Each and every day sees an increased number of fad diets claiming to be the next great weight loss instrument, but the truth is that the vast majority of individuals who are able to shed significant pounds are not doing it while using some new-fangled program or pill. These people are able to accomplish their goals because they finally admit to themselves that only through a healthy diet and exercise is that dream going to become a reality. Lose belly fat with healthy nutrition and the power of protein.
It was this common sense thinking that led researchers at the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition to conduct a study. This study was meant to evaluate the effectiveness of a high-protein diet. Though this diet is often advertised and hyped in much the same fashion as those other fad regimes, this plan did not encourage the use of unnatural chemicals. It did not call for cutting out any significant nutrients and, perhaps most importantly, it was not asking the participant to starve him or herself. What it did suggest was that a person practice eating from all food groups – as we are taught in grade school -- but to also be aware of the percentages of food types that are being ingested. In essence, it was only re-establishing the longest living, most successful diet plan of all time.
The heads of this study understood that, in this country, people typically consume an unhealthy amount of fat in their diet and too little protein. So, during the study, participants were asked to reduce fat intake to twenty percent of the day’s overall caloric intake1. Protein would then be allotted thirty-percent and carbohydrates would make up the remainder. The results were astounding. On average, participants reduced caloric intake by more than four hundred. This, of course, meant that the participants would be on the path to quick and lasting weight loss. In similar studies by other medical journals, it was found that these diets led to faster weight loss when combined with regular exercise and improved fat levels in the blood.
Furthermore, increased protein intake resulted in the participants reporting lower levels of hunger. Though the reason behind this is not entirely clear, it is thought that high-protein meals lead to increased levels of a hormone that causes the feeling of being full. This is the same hormone that is released after we eat a large meal. Meanwhile, high-carbohydrate meals are thought to cause a release of a hormone linked to hunger. Thus, it makes sense that a diet high in protein would leave a person feeling more fulfilled and, as a result, would give that person a better chance of staying true to the weight loss plan. Diets that starve the body or rely on increased carb-intake make a person feel hungry more often and, therefore, make it more difficult to avoid gorging at or between mealtimes.
Protein is also the most difficult for the body to break down after ingestion. Though this might sound like a bad thing, it can work to the body’s advantage when a person is trying to shed excess weight because it requires more energy to be broken down, thus less energy – in the form of fat – is stored.
It is important for people considering this type of diet plan to be aware of the recommended daily protein levels. A very easy way to make sure you always get the right amounts of protein, fiber, and nutrients.While protein is necessary and has been proven to help with weight loss and overall health and wellness, the level of ingestion should not exceed thirty-five percent of the daily consumption. An average American has a protein ratio closer to ten percent. It is also essential to recognize that, while in most people there is no danger in over consumption of protein, in those individuals who have kidney disease it can have poor consequences. It is always best to seek the advice of a doctor before beginning a new diet plan – even the healthiest one.
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