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Protein for Weight Gain
Protein for Weight Loss
Protein Shakes
Protein has garnered much attention in recent years, particularly regarding how much you need to attain certain desired body composition and health goals. Whether protein makes you gain—or lose—weight depends on how much protein you consume, your activity level, and your overall health.
This article examines how to use protein to lose or gain weight, including suggestions for incorporating protein into your diet and a word on using protein shakes.
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What Does Protein Do? A Guide to This Essential Nutrient
Eating Protein to Gain Weight
Proteins are one of the three essentialmacronutrients—along with carbohydrates (carbs) and fats—crucial in daily body functions, such as tissue growth and repair.
Eating a diet rich in protein is one way to promoteweight gain, especially in the context of increasing muscle mass. Consuming enough protein as part of an overall balanced diet, plus practicing regular strength-training exercises, can help you meet your muscle and weight gain goals.
If you consume more protein but don’t work out, you’re still likely to gain weight due to increasedcalorieintake. However, the resulting weight gain is likely due to fat vs. added muscle mass.
More muscle mass adds to overall body weight, and muscle is denser than fat. It’s essential to choose a variety of high-quality protein sources, such as fish, legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), nuts, and seeds, to ensure that your diet is well-rounded.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein recommendation for the average adult to meet basic needs is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (g/kg).Some research suggests that increasing this to about 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg per day promotes weight gain.
However, individual needs vary based on age, sex, activity level, and overall health. It’s also important to note that eating excessive protein can have negative consequences.
Too much protein can eventually lead to problems like nutrient imbalances, dehydration, kidney damage, and heart disease, especially if you get most of your protein from animal-derived sources versus plant-based ones.
How to Make a Healthy Protein Shake for Breakfast
Lean Muscle
Regular protein intake in your diet helps support a positive nitrogen balance in your body, which is vital for preserving lean muscle mass. Many fitness enthusiasts will tell you that timing your protein intake around workouts is essential for lean muscle building. Still, research suggests that timing isn’t as important as consuming adequate amounts of protein.
Other Causes of Weight GainIt’s normal to experience weight changes during different stages of life. Some of the most common causes of weight gain are:Life stages like puberty, pregnancy, and menopauseGenetic factorsPoor sleepChronic stressLow access to healthy foodsCertain medications, like antidepressantsHormonal imbalancesIf you’re concerned about unintentional weight gain, contact a healthcare provider who can help you identify underlying factors contributing to unintended weight gain.
Other Causes of Weight Gain
It’s normal to experience weight changes during different stages of life. Some of the most common causes of weight gain are:Life stages like puberty, pregnancy, and menopauseGenetic factorsPoor sleepChronic stressLow access to healthy foodsCertain medications, like antidepressantsHormonal imbalancesIf you’re concerned about unintentional weight gain, contact a healthcare provider who can help you identify underlying factors contributing to unintended weight gain.
It’s normal to experience weight changes during different stages of life. Some of the most common causes of weight gain are:
If you’re concerned about unintentional weight gain, contact a healthcare provider who can help you identify underlying factors contributing to unintended weight gain.
Eating Protein to Lose Weight
You can use a protein-rich diet to support weight loss goals. In addition to supporting lean muscle mass growth, protein plays a crucial role in promoting satiety. By helping you feel fuller longer, consuming adequate protein can help control hunger, prevent overeating, and reduce overall caloric intake.
While individual protein needs vary based on age, activity level, sex, and overall health, general guidelines suggest getting 25% to 30% of calories from protein, or 1 to 1.2 g/kg per day, for weight loss.
Combining a protein-rich, nutrient-dense diet with regular physical activity is an effective and sustainable approach to weight loss. Speak with a registereddietitian, who can help you determine your protein needs to support weight loss.
21 High Protein and Low Calorie Foods
Burning Fat
Increasing protein intake can help promote fat-burning and support weight loss efforts. Proteins have a higher thermic effect than carbs and fat. This means that your body uses more energy while digesting and absorbing protein than when you eat other macronutrients. As a result, increasing the amount of protein you get may boost the overall number of calories you burn in a day.
Furthermore, as mentioned above, a protein-rich diet helps preserve lean muscle mass, which is important for maintaining a higher metabolic rate. As your body uses more energy to digest and utilize proteins, it may tap into stored fat as an extra fuel source when necessary.
Choosing Protein Sources for Your Weight Goals
Whether your goal is to gain or lose weight, it’s important to choosehigh-quality sourcesof protein for your diet, like:
Below are examples of how you might use protein foods depending on your goals.
A Complete Guide to a Low-Protein Diet
To Gain Weight
If your goal is to gain weight, a basic rule of thumb is that the total calories you’re consuming must be more than the number you’re burning in a day. But eating a lot of high-calorie junk food is not the healthy way to go about it.
Pair protein foods with healthy fats and complex carbohydrates to get the most nutrition. One easy way to boost protein and calories is to increase your protein food portions, keeping sources, like protein bars or hard-boiled eggs, handy.
To Lose Weight
The general guideline for weight loss is to consume fewer calories than you’re burning in a day.Make protein-rich foods like lean meats, fish, eggs, legumes, tempeh, nuts, and quinoa the center of your meals and snacks. Plant-based proteins are also rich in fiber, an essential nutrient that helps promote satiety (the content feeling of being full) and can help you avoid overeating.
Consider incorporating these protein sources into smaller, frequent meals throughout the day vs. three large meals. This can be helpful to regulate hunger and reduce the likelihood of exceeding your daily calorie needs for weight loss. For the most effective weight loss strategy, prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods and pair protein intake with regular physical activity.
High-Protein, Low-Carb Diets: Everything You Need to Know
A Word on Protein Shakes
Protein shakes can be versatile and effective when pursuing weight loss and weight gain goals. These frequently contain 20 to 30 grams of protein per serving.
If your goal is to lose weight,drinking protein shakes occasionallycan contribute to a feeling of fullness, potentially reducing overall calorie intake. Opt for a low-calorie protein powder and blend it with water or nondairy milk (like naturally protein-rich soy or pea milk).
For those interested in gaining weight, protein shakes are a convenient means to increase calorie and protein intake without taking up a lot of space in your stomach. Choosing a higher-calorie protein powder and blending it with milk, fruits, pitted dates, seeds, and nut butter can create an energy-dense shake that supports muscle growth and weight gain.
Overall, used sparingly, protein shakes can be a convenient supplement for various body composition goals. Just make sure that they complement a balanced, nutrient-dense diet instead of replacing whole foods entirely.
Summary
Whether you’re seeking to gain or lose weight, protein is an essential nutrient to support your overall health and body composition goals. Choosing high-quality protein sources and including variety in your diet is important. Protein bars or shakes are convenient ways to add extra protein to your diet, but they should not replace whole foods.
Consider meeting with a registered dietitian for personalized guidance regarding your protein goals and meal plan for weight gain or loss.
17 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Espinosa-Salas S, Gonzalez-Arias M.Nutrition: macronutrient intake, imbalances, and interventions. [Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024.Bandegan A, Courtney-Martin G, Rafii M, Pencharz PB, Lemon PW.Indicator amino acid-derived estimate of dietary protein requirement for male bodybuilders on a nontraining day is several-fold greater than the current recommended dietary allowance.J Nutr. 2017;147(5):850-857. doi:10.3945/jn.116.236331Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al.A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults[published correction appears in Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(19):e7].Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608Mittendorfer B, Klein S, Fontana L.A word of caution against excessive protein intake.Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2020;16(1):59-66. doi:10.1038/s41574-019-0274-7Sun Y, Liu B, Snetselaar LG, et al.Association of major dietary protein sources with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: prospective cohort study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(5):e015553. doi:10.1161/JAHA.119.015553Carbone JW, Pasiakos SM.Dietary protein and muscle mass: translating science to application and health benefit.Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1136. doi:10.3390/nu11051136Wirth J, Hillesheim E, Brennan L.The role of protein intake and its timing on body composition and muscle function in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Nutr. 2020;150(6):1443-1460. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa049Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for obesity.van der Valk ES, Savas M, van Rossum EFC.Stress and obesity: are there more susceptible individuals?Curr Obes Rep. 2018;7(2):193-203. doi:10.1007/s13679-018-0306-y.National Institutes of Health.Molecular ties between lack of sleep and weight gain.Wharton S, Raiber L, Serodio KJ, Lee J, Christensen RAG.Medications that cause weight gain and alternatives in Canada: a narrative review.Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2018;11:427-438. doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S171365Cava E, Yeat NC, Mittendorfer B.Preserving healthy muscle during weight loss.Adv Nutr. 2017;8(3):511-519. doi:10.3945/an.116.014506Kim JY.Optimal diet strategies for weight loss and weight loss maintenance.J Obes Metab Syndr. 2021;30(1):20-31. doi:10.7570/jomes20065Romieu I, Dossus L, Barquera S, et al.Energy balance and obesity: what are the main drivers?Cancer Causes Control. 2017;28(3):247-258. doi:10.1007/s10552-017-0869-zHowell S, Kones R.“Calories in, calories out” and macronutrient intake: the hope, hype, and science of calories.Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2017;313(5):E608-E612. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00156.2017Hervik AK, Svihus B.The role of fiber in energy balance.J Nutr Metab. 2019;2019:4983657. doi:10.1155/2019/4983657Samal JRK, Samal IR.Protein supplements: pros and cons.J Diet Suppl. 2018;15(3):365-371. doi:10.1080/19390211.2017.1353567
17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Espinosa-Salas S, Gonzalez-Arias M.Nutrition: macronutrient intake, imbalances, and interventions. [Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024.Bandegan A, Courtney-Martin G, Rafii M, Pencharz PB, Lemon PW.Indicator amino acid-derived estimate of dietary protein requirement for male bodybuilders on a nontraining day is several-fold greater than the current recommended dietary allowance.J Nutr. 2017;147(5):850-857. doi:10.3945/jn.116.236331Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al.A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults[published correction appears in Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(19):e7].Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608Mittendorfer B, Klein S, Fontana L.A word of caution against excessive protein intake.Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2020;16(1):59-66. doi:10.1038/s41574-019-0274-7Sun Y, Liu B, Snetselaar LG, et al.Association of major dietary protein sources with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: prospective cohort study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(5):e015553. doi:10.1161/JAHA.119.015553Carbone JW, Pasiakos SM.Dietary protein and muscle mass: translating science to application and health benefit.Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1136. doi:10.3390/nu11051136Wirth J, Hillesheim E, Brennan L.The role of protein intake and its timing on body composition and muscle function in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Nutr. 2020;150(6):1443-1460. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa049Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for obesity.van der Valk ES, Savas M, van Rossum EFC.Stress and obesity: are there more susceptible individuals?Curr Obes Rep. 2018;7(2):193-203. doi:10.1007/s13679-018-0306-y.National Institutes of Health.Molecular ties between lack of sleep and weight gain.Wharton S, Raiber L, Serodio KJ, Lee J, Christensen RAG.Medications that cause weight gain and alternatives in Canada: a narrative review.Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2018;11:427-438. doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S171365Cava E, Yeat NC, Mittendorfer B.Preserving healthy muscle during weight loss.Adv Nutr. 2017;8(3):511-519. doi:10.3945/an.116.014506Kim JY.Optimal diet strategies for weight loss and weight loss maintenance.J Obes Metab Syndr. 2021;30(1):20-31. doi:10.7570/jomes20065Romieu I, Dossus L, Barquera S, et al.Energy balance and obesity: what are the main drivers?Cancer Causes Control. 2017;28(3):247-258. doi:10.1007/s10552-017-0869-zHowell S, Kones R.“Calories in, calories out” and macronutrient intake: the hope, hype, and science of calories.Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2017;313(5):E608-E612. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00156.2017Hervik AK, Svihus B.The role of fiber in energy balance.J Nutr Metab. 2019;2019:4983657. doi:10.1155/2019/4983657Samal JRK, Samal IR.Protein supplements: pros and cons.J Diet Suppl. 2018;15(3):365-371. doi:10.1080/19390211.2017.1353567
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Espinosa-Salas S, Gonzalez-Arias M.Nutrition: macronutrient intake, imbalances, and interventions. [Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024.Bandegan A, Courtney-Martin G, Rafii M, Pencharz PB, Lemon PW.Indicator amino acid-derived estimate of dietary protein requirement for male bodybuilders on a nontraining day is several-fold greater than the current recommended dietary allowance.J Nutr. 2017;147(5):850-857. doi:10.3945/jn.116.236331Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al.A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults[published correction appears in Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(19):e7].Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608Mittendorfer B, Klein S, Fontana L.A word of caution against excessive protein intake.Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2020;16(1):59-66. doi:10.1038/s41574-019-0274-7Sun Y, Liu B, Snetselaar LG, et al.Association of major dietary protein sources with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: prospective cohort study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(5):e015553. doi:10.1161/JAHA.119.015553Carbone JW, Pasiakos SM.Dietary protein and muscle mass: translating science to application and health benefit.Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1136. doi:10.3390/nu11051136Wirth J, Hillesheim E, Brennan L.The role of protein intake and its timing on body composition and muscle function in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Nutr. 2020;150(6):1443-1460. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa049Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for obesity.van der Valk ES, Savas M, van Rossum EFC.Stress and obesity: are there more susceptible individuals?Curr Obes Rep. 2018;7(2):193-203. doi:10.1007/s13679-018-0306-y.National Institutes of Health.Molecular ties between lack of sleep and weight gain.Wharton S, Raiber L, Serodio KJ, Lee J, Christensen RAG.Medications that cause weight gain and alternatives in Canada: a narrative review.Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2018;11:427-438. doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S171365Cava E, Yeat NC, Mittendorfer B.Preserving healthy muscle during weight loss.Adv Nutr. 2017;8(3):511-519. doi:10.3945/an.116.014506Kim JY.Optimal diet strategies for weight loss and weight loss maintenance.J Obes Metab Syndr. 2021;30(1):20-31. doi:10.7570/jomes20065Romieu I, Dossus L, Barquera S, et al.Energy balance and obesity: what are the main drivers?Cancer Causes Control. 2017;28(3):247-258. doi:10.1007/s10552-017-0869-zHowell S, Kones R.“Calories in, calories out” and macronutrient intake: the hope, hype, and science of calories.Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2017;313(5):E608-E612. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00156.2017Hervik AK, Svihus B.The role of fiber in energy balance.J Nutr Metab. 2019;2019:4983657. doi:10.1155/2019/4983657Samal JRK, Samal IR.Protein supplements: pros and cons.J Diet Suppl. 2018;15(3):365-371. doi:10.1080/19390211.2017.1353567
Espinosa-Salas S, Gonzalez-Arias M.Nutrition: macronutrient intake, imbalances, and interventions. [Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
Bandegan A, Courtney-Martin G, Rafii M, Pencharz PB, Lemon PW.Indicator amino acid-derived estimate of dietary protein requirement for male bodybuilders on a nontraining day is several-fold greater than the current recommended dietary allowance.J Nutr. 2017;147(5):850-857. doi:10.3945/jn.116.236331
Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al.A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults[published correction appears in Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(19):e7].Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
Mittendorfer B, Klein S, Fontana L.A word of caution against excessive protein intake.Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2020;16(1):59-66. doi:10.1038/s41574-019-0274-7
Sun Y, Liu B, Snetselaar LG, et al.Association of major dietary protein sources with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: prospective cohort study.J Am Heart Assoc. 2021;10(5):e015553. doi:10.1161/JAHA.119.015553
Carbone JW, Pasiakos SM.Dietary protein and muscle mass: translating science to application and health benefit.Nutrients. 2019;11(5):1136. doi:10.3390/nu11051136
Wirth J, Hillesheim E, Brennan L.The role of protein intake and its timing on body composition and muscle function in healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.J Nutr. 2020;150(6):1443-1460. doi:10.1093/jn/nxaa049
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for obesity.
van der Valk ES, Savas M, van Rossum EFC.Stress and obesity: are there more susceptible individuals?Curr Obes Rep. 2018;7(2):193-203. doi:10.1007/s13679-018-0306-y.
National Institutes of Health.Molecular ties between lack of sleep and weight gain.
Wharton S, Raiber L, Serodio KJ, Lee J, Christensen RAG.Medications that cause weight gain and alternatives in Canada: a narrative review.Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2018;11:427-438. doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S171365
Cava E, Yeat NC, Mittendorfer B.Preserving healthy muscle during weight loss.Adv Nutr. 2017;8(3):511-519. doi:10.3945/an.116.014506
Kim JY.Optimal diet strategies for weight loss and weight loss maintenance.J Obes Metab Syndr. 2021;30(1):20-31. doi:10.7570/jomes20065
Romieu I, Dossus L, Barquera S, et al.Energy balance and obesity: what are the main drivers?Cancer Causes Control. 2017;28(3):247-258. doi:10.1007/s10552-017-0869-z
Howell S, Kones R.“Calories in, calories out” and macronutrient intake: the hope, hype, and science of calories.Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2017;313(5):E608-E612. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00156.2017
Hervik AK, Svihus B.The role of fiber in energy balance.J Nutr Metab. 2019;2019:4983657. doi:10.1155/2019/4983657
Samal JRK, Samal IR.Protein supplements: pros and cons.J Diet Suppl. 2018;15(3):365-371. doi:10.1080/19390211.2017.1353567
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