06/12/2026
When I tell clients to hit 1g of protein per pound of ideal body weight, the immediate pushback is always: "That's way too much protein, that's too many calories!"
But here is what calorie-counters miss: those calories don't behave like carbs or fats. Protein is biologically expensive to digest. In fact, you burn about 25% of the calories in protein just breaking it down!
Carbs and fats are your biological batteries, but protein is your scaffolding. To even try to use it for fuel, your body has to strip away a nitrogen molecule through a rigorous process called deamination. Then, your liver has to work to convert the remaining amino acids into glucose for the brain or ketones to fuel your muscles.
The Takeaway: This is exactly why I advise my clients to count their macronutrients and not just their calories. Separate the pure energy you need to perform from the structural building blocks you need to recover and thrive.
Stop stressing over the total calorie count, hit your protein goal, and let your metabolism do the heavy lifting. 💪
Drop a 🥩 in the comments if you are hitting your protein goal today!
TrainingForLife FolsomCA Metabolic Health
