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Protein Weight Loss

How much of a high protein intake is required for an effective protein weight loss program? It depends on the body makeup, amount of daily exercise, and the particular goal. A daily protein mix or a high-protein diet may be all it takes to supplement a healthy lifestyle.

It is unlikely that a single protein meal replacement provides the needed mix or number of calories to maintain body functions. The body needs fats, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other essential body-building tools.

To build muscle mass, protein is essential. There are also those who advocate a high-protein diet or even higher protein diets to either control weight or to lose weight. So how does protein affect metabolism? … and what is protein?

Protein is a series of 20 chain links, each called an amino acid. Some of these are essential amino acids, others nonessential amino acids, and still others a combination of both categories. They put together either a complete protein or an incomplete protein.

A Protein Mix of Complete and Incomplete Amino Acids

Complete proteins, as from animal fat, build muscle mass and contain all nine of the essential amino acids. Incomplete proteins derived from plants lack one or more of the essential amino acids and need to be supplemented to become a complete protein.

Animal protein, although complete, is higher in fat, especially saturated fat, and low in dietary fiber. Plant proteins are free from cholesterol, have multiple disease fighting phytochemicals, and don't contain saturated fats, but must be eaten with other foods to be complete and effective.

Thus, animal protein may be complete but can lead to heart disease and other health problems.

How Does A Protein Weight Loss Program Work?

Protein and weight loss work together. Proteins release a hormone called PYY which acts like a gauge that tells the body it's full and to stop its craving for food. Researchers are working control PYY to reduce obesity. Obese people need to eat more food, more calories, and more protein before the PYY hormone is triggered. A high protein mix can act to short-circuit that process.

In a study with two groups of men, those who ate a high-protein diet satisfied their hunger more easily. When it came to high-carbohydrate meals, men with normal weight said that high-fat meals were more satisfying, but obese men preferred the high-carbohydrate meals.

But a high-protein diet always released more hormones whether the men were normal weight or obese. It seemed to conclude that to lose weight, a high protein intake was the way to go.

A report from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition seemed to provide an ideal protein diet. It stated that at the point when fat was reduced to 20% of total calories and protein was increased to 30% of calories, the subjects felt the least hunger and the greatest meal satisfaction.

On an average, participants ate 441 few calories per day than in their usual diet. The study seems to bear out the theory that a protein weight loss diet limits appetite in a way that leads to weight loss.

Information from the US Food and Drug Administration states that a person needs 50 grams of protein a day in a 2,000 calorie diet. This is only 10% of the calories from protein. This is enough to preserve muscle mass on a daily basis, but is not enough to help burn fat or to build muscle, especially during a weight loss regimen.

Other Benefits From A Fuller Dietary Protein Mix

Extra protein reduces insulin levels, more so than carbohydrates or fats. In addition, it also helps secrete glucagon which is another hormone that signals the body to burn fat for energy. Glucagon hinders the production of cholesterol and promotes the release of excess salt and fluid in the kidneys.

Calories from protein are not the same as calories from other foods. The body burns 30% of the calories supplied from protein just to be able to break down and metabolize the protein itself.

Body Building and Protein Shakes

Everyone agrees that the time to take protein shakes for weight loss and muscle building is immediately after a workout. Trainers recommend it. This is the time when muscle tissues begin rebuilding and just the ideal moment for a high protein intake.

A lean body muscle mass increases the basal metabolic rate which is the minimum calories needed in a day just to keep the body functioning properly. Put another way, for the same body weight, muscles burn more calories from doing nothing than a flabby body does.

Dangers From A Protein Weight Loss Program

Consuming excess protein has its drawbacks. A high protein meal replacement creates a ketotic situation where additional toxic waste is released into the blood stream and the body's pH balance is altered. The kidneys must work harder to filter this waste as it tries to reestablish normalcy.

Also, the body turns to burning fat and proteins for energy instead of carbohydrates. While protein weight loss sounds promising there is also a limit to the protein mix one can ingest daily.

In the search for protein weight loss, a high-protein diet should not contain more than 25% of total calories from proteins. Before undertaking a protein mix diet, consult your primary care physician to ensure you are not impacting an underlying medical condition.

The previous articles is on Weight Loss Diets.

Other wiki resources:  weight loss diets; protein and weight loss; being overweight; water retention