Boost Your Metabolism with Lean Protein

For dieters and exercisers, eating the right number of calories is crucial to weight loss success. But eating the right kind of food is also important. Learn why lean protein matters if you are trying to lose weight and find out how much protein you need to boost your metabolism.

What is Lean Protein?

Protein, carbohydrates, and fat are macronutrients that supply energy, or calories, to the body. Protein serves primarily as a building block. When you eat foods with protein, the nutrient is broken down into amino acids that build and repair muscles, organs and other cells and tissues that allow your body to function.

Common sources of protein include meat, dairy products, and nuts. While the nutrients in these foods are beneficial, they tend to be high in fat. Lean protein foods are high in protein, but low in fat. Lean cuts of beef, chicken, turkey, egg whites, tofu, lentils, grains and some vegetables are good sources.

What Are the Benefits of Eating Lean Protein?

Researchers and dieters know that eating protein helps people to feel full and satisfied. Dieters who have tried Atkins or other low carb diets know that in many cases, this helps them to eat less. Healthy fats also help to satisfy hunger, but fat contains 9 calories per gram. Protein contains 4 calories per gram. So gram for gram, eating protein is a better way to feel satisfied when you are dieting.

The nutrient also helps to build and maintain lean muscle mass. This helps dieters and exercisers boost their metabolism. A strong body not only performs better throughout common daily activities, but the muscles that shape an attractive figure also burn more calories than fat, even at rest.

It is important to remember, however, that the lean protein you eat is not used as a primary energy source for the body. So while consuming it is important, it is not necessarily more important than consuming carbohydrates and healthy fats. Each nutrient plays an important role in the overall health and function of your body.

How Much Protein Should I Eat?

The amount you should eat depends on your age, gender and physical activity level. The USDA recommends the following intake levels for women and men who get less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day.

Women

• 19-30 years old: 5 ? ounce equivalents*
• 31-50 years old: 5 ounce equivalents*
• 51+ years old: 5 ounce equivalents*

Men

• 19-30 years old: 6 ? ounce equivalents*
• 31-50 years old: 6 ounce equivalents*
• 51+ years old: 5 ? ounce equivalents*

*In general, 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, ? cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ? ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as a one ounce equivalent.

For very physically active people, the general recommendation is that they can consume up to 1.2 - 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. But keep in mind that most people have a tendency to overestimate their activity level when calculating their nutrient needs.

Should I Eat More Protein if I'm Trying to Lose Weight?

Some recent research has suggested that a higher protein diet may help some people to lose more body fat, gain muscle mass and boost their metabolism. But research also continues to find that the bottom line for weight loss is the number of calories that dieters consume. If you are trying to lose weight, continue to count calories and be sure to check that you are getting your recommended daily allowance for each macronutrient.

Get lean protein recipes and learn more about protein and weight loss.

_Sources:

_{George A. Bray, MD; Steven R. Smith, MD; Lilian de Jonge, PhD; Hui Xie, PhD; Jennifer Rood, PhD; Corby K. Martin, PhD; Marlene Most, PhD; Courtney Brock, MS, RD; Susan Mancuso, BSN, RN; Leanne M. Redman, PhD. " Effect of Dietary Protein Content on Weight Gain, Energy Expenditure, and Body Composition During Overeating." Journal of the American Medical Association 2012;307(1):47-55.}

_{Russell J de Souza, George A Bray,Vincent J Carey, Kevin D Hall, Meryl S LeBoff, Catherine M Loria, Nancy M Laranjo, Frank M Sacks, Steven R Smith " Effects of 4 weight-loss diets differing in fat, protein, and carbohydrate on fat mass, lean mass, visceral adipose tissue, and hepatic fat: results from the POUNDS LOST trial." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition January 18, 2012.}

_{Elizabeth A Fox, Jennifer L McDaniel, Anthony P Breitbach and Edward P Weiss. " Perceived protein needs and measured protein intake in collegiate male athletes: an observational study." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2011, 8:9 .}

_{Andrea R. Josse, Stephanie A. Atkinson, Mark A. Tarnopolsky, Stuart M. Phillips. " Increased Consumption of Dairy Foods and Protein during Diet- and Exercise-Induced Weight Loss Promotes Fat Mass Loss and Lean Mass Gain in Overweight and Obese Premenopausal Women." The Journal of Nutrition July 20, 2011.}

_{Nutrition for Everyone. Protein. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed: April 15, 2012. http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html}

_{Phillips SM, Zemel MB. " Effect of protein, dairy components and energy balance in optimizing body composition." PubMed.gov 2011;69:97-108.}

_{Lisa A Te Morenga, Megan T Levers, Sheila M Williams, Rachel C Brown and Jim Mann. " Comparison of high protein and high fiber weight-loss diets in women with risk factors for the metabolic syndrome: a randomized trial." Nutrition Journal April 2011.}

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Choose Wisely: Your Valentine Could Boost or Bust Your Diet

Have you made plans for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner?? Or have you opted for a casual get-together with a gal pal?? For women especially, your choice of a Valentine's Day dinner date might affect your diet.

What Women Eat When They Dine with Women

Ladies who have opted for a casual night out with girlfriends may want to beware.? Women tend to eat as much as their dining partner if the dining partner is a woman.? In fact, according to a new report, if the woman is a new friend they even match the companion's eating pattern bite for bite.? So, if you're on a diet, you may want to find a friend who eats light.

When Women Eat When They Dine with Men

But what if your Valentine's date is a man? ?Studies have suggested that women eat less in the presence of a man.? A study conducted in Ontario, Canada observed that women tend to choose lower calorie foods in front of a male dining partner.? Men, on the other hand, were unaffected by the gender of their eating companion.

How to Dine Out Without Busting Your Diet

Regardless of who you choose to be your Valentine's Day dinner date, there are a few ways to stay on your diet when dining out.? Try these calorie-saving tips.

• View the menu online before going out to eat. Choose your meal in advance.? Look for foods that are roasted, steamed, or broiled.? Try to avoid foods that are fried, battered, or sauteed in butter.

• Ask your server for help. Most restaurants are happy to accommodate special requests.? If you are not sure how a food is prepared, ask your waiter.? Or inquire about his/her recommendation for lighter fare.? You may also request that dressings and sauces be put on the side.

• Choose your entree from the appetizer menu. Portions at restaurants are often too large.? Rather than splitting a high calorie meal into two smaller meals, choose an appetizer as your main entree and supplement with a small green salad.

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