Why Protein Matters

Protein plays a very important role in weight control. Lean protein helps you maintain your lean body mass when your calories are restricted. It also helps you suppress your appetite.

The USDA defines lean meat as having less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and fewer than 95 milligrams of cholesterol in a 3.5-ounce portion.

Eating lean protein increases your metabolism due to the thermic effect of food, which is how much energy you burn to digest the food. Protein has a thermic effect of 30 %. This means that if you eat a lean protein food that has 100 calories, 30 of those calories are used to digest and process the food leaving only 70 calories of net energy available. Carbs have a thermic effect of 10-15 %, while dietary fat has the lowest thermic effect of only 3%.

One of the things I cannot stress to you enough is eating many times a day instead of eating three meals a day. You need to eat breakfast every day. Within 1 hour of waking up eat breakfast. Eating breakfast keeps the body nourished while providing energy.  The body does not run well on poor fuel!

Eating more frequently helps us stay lean and healthy and from becoming too hungry. Each one of these meals is essential to your health, NO SKIPPING, if you want success! Set the timer or alarm on your phone to remind yourself to eat, I honestly have to do this.

By eating protein with a complex carb you slow down the carb to fat conversion process. Choose high quality protein: nuts, seeds, legumes, quinoa, tofu, poultry, lean beef, eggs, fat free plain yogurt, or cottage cheese.

Complex carbs are high in fiber and aid digestion. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are all complex carbs: brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, whole grain pasta, bananas, carrots, sweet potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, apples, berries, and grapes.

Example: 1 apple with 2 Tbsp. natural nut butter or 1 small handful raw unsalted almonds or low fat cheddar cheese stick. Hummus with celery or carrots.

Remember cleaning eating is a lifestyle. It isn’t a diet!

One of the best Beachbody programs regarding portion control and spacing out your meals is the 21 Day Fix. It has taught me so much about clean eating and portion control. You will see a short video about the 21 Day Fix. Please let me know if you’d be interested in joining my next challenge group that starts April 27th by filling out my challenge group application. Hope you have a blessed day.