How to use protein as the foundation of satisfying meals.
What the evidence says
- Meal-specific recommendation: at least 25-30g protein per meal for satiety benefits1
- Recommended intake: 1.2-1.6 g protein/kg body weight/day (~90-150g for most adults)1
- Meta-analyses show greater weight loss, fat mass loss, and lean mass preservation with higher protein1
- 6-month RCT (n=60): fat loss nearly twice as great with 25% protein (128-139 g/d) vs 12% protein (76-80 g/d)2
- 12-month study (n=50): high-protein group lost -9.4 vs -5.9 kg and had 10% greater reduction in intra-abdominal adipose tissue during follow-up2
- Higher-protein diets improve body weight management through appetite modulation1
- During weight loss with reduced energy intake, absolute protein can drop below RDA (0.8 g/kg/d) even when percentage stays the same — express protein as absolute grams, not just percentage2
- Compliance is the primary factor determining long-term success — higher-protein diets show substantially better compliance: 8% dropout (25% protein) vs 28% dropout (12% protein) at 12 months1,2