nutrition
Protein
The macronutrient (4 kcal/g) that builds and repairs tissue, preserves muscle in a deficit, and has the highest satiety and thermic effect.
Protein is the most metabolically valuable macronutrient for body composition: it preserves lean body mass during a calorie deficit, carries the highest thermic effect (~20–30% of its calories burned in digestion), and is the most satiating nutrient per calorie. Most fat-loss and muscle-retention research supports 1.6–2.2 g/kg of bodyweight per day, split across meals to repeatedly clear the leucine threshold. Use our protein-per-meal calculator to set your targets.
Primary Sources
- Morton RW 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." Br J Sports Med. 2018.
- Leidy HJ et al. "The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance." Am J Clin Nutr. 2015.