Calorie restriction and protein intake is important for men trying to reduce body fat, but maintain lean muscle mass. Consuming a high-protein diet can help prevent the loss of lean muscle mass commonly associated with weight loss, according to a study published in a 2010 edition of “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.” Combining a high-protein diet with low-carb intake is associated with more fat loss during the first six months of dieting, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Percent of Calories

For safety reasons, keep your protein intake within recommendations set by the Institute of Medicine, which advise getting 10 to 35 percent of your daily calories from protein. But aim high -- usually 20 to 25 percent of your calories from protein should do the trick. Protein comprises about 20 percent of the calories in sample weight loss meal plans for men provided by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The maximum safe upper limit for protein is 35 percent of your calories from protein, according to a study published in a 2006 edition of the “International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.”

Calorie Needs

To help reduce body fat, lower your energy intake by about 500 calories per day to lose about 1 pound of body fat per week. Reduced-calorie diets containing 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day are often effective weight loss diets for men, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. But, if you feel hungry on one of these diets, you may need to boost your intake.

Grams of Protein

Since eating 20 to 25 percent of your calories from protein can help with fat loss -- and protein provides 4 calories per gram -- you can determine the number of grams of protein required for fat loss based on your calorie needs. Men following 1,200-calorie weight loss diets should aim for 60 to 75 grams of protein per day; men eating 1,600 calories a day need 80 to 100 grams; and men following 2,000-calorie meal plans require about 100 to 125 grams of protein per day to help reduce body fat.

High-Protein Foods