There have been many weight loss strategies over the years ranging from just plain common sense to the most bizarre new "celebrity diets." One strategy that has been around for a long time is the high protein diet. Is a high protein diet effective for fat loss? Let's dive in.
Study: A Reduced Ratio of Dietary Carbohydrate to Protein Improves Body Composition and Blood Lipid Profiles during Weight Loss in Adult Women [1]
This study consisted of 24 overweight or obese, but otherwise healthy women. These women were divided into either a moderate protein (0.73 g of protein per pound of body weight per day), low carb group or a low protein (0.36 g of protein per pound of body weight per day), high carb group for 10 weeks. Weight, body fat levels, blood chemistry, and urinary chemistry were measured at weeks 0, 2, 4, and 10.
Results:
Both groups produced significant weight loss. The moderate protein, low carb group lost a touch more weight than the low protein, high carb group on average, though not by much (16.6 lbs vs 15.34 lbs). One thing to remember here is that body weight is made up of both lean body mass and fat mass and the moderate protein group lost less lean body mass during the diet. This means the moderate protein group lost more weight and a higher percentage of that weight came from body fat (74.4% vs 68.1%). The protein group also reported a higher level of satisfaction with their diet. Health markers improved in both groups and there were no significant differences between the two.
Study: High-Protein, Low-Fat Diets Are Effective for Weight Loss and Favorably Alter Biomarkers in Healthy Adults [2]
Twenty healthy adults were selected from a university campus for this study and were randomly assigned to a high protein/low fat (HP/LF) or high carb/low fat (HC/LF) diet. The HP/LF group had 32% of their Calories from protein and 41% from carbs. The HC/LF group had 15% of their Calories from protein and 66% from carbs. Both groups had the same fat intake. The diet lasted six weeks for both groups. Weight and body fat levels were measured on the first day of each week throughout the study. Blood samples were taken two weeks prior to and at the conclusion of the study.
Results:
Both groups lost a significant amount of weight. The HP/LF group lost an average of 10.32 lbs and the HC/LF group lost an average of 10.16 lbs so there was almost no difference between the groups. But there was a very important thing to note in the study. Two people in the HC/LF group consistenly reported being excessively hungry and eventually dropped out of the study because they could not adhere to the diet. The HP/LF group reported feeling satisfied four out of six weeks while the HC/LF group didn't report feeling satisfied during any of the six weeks. The HP/LF group also had a slight increase in resting metabolic rate. Health markers improved a similar amount between groups.
Final Thoughts
Based on reading these studies, among others with nearly identical findings to the two above, it seems as though moderate to high protein diets promote both a slightly higher rate of weight loss as well as more of the weight lost coming from fat. This makes sense because protein will help you retain muscle mass during the diet, which in turn keeps your metabolic rate from dropping as much, as you are dieting.
The most important thing to note from these studies is the adherence factor. If you've ever read any of my articles, watched any of my videos, or spoken with me in person, you've most likely heard me say, "The best diet in the world is the worst diet for you if you can't stick to it." The higher protein groups consistently reported high satisfaction with their diets. This is likely due to the satiating effect of protein, which kept the high protein groups feeling more full throughout their diets. Verdict: Eat more Protein!
Thanks for reading this article. If you found it helpful, please share it with your friends on Facebook. It helps us out more than you know. If you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out. I'd be glad to help. I'll be back next week with another fat loss topic. As always, God bless you AND your family and I'll see you next time!
References:
[1] Layman, D. K., Boileau, R. A., Erickson, D. J., ... Christou, D. D. (2003) A Reduced Ratio of Dietary Carbohydrate to Protein Improves Body Composition and Blood Lipid Profiles during Weight Loss in Adult Women. The Journal of Nutrition, 133(2), 411-417
[2] Johnston, C. S., Tjonn, S. L., Swan, P. D. (2004) High-Protein, Low-Fat Diets Are Effective for Weight Loss and Favorably Alter Biomarkers in Healthy Adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 134(3), 586-591
