High Protein Diet for Weight Loss

Should You Try a High Protein Diet for Weight Loss?

There are so many diet options available and there’s so much ongoing research into weight loss. It’s difficult to sort through all of the hype and even the good information out there. High protein diets for weight loss took the world by storm with the Atkins Diet several years ago. Diets such as these came under fire quickly, for their unhealthy reliance on fat-laden animal proteins and their almost complete lack of necessary carbohydrates.

We’re now seeing new high protein diets for weight loss, such as the New South Beach Diet and the revised Atkins Diet. Are they any better than the old versions? Should you try one of these high protein diets for your weight loss goals?

What Was Wrong With the Old High Protein Diets for Weight Loss?

As we’ve said, the older high protein diets relied heavily and even recommended animal proteins that were loaded with saturated fats. While many people experienced substantial initial weight loss, the diet was extremely unhealthy and even dangerous to some. Further, very few people were able to keep the weight off. Most ended up gaining back more than they’d lost.

Another issue with the older high protein diets was that they insisted on allowing only the barest amounts of carbohydrates and these were limited to those carbohydrate foods very low on the glycemic index. While there’s nothing wrong with low-glycemic foods, the diet left out many foods that supply much-needed nutrients. Limiting carbohydrates severely also limits the amount of energy that dieters have. Carbs are the body’s energy supply; without them, we quickly grow hungry and lethargic.

What’s Better About the New High Protein Diets for Weight Loss?

The newer versions of these high protein diet plans do allow for more diversity in food choices and a higher allowance of carbohydrates. This allows dieters to choose from a wider variety of fruits, vegetables and grains and makes it easier for dieters to get the nutrients and energy they need. They’re a good deal less strict, so they’re a good deal easier to stick with until your weight loss goals are reached.

So Are High Protein Diets a Good Idea?

There isn’t necessarily a pat answer to this question. Used carefully, a sane high protein diet for weight loss can be safe and effective. The question is, is a high protein diet necessary? Also, is it the best choice for you?

Few people need quite as much protein as these diets recommend. It’s important to remember that excess protein is stored as fat on the body. Protein is not a good resource for energy. Your body prefers to use carbs to create glycogen and glucose, which it uses to power the body. Protein is much more difficult to metabolize as energy, so excess protein is usually converted to fat stores instead. This is exactly the opposite of what any diet is trying to accomplish.

If you’re a serious bodybuilder, or trying to be, you may need extra protein in your diet. If not, you’re probably better off with a sensible, well-balanced diet that’s heavier on healthy carbs.

If You Want to Try It Anyway….

If you are a bodybuilder, or if you’re just sold on the high protein diet idea, here are some guidelines that may help you be successful.

First, be sure to get the majority of your protein from low-fat sources. Skip the beef, pork, dark meat poultry, processed meats, lamb and game. Instead, opt for fish, shellfish, eggs, Greek yogurt (which has twice the protein of regular yogurt) and protein powders made of soy or whey. These are all very low in saturated fats or contain none at all.

Second, be sure to eat a wide variety of carbohydrates. Your best carb sources are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. While you can focus on low-glycemic choices, be sure to get variety. This will ensure that you get enough vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to keep you healthy and energetic.

Is There a Better Way?

If you’ve decided that a high protein diet for weight loss may not be for you, don’t despair. You can still lose weight quickly, pleasantly and permanently by following some simple guidelines in addition to the two above, which are good rules for any diet.

Look for balance rather than limits. Instead of stressing over every calorie, make up a list of healthy proteins, carbs and fats and choose from a wide variety of these foods every day. A good rule of thumb for weight loss is to divide your daily calories into 50% carbs, 30% proteins and 20% healthy (almost all unsaturated) fats. This formula will give you all the protein, energy and healthy fats you need to feel satisfied and energetic.

It’s Not Just What You Eat

Get at least twenty minutes of exercise daily. This could be walking, dancing, swimming or simply playing in the yard with your children or dog. Any activity that gets your heart rate up is worthwhile. It will not only burn calories but speed up your metabolism.

Get plenty of vitamins and minerals. A good, high-quality multivitamin is fine, but extra Vitamin C is essential to help you lose fat and an extra Vitamin B-complex will keep you energized.

Stay hydrated; most hunger pangs are thirst in disguise. By drinking at least 64oz. of water per day, you can stay satisfied longer, keep your body functioning properly, aid good digestion and flush out the fats and toxins your body’s been storing.

Remember What It’s All About

Whether you choose a high protein diet for weight loss or choose to follow another plan, remember that weighing less won’t matter much if you don’t feel good, too. Feeling deprived or lethargic won’t improve your quality of life one iota. Safe and healthy weight loss can be just as fast but a lot more effective and long-lasting.

You’ll feel a lot better about those skinny jeans if you have the energy to go out on the town in them!