09/02/2026
Weight Loss, Part 3: Pull the Right Levers
Protein is your anchor. Carbs and fat are what you actually adjust.
We’ve covered the math of weight loss in Part 1 and the mindset behind sustainable weight loss in Part 2.
Now let’s talk strategy... specifically, which macros should you actually adjust when your goal is losing body fat while maintaining muscle?
Protein Is the Anchor
When calories come down, getting enough protein becomes even more important for helping maintain muscle while you lose weight.
Protein isn’t just about building muscle. When you’re eating in a calorie deficit, getting enough protein helps protect the muscle you already have.
And that matters.
The goal shouldn’t simply be to make the number on the scale go down. Ideally, you want to lose body fat while preserving as much lean muscle as possible.
There’s an important relationship at play here, too: the more aggressive your energy deficit becomes, the more important adequate protein intake becomes... not less.
Protein also works in your favor in two other ways.
First, it tends to keep you fuller for longer, which can make a calorie deficit easier to maintain.
Second, protein has a higher thermic effect of food than carbohydrates or fat. In other words, your body uses more energy digesting and processing protein.
That doesn’t make protein some magical weight-loss food.
But it does make getting enough protein an important part of a smart weight-loss plan.
Carbs and Fat Are the Levers
So if we’re prioritizing protein, where does the calorie deficit actually come from?
Usually, carbohydrates and dietary fat.
These are your adjustable levers... the ones you can raise or lower based on your goals, training, lifestyle and preferences.
Want more energy around your training? Lean a little heavier on carbohydrates.
Prefer a lower-carb approach? Shift more of your remaining calories toward fat.
Prefer a more balanced approach? Divide the remaining calories between carbs and fat in a way you can actually sustain.
Either way, protein remains the anchor while carbohydrates and fats become the dials you adjust to reach your calorie target.
And this is why fad diets that automatically make one macronutrient the enemy tend to miss the bigger picture.
Carbs aren’t inherently the problem. Fat isn’t inherently the problem.
It’s about intentionally deciding how to allocate the calories surrounding your protein target.
For the full article by Jaime Rothermich, RD, LD click 🔗on the comments...
