Everyone's gunning for the ideal way to lose weight, right? There are numerous diets that feature the concept of encouraging protein consumption for losing weight. Proteins are certainly major components of practically every tissue in the body.
They perform many key functions including but not confined to:
1. Serving as enzyme catalysts
2. transport molecules (Hemoglobin-carries oxygen within our blood)
3. Storage molecules (Iron stored as ferritin in the liver)
4. Major component of muscles, bones, skin
5. Immune function/control
6. Control of cell growth
7. Major element of hormones (signaling systems in our body)
Does eating a protein diet to experience weight loss work well? Well, sorta. Balance is a real key. It holds true, as diets like Atkins, South Beach and the NRG Diet all encourage proteins as a major element of the diet plan. Scientifically speaking, proteins do create more heat during digestion and utilization by the body--which means it "TAKES" more energy to use them.
Please, if you haven't already, please ignore the old myths you've learned about carb, protein, and fat calories....e.g. "protein and fat make you fat mainly because they contain more calories"=NOT TRUE
Ugh! I'll write it now in hopes I'll never need to state it again to another patient, I'll just direct them to this blog....proteins, fats, and carbs are all handled differently within your body. Each effects us differently and produces different changes physically, hormonally, etc. Therefore you can't just add up calories and say "Well protein and fat have an overabundance of calories....do not eat those"
As you learn in the NRG Lifestyle, eating meals composed of "White sugar" = Weight Gain. Fact! It makes your levels of insulin rise. What's more, it raises triglycerides, and cholesterol. When insulin rises you will get tummy fat!
Proteins and fat however require different handling by the body. There are definitely more steps involved and the entire body continues to use them to fix tissues and structures all over the body (See summary sentences if you don't fully grasp this)
So, this begs the question, does eating a diet plan higher in protein enhance your chances of shedding pounds? Sure, absolutely, but especially if you will cut down processed sugar from your diet at the same time. On the other hand it's also possible to shed pounds by cutting protein and fat consumption......WHAT?
Seriously, it is possible to lose weight by avoiding proteins and fat for instance. However, the weight you lose can come at a greater expense to vital structures, such as your muscles, bone strength and density, immune function, etc. NOT GOOD! Yes you'll lose fat. but you'll lose vital structural proteins in your body in greater proportions than if you SMARTLY included protein in what you eat. So fish, chicken, turkey, beef (grass fed), eggs (organic) are A-Ok included in a weight loss program.
They perform many key functions including but not confined to:
1. Serving as enzyme catalysts
2. transport molecules (Hemoglobin-carries oxygen within our blood)
3. Storage molecules (Iron stored as ferritin in the liver)
4. Major component of muscles, bones, skin
5. Immune function/control
6. Control of cell growth
7. Major element of hormones (signaling systems in our body)
Does eating a protein diet to experience weight loss work well? Well, sorta. Balance is a real key. It holds true, as diets like Atkins, South Beach and the NRG Diet all encourage proteins as a major element of the diet plan. Scientifically speaking, proteins do create more heat during digestion and utilization by the body--which means it "TAKES" more energy to use them.
Please, if you haven't already, please ignore the old myths you've learned about carb, protein, and fat calories....e.g. "protein and fat make you fat mainly because they contain more calories"=NOT TRUE
Ugh! I'll write it now in hopes I'll never need to state it again to another patient, I'll just direct them to this blog....proteins, fats, and carbs are all handled differently within your body. Each effects us differently and produces different changes physically, hormonally, etc. Therefore you can't just add up calories and say "Well protein and fat have an overabundance of calories....do not eat those"
As you learn in the NRG Lifestyle, eating meals composed of "White sugar" = Weight Gain. Fact! It makes your levels of insulin rise. What's more, it raises triglycerides, and cholesterol. When insulin rises you will get tummy fat!
Proteins and fat however require different handling by the body. There are definitely more steps involved and the entire body continues to use them to fix tissues and structures all over the body (See summary sentences if you don't fully grasp this)
So, this begs the question, does eating a diet plan higher in protein enhance your chances of shedding pounds? Sure, absolutely, but especially if you will cut down processed sugar from your diet at the same time. On the other hand it's also possible to shed pounds by cutting protein and fat consumption......WHAT?
Seriously, it is possible to lose weight by avoiding proteins and fat for instance. However, the weight you lose can come at a greater expense to vital structures, such as your muscles, bone strength and density, immune function, etc. NOT GOOD! Yes you'll lose fat. but you'll lose vital structural proteins in your body in greater proportions than if you SMARTLY included protein in what you eat. So fish, chicken, turkey, beef (grass fed), eggs (organic) are A-Ok included in a weight loss program.
About the Author:
Before you attempt a diet you must read Dr. William Curtis' fantastic article on protein for weight loss. Or you can check out his website for more info on a high protein diet plan.
