Protein, The Most Important Macronutrient for Weight Loss, and Here's Why.

With the continued excitement for eating low-carb high-fat diet the popularity of protein is reigning high. As you undergo your weight loss journey, you may ask why this macronutrients is so prized. Here are 4 reason why protein can help you lose weight :

1. IT SATISIFIES & SAVE UNNECESARY CALORIES

Protein is important because it satisfied your hunger and make you feel fuller longer. Having protein in your body help slows down digestion which mean makin us feel more satisfied and less likely to go back for second meal or snacking. If you practice this over the the course of multiple days your calories saving can help your weight loss.

2. IT REQUIRES MORE OF YOUR ENERGY

The thermic food effect (TEF) is the energy we use to digest food into small, absorbable components. Protein has a higher TEF compared to carbs and fat, meaning you're actually burning more calories to pro process protein than to process the other micronutrients.

3. IT FUELS FAT BURNING

It may be surprising, but it is a scientific fact that your body cannot effectively burn and use fat as energy if it doesn't have help from either carbohydrate or protein. As you are losing weight, your body loses both muscle and fat. During this process it is especially important that you continue to eat enough protein in your diet. Having adequate protein coming in from your food fuels fat burning while preserving calorie-burning lean muscle.

4. IT PROMOTES MUSCLE REPAIR AND GROWTH

Your protein needs increase especially after an intense exercise. So, increasing your protein intake on days that you exercise is beneficial. Additionally, if your are doing strength training, consider having a high protein snack right after a training session when the muscle is sensitive to nutrients that it can use to repair and grow.

One important thing to realize is eating more protein alone won't necessarily help you shed excess weight in a healthy way. When consumed in excessive amount it can still lead to weigh gain much like eating excess carbs or fat would, and could put unnecessary strain on the kidneys over a long period of time.