Dermagenex

No , this isn’t a sales pitch   for the hottest “fad” diet plan telling you to only eat eggs and cottage cheese to get skinny !  It is, however, going to explain how protein and weight loss work   hand in hand and the best choices you need to be making to accelerate your weight loss efforts.

Without getting to “techy” , let me explain a little about protein.  It’s made up of amino acids, known as “the building blocks of protein.”  Your body produces some of the amino acids, but the rest must come from your diet . Protein plays a vital role in your diet, just as carbs and fats do. Without protein you body simply wouldn’t work right .  With more than 10,000 proteins in the human body, it’s vital that you restore your supply every day .  Important in bulding and repairing muscles, getting enough protein while you’re toning and sculpting those muscles is very important .

Protein and Weight Loss:  How It Works

What makes protein work so well for losing weight ? Protein takes longer for your body to digest which gives you a natural boost in your metabolism.  Studies have found that one of the amino acids, in particular leucine, can help rev up your metabolism resulting in weight loss.
 
Typically when you’re on a weight loss diet you tend to lose muscle mass.  Leucine helps prevent this which means that you’ll be more likely to lose fat, not muscle.

It has also been shown that protein secretes a hormone that tells your brain you are full, meaning you’ll eat less . And, you’ll feel full longer.  In addition , the slower rate of digestion means that you won’t get the spike in blood sugar like you do when you eat carbs .

Since protein acts as a natural diuretic, you’ll also avoid retaining water .

Many believe that it is easier to keep losing weight while on a higher protein diet than a high carb diet.  High carb dieters are more likely to get “stuck” and be unable to continue losing weight than those getting more high quality protein.

Starting out your day with a high protein breakfast also gives your liver a kickstart , which, in turn, boosts your metabolism and even keeps the fire stoked for as long as 12 hours.

Having some protein every 3-4 hours will keep your energy up and beat your cravings at bay . It’s also best to have smaller protein portions throughout the day rather than one over-sized serving at dinner, since too much protein at one time can still end up being stored as fat .

Another protein tip :  eat a small protein snack before going out to dinner or a party and you won’t be as likely to over indulge on all the “bad” choices available .

What Foods Should You Choose ?

You should aim for “complete” proteins at each meal.  These are the proteins that come from animal sources — eggs, milk and meats. You want to be selective when choosing meats — many contain a high percentage of fat.  Instead choose lean red meat, chicken breast, turkey breast, pork tenderloin etc.

Other excellent choices are eggs.  If you prefer to lose a few of the calories and fat you can choose egg whites, as these are just about pure protein.  You can find a lot of tasty recipes for egg white omelettes!

Fish is another complete protein source like tuna, salmon and shellfish.  Non-fat and low fat dairy (cottage cheese is a high leucine food) as well as whey protein powders are also good choices for complete proteins .  

Even though protein and weight loss sounds like a dieter’s dream , don’t forsake all other food groups !  The best weight loss methods include a sensible combination of protein, carbs and fats for a healthy eating plan .