Based on a recent research from the U.S., eating less protein, combined with consuming excess calories may keep the numbers low on the bathroom scale. However, you may end up losing lean body mass as well. 　　In a controlled experiment, researchers put 25 volunteers on a weight-stabilizing diet for two to three weeks before assigning them to a diet composed of 5 percent, 15 percent or 25 percent protein, and stuffing them for two months with 40 percent more calories than the weight-stabilizing diet had required. 　　As expected, everyone put on weight, with each of them gaining around 7.5 pounds of fat mass. However, the results for lean body mass were different. 　　The high-protein group and medium-protein group gained 7 and 6.3 pounds of lean body mass, respectively. The low-protein eaters, surprisingly, lost 1.5 pounds of lean body mass. 　　Researchers said that its because the body cant get sufficient protein and it has to get protein from lean body mass. Researchers suggest those who want to maintain their lean body mass, which is known to be linked to metabolic rate, should have sufficient protein intake.