Protein: Your Secret Weight-Loss Weapon

You'd think that if the low-carb diet craze taught us anything, it's the importance of protein. But even if you haven't eaten a hamburger bun since the late '90s, it doesn't necessarily mean you're getting enough of what typically goes between the bread.

Recently, the diet pendulum has swung in favor of counting calories—an effective weight-loss tool, but not one that always prioritizes protein. "Many women perceive foods that are rich in protein as being high in calories or fattening," says Laura J. Kruskall, Ph.D., R.D., director of nutrition sciences at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. This isn't the case, but diehard counters know that most proteins will cost you a few more calories than fruits and veggies will.

What's more, protein isn't as portable as other foods. The best sources—fish, meat, dairy, beans—aren't as quick or convenient as most carbs or even fruits and veggies. "Traditional protein sources aren't usually grab and go. And if they are, they're often fried or unhealthy," says nutrition expert Angela Ginn, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

That may help explain why up to a third of women between the ages of 20 and 40 don't get their RDA of protein, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And in light of the fact that a growing number of nutritionists believe that the current dietary guidelines for this mighty macronutrient are way too low, we're really missing out.

Consider this: A Johns Hopkins University study found that a diet in which roughly a quarter of the calories (about 60 percent more than the recommended 10 to 15 percent) come from lean protein sources reduced blood pressure, LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels, and triglycerides better than a traditional higher-carb diet. Other research finds that diets rich in protein can help prevent obesity, osteoporosis, and diabetes.

The Power of Protein
The moment it leaves your fork, protein starts winnowing your waistline. High-protein foods take more work to digest, metabolize, and use, which means you burn more calories processing them. They also take longer to leave your stomach, so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time. The cumulative effect has obvious benefits for anyone who is watching her weight.

In a study published in Nutrition Metabolism, dieters who increased their protein intake to 30 percent of their diet ate nearly 450 fewer calories a day and lost about 11 pounds over the 12-week study without employing any other dietary measures.

And if, like most successful dieters, you're burning calories as well as counting them, protein is doubly essential for making sure you lose fat, not muscle. Your body uses the amino acids in protein to build lean muscle, which not only makes you stronger and more toned but also fries calories even when you're not active—unlike lazy fat. Ultimately, this keeps your metabolism humming along at high speed so you can burn off the occasional cookie, no problem.

Pump It Up
Experts advise consuming between 0.5 grams and 1.0 grams of protein per pound of your body weight. That's 70 grams to 140 grams a day for a 140-pound woman. Skew on the high end if you're very active, and on the low end if you're trying to lose weight. If both apply, shoot for an amount somewhere in the middle—around 130 grams.

Even more important: Aim to get at least 30 of those grams at breakfast, says Donald Layman, Ph.D., a professor emeritus of nutrition at the University of Illinois. (That's roughly the amount you'll get from two eggs and a cup of cottage cheese.) After fasting all night, your body is running on empty and may start drawing on muscle tissue for fuel if you don't replenish its protein stores first thing in the a.m. Plus, studies have found that protein-rich breakfasts can help regulate your appetite all day.

But not all proteins are created equal, says Kruskall. While nuts, whole grains, and veggies technically count, they don't contain all nine of the amino acids your body needs in order to build lean muscle. Those that do—known as complete proteins—are typically found in animal products. Your best flat-belly bets are skinless white chicken or turkey, seafood, low-fat dairy, pork tenderloin, and lean beef. All of these foods have just one to three grams of fat per 50-calorie serving.

Vegetarians need to be a little more creative. Pairing incomplete proteins—peanut butter on whole-wheat bread, or brown rice and beans, for example—can pinch-hit for complete ones. Or nosh on complete proteins such as tofu, hemp seed, buckwheat, and quinoa. The beauty of protein is that with so many tasty options, getting your daily dose is a simple pleasure.

Protein to Go
You can't carry a grilled chicken breast around in your purse, so try these more portable options.

Jerky
(1 ounce = 9.4 grams)
Try beef or turkey—both make a flavorful snack.

Roasted Soy Nuts
(1/4 cup = 17 grams)
They're a nice break from the usual peanuts and cashews.

Protein Powder
(a 4 1/2-tablespoon scoop = 16 grams)
Keep a canister of Whey To Go protein powder at your desk for a quick protein fix. It comes in four flavors, mixes well with calories per serving.

Energy Bars
(1 bar = 10 to 12 grams)
Pack a few Luna protein bars (190 calories, 12 grams protein) or Honey Stinger protein bars (190 calories, 10 grams protein) in your bag.

Hard-Boiled Eggs
(1 egg = 6 grams)
Cook a dozen, stick them in the fridge, and grab one when you need a high-protein snack or want to add protein to a meal. Another option: Buy Eggland's Best hard-cooked peeled eggs. Because Eggland's hens are fed organic grain, their eggs have 10 times more vitamin E and three times more omega-3 fatty acids than other brands.

String Cheese
(1 stick = 8 grams)
Pair some low-fat string cheese (80 calories each) with an apple and a few crackers for a filling snack that will easily hold you over until your next meal.




Source
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/protein-weight-loss

How to Lose Weight Fast: 3 Simple Steps, Based on Science

There are many ways to lose a lot of weight fast.

However, most of them will make you hungry and unsatisfied.

If you don’t have iron willpower, then hunger will cause you to give up on these plans quickly.

The plan outlined here will:

• Reduce your appetite significantly.
• Make you lose weight quickly, without hunger.
• Improve your metabolic health at the same time.

Here is a simple 3-step plan to lose weight fast.

1. Cut Back on Sugars and Starches

The most important part is to cut back on sugars and starches (carbs).

These are the foods that stimulate secretion of insulin the most. If you didn’t know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body.

When insulin goes down, fat has an easier time getting out of the fat stores and the body starts burning fats instead of carbs.

Another benefit of lowering insulin is that your kidneys shed excess sodium and water out of your body, which reduces bloat and unnecessary water weight (1, 2).

It is not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds (sometimes more) in the first week of eating this way, both body fat and water weight.

This is a graph from a study comparing low-carb and low-fat diets in overweight/obese women (3).

The low-carb group is eating until fullness, while the low-fat group is calorie restricted and hungry.

Cut the carbs, lower your insulin and you will start to eat less calories automatically and without hunger (4).

Put simply, lowering your insulin puts fat loss on “autopilot.”

Bottom Line: Removing sugars and starches (carbs) from your diet will lower your insulin levels, kill your appetite and make you lose weight without hunger.

2. Eat Protein, Fat and Vegetables

Each one of your meals should include a protein source, a fat source and low-carb vegetables. Constructing your meals in this way will automatically bring your carb intake into the recommended range of 20-50 grams per day.

Protein Sources:

• Meat – Beef, chicken, pork, lamb, bacon, etc.
• Fish and Seafood – Salmon, trout, shrimps, lobsters, etc.
• Eggs – Omega-3 enriched or pastured eggs are best.

The importance of eating plenty of protein can not be overstated.

This has been shown to boost metabolism by 80 to 100 calories per day (5, 6, 7).

High protein diets can also reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60%, reduce desire for late-night snacking by half, and make you so full that you automatically eat 441 fewer calories per day… just by adding protein to your diet (8, 9).

When it comes to losing weight, protein is the king of nutrients. Period.

Low-Carb Vegetables:

• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Spinach
• Kale
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Swiss Chard
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Celery
• Full list here.

Don’t be afraid to load your plate with these low-carb vegetables. You can eat massive amounts of them without going over 20-50 net carbs per day.

A diet based on meat and vegetables contains all the fiber, vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. There is no physiological need for grains in the diet.

Fat Sources:

• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Avocado oil
• Butter
• Tallow

Eat 2-3 meals per day. If you find yourself hungry in the afternoon, add a 4th meal.

Don’t be afraid of eating fat, trying to do both low-carb AND low-fat at the same time is a recipe for failure. It will make you feel miserable and abandon the plan.

The best cooking fat to use is coconut oil. It is rich in fats called Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). These fats are more fulfilling than others and can boost metabolism slightly (10, 11).

There is no reason to fear these natural fats, new studies show that saturated fat doesn’t raise your heart disease risk at all (12, 13).

Bottom Line: Assemble each meal out of a protein source, a fat source and a low-carb vegetable. This will put you into the 20-50 gram carb range and drastically lower your insulin levels.

3. Lift Weights 3 Times Per Week

You don’t need to exercise to lose weight on this plan, but it is recommended.

The best option is to go to the gym 3-4 times a week. Do a warm up, lift weights, then stretch.

If you’re new to the gym, ask a trainer for some advice.

By lifting weights, you will burn a few calories and prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight (14, 15).

Studies on low-carb diets show that you can even gain a bit of muscle while losing significant amounts of body fat (16).

If lifting weights is not an option for you, then doing some easier cardio workouts like running, jogging, swimming or walking will suffice.

Bottom Line: It is best to do some sort of resistance training like weight lifting. If that is not an option, cardio workouts work too.

Optional – Do a “Carb Re-feed” Once Per Week

You can take one day “off” per week where you eat more carbs. Many people prefer Saturday.

It is important to try to stick to healthier carb sources like oats, rice, quinoa, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruits, etc.

But only this one higher carb day, if you start doing it more often than once per week then you’re not going to see much success on this plan.

If you must have a cheat meal and eat something unhealthy, then do it on this day.

Be aware that cheat meals or carb refeeds are NOT necessary, but they can up-regulate some fat burning hormones like leptin and thyroid hormones (17, 18).

You will gain some weight during your re-feed day, but most of it will be water weight and you will lose it again in the next 1-2 days.

Bottom Line: Having one day of the week where you eat more carbs is perfectly acceptable, although not necessary.

What About Calories and Portion Control?

It is NOT necessary to count calories as long as you keep the carbs very low and stick to protein, fat and low-carb vegetables.

However, if you really want to, then use this calculator.

Enter your details, then pick the number from either the “Lose Weight” or the “Lose Weight Fast” section – depending on how fast you want to lose.

There are many great tools you can use to track the amount of calories you are eating. Here is a list of 5 calorie counters that are free and easy to use.

The main goal is to keep carbs under 20-50 grams per day and get the rest of your calories from protein and fat.

Bottom Line: It is not necessary to count calories to lose weight on this plan. It is most important to strictly keep your carbs in the 20-50 gram range.

10 Weight Loss Tips to Make Things Easier (and Faster)

Here are 10 more tips to lose weight even faster:

1. Eat a high-protein breakfast. Eating a high-protein breakfast has been shown to reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day (19, 20, 21).
2. Avoid sugary drinks and fruit juice. These are the most fattening things you can put into your body, and avoiding them can help you lose weight (22, 23).
3. Drink water a half hour before meals. One study showed that drinking water a half hour before meals increased weight loss by 44% over 3 months (24).
4. Choose weight loss-friendly foods (see list). Certain foods are very useful for losing fat. 
5. Eat soluble fiber. Studies show that soluble fibers may reduce fat, especially inthe belly area. Fiber supplements like glucomannan can also help (25, 26, 27).
6. Drink coffee or tea. If you’re a coffee or a tea drinker, then drink as much as you want as the caffeine in them can boost your metabolism by 3-11% (28, 29, 30).
7. Eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods. Base most of your diet on whole foods. They are healthier, more filling and much less likely to cause overeating.
8. Eat your food slowly. Fast eaters gain more weight over time. Eating slowly makes you feel more full and boosts weight-reducing hormones (31, 32, 33).
9. Use smaller plates. Studies show that people automatically eat less when they use smaller plates. Strange, but it works (34).
10. Get a good night’s sleep, every night. Poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for weight gain, so taking care of your sleep is important (35, 36).

Bottom Line: It is most important to stick to the three rules, but there are a few other things you can do to speed things up.

How Fast You Will Lose (and Other Benefits)

You can expect to lose 5-10 pounds of weight (sometimes more) in the first week, then consistent weight loss after that.

I can personally lose 3-4 lbs per week for a few weeks when I do this strictly.

If you’re new to dieting, then things will probably happen quickly. The more weight you have to lose, the faster you will lose it.

For the first few days, you might feel a bit strange. Your body has been burning carbs for all these years, it can take time for it to get used to burning fat instead.

It is called the “low carb flu” and is usually over within a few days. For me it takes 3. Adding some sodium to your diet can help with this, such as dissolving a bouillon cube in a cup of hot water and drinking it.

After that, most people report feeling very good, positive and energetic. At this point you will officially have become a “fat burning beast.”

Despite the decades of anti-fat hysteria, the low-carb diet also improves your health in many other ways:

• Blood Sugar tends to go way down on low-carb diets (37, 38).
• Triglycerides tend to go down (39, 40).
• Small, dense LDL (the bad) Cholesterol goes down (41, 42).
• HDL (the good) cholesterol goes up (43).
• Blood pressure improves significantly (44, 45).
• To top it all of, low-carb diets appear to be easier to follow than low-fat diets.

Bottom Line: You can expect to lose a lot of weight, but it depends on the person how quickly it will happen. Low-carb diets also improve your health in many other ways.

You Don’t Need to Starve Yourself to Lose Weight

If you have a medical condition then talk to your doctor before making changes because this plan can reduce your need for medication.

By reducing carbs and lowering insulin levels, you change the hormonal environment and make your body and brain “want” to lose weight.

This leads to drastically reduced appetite and hunger, eliminating the main reason that most people fail with conventional weight loss methods.

This is proven to make you lose about 2-3 times as much weight as a typical low-fat, calorie restricted diet (46, 47, 48).

Another great benefit for the impatient folks is that the initial drop in water weight can lead to a big difference on the scale as early as the next morning.

On this plan, you can eat good food until fullness and still lose a ton of fat. Welcome to paradise.

Source

6 Tricks To Combat Hunger And Lose Weight

Most of us know where our next meal is coming from. Yet our reaction to hunger has not evolved with our convenience-centered world. This is why even the thought of being hungry may send you running to the mini-mart for sustenance. It's also why some people get so "hangry" when they're hungry.


The problem: A lot of different factors influence how hungry you feel—many of which have nothing to do with your body's energy requirements. Your eating habits and schedule, the types of food you swallow, and even how tired or stressed you feel can drive hunger.
These six tips help you control hunger and feel satisfied when you eat.

1. Silence your gut






While fatigue or stress can trick your belly into believing it craves unhealthy junk foods, there are a few proven ways to help chill out its "feed me!" pleas. It may sound counterintuitive, but expending a little energy can help. A yoga practice, gym workout, or even a 10-minute stroll can help quell those fictitious hunger pangs. Keeping food out of sight can help, too. Seeing food makes you crave food, shows research from Cornell University. (Here are 5 ways to kill your food cravings.)

2. Plan your meals

While "grazing"—or eating lots of small meals—had its day in the sun, the bulk of the research suggests sticking to three meals a day is a better plan for weight loss and hunger management. First of all, the fewer chances you give yourself to over-eat, the better. Also, when you only have three meals to manage each day, it's a lot easier to plan ahead—and that's exactly what you should do. (Follow these easy meal-prep tips to keep on track.) Again, you can't trust your gut when it comes to judging your food needs. By deciding ahead of time what you're going to eat at each meal, you won't be subject to your stomach's unpredictable whims. (Follow this perfect day of clean eating to keep you on track.)

3. Eat breakfast without fail

A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition tracked the diets of nearly 900 adults and found that when people ate more fat, protein, and carbohydrates in the morning, they stayed satisfied and ate less over the course of the day, compared with those who ate their bigger meals later on. Unfortunately, many Americans start off on an empty stomach: In one recent survey, consumers reported that even when they eat in the morning, the meal is a full breakfast only about one-third of the time. While it might seem tough at first, eating your biggest meal of the day in the morning—and cutting back at dinner time—can recalibrate your body's hunger cycles in ways that will lower your disease risk and help control your weight, shows research from the University of Southern California.


4. Eat more healthy fat





There's a reason you keep hearing this advice. Not only is dietary fat extremely filling, but it also tends to turn off your body's fat-storage processes. Healthy sources include pistachios and other nuts, olive oil, avocado, and Greek yogurt.


5. Munch fiber all day long

Because the body processes a fiber-rich meal slowly, it will stay in your gut longer and keep you feeling satisfied long after you've finished eating. One review recently published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association linked a high intake of fiber with lower body masses—as well as a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Leafy greens, fruit, and whole grains are all good sources of fiber.


6. Include healthy protein at each meal

When researchers at Purdue University asked 46 dieting women to eat either 30% or 18% of their calories from protein, the high-protein eaters felt more satisfied and less hungry. Plus, over the course of 12 weeks, the women preserved more lean body mass, which includes calorie-burning muscle. Eggs, fish, legumes, nuts, seeds, and Greek yogurt are all healthy protein sources.





















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