Protein is important to the integrity of bone, organs, and body systems at all life stages, and protein restriction has been shown to reduce growth hormone, says BetterBones.com. A high protein diet will help your body to carry out basic bodily functions, boost metabolism, suppress your appetite and much more. It's best to get your protein from natural sources such as lean meats, eggs, nuts and protein shakes.
Build and Repair Muscle
Protein is known as the building blocks of muscle since it aids in the building, repair and maintenance of lean muscle tissue. A post-workout is one of the best time to get protein into the body so that the protein can be delivered to your muscles, to begin healing the "micro tears", very small tears in the muscle tissue, caused by intense contraction of the muscle during workout, in the muscle, says Bodybuilding.com.
Appetite Suppresant
A high protein diet will help to reduce hunger pangs throughout the day and suppress sweet cravings. High protein meals such as an egg white omelet, turkey sandwich and chicken breast with veggies will keep you fuller for longer. Also, include high protein snacks between meals such as Greek yogurt, almonds, cottage cheese and protein shakes to keep your blood sugar stabilized and energy levels peaked.
Weight Loss
Protein will rev up your metabolism since your body will burn more calories to digest protein then it takes to burn carbs or fat. The natural appetite suppressant properties will help you to fight cravings and stay on track with your diet. Also, protein's ability to rejuvenate muscle tissue after a workout will help you to recover quickly and train often without soreness.
How much protein should I eat?
According to StrongLifts.com, the United States RDA recommends 0.8 g per kg or 0.4 g per lbs of body weight. For example a 200 lb. individual should consume 80 g of protein per day to lose or maintain their weight. An easier way to figure this out in your head is to take your weight, divide it in half, and subtract 10 which will calculate the total amount of grams of protein you should consume each day, says MSNBC.com. Those looking to gain muscle mass should aim for 1 to 1.5 g of protein per lb of body weight. Spread out your protein intake throughout the day by including a lean source of protein in each meal or snack.
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