Why You Need More Protein to Lose Weight

The benefits of protein in the human body are numerous. We know that it helps us to build our body by repairing damaged tissues and cells. In other words, Protein helps the body to develop muscle mass and this can be greatly beneficial to those who have soft tissues (fat) in most areas of their bodies. But note that it is also very important to eat the right amount and the right kind of protein to get the best weight loss benefit.

Now let’s cut to the cheese, lol. Since we know that protein is good for us, how do we increase its intake? Below are listed sources of good protein.

• Soya bean and regular beans e.g white, brown, red. Soya bean is made up of 90% protein.
• Eggs. The whites of the egg have more protein than the yolk.
• Fish
• Lean meat/pork
• Skimmed or low fat milk/yogurt/cheese
• Sea food
• Skinless poultry meat.
• Other forms of protein in powders, bars, and shakes for example Whey 

How Protein Aid in Weight Loss

It is always better to increase your daily protein content than to cut it down. This is because;

1. Protein help to increase the level of satiety by boosting the appetite reducing hormones and at the same time,
   reducing the level of hunger hormone ghrelin.
2. A high protein intake can help increase your metabolic rate and the number of calories you burn per day
3. Protein’s thermic effect (the process of using up calories for the purpose of digesting and metabolizing food) is 20-30% higher than the thermic effects of carbs which is 5-10% and fats 0-10%.
4. Eating large variety of protein giving food can help you reduce muscle loss which is usually the side effect of weight loss.

How Much Protein is Needed for Weight-loss?

The amount of protein needed to help you lose weight is largely dependent on a few factors like your age, weight, health and activity level. On the average, the recommended dosage for adults is 56grams but there is not hard and fast rule on the amount of protein intake per day. To learn more about protein intake, read this article.

Another way to increase your protein intake with the right amount is with protein shakes or protein powder. The best thing about having these are they are very easy to make and the added benefit is that it provide your body with the amount of protein you need which to a large extent, can drastically reduce the urge to snack.

For more research purposes, read this article here.