Do I Need to Eat Extra Protein?

This debate rages on.  A roomful of dietitians or medical-minded folk say NO, a room of nutritionists or research-minded folk may say YES.  The question is "Is eating more protein in my diet going to help me lose weight?"  For starters, eating less calories than what you are burning each day is the #1 factor.  Some people don't like the simplicity of that, but it's very difficult for people to get right and when you do consistently eat less calories than what your body burns you lose weight.  More protein is needed because when you restrict what you eat you will lose more of this weight as muscle instead of fat and this over time will make it harder to lose more weight and maintain your weight loss.  How much should I eat?  A good starting point is 2x the recommended daily allowance (RDA) or 1.6 grams of protein for every 0.45 pounds you weigh.

For those who scream at having to do math, here's some general ranges that provide some sample body weights and how much protein you should consider in  your diet:

140 pounds = 95 - 102 grams of protein per day

160 pounds = 109 - 116 grams of protein per day

180 pounds = 123 - 131 grams of protein per day

200 pounds = 136 - 145 grams of protein per day

220 pounds = 150 - 160 grams of protein per day

REMEMBER, eating more protein will only help you lose more fat if you are following an exercise program and restricting the amount of calories in your diet.

Good luck!