Are you having trouble to fit into your favorite pair of jeans or the new cocktail dress you bought on sale? Yes, weight gain is a global problem but it is not for you only if you know what the main foods are to be consumed for quick weight loss. No crash diet is going to be discussed instead; the focus will only be on a high-protein diet that will nourish every tissue of your body.
 Is Weight Loss a Good Idea?
Table of Contents
According to the study result of the American Heart Association, obese or overweight people are susceptible to gain weight rapidly. The side-effects of huge weight gain are a related to stroke, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes and others. Obesity is not healthy because the unwanted weight puts pressure on the heart hampering the blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Overweight
Being overweight is not a healthy choice because excess weight increases the risk of several types of cancer.
Diseases
One of the degenerative joint diseases is osteoarthritis and the healthy people do not develop the feeling of destroying bones of the joints. The group of obese people is susceptible to face osteoarthritis 6 times more than the healthy people.
Fat Burn
You can swim,walk, ski, bike, skate, run and do other physical activities that you have put off for excess fat.
Sleeping Disorder
Obese people have the high chances of suffering from sleep apnea which the problem of breathing while sleeping. Fat disrupts the functions of the respiratory system, airway narrows and hormone producing cells.
Infections
Excess body fat increases the opportunities for the bacterial infections to grow disease on stomach, gum, nose and sinus.
Blood Pressure
People fighting diabetes can put a rest to the high blood pressure medications that are quite expensive and show certain side-effects.
Self-Confidence
Weight loss can boost one’s self-confidence and flaunt his/her favorite outfit without hesitating. Therefore, you do not need to shy away from putting on your favorite cocktail dress or bikini.
Weight loss is always a good idea if you are overweight; otherwise, loss of weight can lead you to face consequences of malnutrition which is as bad as obesity. A crash diet for weight loss is equally harmful to your body. This is why; people are in need of adding sufficient protein to their daily diet to stay fit.
Importance of Protein in Diet
Bodybuilders gulp down protein shakes, people on strict diet consume protein bars – low carbohydrate and high-protein diet is considered ideal for weight loss. Protein, acting as a significant component in the body cells aids a person to function properly. From building to repairing tissues, protein plays an immensely huge role.
- Protein is a macronutrient which refers to the fact that a human body requires a plethora of protein.
- Unlike carbohydrate and fat, the body does not have the capability of storing protein.
- For building muscles, bones, blood, skin and cartilage, protein is essentially required.
- Nails and hair are also made of weight.
- The micronutrient can regulate the production of hormones, body chemicals and enzymes.
- It also satiates a person reducing continuous hunger pangs.
- Quick recovery from exercises and maintenance of healthy weight are the perks of embracing a high-protein
What do You Need to Add in a High-Protein Diet for Weight Loss?
Consuming high-protein diet is the key to weight loss because foods containing a huge amount of protein can make one satisfied. Adding protein to your diet is always a good idea but are aware of all the foods that must be in you high-protein diet for weight loss? Take a look at the list of foods for maintaining weight minimizing health complications.
Almonds
It is a type of tree nut which is filled with vitamin E, magnesium, manganese along with huge amount of protein (13% calories). If you take 6 g per ounce, you are likely to receive 161 calories per serving. Apart from almonds, you can think of adding cashews which contain 11% of calories and pistachios which also contain 13% calories.
Cottage Cheese
Being very low in calories and fat, cottage cheese is loaded with a high amount of protein. Additionally, selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, vitamin B2 and other nutrients are abundantly found in this particular food.
Containing 59% of calories, a cup of cottage cheese weighing 226 g has 27 g of protein along with 2% fat and 194 calories in it. In addition to the context, you would be delighted to know that mozzarella contains 29% calories, parmesan cheese has 385 of calories and Swiss cheese comprises of 30% calories.
Broccoli
It may not taste extremely delicious but broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables you will ever find. Rich in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K and protein, it has a high level of bioactive nutrients aiding in fighting with cancer.
Containing 20% of calories, a chopped broccoli which weighs 96 g has 3 gm of protein along with 31 calories. It can be concluded that broccoli is one of the vegetables having a high amount of protein in it.
Quinoa
One of the renowned super foods in the world is quinoa which is a high amount of fiber, minerals, antioxidants, vitamins and protein. Among all the numerous health benefits of quinoa, weight loss is one of the important advantages that you can get.
Having 155 calories, 1 cup of cooked quinoa which is around 185 g has 8 g of protein meaning 222 calories in it.
Lentils
Widely known as a basic ingredient for high-protein diet, lentils are a kind of legume. Lentils are rich in iron, magnesium, copper, protein and other sources of nutrients. For the vegetarian people, lentils are a great choice in order to extract protein going strong with the weight loss.
Lentils contain 27% of calories and 198 g or 1 cup of boiled lentils has 18 gm protein along with 230 calories. If you are not fond of lentils, you can switch to kidney beans having 24% calories, soybeans containing 33% of calories and chickpeas 19% of calories.
Tofu, Tempeh and Edamame
Tofu, tempeh and edamame are derived from soybeans and the soybeans are rich in protein offering essential amino acids when the body needs.
- Tofu is produced from the bran curds following the similar procedure of making cheese. There is no significant taste in the soybean derived ingredient as all the flavors are absorbed while preparing it.
- Edamame is immature bans having grassy yet sweet taste in it. Additionally, they are required to be boiled or steamed before consumption and can also be added to salads or soups.
- By cooking and fermenting, tempeh is cooked and the mature beans are used in the process. In addition to the context, tempeh offers a nutty flavor.
All of these three ingredients have calcium, iron and 11-19 g of protein in every 3.5 ounces. Edamame is enriched with fiber and vitamin K. Rich in probiotics and vitamin B, tempeh has a high amount of phosphorus and magnesium.
Shrimp
One of the delicious seafood dishes is shrimp which in exceptionally high in a wide range of nutrients that include vitamin B12 and selenium. Containing a generous amount of omega-3 fatty acids, the 905 of it is enriched with calories. 3 ounce of shrimp has 18 g of the protein indicating that there are 84 calories.
For you weight loss, you can opt for shrimp cocktail or grilled shrimp which is appetizing and healthy simultaneously.
Fish
When you are choosing a high-protein diet for weight loss, it is essential to pay heed to the calorie limit as well. Needless to say, fish is one of the great examples of high-protein food that can tantalize your taste buds with various recipes. Hence, it is only a myth that weight loss means only eating boring pale foods.
Filled with nutrients, fish has a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids. The protein content is variable but salmon is a great choice since it contains 46% protein. In every 30 g of tuna, there 605 of protein and one can enjoy this ingredient in a salad, pasta or with whole grain bread.
Lean Beef
Apart from highly delicious, lean beef is rich in protein and addition of this in your weight loss can suppress your hunger pangs on a large scale. Vitamin B12, bioavailable iron and other nutrients are widely found in this food product.
Not to mention, it contains 53% of calories and the cooked beef has 22 g of protein which is 184 calories. If you are following a low-carb diet, go for the fatty cuts of beef as they are more helpful than lean beef.
Milk
Whether you are on a diet or not, milk is a vital ingredient for every human body. It is an excellent choice for a high-protein diet for weight loss and the health benefits of milk are sky-high. Being enriched with phosphorus, calcium and vitamin B2, milk contains a high level of protein, too. One cup of milk has 8 gm of protein along with 149 calories.
Chicken
The list of chicken recipe knows no bound and there is hardly any other ingredient that can replace the strong position of chicken in daily meals. Being low in calorie count to the huge amount of lean protein found in it, chicken works fine for any weight loss diet. In every 100 g of chicken per serving, there is 20 g of protein which one relish to a great extent.
How can You Maintain a High-Protein Diet?
As it is easy to follow, the protein diet can be personalized as per the need of protein intake in the body. For an instance, one can follow low-carbohydrate and high-protein diet for maintaining the blood sugar level. Also, dairy-free or vegan diet can be followed only if the protein diet has plant proteins, a plethora of legumes or eggs.
Following are the few guidelines that one needs to follow for staying healthy,
Do not Leave Animal Proteins behind
As the plant-based proteins are essential for the weight loss, you need to pay attention to adding animal proteins as well.
Consume Minimum 25-30 gm of Protein
Your meal should consist of 25-30 gm of protein in every meal as it can accelerate the process of weight loss on a large scale.
Calculate protein Requirements
For calculating how much protein your body requires, you need to multiply the weight in pounds by .6-.75 gm.
Keep Track
It is recommended to keep a track of your consumption in a diary, website or an app. In this way, you can fulfill the micronutrient goals and understand how many calories you are taking every day.
Focus on Quality Protein Sources
Eggs, fresh meat and dairy products must be your priority rather than think of adding processed meat including bacon.
What are the Consequences of Protein Overdose?
High-protein is widely promoted everywhere but it is important to know too much protein intake can do no good to your weight loss plan and needless to say, health. A high-protein diet can decrease hunger pangs and increase muscle retention, but there is an underlying risk with excess protein.
Bad Breath
When you limit carbohydrate intake and consume too much protein, bad breath can be an issue. The body takes part in the metabolic condition, known as, ketosis that builds chemicals exuding odd fruity smell.
Weight Gain
Yes, it is true that protein plays a major role in your weight loss but beware of its overdose. One of the studies indicates that if the diet does not have enough carbohydrate, there is a high risk of putting on weight. Additional protein is stored as fat when the amino acid is discharged and this can increase weight.
Kidney Damage
The kidney is a significant organ of the body and excess protein puts pressure in its function of filtering blood. Various kidney diseases are caused due to a high level of protein intake but there are also health benefits related to the high protein diet.
Now you can understand that for your weight loss, protein plays a huge role but over consumption can do no good for your health. Apart from following a proper diet, it is essential to follow an effective workout plan which can lead you to accomplish your weight loss goal. Of course, you can consult with a dietician before going on a strict diet to ensure that it is ideal for your health.