Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a renowned health expert and researcher known for her insights into anti-aging, nutrition, and overall wellness. In a recent Instagram post shared on November 20, 2024, Dr. Patrick discussed the impact of a study suggesting that additional fiber and protein can result in up to a 13 percent decrease in body weight.
“If you want to lose weight, consider focusing on getting a greater portion of your total calories from protein and fiber.”
With her background in biomedical science, emphasizing mitochondrial metabolism, Dr. Rhonda Patrick is constantly researching health and fitness. Through her work, she explores how exercise and diet impact longevity and has debunked several myths surrounding weight loss, including why intermittent fasting isn’t a miracle diet.
However, Dr. Rhonda Patrick provides her followers with better solutions to shedding unwanted body fat, such as simply counting calories. She revealed how easily individuals can underestimate the amount of food they consume while overestimating how active they are, leading to less weight loss. Instead, she advocates for being a good self-scientist and liberally tracking calories, at least for a few days, to gain a firm grasp on dieting practices.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick Shares How Greater Fiber and Protein Intake Can Accelerate Weight Loss Goals
In her latest offering on Instagram, Dr. Rhonda Patrick offered her thoughts on a study suggesting that consuming more calories that come from protein and fiber could lead to significant weight loss changes over a 12-month period.
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“A new study found that individuals who increased their intake of protein and fiber experienced significant weight loss over a 12-month period, without the need for calorie counting, frequent weigh-ins, or detailed food logging.”
“The diet was centered on consuming foods with higher protein and fiber density—targeting at least 7 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber per 100 calories.”
It was found that individuals who ate more protein and fiber lost the most weight.
“The greater the dietary protein and fiber density, the more weight participants lost, with some achieving up to a 13% reduction in body weight during the study period.”
Not only did they lose up to 13 percent of their body weight but close to 80 percent was from fat mass, not muscle.
“Focusing on protein and fiber intake helped preserve lean body mass, with nearly 80% of the weight loss coming from fat mass and only about 15% from skeletal muscle mass.”
Dr. Rhonda Patrick points out that the participants of this study didn’t have to track their nutrition or dieting progress; they simply just ate more protein and fiber throughout the day.
“What’s interesting is that these people didn’t have to count calories, they didn’t have to frequently weigh themselves, and they didn’t have to do any food logging, all they did was focus on consuming foods that are high in protein and high in fiber” Dr. Patrick explained.
She goes into the benefits fiber and protein offer and why they are great to incorporate into a diet focused on weight loss.
“What’s so unique about protein and fiber in the context of weight loss?”
“Fiber promotes satiety, helping to reduce hunger after meals, while protein not only boosts feelings of fullness but also increases energy expenditure due to its higher thermic effect. Additionally, a high-protein diet helps preserve lean body mass and promotes fat loss during calorie restriction.”
Dr. Rhonda Patrick highly recommends prioritizing whole foods packed with protein and fiber to help with weight loss, noting that it provides individuals with more energy while increasing bone health, gut health, and much more.
“If your goal is weight loss, weight maintenance, or simply to feel fuller for longer, prioritize whole foods rich in protein and fiber. You’ll also receive myriad health benefits associated with fiber and protein that range from muscle to bone health to gut health and beyond.”
When it comes to consuming more protein and fiber to lose weight, Dr. Rhonda Patrick isn’t the only one promoting this practice. Bodybuilding expert Arnold Schwarzenegger has previously revealed that individuals who ate more protein lost more weight than their counterparts, with the same being said for fiber.
“At the end of the two years, the people who ate more protein lost an average of about 17 pounds, which was three times as much fat loss as those who ate the least amount of protein.”
“And during the first six months of the study, those who consumed the most fiber lost an average of 23 pounds.”
Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s findings are backed by science, eliminating the guesswork so her followers can focus on experiencing real and lasting results. With regards to consuming more protein and fiber, Dr. Patrick highlights that their benefits extend far beyond just weight loss. By simply prioritizing these two essential nutrients, individuals can experience a range of additional advantages like gut and bone health.
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