JJ Virgin explains that losing fat requires a caloric deficit while protecting muscle through protein. A study of adults 50-85 found that 30 g of protein in one or two meals per day preserved leg strength and lean mass. She recommends at least 30 g of protein per meal, ideally 40 g, with 100 g daily minimum during weight loss.
If you wanna lose fat, you gotta be in a caloric deficit so that your body will burn off body fat. And you wanna make sure that it's fat you're burning, not lean tissue. So protein is key here for a couple of reasons. Number one, it's gonna help you hold onto lean mass. There was a study that looked at whether older adults who eat meals containing at least 30 grams of protein more often have stronger leg muscles and lean body mass. So they used data from adults aged 50 to 85. And found that those who had 1 or 2 meals with 30 grams or more of protein each day had better leg strength and lean body mass than those who didn't. So this study suggests that having 1 to 2 protein-rich meals daily can help maintain muscle strength and lean body mass as you age. I'm going to say 3. So our minimum is 30 grams of protein at a meal, ideally 40. 30 is like the minimum there, and at least 100 grams overall. And it's pretty clear when you start to look at all of the research that people who eat higher protein when they are in caloric restriction are able to hold on to more lean mass when they do this.
