More Protein? To Keep the Muscle You Have—and Lose Fat?

That’s what the research is telling us. For years, we’ve followed the standard Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein, which sits at about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. But recent studies are turning that guideline on its head—especially if your goals include holding onto lean muscle and dropping fat.

Several studies have looked at what happens when you significantly increase your protein intake—sometimes all the way up to 200 grams per day. Yeah, I know, that’s a big number. But the results? Pretty eye-opening.

Take this one study published in The FASEB Journal (Antonio et al., 2014), for example. Researchers had participants add extra protein to their diets without changing anything else—not their training routines, not even their total calorie intake. Some of them were taking in up to 4.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (that’s about 2 grams per pound!). Guess what? They didn't gain fat. In fact, many gained lean muscle mass—even without working out.

Let that sink in for a second: no training, just more protein, and still gaining muscle.

Now imagine what you could do with a solid training plan and that kind of protein intake heading into summer. More muscle, less fat, and a faster metabolism? Sounds like a win.

Another meta-analysis from the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (Morton et al., 2018) showed that higher protein diets consistently outperform standard ones when it comes to fat loss and muscle retention—especially during a calorie deficit. So yes, if you’re trying to lean out without losing muscle, protein needs to be your best friend.

So what’s the play?

• Set your sights higher: Instead of aiming for the bare minimum, try working up to 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.7–1 gram per pound).
• Use protein powder smartly: It’s a tool, not a magic pill. But it can help you hit those daily goals when appetite or schedule gets in the way.
• Train with intent: Add that protein and commit to a progressive resistance training plan. Your body will know what to do.

Coach Chrissy Garcia-Nagaye

IFBB Pro



References:

• Antonio J, Ellerbroek A, Silver T, Vargas L, Tamayo A, Buehn R, Peacock CA. (2014). A high protein diet has no harmful effects: a one-year crossover study in resistance-trained males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 11(1), 37. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-014-0037-2
• Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, Schoenfeld BJ, Henselmans M, Helms E, Aragon AA, Devries MC, Banfield L, Krieger JW, Phillips SM. (2018). A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training–induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med, 52(6), 376–384. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608