Protein and Weight Loss: The Truth Behind the Fad
Did you hop onboard the Atkins Diet Train the moment you heard about it? Chances are that you probably aren’t the only one. During the late 90’s and early 2000’s, high-protein/low-calorie diets were all the rage.
Fast food restaurants started creating “Low Carb” menus, meat consumption went up, and low-carb diets were hailed as dieting revolutions.
Even though these diets are no longer as popular as they were only a few years ago, it is clear that there is truth behind the low-carb diets hype.
In fact, research has shown that even though diet pills are excellent ways to lose weight, protein might actually be a better solution!
For example the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition conducted a study that had participants reporting less hunger, greater weight control, and greater meal satisfaction when protein accounted for 30% of daily caloric allowances. Along with this, carbohydrates made up 50% of the diet and fats finished it off with 20%.
According to this study, participants ate an average of 441 fewer calories when their protein levels were higher throughout the day.
Another similar study published in Nutrition Metabolism reports almost the exact same results, but with the addition of an average of 11lbs lost over the 12-week study.
How can this be the case?
We know that body builders use protein shakes to bulk up, not lose weight. It may seem a little backward for women to increase protein, right?
Think again.
Even women who participated in these studies reported weight loss and greater control over appetite, meaning that everyone can benefit from an increased amount of dietary protein.
How Protein Plays a Role in Weight Loss
Researchers aren’t quite sure exactly why this is the case, but for some reason, protein is more successful than carbs or fats at controlling appetite.
Those who eat diets that are higher in protein are generally more satisfied with the amounts they have eaten, which leads them to eat less than they normally would.
How Much Protein Should I Be Eating?
The Institute of Health’s Dietary Reference Intake recommends that anywhere from 10%-35% of calories eaten each day should come from protein.
This is a really wide range that means that you can be eating around 200-700 calories from protein.
To have optimum health, however, it is recommended that women eat about 46g of protein per day.
Surprisingly, in order to receive the weight loss benefits of protein, you are going to need to increase that amount to 120g.
Most women don’t come anywhere near 120g of protein, though.
Start Today!
Don’t go to the store and stock up on meats all at once, because it might be a shock to your system.
Instead, ease into a higher protein diet over the course of a week.
A few things that can help to up your protein consumption are low-calorie yogurt, milk, fat-free mozzarella cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, edamame, lean cuts of meat, jerky, protein bars, and protein powder.
You will find that increasing your protein intake will speed up your metabolism, help you eat fewer calories, and have higher energy levels.