desserts.

Too much saturated fat (like from fast food or butter).

Too much added sugar (like sodas, candies, or sweetened coffee/tea).

• Poor sleep
  If you sleep less than 7 hours most nights, your hunger hormones get out of balance. This can make you feel hungrier and crave more junk food.

• Stress
  Stress raises the hormone cortisol, which can make your body store more fat and increase cravings for high-calorie foods.

• Health conditions
  Issues like PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) or metabolic syndrome can make it harder to control weight.

• Family history and genetics
  Some people naturally gain weight more easily because of their genes. But lifestyle choices — eating better, being active, managing sleep and stress — still make a big difference.

• Medications
  Certain medicines can lead to weight gain, such as:

Antidepressants

Antipsychotics

Some blood pressure medicines (beta-blockers)

Birth control pills

Steroids (glucocorticoids)

Insulin for diabetes
If this happens, talk to your doctor about alternatives.

Your environment
Where you live matters. It’s easier to stay healthy if you have parks, sidewalks, and grocery stores nearby. But if your neighborhood has mostly fast food outlets and no safe spaces to walk or play, it’s harder to make healthy choices.