If you look at any diet plan you will notice that protein is never something to balance. It would seem that every diet has high protein. Especially low carb or paleo diets. But what are the reasons protein is important for your weight management? Protein is used by the body to repair tissues, create enzymes, hormones, build muscle, cartilage and so much more. If you’re dieting, you’ve surely noticed the amount of protein you take in daily. Protein does so much for our bodies and when we’re trying to lose weight it works overtime.
Once you learn the reasons protein is important for your weight management you become one step closer to fully understanding weight loss.
Natural Appetite Suppressant
Protein has been shown to reduce your appetite naturally. The more protein in a meal the faster you will get that full feeling. That is what makes protein a great addition to your diet plan. The idea is as old as time but it works for so many people. The idea is that if you fill up early, without eating much food you will naturally lose weight. For example, there was a study done where each meal had 30% of the calories as proteins. People in that study ate 441 fewer calories per day.
Prevents Muscle Loss
There is a big difference between losing weight and losing muscle mass. None of us want to lose muscle mass, we just want to be more fit and healthy. Unfortunately, losing muscle is a side effect of weight loss. This is because we are limiting our intake and not giving our bodies what is needed to build muscle. Luckily, that is one of the reasons we increase the amount of protein we take in daily. That protein will help protect our muscles while still allowing us to lose weight.
Reasons Protein is Important for Your Weight Management | Thermic Effect of Food
The thermic effect of food is the energy we use to digest foods. Protein takes a lot more energy than most foods to digest. That means that the thermic effect of protein is higher than most foods. The side effect of this is that you actually burn calories while digesting protein. That doesn’t mean you should go out and eat nothing but protein to lose weight and the effect is small. However, it is still there and every bit of help is surely appreciated.
Protein as Fuel
Protein is often considered an energy booster. But the energy protein boosts is a little different than what you might get from a cup of coffee. The body needs certain things in order to burn fat. One of the things your body uses protein for fat burning. This is one of the reasons protein is important for your weight management. When you have the right amount of protein in your diet plan, you give your body what it needs to burn fat. This is how amazing protein is, it helps protect your muscles and helps you burn fat at the same time.
Balance
Protein does so much for your body and weight loss. However, like anything else in life, balance is key. Protein still adds to the number of calories you take in daily. If you aren’t working out and getting enough physical activity done, protein can be dangerous. This is why every diet has a good amount of protein but also recommends physical activity. Think of it this way. Protein put into your body is only activated by working out. If you don’t do any physical activity, that protein will add to your fat instead of burning it. That is another reason protein is important, it gives you a reason to go on that nightly walk, hit the gym, whatever it is you do to workout.
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