High Protein Weight Loss Diet

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A Health Coach May Help You Stay On Track

6 High Protein Recipes For Weight Loss

Trying to lose weight alone can be a daunting task. Thats why Anderson-Haynes says a health coach, which is part of the Ideal Protein plan, can be beneficial.

A study published in August 2022 in JAMA Network Open found that people who had support on a commercial weight loss program shed significantly more pounds than those who took a do-it-yourself weight loss approach.

Retelny agrees that support on a keto style of eating such as Ideal Protein is essential. The accountability of having a coach can positively impact health and help with weight loss and maintenance, says Retelny.

Bringing Back Banned Fruits And Vegetables In Phase 2 Is A Good Thing

While registered dietitians dont love the lack of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts in phase 1 of the diet, the fact that they potentially make a comeback in phase 2 is a positive. Incorporating carbs and healthy fats during the second phase is promising, adds Anderson-Haynes. And according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a diet full of varied fruits and vegetables can decrease your blood pressure, reduce your odds of heart disease and stroke, and prevent certain cancers, among other possible health benefits.

Benefits Of A High Protein Diet

A high protein diet has many benefits for those trying to gain weight. It can help you feel fuller longer, build muscle, and increase your calorie intake.

Here are some of the best high protein foods to include in your diet:

  • Eggs: A great source of protein and calories, eggs are versatile and easy to cook.
  • Milk: Whole milk is a good source of calories and protein, and can be used in smoothies or shakes.
  • Cheese: A higher-fat option, cheese can help you pack in the calories.
  • Meat: Chicken, beef, pork, lamb all lean meats are great sources of protein.
  • Fish: Another excellent source of protein, fish is also packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Nuts and seeds: A good option for vegetarians or those with allergies, nuts and seeds offer a range of nutrients including protein.
  • Beans and legumes: Another vegetarian option, beans and legumes are a great source of fiber as well as protein.

Read Also: Does Protein Build Muscle Without Working Out

Maintaining The Weight You Lose

Getting the right amount of protein as part of a balanced diet is only part of the goal when it comes to achieving a healthy weight. The rest involves changing unhealthy lifestyle habits and exercising regularly to stay healthy.

No matter what kind of diet youre on, its almost always going to be more successful with that exercise component, Pratt states. You also have to maintain that calorie deficit to maintain your weight loss over time. Adding protein to your diet can help you meet your nutrient needs and your health goals, day by day.

The Diet May Encourage Certain Healthy Eating Habits

High Protein Diet  Best Way to Lose Weight?

Experts often discuss the drawbacks of consuming too many treats and sugary drinks, but it can be tough to eliminate these foods entirely. On strict protocols like Ideal Protein, you have to, though. The benefits are that people cut out sugary foods and beverages and think more about the quality of the calories they are eating, says Retelny. It forces those on the diet to be selective about carbohydrate choices, which can be beneficial in treating and preventing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, as well as aid in weight loss, Retelny adds. The Mayo Clinic echoes those possible perks: The right kind of carbohydrates, like those in vegetables, can help prevent diseases, while the carbohydrates in desserts provide little nutrition and can be detrimental to your health, the group notes.

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How Much Protein Should I Eat To Lose Weight

Protein needs vary from person to person. The amount you need depends on several factors, including your age, how much lean muscle you have, your overall health and your activity level.

Only a certain amount of protein can be absorbed and used at once. Its a good idea to eat smaller amounts of protein throughout the day, rather than a lot at one meal.

The recommended percentage of daily calories from proteins is typically 10% to 35% protein. Protein contains 4 calories per gram. This means, if you eat about 2,000 calories per day, youd want to aim for 50 to 175 grams of protein in your daily diet.

Losing weight requires you to burn more calories than you consume. Experts say you should strive to burn 500 calories more than what you eat each day. As far as how much protein to eat, Pratt says its best to check with a registered dietitian or other healthcare provider first if you have a medical diagnosis, such as kidney disease, that could impact your protein needs.

Protein needs vary greatly based on your age, gender, activity level and medical history, she says. In general, you should make sure 10% to 35% of your daily calories come from protein and you should burn 500 calories more than what you eat each day if you want to lose weight.

Does Protein Reduce Hunger

Hunger is an inevitable side effect of cutting calories, but the type of foods you are choosing might help curb your appetite more than others.

Protein is thought to have some well-documented satiating effects, particularly while on a diet .

In one study, consuming 30% of calories from protein caused participants to eat almost 450 calories less per dayleading to twelve pounds of weight loss in 3 months . Some research has even suggested 25% of your calories coming from protein can help curb cravings .

It is no wonder popular high-protein diets recommend roughly 30% to 40% of calories come from protein, which would equal out to 150 to 200 grams of protein per day on a 2,000 calorie diet .

Read Also: How To Measure Protein Intake

What About Protein Powders

Although our bias is that you should get most of your protein from whole foods, protein powders can still be part of a healthy, high protein diet.

You may not need protein powders if you prioritize the food on our list of best high protein foods. But if you fall short of your daily targets, protein powders are an easy and convenient way to get more protein.

Plus, protein powders are a great way to create high protein versions of your favorite desserts, low-carb bread, or smoothies.

If you are going to use protein powders, make sure they have few additives, such as sweeteners, maltodextrin, seed oils, or fillers.

Animal and plant protein powders are both good options, and you can choose which works best for your taste, preferences, and carbohydrate goals.

Summary

  • Foods with the highest protein percentage are low in carbs and fat, like lean meat and seafood.
  • To increase the protein in your diet, look for easy substitutions snack on lupini beans or venison jerky, add two egg whites to your two whole eggs in the morning, or add more meat, seafood, dairy, or legumes to your meals.
  • Mix protein foods with high-fiber vegetables and dont overdo fat to create meals with a protein percentage above 35%.
  • If you struggle to meet your protein goals with whole foods, consider protein powders.
  • High Protein Diet Plans For Weight Gain

    6 Easy High Protein Meals For Weight Loss

    A high protein diet can help you build muscle and lose fat.

    • Here are some sample high protein diet plans for weight gain.
    • If you want to gain weight, you need to eat more calories than you burn.
    • High Protein diet can help you do this by providing your body with the nutrients it needs to build muscle.
    • Muscle is denser than fat, so it takes up less space and makes you look leaner.
    • A high-protein diet also helps you lose fat because it boosts your metabolism.
    • When you eat a lot of protein, your body has to work harder to digest it.
    • This means that you burn more calories even when youre at rest.

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    Protein Is Hard To Store As Body Fat

    During periods of weight loss, there are often times where more energy is consumed than expended. As such, minimizing how much of that excess energy is stored as fat is important.

    The body processes the three different macronutrients in very different ways.

    Leaving out a lot of jargon and mumbo jumbo, in order for protein to be stored as fat, it goes through a much different biochemical process than either carbohydrates or protein.

    This process makes it much harder for protein to store as body fat.

    One study found that protein is stored as body fat with roughly 66% efficiency, while carbohydrates store with 80% efficiency and fats store at 96% efficiency .

    During weight loss, overeating protein results in much less stored body fat than overeating on carbohydrates or fat. If you are looking for ways to lose weight fast, consuming protein is a great option!

    High Protein Diet Meal Plan For Weight Loss

    Do you want to learn a high protein diet meal plan for weight loss? A well balanced diet is the foundation of any weight loss success, so its vital you plan carefully and consider all the options. There are numerous diets out there, but not all of them can produce real results. Short on time and want to eat a high protein diet meal plan? Look no further. This article will show what to do so you can eat a high-protein diet healthy in no time.

    Recommended Reading: Protein Shake With Water Or Milk

    What Are The Total Calories And Macros For This Weight Loss Meal Plan

    A low calorie diet has been shown to result in weight loss, despite the distribution of macros. However, for this 1200 calorie that is high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and low in fats, the totals are: 1151 cal / 153 g protein, 86 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat. If you count macros, that is close to: 55% protein, 30% carbs, and 15% fat

    When I create calorie focused meal plans, I meal plan in a way that the calories are a little under, rather than over. I go under on the planned calories for a few reasons.

    For one, its difficult to get accurate measurements for calories of the foods you eat. Different tools, different reporting methods, and different products vary in calorie range.

    But the biggest reason the plan is slightly under 1200 calories is because there is plenty of things we eat that often go untracked. Bites, nibbles, sauces, veggies, vitamins, gum, and even sugar free foods actually do carry calories.

    So, at the end of the day, youll likely be closer to 1200 calories, even if you think you are eating less.

    IMPORTANT: Products will vary on nutrition information. The nutrient counts for the calories, carbs, and protein, as I am reporting them are taken from a report in MyFitnessPal, that you can see here.

    Up Your Protein With 5 Meals That Melt Stubborn Belly Fat

    Vegetarian Meal Plan: 1, Calories

    If you’re trying to lose weight, it may surprise you to learn the best guest you can invite to dinner is protein. You heard that right! Protein consumption is an incredibly effective way to ward away extra girth at mealtimes. So get ready to whip up some healthy goodness and increase your protein intake with four high-protein recipes for belly fat loss.

    According to WebMD, incorporating protein in your diet can help control cravings and feelings of hunger, which in turn can boost your weight loss efforts and burn fat all over. When it comes to protein selection, WebMD reveals protein sources that are rich in nutrients and low in calories and saturated fats are the way to go.

    Research backs up how necessary a high-protein diet is if you’re looking to drop weight because it takes a longer period of time for proteins to break down. The gradual digestion process is golden, because you will feel fuller longer, and you’ll be less likely to eat more. In addition, research shows that protein speeds up your metabolism. So if you’re ready to add protein-enriched meals to your rotation, read on to learn some high-protein recipes for belly fat loss.

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    How Do We Define A High Protein Diet

    Summary: High protein diets are:

    • Diets with more than 25% of calories from protein
    • Over 1.6 grams of protein per kilo of body weight
    • Diets with more protein than the Recommended Daily Allowance , which is set at 0.8 grams per kilo.

    There is no universally agreed-upon definition of a high protein diet, and what you consider high may depend on where you start.

    At Diet Doctor, we define adequate protein as over 1.2 grams per kilo per day and high protein as over 1.6 grams per kilo per day or above 25% of calories. We recommend that most people aim for 1.6 to 2 grams of protein per kilo or 25-35% of calories from protein to ensure adequate protein intake. And you should aim for the higher end of that range for a high protein diet.

    Our definition of high protein is relative to The US Institute of Medicine, which sets 10% to 35% of calories as the acceptable range for protein intake. But its likely that you can safely eat much higher than 35% of your calories from protein.19

    What You Can Eat

    A high-protein diet generally recommends getting more than 20% of your total calories from protein. That typically means eating fewer calories from carbohydrates or fats to keep your calorie total in balance.

    No foods are expressly forbidden on a high protein diet, but eating more lean proteins and fewer refined carbohydrates, sugars, and fats are recommended.

    There is no suggested meal timing for a high-protein diet. However, some people on a high-protein plan also practice intermittent fasting, which involves restricting calories to specific days of the week and fasting on others, or going for extended periods without eating each day, such as 16 hours a day.

    Read Also: What Does Protein Mean In Urine

    Use More Calories To Digest Foods

    When you eat, your body burns calories as it breaks down food, absorbs nutrients and turns food into energy for your body. This is called the thermic effect of food .

    Your body burns more calories digesting protein than carbohydrates, so protein has a higher TEF. Just by eating protein, youre already burning more calories. Thats good news if youre trying to burn an extra 500 calories each day in order to lose weight.

    Theres Not Enough Research On Ideal Protein

    High Protein Foods To Burn Fat I High protein diet weight loss

    There are no studies showing that this specific plan can help people lose weight and keep it off to improve their health. The company claims that weight loss is healthcare, but whether weight loss through Ideal Protein directly helps people become healthier is unproven. Beyond that, the Cleveland Clinic notes there isnt enough evidence to show the ketogenic diet more broadly is safe over a period of 20 to 30 years.

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    Benefits Of A High Protein Diet For Weight Loss

    Studies show that increasing your protein consumption can significantly affect your appetite, metabolism, weight, and body composition.

    Let us look at the benefits of a high protein diet for weight loss:

  • Promotes Satiety: More protein in your diet may help to reduce your hunger and appetite for several hours after you eat. A high-protein diet reduces the hunger hormone called ghrelin while increasing appetite-suppressing hormones. This could limit binge eating.
  • Enhances Metabolic Rate: A higher protein intake burns more calories as your metabolic rate increases by 20-35% to digest protein than just 5-15% for carbohydrates or fat digestion.
  • Helps Balance Body Composition: When you eat fewer calories, your metabolism slows down, partly because of decreased muscle mass. Meanwhile, eating more protein might help prevent muscle loss and maintain a healthy metabolic rate. Hence, a high-protein diet aids in fat loss while preserving muscle mass, thus maintaining a healthy body composition.
  • Increases Muscle Mass: Studies show that combining a high protein diet with resistance exercises enhances muscle size and strength, thus improving your muscle mass. This is essential to protect your bones.
  • Helps Manage Blood Sugar Levels: When you combine protein with carbohydrate-rich foods, it slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. This may help keep your blood sugar levels from fluctuating, while preventing future cravings.
  • Why Do You Want To Protect Lean Mass

    When cutting calories to shed pounds, you will lose a combination of fat and muscle weight. But your goal should be to lose more fat than muscle.

    More lean mass means a better body composition , helping you look more toned and lean overall. Muscle is also your storage place for carbs , meaning you can process carbs and store them more efficiently. The more muscle you have, the less body fat you store. So when it comes to losing weight, maintaining your muscle is going to be a huge benefit.

    Also Check: Reviews On Vega Protein Powder

    Calculating How Much Protein You Need

    Use the USDA DRI Calculator to determine how much protein you need. Its a well-established way of determining your nutrient needs, including protein recommendations.

    The online calculator uses your height, weight, age, sex and activity level to show your:

    • Recommended macronutrient intake .
    • Recommended micronutrient and water intake.

    Do I need more protein if Im very active or an athlete?

    Yes. Highly active people need more calories in general. These extra calories should come from protein, as well as carbohydrates and fat.

    For weight loss, athletes and heavy exercisers should consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of their goal weight. That recommendation may vary, depending on the type and intensity of activity. It also depends on the type of protein youre eating and when its consumed throughout the day.

    Its a good idea to talk to a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to get personalized nutrition recommendations based on your health, activity level and goals.

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