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The Best Protein Eating Strategy for Weight Loss
Still protein loading after training? Your body will benefit more from spreading these grams throughout the day rather than filling them up with one or two meals. A new study analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who balance their protein throughout the day and eat some at every meal are best at consuming protein for weight loss, either losing more weight or maintaining it consistently, than those who skimp on the nutrient at specific meals. Researchers at the University of Missouri reviewed 24 studies on protein consumption and found that people who...
The Best Protein Eating Strategy for Weight Loss
Still protein loading after training? Your body will benefit more from spreading these grams throughout the day rather than filling them up with one or two meals. A new study analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who balance their protein throughout the day and eat some at every meal are best at consuming protein for weight loss, either losing more weight or maintaining it consistently, than those who skimp on the nutrient at specific meals.
Researchers at the University of Missouri reviewed 24 studies on protein consumption and found that people who consumed it with every meal throughout the day saw the greatest weight loss benefits, including losing fat and maintaining muscle mass. (Doubling your usual total intake might also help.)
Now, most people have no problem getting enough protein later in the day since our dinners are usually meat-centered. But you should also start the day strengthened. "A high-protein breakfast with about 30 grams of protein leads to even greater feelings of fullness throughout the day and may reduce unhealthy snacking by improving appetite control," said study author Heather Leidy, Ph.D., assistant professor of nutrition, in a press release. (Convinced but still need suggestions? Try these 10 high-protein, non-egg breakfast recipes.)
Distributing your protein can also lead to serious muscle gains. People who ate 30 grams of protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner saw more muscle protein synthesis - or the building of muscle - than those who ate less at breakfast and loaded up on the nutrients at dinner, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition.
Leidy recommends the same thing - her study found that people trying to eat protein for weight loss got the most benefit when they ate 25 to 30 grams with each main meal of the day. That's about a 4-ounce chicken breast, a personal Greek yogurt with added hemp seeds, or a cup of quinoa. (If that sounds like a lot for one day, you could also try protein powder.) In addition to weight loss, Leidy's team found that this amount also helps keep triglycerides and blood pressure low, which helps improve your overall physiological health.