In a new study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers asked 40 young men to undergo rigorous diet and exercise changes. The men reduced their daily calorie consumption by 40% and performed intense workouts, including cardio and weight training, 6 days a week. Half the subjects ate a high protein diet while the other half ate a standard, lower calorie, diet. After 4 weeks, the high protein group lost an average of 10.5 pounds while the lower-protein group lost only 8 pounds. This may not seem like much but a closer look at the data revealed that the high protein group gained 2.5 pounds of muscle and lost 13 pounds of fat while the lower protein group gained no muscle at all.