Protein can definitely help you to lose weight, but the interesting part is how it does so. Of the three macronutrients: protein, fat and carbohydrates, studies have shown that protein has the most effect on losing weight because of the four effects it has on the body:

Hormone Production

When we eat, certain hormone levels in our body change. The level of Glucagon-Like Protein-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY and cholecystokinin increase, while the hormone indicating hunger ghrelin drops. The hypothalamus part of our brain senses these changes and based on the amount of change, tells us when we are full and to stop eating.

Protein seems to have a greater effect on satiety than does fat or carbohydrates, so our brain sends out the full signal quicker, thus naturally reducing the total number of calories consumed. Continue reading →

Weight loss is a factor of a very simple equation – you burn more calories than you consume. That’s it, plain and simple.

That simple fact of nature, as you can see from the equation just mentioned, is based on 2 pieces of input – calories burned, and calories consumed. Protein is so efficient at helping you lose weight because it impacts both sides of that equation.

There are 2 main ways that protein helps you lose weight. Among the other many crucial physical processes that protein is needed for, it is required to build muscle. That is why bodybuilders need to eat a lot more protein than the average person.

As it turns out, the more muscles you have, and the less body fat, the more calories you burn. Simply sitting on your sofa watching television, your body is busy burning calories. If you improve how many muscles you have, and improve their size, you improve your ability to burn calories, whether you are a couch potato or exercising. Continue reading →