Do protein calories still “count”? 👇 Yes. But not in the way most people think. There’s a popular narrative right now that protein calories “don’t count.” That they can’t be stored as fat. That protein somehow “breaks” calories-in-calories-out. Understandable. Incomplete. Here’s what the science actually shows: 1️⃣ Protein still obeys energy balance If you overconsume energy — from any source — fat mass increases. That’s physiology, not opinion. 2️⃣ But protein changes what happens to those calories Protein is metabolically expensive. Digesting it, building new proteins, and disposing of nitrogen all require energy. Higher protein intake: • Raises resting and total energy expenditure • Increases thermic effect of food • Supports lean mass gain So protein calories are less efficient at becoming body fat — not incapable. 3️⃣ Fat gain tracks calories. Lean mass tracks protein (to an extent). In tightly controlled overfeeding studies: • Fat gain is similar across protein intakes • ...