The Top Five Scariest Things About Changing the Way You Eat …and What You (And Protein) Can Do About It
Dieting? Don’t spook yourself! If you are trying to change the way you look, lose extra pounds and get healthier, you may be on a “diet.” For some, however, using the ”d” word can conjure up feelings of pure terror. Instead, try to think in terms of “changing the way you eat” to look good and feel even better.
How can protein help? You know how important protein is, and you may even know that protein can help you lose weight … but did you know that when it comes to the ”d” word, protein has the power to banish some of your most daunting dieting dilemmas? It can even help you conquer those cookies in your pantry. You know, the ones that call out to you, late in the night…
Listed below are five frequently freaked-out-about dieting demons, and a little advice on how protein can help keep your vision of a healthier you from turning into a nightmare.
“I always feel hungry.”
Haunted by cravings? Make sure you are getting enough lean, healthy protein. The good news about protein is that it keeps you feeling fuller, longer than most other types of food. A good protein meal or snack can provide valuable nutrients to your body and keep the munchies at bay.
“I get cranky when I diet… I mean, when I change the way I eat to look good and feel even better.”
How can this be? What happened to feeling better and all that?
Sometimes, cutting calories can make us feel deprived, and when not done carefully, it can lead to large swings in blood sugar levels…which affect our mood! Fortunately, protein digestion usually results in less dramatic changes in blood sugar levels (compared with simple carbohydrate digestion), which helps to keep mood in check.
Protein also delivers amino acids such as tyrosine, tryptophan, and valine, which are important for brain function and mood.
“I am tired and I feel like I don’t have any energy.”
If you are feeling like the Night of the Living Dead… well, consult your physician. If he or she reassures you that you are not dead, and gives your change in diet the go-ahead, he or she may also explain that trying to lose weight may make you lose steam, too.
This is when protein can make a big difference. In addition to being a major component of our hair, nails, muscles, and even our hormones, amino acids are essential for virtually every function in the body.
This is especially true in muscle recovery after exertion or exercise. While carbohydrates are an important energy source, science suggests that a healthy balance of carbohydrates and protein may be best when it comes to re-fueling and recovering from activity.
In fact, a recent study from the University of Texas found that a combination of carbohydrates and protein, rather than carbohydrates alone, resulted in better energy recovery after exercise.
“This is not happening fast enough. How long do I have to suffer?”
When you are trying to lose extra pounds, time can seem to go in slow motion. Those little numbers on the scale take their sweet time and don’t seem to care how hard you are trying.
The trick: Don’t let those stubborn numbers scare you off! The important thing to remember is that eating better is not only about losing pounds, but about improving your body composition. In other words, you want your body to be made up of less fat and more lean muscle mass.
This is not a convenient excuse for slow weight loss; this is truly an important concept to understand when you are changing the way you eat, so read on!
Compared to fat, lean muscle weighs more per square inch… but it is a good more. Lean muscle mass is considered to be an indicator of overall health, and plays a role in immune system function, and in reducing risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis.
What’s more, we typically lose a half-pound of muscle every year until the age of fifty, when the average male then loses up to a pound of muscle every year and often replaces that with fat. That’s way creepier than some little numbers with an attitude problem on your scale.
So, maintaining and building lean muscle mass is an important goal. It really helps to know that getting enough protein is doing more than helping with weight loss - even though it does do that - by supporting your overall health. You may even want to measure your body fat (using the Body Mass Index) when you are eating well and not seeing much weight loss. It’s another way to track your progress. And you will find that trading fat for lean muscle mass results in a more firm, fit appearance.
The treat: Lean muscle actually burns calories even when you are not exercising. That’s right, even when you are at rest, your metabolism will be higher and more efficient when you have a higher proportion of lean muscle mass.
“I miss real food!”
This may be the best news of all: there are lots and lots of real-food options with protein. Think eggs, soy, lean cuts of beef, chicken and fish. There are endless snack options too: peanut butter, trail mix with nuts and dried fruit, low-fat cheese, yogurt, and frozen yogurt for dessert. You can also add protein powders to things like muffins, pancakes, and oatmeal cookies.
Mmmm… now that doesn’t sound so scary, does it? Here’s to looking good and feeling even better!
