According to a study conducted in 2021 by the Ligue contre l'obésité, 47% of French people are overweight. For many of us, weight loss is the key to well-being. At a time when dietary supplements are flooding the market, we are often faced with high-protein slimming products.
So can protein powder and whey help us lose weight? Or, on the contrary, does whey make you put on weight , as we sometimes hear? In this article, we propose to make the link between whey and weight loss.
Weight gain and weight loss: a matter of calorie intake
Before getting to the heart of the matter, we need to understand the biological mechanisms that affect our body weight. We gain weight when we absorb more calories than we expend. Conversely, we lose weight when our caloric intake is insufficient to meet our energy expenditure.
There are two ways to lose weight: either reduce calories ingested through dieting, or increase calories burned through physical activity and sport.
To maintain a healthy figure, everyone needs to find the right balance. It's in everyone's interest to review their diet for a healthier, more balanced diet. They should also consider physical activity.
Without a balanced diet combined with regular physical activity, a person is exposed to the notorious "yo-yo effect". As soon as they stop dieting, they will quickly put on weight again.
So we focus on our lifestyle and diet to see lasting results. On the same subject: what's the lowest-calorie whey?
Protein powder and weight loss
It should be noted that taking whey and protein powders does not directly lead to weight loss. Nevertheless, these products, and high-protein dietary supplements, can help you stick to a diet.
In particular, protein-rich dietary supplements have remarkable satietogenic (hunger-reducing) power. They are effective appetite suppressants, which can help you avoid snacking between meals, while keeping your calorie intake under control.
In fact, proteins release fewer calories than lipids and as many as carbohydrates. 1 g of carbohydrate or protein corresponds to 4 kcal, whereas the same amount of fat produces more than twice as much energy.
When practicing sport, the proteins and amino acids provided by whey protein are not burned, but used to build muscle. In this sense, they affect calorie intake only to a limited extent.
What's more, whey consumption combined with strength training has been shown to progressively reduce the ratio of body fat to lean body mass. In other words, even if the athlete doesn't lose weight, or even gains it, his or her physique will be "improved", as muscles grow and fat mass falls.
We're only focusing on the slimming and weight loss aspects of whey here, but check out this article if you'd like to know more about why you should consume whey, which whey to choose for your lean body or which whey to take for mass gain.
Is taking whey and high-protein products beneficial during a diet?
Today's slimming diets are giving increasing prominence to protein. Proponents of this practice take up the arguments mentioned above. However, it should be pointed out that a diet excessively rich in protein is potentially harmful to the consumer's health.
What's more, studies carried out in recent years tend to prove that the obesity epidemic affecting wealthy countries is linked to a diet rich in meat, and therefore protein. Without physical activity, the body will use these nutrients to build up fat reserves.
Protéaples proteins, for example, deliver 370 kcal per 100 g (no added sugar range). One shaker therefore represents around 120 kcal. Without appropriate physical exercise, the body can store these 120 kcal, if they are in excess of energy expenditure.
We would therefore stress that whey or any other product of this type is not a miracle solution for losing weight. It's essential to plan appropriate training sessions to lose weight, always in conjunction with a balanced and varied diet.
Whey protein
Only 117 kcal per shaker for 23 g of protein
- 100% made in France 🇫🇷
- No additives, no sweeteners
- Isolate naturally rich in BCAA (5 to 6 g/serving)
Available in packs of 3 to 4.5 kg
For athletes and body-builders, whey protein will help build muscle in the post-workout phase.
When dieting, if the daily calorie intake is not sufficient to meet energy needs, the body can also destroy muscle fibers to produce energy.
Here, in a similar way to the post-workout repair mechanism, whey, or other protein sources, help protect muscle and prevent muscle wasting in calorie-restricted situations.
Which whey to choose for weight loss?
Not all protein powders are suitable for dieting. As the name suggests, consuming whey gainer could well ruin your efforts, as these products provide a significant amount of carbohydrates. That's why we prefer whey protein, a high-purity, low-calorie protein powder.
When choosing your whey, you'll need to consider the calories it can provide. Ideally, your whey will provide you with between 350 and 400 kcal per 100 g.
We also look for a product without sweeteners. Remember that sweeteners mixed with whey have a much higher sweetening power than common sugar (sucrose).
By consuming sweetened protein powder, you increase the chances of breaking your diet, since this substance will accustom your brain to an excessively sweet taste, and make you seek more and more of it in your conventional diet.
Whey protein - no added sugar
Formula developed by qualified pharmacists 🔬
"The best on the market! No nauseating sugar taste."
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When should you take your protein to promote weight loss?
Whey is best taken after training, if you want to maintain or increase muscle mass. To accelerate and optimize weight loss, whey should be taken as a dessert or snack to take advantage of its appetite-suppressant effect.
If the situation calls for it, whey protein can also be used to skip a meal. However, we would like to stress that we do not encourage this practice. Indeed, we do not recommend whey as a meal replacement, despite its remarkable nutritional qualities. The most important thing is to integrate whey into your diet, whether as part of a physical preparation program or as part of a diet. In all cases, choosing the right whey is crucial!
What's more, don't forget that all this advice and whey intake will come to nothing without a healthy, balanced diet. Furthermore, it's crucial to stay properly hydrated when dieting, and to be monitored by a professional dietician and/or nutritionist.
Frequently asked questions about whey and weight loss
How much protein does a woman need a day to lose weight?
Dietary guidelines suggest a protein intake of around 0.8 grams per kilo of body weight per day.
However, for weight loss and muscle preservation, this amount may need to be increased. Research indicates that an intake of 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilo of body weight may be more effective for weight loss and muscle preservation.
For example, a woman weighing 60 kg could aim for between 72 and 96 grams of protein a day.
When should you take protein to lose weight?
It's important to spread protein intake throughout the day, and to eat protein at every meal and snack to improve muscle protein synthesis, promote satiety and reduce cravings.
The body cannot properly assimilate more than thirty grams of protein in a single intake. As soon as you need to consume more than 30 g of protein, you need to plan more than one intake, at least two hours apart.
The quality of the protein consumed is just as important as the quantity, so it's advisable to opt for complete protein sources that supply all the essential amino acids, such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and certain combinations of plant proteins.
Can you take whey without sport to lose weight?
In short, yes, it is possible to take whey without sport to lose weight, as it has an appetite-suppressant effect and helps reduce feelings of hunger, which can be useful for controlling cravings and overall calorie intake.
However, whey should not replace meals, but rather complement them. Remember that a successful diet relies on a balanced diet and regular exercise to consume more calories than you take in.
It's only when combined with a slight calorie deficit and regular physical activity that whey can be a valuable ally in weight loss.
It is also possible to consume proteins outside of sports supplements, such as lean meats, dairy products, eggs, legumes, and certain vegetables and cereals.
How much whey per day to lose weight?
The amount of whey you need each day to lose weight depends on the rest of your diet. You shouldn't exceed 2 portions per day, but the exact amount depends on your needs. In most diets, with an intelligent diet, one whey shaker a day (25g of protein) is sufficient to meet protein needs and limit muscle loss.
If the aim is solely to speed up recovery, a post-training shaker will suffice. In this case, whey will tend to be consumed only on training days.
It's also important to review your diet as a whole before starting supplementation, to avoid whey shakes constituting an excess that will encourage weight gain in fat mass.
Further information
Intelligent integration of dietary supplements into your diet or physical preparation is the key to stable, lasting progress. To find out more, read our articles:
How to take whey?
How much whey should you take a day?
Should youtake a whey shaker before going to bed?
Which whey should you take when you're just starting out?
Should youdrink the foam from your whey?
Which whey is right for top-level athletes?
