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.
So that is the 1st way that protein burns calories and helps you lose weight. It does so because protein is a required element of building muscles.
The 2nd way that protein helps you lose weight is by making you eat less. Baked goods, potato chips, pizza and simple carbohydrates and calories are processed very quickly into your body. This is why you will often times feel hungry shortly after eating junk food or fast food.
Protein is a much more complex compound.
As such, foods that are rich in protein, like meat, eggs, fish and beans, take longer for your body to process. This means that you feel full for a longer period of time. This is why studies show people that eat a lot of protein tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day then their non-protein-consuming counterparts.
So, not only does protein help build muscles which are more efficient at burning calories than non-muscular tissue, protein also makes you feel full longer, see you eat less during the day.
Both of those qualities leads to effective weight loss.
