High protein diets build lean muscle and promote fat burning for many reasons. Protein suppresses catabolic hormones like cortisol, which break down lean muscle. Foods rich in protein have a thermic effect that speed up metabolism for more fat burning. Timing your protein intake determines how your body will use the amino acids from protein sources. Follow a few basic high protein diet suggestions to get the most out of your diet and fitness program.
Morning Protein Shake
Drinking a morning protein shake immediately upon waking puts your body back into an anabolic or muscle-building state after seven to eight hours of fasting during sleep. When you wake your cortisol levels surge, according to "The Cortisol Connection" by Shawn Talbott. Cortisol breaks down muscle and stops fat burning cold. Taking a whey protein shake upon waking stops cortisol and jump-starts metabolism.
Six Meals Per Day
Eat six meals or snack per day, each with some quality protein. High-quality proteins contain all of the essential amino acids that the body cannot synthesize. Excellent protein examples include fish, turkey, eggs, chicken and whey protein. Breaking your daily nutrition into several smaller meals keeps you burning fat and building muscle, according to "The Abs Diet" by David Zinczenko.
Digestive Enzymes
"Combat the Fat" author Jeff Anderson recommends taking digestive enzymes with your protein to increase absorption of the amino acids. The building blocks of proteins, amino acids serve as the raw material from which muscles repair themselves after exercise. Enzymes catalyze every chemical reaction in the body and act as critical co-factors in digestion. Anderson says that enzymes significantly improve assimilation of the BCAAs or branched-chain amino acids, which play a very important role in muscle recovery.
Workout Nutrition
Time your protein intake around your workouts to provide the body with the much-needed amino acids to fuel intense training and recovery. Take fast-digesting whey protein mixed in water 60 minutes before your workout. Immediately after your workout, take another serving or two of whey protein to speed up muscle recovery, say "Xtreme Lean" authors Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman.
Daily Protein Intake
Zinczenko recommends taking in about one gram of protein per pound of your body weight to support your muscle building and/or fat burning goals. Due to the thermic or heat-generating effect of protein foods, your body must burn more calories through digestion. By comparison, carbohydrates and fats have a much lower thermic effect, meaning digesting them burns fewer calories.
Protein Per Meal
Lawson and Holman recommend getting at least 20 to 30 g of protein per meal to ensure that you reach your daily total. You can increase the protein content of any meal by adding a whey protein shake mixed in water. Whey protein contains 20 to 30 g of protein with very little sugar, carbohydrate or fat. Protein at each meal stabilizes blood sugar to prevent body fat storage, says Mackie Shilstone in "The Fat Burning Bible."
Protein Deprivation
High protein dieters can benefit from short periods of protein deprivation, says fitness expert Nick Nilsson. He recommends eating only fruit for one day a week, out of your normal high protein diet. This trains your body to super-compensate and absorb and store more amino acids when you recommence the high protein protocol.
References
- "The Cortisol Connection;" Shawn Talbott; 2002
- "The Abs Diet;" David Zinczenko; 2004
- "Combat the Fat;" Jeff Anderson; 2008
- "Xtreme Lean;" Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2005
- "The Fat Burning Bible;" Mackie Shilstone; 2005
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