More protein, fewer kilos: Lose weight without feeling hungry

What exactly are proteins?

Protein, also known as proteins, is among the three most important macronutrients for your body, along with carbohydrates and fats. Your body needs more of these “macros” than micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.

Proteins are the building blocks of your body. Unlike carbohydrates and fats, your body prefers not to use protein as an energy source.

Interesting fact: every cell in your body is made up of protein and your body needs protein to renew and repair cells. That's why proteins are essential for the health of your muscles, organs, skin, hair and nails, among others.

But that's not all. Proteins also play an important role in your metabolism and hormone balance, helping you reach and maintain your target weight.

Essential and non-essential amino acids

Proteins consist of amino acids. There are 22 different amino acids, 13 of which your body can make itself — we call these non-essential amino acids. You must get the other 9 amino acids from your diet, because your body cannot produce them on its own. These are called essential amino acids.

Do you want to lose weight successfully and stay healthy? Then make sure you get enough essential amino acids. You can read how best to do that below.

In short: Proteins are a macronutrient. They consist of 22 amino acids, which you must partly get from your diet. Proteins play an important role in weight loss and health.

Lose weight with protein-rich food

If you want to lose weight, high-protein food is your best friend. Not only do they help you feel full longer, but they also increase the number of calories you burn [1-3].

The following shows, for example, that protein-rich foods are efficient against excess pounds: in a study, overweight adults lost an average of 5 kg in 12 weeks by increasing their protein intake from 15% to 30% of their daily calories, without changing anything else in their diet [4].

Furthermore, you naturally not only want to reach, but also maintain your target weight. A high protein intake also helps you with that. Research shows that slightly increasing your protein intake (18% instead of 15% of your daily calories) results in 50% less weight gain after losing weight [5].

In short: Increasing your protein intake to 30% can result in 5 kg of weight loss in 12 weeks. Even a small increase from 15% to 18% can help maintain your weight.

7 ways protein helps you lose weight

A high-protein diet helps you burn fat, especially in your belly area [1,6,7]. But how does that work exactly?

Protein helps you lose weight in a number of ways. Here are the 7 most important reasons why they are indispensable in your fight against kilos.

1. Protein gives you a feeling of satiety

One of the biggest obstacles and annoyances when you want to lose weight is feeling hungry. Such a rattling stomach is not only annoying, but also makes it very difficult not to open that bag of chips.Does losing weight without feeling hungry sound too good to be true? That's not it. That's exactly what protein-rich food helps you with. Protein helps you feel full faster and longer [8]. This is because they stimulate the production of hormones such as PYY and GLP-1, which help you feel full and full [9]. In addition, high-protein foods lower levels of the hormone ghrelin, also known as the “hunger hormone” [10]. This can cause you to automatically consume fewer calories [4.6].

2. You burn extra calories when you digest protein

Protein helps you burn extra calories automatically, without you having to do anything extra. By simply increasing your protein intake, you can burn an additional 80-100 calories daily [11-13]. This is because it takes more energy to digest proteins than carbohydrates or fats, which boosts your metabolism.

3. Stable blood sugar levels

You probably recognize it: after eating fast carbohydrates, such as fast food or sweets, you feel energized for a while, but then you quickly get a dip. This has to do with fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. In contrast to carbohydrates, proteins ensure that your blood sugar does not peak quickly.A stable blood sugar level is important if you want to lose weight, because it affects your hunger, energy management and fat storage. When your blood sugar levels rise rapidly, your body produces extra insulin to absorb glucose into your cells. These rapid increases in insulin can lead to fat storage, increased hunger and the well-known cravings.

4. Stimulating fat burning

As a follow-up to the previous point: when your blood sugar is stable and does not rise continuously due to high-sugar foods, your body does not need to produce insulin as often. Low insulin levels promote fat burning, because when blood sugar levels are stable, your body switches more quickly to burning fat reserves.

‍5. More muscle mass

Studies show that eating a lot of protein can help increase muscle mass [14,15]. And that muscle mass helps you burn fat. Additionally, a high protein intake may help prevent muscle loss while losing weight [16—18]. That's important, because muscles burn more calories than fat, even at rest.

6. Protein reduces appetite and the need for late-night snacking

Binge eating can greatly hamper your weight loss process. A binge is different from normal hunger. It's not just about your body's need for energy or nutrients, such as hunger, but about your brain needing a reward [19] .Resisting binges can be difficult, so it's better to prevent them. How? By eating enough protein.

A study of overweight men found that if you increase your protein intake to 25% of your daily calories, you reduce binge eating by as much as 60% and even reduce the need to snack in the evening by half [20].

Furthermore, a study among overweight teenage girls found that a protein-rich breakfast reduces appetite and late-night snacking. This is due to its positive effect on dopamine, a hormone that plays an important role in binge eating [21].

7. Positive influence on hormones that influence your weight

Proteins lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, while increasing the appetite-suppressing hormones GLP-1 and PYY [22—24]. The result: you feel satiated longer and have less (snack) appetite.I

In short: Proteins provide a feeling of satiety and increase your calorie burn. They stabilize your blood sugar levels and stimulate fat burning. In addition, they help maintain and increase your muscle mass, reduce appetite and late-night snacking and have a positive influence on your hormones.

How much protein per day?

There is some debate about the optimal amount of protein you should consume daily. The Health Council recommends getting around 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day if you are an adult and lead a moderately active lifestyle.

For example, this comes down to:

• 95-pound man: 78.85 grams of protein per day
• 75-pound woman: 62.25 grams of protein per day

However, many researchers emphasize that these figures indicate a minimal intake rather than an optimal amount [25]. This is because a higher protein intake can contribute to weight loss and improve your overall health [26-31].

How much protein per day to lose weight?

As a guideline, you can assume that around 30% of your daily calories consist of protein. This percentage is often seen as ideal to support weight loss. It doesn't have to be exactly 30% every day; between 25% and 35% is fine.

It's also smart to distribute your proteins throughout the day. Eating a good portion of protein with every meal is the best way to support your body.

In addition, not only the quantity is important, but also the quality of the proteins. Opt for high quality proteins because they provide the essential nutrients your body needs.

Animal or vegetable proteins for weight loss?

There are animal and vegetable proteins. Animal proteins are considered complete because they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs.

Plant-based proteins often do not contain all amino acids, but by combining them with other plant-based sources, you can still create a complete profile.

The advantage of plant sources is that they are often rich in fibers, vitamins and minerals, which support your weight loss process and health.

In short: You need at least 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For optimal weight loss, it's ideal if 25-35% of your daily calories come from protein. Spread over the day, this gives the best results.

Where is the most protein found?

For optimal weight loss and good health, we recommend including both animal and vegetable proteins in your meals.

Animal products

Product Protein per 100 gram

Chicken breast 31 gram

Lean beef 26 grams

Salmon 20 gram

Tuna 25 gram

Eggs 13 gram

Low-fat cottage cheese 8-10 grams

Cheddar cheese 25 grams of protein

Cow milk (half skimmed) 3.5 gram

Lobster/shrimps 19-22 gram

Greek yogurt 9-10 grams

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Plant-based products

Product Protein per 100 gram

Lentils (cooked) 9 grams

Chickpeas (cooked) 8 grams

Black beans (cooked) 9 grams

Tempeh 19 gram

Quinoa (cooked) 4.4 grams

Chia seeds 16 gram

Peanuts 25 gram

Almonds 21 gram

Pumpkin seeds 19 gram

Hemp seeds 31 gram

In short: You'll find lots of protein in animal sources such as chicken breast, beef, fish, eggs, and dairy. Plant-based sources such as legumes, nuts, seeds and tempeh are also rich in protein. A combination of both sources gives the best result.

How do I keep track of my protein intake?

You now know that it is important to get enough protein if you want to lose weight. But how do you know how much protein you consume in a day? For example, use one of the following three methods.

1. Use an app

One of the easiest ways to keep track of your protein intake is to use a nutrition app. There are several apps you can use, including MyFitnessPal, Yazio, and Lifesum. You can enter your meal into the apps, which then automatically calculates the amount of protein you've consumed.

Many apps let you set a personal goal so you can see if you're on track to reach your weight and health goals.

2. Read labels

The packaging of a product often states the amount of protein per 100 grams or per serving. This allows you to make a good assessment of whether you are eating enough protein.

3. Use recipes that specify the amount of protein

There are many cookbooks, blogs, and websites that list nutritional values, including protein content, by recipe. This makes it easier to plan meals that match your protein goals. This way, you don't have to calculate how much protein you consume yourself.

In short: You can use nutrition apps to accurately track your protein intake. Reading nutrition labels and following recipes with stated protein values also helps you keep track of your intake.

5 tips for eating enough protein

Tips for reaching your protein goal

1. Plan your meals — Make sure each meal contains a source of protein, such as meat, fish, legumes, or nuts.
2. Vary your protein sources — Alternate between animal and vegetable proteins to get a diversity of nutrients.
3. Pay attention to portion size — Make sure you get enough protein by properly adjusting your portions to your needs.
4. Eat high-protein snacks — Get in the habit of choosing protein-rich snacks to evenly distribute your intake throughout the day.
5. Use protein shakes — A quick and easy way to increase your protein intake, especially after a workout.

In short: Plan your meals ahead and vary between different protein sources. Make sure you eat protein with every meal, make sure you eat the right portion size and opt for protein-rich snacks.

Conclusion

Proteins play an important role in weight loss because they keep you satiated longer, stimulate fat burning and boost your metabolism.

The optimal protein intake varies from person to person, but as a guideline, you can aim for 25-35% of your daily calories from protein.

Both animal and plant proteins offer health benefits. Therefore, choose a varied diet with sufficient protein from various sources.

Keep track of your protein intake, for example with the help of apps, by reading labels or following recipes that include the amount of protein.

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