Working out will make your body use protein to repair your muscles and provide energy. If your consuming protein and not being active it will be stored as fat or just disposed of.
Protein does contain fat though, which is why you must be selective about the ones your eating. Cooked chicken breast will have only about 2-3 grams of fat, low-fat cottage cheese will have around 1-2 grams, and even the often vilified red meat only has 6-8 grams. Also egg whites and many fish are very low in fat.
So protein does have fat, but guess what, your body needs fat. Removing healthy fats from your diet will alter hormone levels, brain function, and energy levels, among other things. Peanut butter, avocados, olive oil are examples of healthy fats.
Find yourself craving food you know you'll regret eating? Protein can help. Protein doesn't cause a huge spike in blood sugar like carbs from junk food do. This means you won't have the crash that results from junk food, which will allow you to sustain energy better throughout the day. Protein will also keep you feeling fuller and prevent you from wanting those waist expanding foods.
Protein isn't just for weight lifters. Endurance athletes often need even more protein than weight lifters because they're burning calories at a higher rate. A study in the Sports Medicine journal concluded that endurance athletes may require 50-100% more protein than the average individual. So if your starving yourself and doing ungodly amounts of cardio just to shed some pounds, your just going to break down the muscle in your body.
So don't be afraid of protein. It's not a magic potion that expands your muscles and turns you into the Incredible Hulk (those are called steroids). Protein is a vital part of a healthy life regardless of your goals.
Stay awesome, planet earth...
