Protein for Healthy Weight Management; “I’m Sick of Starving Myself”

What with the multitude of fad diets circulating the media today, it’s hard to know how to eat/diet healthy. We’ll let you in on a secret–dieting has nothing to do with starving yourself. Healthy weight management means keeping yourself properly energized and feeling full throughout the entire day. It’s all about using your allotted calories wisely.

Calories come from food, which is your body’s only source of energy, nutrition, and vitamins. Different food groups provide varying quantities of calories. Sugar, for example, forms insulin in the bloodstream which gives you a source of instant energy. If you don’t use that energy immediately your body stores it to use later when it needs it. What we typically call “fat” is simply stored energy.

Why You Need It

Everybody needs protein. It’s the most nutritious form of long-term energy than any other food group. Through thermogenesis, your body breaks protein down into amino acids necessary for daily functions. High protein diets build lean body mass needed for metabolism.

If you want to lose weight, you need to encourage your body to use that stored energy. That’s why we encourage a high-protein, low-sugar diet. When you consume more proteins than sugars, you give your body needed nutrition without adding energy that your body will end up storing for later.

Where You Can Get It

You can get quality proteins from three major sources:

• Animal Origin

Meat is the best source of nutritious proteins. Seafood such as fish, shrimp, and lobster has low amounts of fats but high amounts of Omega 3. White meats like poultry, beef, and steak contain higher amounts of fat but their “dark meat” contain a lot of protein.

• Dairy Products

Milk, cheese, and yogurt contain not only high amounts of protein but also calcium and Vitamin D. They do contain fat, so beware of portions.

• Nuts, Beans, and Fruit

Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews have a great amount of protein as well as fiber, so they’ll keep you feeling fuller for longer. After meats, soybeans, garbanzo, black, and pinto beans are the best low-fat, budget-friendly source of protein. Dried fruits like apricots, zante currants, prunes, and raisins contain quality proteins but also high amounts of sugars, so again, control your portions.

How Much You Need of It

A typical day for many Americans contains approximately 200 grams of protein, which is far too much. Dr. Masood suggests much less–around 60-80 grams a day. If you’re committed to healthy weight loss, you need only about 1,200 calories a day, and 35% of those calories need to be from protein.

When You Can Have It

Although much controversy exists concerning when/how often to eat, Dr. Masood establishes a simple principle:

If you aren’t hungry, don’t eat.

If you snack too often, your body may absorb the calories too quickly and make your stomach feel empty sooner than necessary. She suggests spacing your meals at least 4 hours apart.

If you have any other questions about protein, give us a call 585-467-8838 and talk with our Wellness Coordinator. We’ll gladly answer your concerns and if you want, we’ll set up a free consultation for you!