The Power of Protein - Fuel Your Diet and Weight Loss Metabolism

As we age, our metabolism slows down making weight gain easier. Find out why the power of protein can help fuel your weight loss metabolism. It's not just about calories in and calories out anymore, but combining the right types of food. Research shows combing Protein/Good Carbohydrates/Good Fats are the best combination to help increase your weight loss metabolism.

 

Proteins in general help balance hormones and reduce fat, while good carbohydrates balance sugar levels, and good fats help control appetite while helping to prevent cravings. In this article, we are going to explore the power of protein and look at three important points of making lasting change:

1. The important thing about protein is that you get a high quality protein. Protein is made of a variety of amino acids, but the amino chain research is showing to be important in weight loss is Leucine. A high quality protein included in each meal or snack can help fight fat, maintain muscle mass, and creates a natural diuretic effect.

2. A good guideline for high quality protein is about 30 percent of your calorie intake at each meal or snack. The FDA guideline recommends only 10 percent, but research in the area of weight loss supports a higher level of protein intake. Good sources of high quality protein include whey protein, animal and dairy sources. Those animal and dairy sources include: cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, red meat, milk, cheese, eggs, pork, fish, chicken, legumes, peanuts, nuts and seeds. Dr. Donald Layman, from the University of Illinois, has done extensive research in this area. He has found that a high protein (particularly leucine rich diet) in combination with lower carbohydrates (150 grams or 600 calories per day) is effective to support weight loss.

3. How do we make eating high quality protein a habit. The next couple articles will talk about the combination of high quality protein, with good carbohydrates and good fats, but doing all these things at once can be overwhelming. Since high quality protein can help power your weight loss, it is suggested to work on that component of your diet first. Studies show it takes 21 days to make something a habit, so take one day at a time and plan your protein intake for your meals and snacks. Do that for 21 days. Once you feel that it has become a natural part of your meal and snack planning, next work on changing the type of carbohydrates you eat. It is okay to take 21 days to make a lifetime habit.

Making dietary changes can be overwhelming, after all, we didn't get this way overnight. Weight gain has been an accumulation of a long period of time. So take your time and learn more about the power of protein and how it can increase your weight loss metabolism, then take one day at a time over the next 21 days in order to make this a lasting change. Because as you know, you cannot eat an elephant whole, but you can eat it one bite at a time. We will talk more about good carbohydrates in the following article.

As a person who is interested in living a healthy and active life but also improving my diet, I strive to find the best in health and nutrition. I am also passionate about teaching others and helping them to incorporate changes in their life to help them live their best life. For more information, visit http://www.improvingdiet.com.

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