How much protein do you need for weight loss?

Jump to: Why protein is crucial for weight loss | Calculating your protein needs | Practical strategies for getting enough | Common challenges and solutions | Frequently asked questions | Take home message

Research suggests consuming 1.6-2.2g of protein per kg of body weight a day during weight loss, higher than the standard UK recommendation of 0.75g/kg.

For someone weighing 75kg, that’s about 120-165g of protein a day, roughly equivalent to an open hand portion of protein at each meal (or 25% of your plate).

This higher intake is recommended during weight loss to prevent the loss of lean tissues like muscle and bone, which can account for up to 20-30% of weight lost without adequate protein.

A 2020 review found that higher-protein diets (above 1.5g/kg) consistently produced better weight loss outcomes compared to diets lower in protein.

Why protein is crucial during weight loss

When losing weight, eating enough protein becomes even more important than during weight maintenance for 3 key reasons:

1. Protein preserves lean tissue

Without sufficient protein, our body can recycle lean tissues like muscle and bone to use for energy. This matters because:

• It lowers our metabolism: Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat, helping maintain weight loss
• Functional strength: Preserving muscle maintains physical capability and independence
• Long-term health: Muscle mass is associated with longevity and reduced chronic disease risk

A comprehensive review on protein intake and lean mass found that higher protein intakes (1.6g/kg or more) during weight loss resulted in significantly better muscle preservation compared to lower protein diets.

2. Protein naturally lowers hunger

Of all nutrients, protein has the strongest effect on satiety, helping you feel fuller for longer in 3 main ways:

• Hormonal effects: Triggers release of satiety (fullness) hormones like PYY, CCK, and GLP-1
• Slower digestion: Takes longer to break down than carbohydrates
• Thermic effect: Requires more energy to digest (20-30% of calories) compared to carbohydrates (5-10%) or fats (0-3%)

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants consuming higher-protein breakfasts (30g) reported 20-30% less hunger throughout the morning compared to those eating lower-protein meals with the same calories.

Macronutrient	Energy Used for Digestion
Protein	20-30%
Complex Carbohydrates	5-10%
Fats	0-3%

3. Protein stabilises blood sugar

Blood sugar fluctuations can trigger cravings and energy crashes that make weight loss harder. Protein helps stabilise these levels by:

• Slowing carbohydrate absorption: When eaten with carbohydrates, protein slows digestion
• Supporting insulin function: Adequate protein improves insulin sensitivity over time

Research has found that participants following higher-protein diets have lower blood sugar levels across the day.

For those trying to lose weight, these steadier blood sugar levels may translate to fewer cravings, more consistent energy, and better adherence to healthy eating patterns.

Calculating your protein needs during weight loss

Determining your optimal protein intake during weight loss depends on several factors, including your current weight, activity level, and overall health status.

General guidelines based on weight

Body Weight	Recommended Protein for Weight Loss	Example Foods to Meet Daily Target
60kg	96-132g daily (1.6-2.2g/kg)	4 eggs (28g) + 150g Greek yoghurt (13-15g) + 150g chicken breast (45g) + 150g salmon (35g)
75kg	120-165g daily (1.6-2.2g/kg)	4 eggs (28g) + 200g Greek yoghurt (18-20g) + 200g chicken breast (60g) + 200g salmon (46g)
90kg	144-198g daily (1.6-2.2g/kg)	5 eggs (35g) + 250g Greek yoghurt (22-25g) + 250g chicken breast (75g) + 250g salmon (58g)

Note: Protein content can vary by brand and preparation method. These are approximate values based on average protein content.

Visual portion guidance

If tracking grams feels too complicated, use this simple visual guide:

• Each meal: Include a protein portion approximately the size of your open hand
• For weight loss: Consider slightly larger portions if hunger persists, or add protein-rich snacks in between meals
• Distribution: Aim to include a source of protein in each meal, rather than mainly at dinner

Individual variation factors

Your specific protein needs may be higher if you:

• Are older (65+): Research shows older adults need more protein (up to 2.4g/kg) to maintain muscle
• Exercise regularly: Particularly strength training or high-intensity activities
• Have a higher starting weight: The more you weigh, the more protein you need
• Are losing weight rapidly: Faster weight loss increases protein requirements to prevent muscle loss (although, we’d recommend losing weight slowly and sustainably at a rate of around 1-2lbs per week)

Practical strategies for getting enough protein

Rather than focusing solely on total daily protein, break down your needs into manageable portions throughout the day:

1. Start with protein-first meal planning

Begin by selecting your protein source when planning meals, then build the rest of your plate around it.

The balanced plate approach provides an excellent framework:

 

2. Choose easier-to-consume protein sources

If you struggle to eat protein-rich foods from whole foods, these protein sources are often easier to consume:

• Greek yoghurt or Skyr: 100g typically provides 8-10g protein
• Minced meat dishes: Easier to chew and digest than whole cuts
• Flaked fish or tinned fish: Pre-cooked and soft in texture
• Scrambled eggs: Easier to consume than fried or boiled
• Protein powders: Can be added to soups, smoothies, or other sauce-based dishes if struggling to eat enough protein from whole foods

3. Distribute protein throughout the day

Research suggests that spreading protein intake evenly across meals supports better absorption and utilisation than consuming most at dinner:

Typical protein distribution pattern:

• Breakfast: 10-15g
• Lunch: 15-20g
• Dinner: 40-65g

Recommended distribution for weight loss:

• Breakfast: 30-40g
• Lunch: 30-40g
• Dinner: 30-40g
• Snacks (if needed): 10-20g

4. High-protein breakfast ideas

Starting your day with sufficient protein sets the foundation for lower hunger and stable energy levels across the day:

• Greek yoghurt bowl: 250g Greek yoghurt (~20g protein) with berries and a tablespoon of nuts and seeds
• Eggs and vegetables: 3-4 eggs (21-28g protein) with spinach and tomatoes
• Protein oats: 50g oats cooked with milk, berries, nuts, and a scoop of protein powder (25-30g protein)
• Smoked salmon bagel: Wholegrain bagel with 100g smoked salmon and light cream cheese (25g protein)

5. Example day of protein-rich eating (120g target)

Meal	Foods	Protein Content
Breakfast	250g Greek yoghurt with berries and 15g mixed seeds	~25g
Lunch	Tuna salad sandwich (100g tuna, 2 slices wholemeal bread)	~32g
Dinner	150g chicken breast with roasted vegetables and 80g quinoa	~42g
Snacks	2 boiled eggs + 30g cheese	~24g
TOTAL		120g

Common challenges and solutions

Challenge 1: Managing hunger when losing weight

Most people experience increased hunger when reducing calories for weight loss, making protein intake particularly important.

Solutions:

• Front-load protein: Consume a protein-rich breakfast to lower hunger across the day
• Protein + fibre + fat combination: Pair protein with fat and high-fibre foods to maximise fullness (e.g., eggs with vegetables on wholemeal sourdough)
• Meal timing: Eat 3 balanced meals a day 3-5 hours a part, if you go longer than 5 hours between meals, have a protein-rich snack, like 2 boiled eggs
• Pre-plan high-protein snacks: Keep ready-to-eat protein sources available if you experience physical hunger between meals (e.g., Greek yoghurt, boiled eggs, cheese)

Challenge 2: Plant-based diets

Vegetarian and vegan diets can make meeting higher protein needs more challenging.

Solutions:

• Combine complementary proteins: Beans with rice, hummus with pitta
• Focus on higher-protein plant foods: Tofu (15-20g/100g), tempeh (19g/100g), seitan (25g/100g)
• Consider fortified foods: Protein-enriched plant milks and yoghurts
• Supplement wisely: Plant-based protein powders can help bridge gaps
• Meat alternatives: While typically highly processed, plant-based meat alternatives are rich in protein and can be consumed as part of a healthy diet if consumed in moderation

Challenge 3: Cost

Quality protein sources can sometimes be expensive, but there are budget-friendly options:

Solutions:

• Eggs: One of the most cost-effective high-quality protein sources (6-7g per medium egg)
• Tinned fish: Tinned sardines, mackerel, and tuna offer excellent value
• Frozen options: Frozen chicken breasts and fish fillets are often cheaper
• Bulk cooking: Prepare larger batches of protein-rich meals to reduce costs
• Legumes: While not being the highest quality protein, they still offer great value and contain other beneficial nutrients, too

Challenge 4: Time

Busy schedules can make preparing healthy meals rich in protein more challenging.

Solutions:

• Batch cook proteins: Prepare several days’ worth at once
• Pre-portioned options: Tinned fish, pre-cooked chicken, boiled eggs
• Quick-cooking proteins: Eggs, prawns, mince, and thin-cut chicken cook quickly
• Overnight preparations: Greek yoghurt bowls or overnight oats with protein powder

Frequently asked questions

Can you lose weight by eating enough protein?

Protein alone doesn’t guarantee weight loss; you still need to aim to base your overall diet on whole foods to nourish your body.

However, higher protein intake supports weight loss by:

• Increasing feelings of fullness, making it easier to eat less overall
• Preserving muscle mass, which maintains our metabolism (how much energy we burn each day)
• Requiring more energy to digest than other macronutrients

Research shows that people who consume more protein (1.6g/kg or higher) typically lose more weight and fat while preserving more muscle compared to those on lower protein diets, even with the same total calories.

How much protein do I need a day to lose weight?

For active weight loss, aim for 1.6-2.2g of protein per kg of body weight a day. This is higher than the UK’s general recommendation of 0.75g/kg because:

• Weight loss increases protein requirements to preserve muscle
• Higher protein intake helps control hunger during calorie restriction
• Research shows better body composition outcomes at these levels
• The current protein recommendations are based on the minimum amount of protein to avoid deficiency, not the optimum level for health

For a 75kg person, this means 120-165g of protein a day, distributed across meals.

Are 2 eggs enough protein for a day?

No, two eggs provide only about 12-14g of protein, far below daily requirements. The average adult needs at least 60g (based on standard recommendations) to 150g+ (during weight loss) daily.

Eggs make an excellent protein source as part of a balanced diet, but should be complemented with other protein-rich foods throughout the day.

What is the best protein to eat to lose weight?

The ideal protein sources for weight loss are from whole foods like:

• Lean animal proteins: Chicken breast, turkey, white fish, lean beef
• Dairy: Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, Skyr
• Fish and seafood: Prawns, white fish, tuna
• Plant options: Tofu, tempeh, seitan

The ‘best’ protein varies by individual preference, budget, and dietary pattern. Focus on protein sources you enjoy and can consistently include in your diet.

What foods are high in protein?

Food	Portion	Protein Content
Chicken breast	100g cooked	31g
Greek yoghurt	200g	18-20g
Salmon	100g	22g
Eggs	2 large	12-14g
Tofu (firm)	100g	15-20g
Cottage cheese	150g	18g
Tinned tuna	100g drained	25g
Lentils	100g cooked	9g
Quinoa	100g cooked	4g
Peanut butter	30g (1 tbsp)	8g

How much protein per egg?

A medium egg (58g) contains approximately 6-7g of protein, while a large egg (63g) provides about 7-8g.

The protein is found in both the white (about 60% of the protein) and the yolk (about 40%).

Eggs are considered a complete protein source, providing all nine essential amino acids in the proportions needed by the body.

Does protein burn fat without exercise?

Protein alone doesn’t ‘burn fat,’ but it can support fat loss even without exercise by:

• Increasing thermic effect: Your body uses more energy to digest protein than other nutrients
• Preserving muscle: This maintains a higher resting metabolic rate because muscle burns more energy than fat at rest
• Improving hunger and fullness: Helping you naturally eat less throughout the day

However, combining adequate protein intake with regular physical activity (particularly resistance training) provides significantly better results for both fat loss and overall body composition.

Which foods are high in protein and low in calories?

If you’re looking to maximise protein while minimising calories, these options provide excellent protein-per-calorie value (just ensure that you’re getting enough energy from other energy sources in your meals, like fat and carbohydrate):

Food	Calories per 100g	Protein per 100g	Protein-to-calorie ratio
White fish (cod)	82	18g	0.22g per calorie
Chicken breast	165	31g	0.19g per calorie
Prawns	99	18g	0.18g per calorie
Fat-free Greek yoghurt	57	10g	0.18g per calorie
Egg whites	52	10g	0.19g per calorie
Cottage cheese (0% fat)	72	13g	0.18g per calorie
Turkey breast	104	22g	0.21g per calorie
Tofu (firm)	144	17g	0.12g per calorie

Take home message

Getting enough protein during weight loss is essential to maintain our lean tissues, like muscle and bone, as well as supporting other functions in the body like our immune system.

By aiming for 1.6-2.2g of protein per kg of body weight (roughly 30-40g per meal), prioritising protein at each meal, and distributing intake throughout the day, you can manage hunger, maintain muscle mass, and support your overall health during weight loss.