Does Increased Protein Intake Really Help Weight Loss?

I often see posts by OH members who are increasing their protein intake in order to maximize their weight loss.  Does this really help?  Do you also increase your daily caloric intake by increasing your protein, or do you substitute carb calories for protein calories? The only carbs I eat are weight control oatmeal (higher protein & fiber than regular oatmeal), LF/FF dairy products, non-starchy vegs, a little fruit, and the carbs found in the occasional protein bar.  No bread, pasta, or rice.  I'm reluctant to give up my carbs because I've read that fiber is important for weight loss.  Plus I just started taking a medication that has constipation as a side effect, and I'm anxious to avoid that. What has your experience been? thanks, Jean

Your body uses carbs FIRST when it needs energy.  Carbs are immediately turned into blood glucose and used to fuel your normal body functions.   Protein is not used first for energy - it has other tasks in the body to deal with first.  What's left over after it deals with muscles, blood cells and such is then used to provide energy. The key to weight loss is forcing the body to feed off it's own fat cells (stored energy) first and use what you're feeding it as a secondary source of energy.  So protein helps accomplish this task. Of course your body NEEDS carbs for many very specific functions (brain health, for example) so we can't cut out all carbs.  And the carbs you listed are on the good side of what we should be eating.  Just make sure you're eating MORE protein than you are carbs.    And yes, fiber is very important to a healthy digestive system.. and so is omega 3 fatty acids .. so don't cut either of those out.   I shoot for 25-30g fiber per day. I also shoot to keep my total carb grams below my total protein grams.  So if I eat 90g of protein, then I'm allowed up to 89g of carbs.  I rarely hit that close, but this is what works for me.  I also try to keep my calories to around 10 calories per 1g of protein.  So if I eat 90g of protein I try to keep my calories around 900-1000.  At least that's a general rule of thumb I've noticed with where my calories tend to fall when I have a good-eating day. HTH Pam

Just to make a minor correction: If protein is in excess of the body's requirements, it is metabolized to glycogen or fat and subsequently used for energy metabolism. So, although the body prefers carbohydrates for energy, it can use protein for energy as well. In excess, it can also be stored as fat. Just to clarify a little.

Holy cow what? I was told in support group once that excess protein the body couldn't use right then wasted - that the body could not "store" protein in any way.   I assumed this to be true because when I eat EXTREMELY high amounts of protein in a short while (some high protein meal preceded or followed by my 42 g protein bullet), I have to have a major BM sometimes. 

Your body does not store protein, it will convert the protein into fat for storage. Any time you eat more calories than your body uses, the excess calories are stored as fat. It does not matter if the excess calories come from protein, fat or carbs. Excess calories = fat storage.

How soon is the protein turned into fat? Example: I am drinking a 181 calorie protein bullet in the morning with 42 grams of protein in it. I am SURE I use all my calories during the day (1000 calories per day is what I am allowed and I am quite certain I use all those and more). But I get in WAY more protein during the day than the minimum 60 my surgeon set for me.  I usually get in about 90 - 100 grams of protein per day.   So even though my CALORIES are OK, should I worry about my protein being too much and turning into fat? I don't want to be LOSING fat through a low calorie intake only to be GAINING fat at the same time from too much protein. 

It's about the calories, not the protein. So, no, if you're taking 1000 calories & burning 1000 calories or more, you won't gain weight with this.

I have a question...  the "word" out there is that the body only uses 30 g of protein at a time.  Thus, I see wls patients afraid to consume a 42 g protein bullet because they believe that extra 12 g is wasted.  But of course in the wls patient, we do not absorb all the we take in anyway due to our surgery...  I wouldn't add a scoop of protein to a bullet to get a 60+ protein drink and expect to have my daily requirement, of course...  but I would not tell someone to only drink 3/4 of the bullet because the rest is wasted either.... Where does the 30g protein absorption in one sitting "word" come from, is it true/false, and where can I obtain info on this?I have done some websearches but nothing that looks credible....

It's false, we've discussed this many times before. Check the archives. If I find the link I'll pass it on.

I'm not sure how to check the archives?  I would love to have a link.  thanks!  I don't normally visit this forum... such a big world within this little website! lol. Thanks