Category: Lifestyle

Protein is powerful

As you’ve worked on managing your weight, you might have come across the popular phrase, “calories in, calories out.” On the surface, it’s a pretty basic concept.

Calories are used to measure the amount of energy we get from the foods we eat.

When you eat a greater number of calories than what your body can use, the excess may be stored for the future (primarily in the form of fat). Over time, this may result in weight gain.

Consuming fewer calories than you use creates a calorie deficit. That means your body has to use its own energy stores to make up the difference. Over time, this may result in weight loss.

Eat more, gain weight. Eat less, lose weight. Easy-peasy, right?

Well, it’s a bit more nuanced than that. When you’re eating fewer calories, it’s important to not only consider the quantity of calories but also the quality. The key is finding the right balance of nutrients for you.

In this article, we’re going to discuss one of those nutrients: protein. Namely, the crucial ways that eating enough protein supports weight management by:

  • Helping with important bodily functions
  • Nourishing the body, including muscles
  • Promoting a prolonged sense of fullness

Every person has their own nutritional needs. Work with your health care professional before making changes to your diet to help determine what balance looks like for you and your unique circumstances.

Now, let’s dig in!

Protein helps your body work

Protein is instrumental for your body to function as it should. It’s made of tiny molecules (sometimes referred to as “building blocks”) called amino acids.

Your body uses these amino acids to build and maintain bone and muscle mass and the structural integrity of other tissues. Adequate protein is also necessary for your body to heal properly, support your immune system, produce enzymes, make hormones, and transport nutrients.

Knowing those things alone, it may start to become pretty clear why eating protein can be an important part of a weight-management plan. But there are so many more important reasons we have left to discuss.

Protein-rich foods

Tip: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming a variety of plant and animal protein options and low-fat, leaner choices whenever possible.

When you don’t get enough protein

When it comes to weight loss, protein has some additional benefits. To understand these benefits, let’s revisit “calories in, calories out” and explore that “nuance” we mentioned earlier.

Your body is resourceful. When you start eating fewer calories than you use, your body will seek out other stored sources of energy to make up for that energy imbalance. Over time, this may, ultimately, result in weight loss.

And that’s a good thing—if you’re mobilizing your fat stores to support your energy needs. But you may also end up breaking down some muscle in addition to fat as you work to reach your weight-management goals. While some reduction in muscle mass is normal for any reduced calorie diet, eating enough protein may help to reduce the amount that’s lost.

To get energy and essential nutrients

Remember those amino acids we mentioned (the “building blocks” of protein)? Your body can’t actually produce all the amino acids it needs to function. In fact, you can only get these essential amino acids by eating foods containing protein.

So, if you are eating enough protein, this may help to minimize the loss of muscle that you may experience while losing weight.

Protein is filling

If we haven’t covered the importance of dietary protein enough, let’s talk about one more thing that may surprise you:

Protein. Fills. You. Up.

That’s right. Because it can take your body more time to break down protein (compared to other nutrients), eating adequate amounts of protein can help you feel fuller for longer.

When you feel full, you tend to eat less. And like we mentioned before, when you consume fewer calories than you use, this may result in weight loss.

Making balanced choices

As you’re probably getting by now, when it comes to calories, quality is just as important as quantity. In other words, what you eat is just as important as how much you eat. Even on days when you feel less hungry, making sure you have a nutrient-dense diet may help to support your progress.

Change doesn’t happen overnight—it’s a process. WeGoTogether® is here to offer support as you create new habits, change your lifestyle, and manage your weight. Make sure to talk to your health care team before implementing any new dietary changes.

If you’d like to know more about making a meal out of these nutrition concepts, check out how to make every bite count, using the MyPlate method.