It is hard to keep track of the latest diet trends. Every year there seems to be a new diet fad that promises fast weight loss with minimal effort, although some of the diets require more effort in their preparation than just finding the time to run a marathon every day. Your weight loss plan should never feel like a 2nd job. However, one type of simplified diet plan that has remained popular is the high protein diet (also known as a high protein/very low carb diet). High protein diets have a lot of scientific proof of why they work and they are often recommended by physicians to help their patients lose weight. Here are 4 reasons why high protein diets work and why they might be the answer for you.
Reason #1 – Ketone Creation
The human body runs on glucose and there are two main furnaces that consume our glucose stores. The first is the body and the second is the brain. Surprisingly, the brain consumes over 80% of our fuel supply. This is why you can think yourself into exhaustion, working your brain will cause your body to manufacture as much glucose as possible to keep the brain in good supply. Our body structure is designed to create glucose from the carbohydrates that we consume. If we lower our carbohydrate consumption, then the body will eventually run out of that source and turn to our fuel reserves, the fat stored in the body. To consume the fat, the body creates something called ‘ketones’ which are fat transformed into a form that the glucose furnaces can use as fuel. A high protein diet promotes ketone creation which in turn allows for the faster consumption of fat stores which leads to weight loss.
Reason #2 – Protein helps endurance
One of the most popular myths about protein is that you need it for muscle growth. While you do need some protein for muscle growth, you don’t need that much and protein packing with shakes and bars isn’t going to turn you into Charles Atlas. What protein does help with is endurance. This can help you to keep going longer when you exercise and protein helps your muscles to pull in everything that they need for a good recovery. It is recommended that you have 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight that you have, not your target weight, but your current weight. Your protein needs will change as your work out, diet and redefine your weight index. Something to pay attention to is the type of protein you are consuming. It is not hard to add protein to your diet, but should you choose to use shakes, mixes or supplement bars – make sure the rest of the ingredients don’t undo the next main reason for why high protein diets work.
Reason #3 – Cleaner fuel
One of the hidden benefits of going on a high protein diet is it tends to remove refined and processed food from your diet. There are not that many high protein products, although there are more than there have been in the past, that would also qualify as “junk food.” When you adopt a high protein diet, you tend to also radically decrease foods that are high in sugars and empty calories. Protein is found in meats, fish, tofu, Seitan and many of the green vegetables; all food that is easier to buy and prepare than it is to purchase prepared. The added bonus is that because high protein diets tend to have more fresh meats and vegetables, they have less salts, sugars and preservatives which benefits blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Reason #4 – It’s easier to stick to a high protein diet
One of the reasons that high protein diets work better than others is that it is easier to stick to them. The types of foods emphasized in these diets are readily available, even on a fast food menu. There are no specialty stores or items needed to keep to a high protein diet. There is also much less special behavior to be learned and practiced as well. This ease in meeting your diet restrictions makes it easier to stick to the diet. Unlike other diets which may reduce your social activity because their restrictions may require you to bring your own meals to the table – high protein diets can be kept in any social circumstance without anyone around you knowing you are dieting.
It is never too late to make changes that can improve the health of your heart. The simplest changes to begin with concern your diet. It is usually recommended that you begin by changing one area of your eating habits at a time, rather than go for a radical overhaul. This lets your body and mind adjust to the changes easier and increases your ability to stick your new lifestyle. Here are 7 tips for a heart healthy diet. If you utilize a tip each week, in less than two months you can be in the habit of eating in a way that cares for your heart.
Exercise/workout? Yes, yes, most certainly one of my biggest challenges yet. I remember when working out was a “feel like” sort of thing. If I felt like doing it then I did. And if I didn’t feel like it, well lets just say I was on the bandwagon of “not” feeling like it often. I think my biggest challenge was not enough motivation and encouragement. Sometimes you get people on board with you and when they give up, your speed falls right behind them. So, I guess when I realized that others were not as serious as I was, I had to take another approach. Now I have to workout alone and push myself to go the exta mile. I had to finally say that I can do it, even if it was alone. Through it all I must say I maintained pretty well. I workout mostly 4-5 days/wk, sometimes twice a day. I started out low intensity. Never really going overboard. Just some walking here and there. Then picked up some Zumba and workout DVDs. While on youtube searching for workouts, I came across one of Keaira Lashae’s dance workout, which I must say the bulk of my workouts consisted of team lashae!! Hey, it was good enough for me. I started to add various routines in my own daily workouts. I also started implimenting jogging into my walking time. Yes, jogging!! After many years of dieting and exercise I can never say that I even came close to a sprint. Not even power walking. So for me to jog, was a very big accomplishment to me. Also, I’m adding additional workouts and routines to make it more challenging and push me just a little bit harder.
Green coffee bean extract is made from unroasted coffee beans. The extract is thought to minimize the caffeine content of the bean while preserving the chlorogenic acid levels it contains. It is the chlorogenic acid that has shown promise in early clinical studies in promoting weight loss. The acid acts to increase metabolism and to slow the absorption of fat from food intake. When you combine a supplement with these properties with a controlled diet and exercise plan, you may see an increase in the rate of fat loss. Chlorogenic acid has not been confirmed as enough of an influence on metabolism and fat absorption to promote weight loss without the combined diet and exercise program. Unfortunately, it is often marketed as a wonder supplement that will allow you to eat anything, do nothing and still lose weight. There is no known supplement that can fulfill those claims.