What is Protein? (Patreon)

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Let's talk protein!

As many of you know, protein is one of three macronutrients (Fats, Carbohydrates, and Protein). While all macronutrients are important, protein has an extremely important role in many vital bodily functions.

When you are in a calorie deficit, protein requirements are increased in order to prevent your body from breaking down your existing skeletal muscle for energy. The point of a calorie deficit is to short change your body on energy in order to force it to find the energy elsewhere. When protein is adequate in the diet, the body will pull the extra calories almost exclusively from your fat stores. This in turn depletes the fat and ultimately leads to fat loss (weight loss).

In this infographic, there is an example at the bottom demonstrating how to find your protein range. The example uses the LOW end. This number is a good starting point for people who are not used to eating a lot of protein. As you consistently hit that target, slowly increase that number until you are closer to the 2.2g per kg of bodyweight (or 1g per lb of bodyweight).

In the coming weeks, I will be posting information on fats and carbohydrates as well.