How much protein do I need during weight loss?

How much protein is needed for safe weight loss?

Adequate protein intake is important especially during weight loss.

Eating enough high quality protein reduces the chance of serious life threatening problems during weight loss.

But how much protein is enough?

Protein intakes of 1.1 gram per kilogram of “ideal body weight” are a good minimum protein intake. 

This amount of protein is more than you would need if you were not trying to lose weight..

Okay so how do you calculate that protein intake?

Here’s a simplified approach:

Find out your weight if your body mass index or BMI is 24.

A BMI of 24 is a reasonable estimate of your “ideal body weight.”

Here's a table for BMI.

So let’s say, you weigh 226 pounds with a height of 5 feet 7 inches.

If you had a BMI of 24, your weight would be 153 pounds. You find that in the table.

Now divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. This gives you your weight in kilograms.

153 divided by 2.2= 69.5 kilograms.

69.5 X 1.1= 76 grams of protein daily.

So in this example while you cut down on calories you should try to get about 76 grams of protein each day.

Good protein sources include:

Fish

Shrimp

Lean Beef

Lean Chicken or Turkey

Lean Pork

Tofu and edamame

Skim milk and low fat cheeses

Eggs

Icelandic or Greek style yogurt

And don’t forget regular exercise. Exercise helps reduce muscle loss too as you lose weight.

A visit with a registered dietitian can help get you started on safe healthy weight loss.

Your Diabetes Endocrine Nutrition Group