High-Protein Diets for More Fat Loss

While the media focus on low-carb vs. low-fat diets, they tend to miss the point about high-protein diets. It’s well known in the fitness industry that higher protein intakes help with fat loss. For one thing, protein helps control appetite.

Most bodybuilding nutritionists recommend that 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is effective for building muscle and burning fat in normal-weight men and women. But overweight individuals should have more.

A study published in The Nutrition Journal tested the effect of supplemental protein intake on weight loss in 100 obese men and women. All of the subjects received two protein-enriched meal replacement shakes per day. But half received a total of 1 extra gram of protein per pound of lean body mass per day. And the other half received a total of 0.5 extra grams of protein per pound of lean body mass per day.

At the end of 12 weeks, both groups had lost approximately 8 to 9 pounds of weight, but the higher-protein group had lost more fat (3.6 pounds vs. 1.32 pounds).

If you want to lose fat, a little extra protein can go a long way.

A cup of milk or yogurt provides 10 grams of protein. A chicken breast provides 20 to 40 grams, depending on the serving size. You can even get protein from nuts (a few grams per ounce).

[Ed. Note: Extending your life and living out your years in tip-top health is really a matter of making simple lifestyle choices – like adding more protein to your diet. In addition to getting more protein, you can burn fat by following Craig’s Turbulence Training exercise program.]