The macronutrient protein is widely regarded as a dietary essential, with repeated emphasis on meeting the recommended intake based on body weight and rightly so. The benefits range from supporting muscle mass to better regulating appetite.
Protein makes you gain more weight unless you do strength training exercises. (Adobe stock )
But this focus is misconstrued, as many end up taking the wrong takeaway, equating higher protein intake with guaranteed fat loss. So, to what extent does protein help in shedding weight?
Fitness trainer Kripa took to Instagram on November 24, 2025, to dispel this misunderstanding, helping people make more informed dietary decisions. According to her, protein intake can lead to weight gain. This may seem counterproductive, suggesting your protein intake can backfire if proper care is not taken.
How can protein make you gain weight?
It is a blind spot situation, because, as per the fitness trainer, most people have ‘no idea why’ this happens. They may gain weight, but they are not able to trace back to the source because protein is mainly viewed in a positive light. Many may get carried away and end up loading their daily diet with protein. After all, if something is healthy, more must mean faster and better results, right? However, this belief is flawed and, in many cases, triggers the opposite, unintended result.
The trainer reasoned, “Protein only helps fat loss when your body has a place to send it, which is your muscles.”
This means protein does not act by itself like a magical concoction; your body has to be ready to utilise it.
Kripa further added, “If you are not strength training, that extra protein does not magically become muscle; it just becomes extra calories, and extra calories are nothing but weight gain. No strength training is equal to excess calories is equal to fat gain.”
In other words, you cannot compensate for low physical exercise with higher protein intake. Exercise, especially strength training, prepares the body to utilise protein effectively by converting it into muscle. Without this, excess protein is more likely to be stored as fat.
What to do?
What is the way forward? You need to adopt a plan that supports your protein intake, which includes non-negotiable strength training exercises.
Kripa assured that one can stack up to 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal, but they also need to do at least two to three sessions of strength training every week.
Furthermore, one also requires a mindset shift as the trainer touched upon the importance of consuming protein mindfully rather than blindly. When you begin to build muscle through strength training, protein is more likely to be converted into lean mass instead of being stored as body fat.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them. This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
