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Surprising Ways Protein Helps You Lose Weight


Protein is an important nutrient. It helps to build and maintain muscles and bones. It also is an important building block of hormones. And if you are trying to lose weight, you don’t want to skimp on protein since it can help with weight loss in several different ways.


Surprising ways protein helps with weight loss


Decreases Appetite And Increases Satiety

Eating more protein helps to keep you feeling full for longer. It also decreases your appetite. People who eat more protein have been shown to automatically drop their calorie intake and are less likely to succumb to cravings.


Protein Helps to Balance Hormones

Hormones play a big role in your ability to lose weight. Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are used to make hormones. This means your body needs protein to keep your hormones in balance. This includes hormones related to hunger and satiety like leptin and ghrelin, but also insulin and reproductive hormones.



how protein helps with weight loss


Digesting Protein Burns More Calories and Increases Metabolism

Part of the calories you burn each day comes from digesting food. Protein takes more calories to digest than carbohydrates or fats. This means that you burn more calories, even when you are sleeping.


Protein Helps to Reduce Cravings

Eating more protein means your blood sugar is better controlled. This can help you to have fewer cravings. Breakfast is the most important meal to add more protein when it comes to reducing cravings throughout the day. 


Hormone guide


Protein Slows Loss of Muscle and Helps to Build Muscle

One of the dangers of losing weight is a loss of muscle along with fat. This can slow your weight loss efforts and make maintenance harder. But if you keep protein levels high you are less likely to lose muscle when losing weight.


If you add exercise like strength training to your weight loss plan, then you’ll want to make sure you have enough protein in your diet. This will help you to build more muscle, helping to increase your metabolism.


Choosing The Best Protein Sources

Protein should come from animal sources or whole soy sources. Absorption from other plant sources is low so they should not be counted as a protein. Make sure the animal source  is lean, grass fed,  pasture raised, wild caught, free range, or organic. Avoid fatty protein sources.


Organic, non GMO soy should be chosen. 



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How Much Protein Do You Need?

How much protein you need depends on several factors. It depends on your muscle mass, your age and how much exercise you get. 


  • If you have a lot of muscle it will take more protein to maintain that

  • The more you exercise, the more protein you need to help repair muscles and other tissue after exercise

  • Older adults need more protein to help prevent lower bone density and muscle loss


In addition to this, your body can’t store protein, so it’s important for protein to be included in meals throughout the day. 



how much protein do you need



Are Their Risks Of Getting Too Much Protein?

It is possible to get too much protein. But, first let’s address a couple of myths you may have heard about eating too much protein.


Myth 1: Too much protein is hard on the kidneys. For people with healthy kidney function this is not true. However, very high protein diets can contribute to kidney stones. 


Myth 2: Too much protein lowers bone density. A very high protein diet can contribute to calcium being excreted in the urine, but this does not seem to contribute to lower bone density. Getting enough protein in your diet is actually necessary for healthy bones. 


  • Not getting enough fibre to support health

  • Eating too much fat if you rely on high fat sources of protein

  • Risk of getting kidney stones

  • Dehydration because protein requires more water in the digestion process.



And make sure to spread your protein throughout the day. Your body can only use so much protein at a time and excess is used for 


Ways to add protein to your diet

Protein from animal sources are absorbed better than plant sources so you’ll want to try to add these as much as possible. Here are some ways to add protein:

  • Add chicken or fish to salads and soups to increase protein content

  • Batch cook some higher protein foods so you have them on hand

  • Choose canned fish for a quick protein option

  • Replace breakfast cereals and baked goods with eggs, lean meat, smoothies with added protein

  • Choose higher protein carbohydrates like legumes


Ways to add protein to your diet



How I can help

I provide custom weight loss programs that meet your needs. My programs are personally handcrafted to you, your body and your lifestyle and include just the right amount of nutrients to keep you feeling satisfied, but still support weight loss. Book a free call to find out how I can help.







Warm wishes,


Vicki Witt Nutrition and Weight Loss





Vicki Witt | Clinical Nutritionist | Holistic Coach | Reiki Master | Certified LEAP allergy therapist Over 25 years of successfully helping you achieve optimal health and weight loss 🍏| www.vickiwittweightloss.com


About Vicki:

Vicki Witt is a Clinical Nutritionist, Holistic Health Coach, and Reiki Master. She has been practicing over 25 years and specializes in holistically customizing diet and lifestyle plans to each individual for weight loss and hormonal control. Her clientele often report they feel the best they have ever felt and wish they had started sooner. One of the USA and Australia's top Nutritionists, she has won multiple awards for her services in the industry.

  

ATMS
Nutrition society of Australia

Certified and Registered Nutritionist


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