Plan on Protein

Make sure you eat enough protein to support weight loss. Higher protein diets (25 – 35% of calories) are more effective than lower protein diets, calorie for calorie.

Why?

  • Eating protein can increase your metabolic rate.
  • Protein has a higher thermogenic effect than other nutrients.
  • Protein stimulates glucagon production, a fat burning hormone.
  • Protein foods are more effective at controlling appetite than are carbs or fats.
  • Protein helps maintain fat-burning muscle while you lose weight.
  • Protein is less likely to increase blood sugar or stimulate insulin compared to carbohydrates, calorie for calorie.

You should eat a minimum of 0.6 – 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day. If you are exercising heavily and building muscle, increase your daily protein intake to 1 gram x your weight in pounds. Be sure to drink plenty of water to help metabolize this.

Include protein with each meal. We recommend adding a protein to each snack as well. This will help control appetite and blood sugar.

How Do I Add Protein?

The best protein sources include lean meats, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy products, eggs, soy products and protein powders. Beans, nuts, and seeds are also healthy sources of protein, although they will have a larger amount of carbohydrate (beans and peas) or fat (in the case of nuts or seeds) along with them.

Plant sources of proteins have other health benefits as well. They are a good supply of healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that may protect us from many degenerative diseases.

Try some of these ideas to add more protein into your diet:

  • Have a smoothie for breakfast or a snack. Your protein source could be protein powder (whey, rice, soy), yogurt, milk, soy milk, or even almond milk. Add your favorite frozen fruit and a little liquid, and blend.
  • Celery filled with natural nut butter (almond, cashew, or peanut butter are all delicious)
  • High protein snacks include boiled eggs, nuts, seeds, cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese. To increase the protein content of yogurt, stir in some protein powder or cottage cheese.
  • Leftover chicken wing or leg, or dip bite-sized chicken pieces into mustard
  • Wrap thin slices of roast turkey, chicken, or beef around a pickle.
  • Hummus makes a delicious dip for veggies.
  • Add protein powder to higher-carb foods like oatmeal or baked goods or even to desserts like pudding and cheesecake to increase the protein content.