As we’ve already discussed, protein powder can be an excellent tool to assist you in achieving your goals…when used correctly. So today we’ll be going over the question (and maybe it’s yours), “will protein powder help me lose weight?”. The answer is quite simple…it’s yes. So take and absorb what you please.
Maybe you’ve been stuck in “yo-yo” diets, perhaps you suddenly want abs, or perhaps you’ve also been wondering if protein powder can solve all these problems (and many more ‘maybe’s). Let’s dive into it
The Importance of caloric awareness
To lose weight, it is critical that you have a sound understanding of calories.
Calories are units of energy that come from food. Your body needs calories to execute functions, such as physical activity, breathing, blood circulation, digestion and many more functions. More calories= more energy provided to your body. Less calories=less energy provided for your body.
It’s also important to know that the saying “a calorie is a calorie”, is false. The calories a Big Mac provides are not the same quality as a Steak. Whilst the calories may be similar, one is obviously more nutrient dense than the other. This is important. Some foods will have more calories or less calories than others.
So how does this relate to our weight? Well, our body needs a certain amount of calories to maintain our weight. This is known as our “caloric maintenance”. This is different for everybody, and to calculate yours, simply type “calorie calculator”. Following this, enter your details (it does not have to be exact) and you will be provided with the amount of calories needed to maintain your weight. Now, it may not be exactly correct, but it will be a good estimation. Simply play around with these calories and increase, or decrease them as you please to maintain your weight.
To find out how to calculate how many calories are in your food, you can download apps such as “myfitnesspal” or “mynetdiary” (or any other calorie counting apps), and scan the barcodes on the foods. The calories and nutrients within the food will appear.
Caloric deficit
To lose weight, you will need to consume fewer calories than your body burns in a day. Think about it, your body has a caloric amount it needs to maintain is weight, so it makes sense that eating below that number will result in weight loss. Being in this stage is known as a “caloric deficit”. As a baseline, you can subtract around 300-500 calories from your caloric maintenance to reach this stage.
Try not to go beyond a 500 caloric deficit, as you may also lose muscle (not fun for most people).
To ensure that when you are in a caloric deficit,you lose FAT and not muscle, you must consume a sufficient amount of protein. If you do not, you will lose muscle, which is not the goal for most people.
When people say they “want to lose weight”, it more than likely means “fat”, as weight encompasses muscle also. So keep that protein high!
Typically 2g of protein for every kg of body weight (or 0.9 to 1 g for every lb of body weight) is good. However, going over is not the end of the world. It’s more important to be over than under that goal. (Ensure that you are also consuming a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, fats and other nutrients).
Choosing the right one
So how does all of this information relate to protein powder?
When transitioning from caloric maintenance to a caloric deficit, you will find after using the previously listed apps, that many foods will be high in calories. They may be low in protein and the calories will leave you with little room to consume other foods.
Enter protein powder. Protein powders are as the name suggests, high in protein. Additionally, they can be low or high in calories. Examples include whey protein isolates and vegan protein powders for examples. These are broad examples, however, each manufacturer has their own form of these examples and there are immense options to choose from.
Some are also high in calories and may be better suited for weight, such as “mass gainers”, “clean gainers”, “whey protein” and many more. However, these are not exclusively for weight gain and can be used for calorie maintenance and even a caloric deficit. Remember, you can gain and lose weight with all of these protein powders, it’s just that some are better suited for different situations.
If you find yourself struggling to pick a specific product, no worries, we will soon provide a list of our own recommended protein powders to help you lose fat.
There are so many choices, which are both excellent and scary. Don’t worry though, after a while you will develop your own preferences for protein powder when entering a caloric deficit.
Additionally, you may find yourself being hungry when entering a caloric deficit, which is perfectly normal. This is where protein powder is also useful. Protein helps the body to feel full, so consuming a meal with protein powder (or without the powder) will assist in dealing with this annoyance. Remember, protein powder is not magic, it works excellently if you use it correctly. It is important that you gain nutrients from other foods and use protein powder as something to assist you in losing fat.
Trust the Process
An important piece of advice to remember is that you should trust the process. Consuming protein powder will not magically shred the fat off your body, but it will make it easier. That is the truth.
Don’t beat yourself up if you are not losing fat as fast as you’d like. Some people lose 0.25kg, 0.5kg, 0.75kg or even 1kg of fat in a week. Some people need to lose more than others. Everyone is different, much like protein powder. Use it to your advantage with the information provided.
If you find yourself in a hurry to work, but still want to feel full, make a quick protein shake. Want a post-workout snack, a shake is also a good idea. The point is that protein powder is like a secret card in your back pocket to help you shed fat. Use it at your own discretion and enjoy yourself.
Conclusion
“Will protein powder help me lose weight?” The answer has not changed, it is still yes! I hope you learnt something today. Additionally, Maybe you don’t want to consume protein powder to lose weight, but that’s cool too, my ultimate goal is to help you learn something, whether it is about protein powder or not.
Protein powder will help you lose weight but do not rely on it. It’s a friend to help you with your goals. Losing weight, picking protein powder and seeing that fat come off your body is a wonderful and fulfilling process, so don’t stress. Remain disciplined and enjoy life.
Thank you for reading and I hope you learnt something. Feel free to leave your thoughts, as I, like yourself, wish to continue learning! Have a great day.
