Tuesday 2 June 2015

How Much Protein Is Good For You?

There are many differing opinions about how much protein is enough protein.

A recent review of studies has indicated that the intake of protein helps improve appetite, manages a healthy body weight, reduces cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors and increases dietary compliance.

The dietary compliance, for me, has been a major change in how I have managed my diet over the last couple of years.  Prior to understanding the benefits of ensuring my diet was protein rich, I used to attempt to lose weight by calorie restriction, and notably the protein content of my overall food would reduce.  Ultimately, this slows the metabolism, so when I stopped the calorie restriction, the weight would come back on!!  The CLASSIC YO-YO DIET EFFECT

The effect of feeling 'hungry' and not satisfied was that my ability to comply to a new lifestyle was soon broken down and I would resume my old habits.

With the increase in protein I now get from my diet, and the nutritional products I use, I can now happily stay satisfied and feeling full between my meals, this ensures my dietary compliance!

Needless to say, this is the first time I have ever kept my weight off (apart from a natural cycle of increasing and decreasing) for well over a year.  Enormous pleasure!!

Ultimately, if you are looking to decrease your weight, you need to speed up your metabolism.  Your metabolism uses 20 - 30% of the protein you take in, in metabolism and storage, compared to only 5 - 10% of your carbohydrates.  This means that your metabolism is less likely to slow with the protein sources, meaning that it remains high, thus burning up the extra 'storage' you have on your hips and abdomen!!  Love it!

Muscle building is what we are aiming for when we are losing weight, to do this, we need the protein! About 20 - 30g of protein per meal to ensure the muscle is being built, rather than lost. 

Most changes of diet that include calorie restriction ultimately result in muscle mass loss, which in turn results in a slower metabolism, and that yo-yo effect again!

Ensure You Obtain Your Protein!

I Do!

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