I'm curious about how necessary eating protein is when losing weight, i dont want to lose any muscle but do however want to lose fat, so where should i start?

To calculate your daily protein needs in grams, multiply your weight by 0.4. However, the math formulas may vary depending on your activity level (like if you're more active, you will obviously need more protein).

Keep in mind though...if you consume more protein than you really need, you risk several negative consequences. Excess protein will end up being stored as body fat.

In addition, eating protein at the expense of vegetables, grains and other healthy foods can deprive your body of essential nutrients. Plus, it can cause dehydration because it takes a lot of water to eliminate extra protein.

im not sure how much it will matter, but im a guy...

Resistance training will help keep muscle mass. As for protein, opinions vary. Some experts, particularly nutritionists specialising in strength sports recommend at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, whilst other suggest more than half that and/or a ratio of 40/30/30 for carbs/protein/fat.

Woah, I had at least a paragraph in my last post, but somehow got cut off. Anyway...

When losing fat, you will inevitably lose muscle anyway (although not a lot at all). The best way to retain muscles is to include resistance training in your program. To make the most of your fat loss, simply eat healthy and combine it with a good workout regimen that consists of weightlifting and cardio.