Why eating more can help you lose weight. (Spoiler - I’m talking about protein).

If you're like many of the incredible women I work with, the idea of eating more to lose weight probably sounds... a little counterintuitive, right?

To be frank, this is usually one of the most challenging conversations I have with my clients. For years, women been told that less is more and calorie cutting is what we need to do when it comes to shedding fat, and that idea is tough for our brains to shake off. It feels like we're constantly fighting against that ingrained belief.

“While ‘less’ and ‘calorie cutting’ does have some truth and does apply to things like alcohol, processed sugars and refined carbs. When it comes to a very specific nutrient, the rules actually change and even reverse”.

Crazy, right? In fact, embracing this idea can be your game-changer for sustainable weight loss.

I'm talking about protein.

Why our bodies crave protein.

Think of protein as the ultimate fullness indicator or your satisfaction signal. It is sending a clear, strong message to your brain's command centre.

One of the coolest things about protein is how incredibly satisfying it is. When you eat protein, it sends signals to your brain that tell you you're full and happy, which means you're less likely to feel those nagging hunger pangs soon after eating. Animal based proteins also contain more Tryptophan which is responsible for building Serotonin in your brain. Serotonin the happy hormone and is also involved in regulating mood, sleep, digestion and appetite.

Many women think eating the right things is just about willpower and feel guilt when they can’t control cravings and their bodies are stubbornly hanging onto fat. How about if you made your body's natural signals work in your favour, not against you? Protein helps lower levels of Ghrelin (your 'hunger hormone' that screams for food when your stomach is empty). This is a big win for managing cravings and feeling in control of what you eat rather that feeling like your hunger controls you.

The alternative is quick-fix carbs, like junk food or grabbing a sandwich. In the moment it feels like a good idea, but might leave you crashing and feeling sleepy shortly afterwards, then craving more food. Protein keeps your hunger hormones in check and your stomach (and brain) feeling satisfied for longer. You know that feeling of when your body is sleepy after a big carb filled meal? This happens when your insulin stores are overwhelmed by the amount of carbs they have to process. This means they have to temporarily take the other body’s functions ‘offline’ for a bit whilst they process all that sugar contained in starchy carbs like bread, pasta and pastries.

Why more muscles means more calories burnt.

Imagine your body is a furnace. When you burn different fuels, some take more energy to break down than others. Protein is the 'hard-to-burn' fuel. Your body actually uses more calories just to digest and process protein than it does for fats or carbs.

This is a good thing! It is called the 'thermic effect of food’. When you eat protein, you're getting a small calorie burn just by eating it. Over time, it adds up to a little bonus for your metabolism.

Your muscles are your body's calorie-burning engines. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body naturally burns, even at rest. When you're trying to lose weight, we want to lose fat, not those precious calorie-burning muscles! This is why I pair strength training plans with recommendations for protein for all my clients.

Protein is the essential building block for muscle. When you get that magic combination of strength training + protein right, eating enough protein will signal to your body to hold onto that muscle mass and instead, target fat for fuel. In this ‘fat burning mode’ you are shedding fat, preserving your metabolism, and getting that toned look you're working towards. This is what sustainable weight loss looks like.

The hard work of habit change now means the fat will actually stay off and not boomerang back to you later.

The “eating less" trap: Why the strategy we have been socialised to follow is working against us.

I’ll be blunt now: if your weight loss strategy primarily revolves around just eating less of everything, you're likely setting yourself up for an uphill battle against your own biology. Drastically cutting calories without prioritising protein signals famine, triggering persistent, overwhelming hunger. This isn't a lack of willpower; it's your survival instinct. Your hunger hormone, Ghrelin, soars, while Leptin (your fullness hormone) gets confused, amplifying cravings and leading to an unsustainable cycle of restriction and rebound.

This approach also hits the brakes on your metabolism. Without adequate protein, your body is far more likely to break down precious muscle tissue for energy. Why is this terrible for weight loss? Because muscle is your primary calorie-burning engine. Losing muscle makes weight loss harder and regaining easier. This metabolic slowdown impacts thyroid hormones and can lead to insulin resistance, promoting stubborn belly fat. Your current diet might be making your hormones work against you. If you have fat loss goals you want to be burning fat, not precious muscle.

“Why? Muscle is metabolically active – it burns more calories at rest than fat does. So by losing muscle, you're making it harder for your body to burn calories”.

When your body is constantly stressed by under eating protein and blood sugar swings from not enough protein to stabilise them, your cortisol levels (your stress hormone) can stay elevated. High cortisol can contribute to stubborn belly fat and further disrupt your metabolism and energy levels. If your diet isn't supporting your weight loss ambitions; it's undermining them, and your hormones will feeling the impact.

Ok, are you convinced about eating more protein now?

So how do you actually eat more protein and how much exactly are we talking here?

“In short - it’s much more protein than you think and it’s less complicated than you think”.

Let’s talk amounts first:

If you weigh 60 kg and you have a goal of muscle gain and fat loss then I recommend a calculation of: 60 x 2 = 120.

This means you need 120 grams of protein a day. You can either increase the amount of protein in each meal or add protein snacks.

You have to hit that number consistently.
That means every day.
Not just on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Every day really means every day.

Try a tracker app like ‘Protein Pal’ to get a real sense what % protein is in all the things you’re eating. You don’t have to track every single thing you eat, who has time for that anyway… Just track the protein.

Let’s talk about types protein:

Think eggs, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, quinoa and lean meats and fish. A protein-rich breakfast can set your blood sugar and hunger hormones up for success all day. Have protein as the centre of every meal and snack, not starchy carbs! Supplement with collagen powder in coffee and always have a protein shake at some point in the day, especially after a workout. This is when your protein stores need replenishing the most.

You don't need adopt a bodybuilder’s diet and eat only chicken breast for every meal. But eating just one egg a day and a slice of tofu here and there is not going to do it either. A consistent protein intake with each meal and snack helps keep your blood sugar stable, which is key for insulin sensitivity – meaning your body uses energy more efficiently, and less gets stored as fat.

Your body loves variety. Have you heard the phrase “Eat the rainbow”? Pair a variety of vegetables with lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tempeh, beans, lentils, quinoa – lots of delicious options. Different sources provide different amino acids, which are the building blocks for hormones like Estrogen and Progesterone. Good protein intake supports their healthy production and balance. Remember protein from animal sources has higher % protein than plants like lentils or beans so you’ll need way more if you’re a veggie.

Since protein is very filling, it might be overwhelming to overhaul your entire diet overnight. Start by adding a extra protein to one meal a day, then two. Gradually you’ll notice how you feel, I promise it will feel easier over time! Your body and hormones (and mood) will start to respond positively to this nourishing approach.

As a women's strength trainer, I've seen firsthand the incredible transformations that happen when women shift their mindset from scarcity to smart nutrition, giving their bodies the protein they need.

Let’s summarise the key takeaways I want you to remember:

- Mindset change is the hardest part of all of this. The old 'eat less' mindset is not serving you. It is too simplistic. Women that spend their lives on deprivation diets have higher cases of PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and suffer from muscle decline in the long term which is devastating for Estrogen levels and long term health.

- Protein is a tool - You’re not just losing weight; you're building a stronger, more resilient, more hormonally balanced and more energetic you. Working with your biology is so much easier than working against it.

- Motivation - I won’t pretend it is easy. After all, you are probably changing the habit of a lifetime and if it was easy, everyone would be doing it wouldn’t they? You can do this and your body will thank you for it in the long term once it becomes an ingrained habit.

- Tracking - If you’re struggling with amounts of protein, try tracking for a while with an app like ‘Protein Pal’ to get a sense of how much you are really eating. I bet it is less than you think!

Want to explore how to best integrate protein into your specific weight loss and muscle building goals?

Let's chat! Book a free consultation now.