Eating healthy with protein is a great way to lose body fat, accelerate metabolism, suppress hunger and prevent age-related muscle loss. Protein has a natural thermic effect upon the body, meaning that it takes more calories to digest protein than either carbohydrates or fat. Structuring your diet around healthy sources of protein can energize your workouts and provide amino acids to the body for repair and rejuvenation. Active individuals require more protein and should aim to get about one gram of protein per pound of body weight. Eat more protein to stay lean and healthy.
Step 1
Eat protein with each of your five to six smaller meals throughout the day. This meal strategy keeps metabolism elevated and balances blood sugar. Build each meal around a 15 to 30 g serving of protein. Even vegetarians can achieve this by including soy, peas, beans or whole grains in their diet.
Step 2
Choose lean sources of protein that are low in saturated fats. Examples of these proteins are chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef and pork, egg whites or whey protein. These are considered clean proteins are are not readily stored as body fat.
Step 3
Make sure to have a serving of protein within 30 to 60 minutes of waking. Sleep is a catabolic time, meaning that the body breaks down its tissues for energy. If you do not eat protein soon after waking in a fasted state, the body will respond by releasing the stress hormone cortisol, which promotes fat storage and muscle loss. High cortisol levels are associated with many chronic diseases.
Step 4
Use whey protein as a healthy mid-meal snack or meal-replacement. "The Fat Burning Bible" recommends this fast-digesting protein as a diet staple that can help burn more fat and build metabolically active muscle tissue. Whey protein can also boost the immune system and supply needed calcium for bone health.
Step 5
Take a serving of protein immediately before and after your workouts. Whether you lift weights, run on the treadmill or just take a leisurely stroll in your neighborhood, your body requires amino acids to recover. Eating protein supplies these amino acids, which the body uses to repair damaged muscle tissue and regenerate itself.
Step 6
Have a protein snack before bed. For example, 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese with fresh blueberries, sprinkled in stevia sweetener. This protein snack supplies much-needed amino acids to the body in a trickle effect while you sleep.
References
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; Rodale, 2004
- "Combat the Fat"; Jeff Anderson; CQC LLC, 2008
- "The Fat Burning Bible"; Mackie Shilstone; John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2005
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