Aim for about 15% of your calories from protein while you lose weight, keep the calorie cut moderate, and keep up strength exercise. Guidelines from the Indian Council of Medical Research's National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN) connect all three with keeping muscle during weight loss. 1 Every protein source counts towards that 15%, from dal, curd and eggs to newer foods such as yeast protein.
Why Strength Can Slip While Losing Weight
When you eat less than your body uses, it draws on its own stores to make up the difference. ICMR-NIN explains that when the calorie deficit is very large, protein from food gets burned for energy and stops protecting muscle. 1
Inactivity adds to the risk. The guidelines link the loss of muscle to not using it, so weight loss that relies only on eating less, without exercise, puts more muscle at risk.
How Much Protein to Take While Losing Weight
Protein requirements shift when you eat less. During weight loss, "how much protein should we take in a day?" becomes a question about calories as much as body weight. ICMR-NIN suggests that about 15% of energy from protein may be important for preserving muscle on a typical weight loss diet. 1 It describes that diet as one that runs 500 to 750 kcal a day below your needs.
Protein gives 4 kcal per gram, so the 15% can be turned into grams. 2 On a 1,600 kcal plan, 15% is 240 kcal, which is about 60 g of protein. The table shows the same sum for other calorie levels.
| Calories on Your Plan | 15% from Protein | Protein a Day |
|---|---|---|
| 1,200 kcal | 180 kcal | About 45 g |
| 1,400 kcal | 210 kcal | About 53 g |
| 1,600 kcal | 240 kcal | About 60 g |
| 1,800 kcal | 270 kcal | About 68 g |
| 2,000 kcal | 300 kcal | About 75 g |
Your allowance of 0.83 g per kg works as a minimum alongside this. A 75 kg person has an allowance of about 62 g, so on a 1,600 kcal plan they would aim for at least that. For many adults on 1,400 to 1,600 kcal, the ideal protein intake per day falls somewhere between 53 and 62 g.
A Slow, Moderate Calorie Cut
The guidelines favour slow weight loss. A loss of about half a kilogram a week is considered safe, and a weight reduction diet should not go below 1,000 kcal a day. 1 They also advise against rapid weight loss approaches.
They set one more limit that protects muscle: the calorie deficit should not go beyond 40% of your daily needs. 1 If you need 2,200 kcal a day, a 40% cut is 880 kcal. In that case the plan should not drop below about 1,320 kcal.
Strength Exercise During Weight Loss
Protein and exercise work together. Training the major muscles at least twice a week is part of ICMR-NIN's advice for adults. 1 Body-weight moves such as squats and push-ups count, as do bands and weights.
Strength work also gives you a way to track progress beyond the scale. If the loads you lift hold steady or rise while your weight falls, you are keeping your strength.
Counting Protein Drinks, Including Horlicks Protein, in Your Calories
A common question is "can protein powder increase weight?" Like any food, it adds calories, so it can if it pushes the day above what you burn. Counting it inside the day's calories solves that. The same goes for a protein powder for muscle recovery after workouts, whose protein and calories count like any other food.
The Horlicks Protein milkshake lists 171 kcal for its 240 ml bottle, with 20 g of ultra-filtered milk protein and no added sugar. Fermented yeast protein is the protein source in the Chocolate and Coffee powders. Each 36 g sachet gives 24 g of protein in 200 ml of cold water or milk. Check the sachet's label for its calories, and count the milk you mix it with. Stick to one serving a day, which is the brand's advice.
Summary
To keep strength while losing weight, take about 15% of your calories from protein. That is around 53 to 60 g on a 1,400 to 1,600 kcal plan, and it should not fall below your allowance of 0.83 g per kg. Lose weight slowly, at about half a kilogram a week, never eat below 1,000 kcal, and keep the calorie cut within 40% of your needs. Train your muscles at least twice a week. Count every food and drink, including a Horlicks Protein serving, inside the day's calories.
Sources
1. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024.
https://nin.res.in/dietaryguidelines/pdfjs/locale/DGI_2024.pdf
2. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Indian Food Composition Tables, 2017.
https://www.nin.res.in/ebooks/IFCT2017.pdf