Protein in a calorie deficit: what matters when losing weight

Weight loss works through a calorie deficit: the body receives less energy than it uses and draws on its reserves. What is often overlooked - it does not only draw on fat reserves. Without countermeasures, the body also breaks down muscle mass in a deficit.

Why maintain muscle?

Muscles are metabolically active tissue: they use energy even at rest. If you lose a lot of muscle mass in a calorie deficit, you lower your energy expenditure - and make it harder to maintain your weight after the diet.

Two factors have proven effective for maintaining muscle in a deficit: sufficient protein and regular exercise, ideally with resistance training. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass - which is exactly why it comes first in any well-planned diet.

How much protein makes sense?

In sports nutrition, a range of around 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day is often cited for calorie-deficit phases - considerably more than the general intake recommendation for adults. Our calorie calculator uses exactly this range as a guide.

• ✓Example: at 70 kg body weight, that is roughly 84 to 112 g of protein per day.
• ✓Spread your intake across the day - the body uses protein from several meals better than from one single large one.
• ✓A protein shake does not replace a balanced diet, but it makes reaching your target amount considerably easier.

A word on GLP-1 therapies

People losing weight with GLP-1 medication often eat considerably less - and therefore considerably less protein. A deliberately high protein intake is especially important then. Always discuss nutrition questions during a GLP-1 therapy with your doctor - this article does not replace medical advice.