A High-Protein Dietary Plan to Help in Weight Loss



Why Protein Is Essential

For your body to function properly, it requires large quantities of macronutrients. Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are the three main macronutrients. While each of them has its own role to play, protein, more specifically, is important to meet your weight loss goals.

Aside from supporting muscle growth and repair, it performs numerous other functions. This includes helping you feel more energetic, maintaining lean muscle mass, keeping you full and satisfied, and reducing your cravings.

Through the course of this blog, we will explain why protein matters, how it aids in weight loss, and take you through a sample 7-day diet plan that incorporates a high-protein diet for weight loss. 

Protein & Weight Loss

Let’s take a look at how a high-protein diet for weight loss can help you shed those extra kilos.

1. Appetite & Satiation

Hormones like PYY and GLP-1 help you feel satiated and satisfied after a meal. Protein helps increase the production of these hormones, allowing you to feel full for a longer period of time and reducing your overall calorie intake along the way.

2. Metabolic Rate

Protein has a higher thermic effect, which simply means an increase in the body’s metabolic rate after you eat. As a result, protein enhances metabolism because the body puts in extra effort to break down the protein in your food, helping you burn more calories.

3. Muscle Mass & Body Composition

A high-protein diet for weight loss helps build and maintain muscle mass while losing fat. This will leave you with a stronger and leaner body. Therefore, the more protein you feed your body, the stronger the muscles and the better your body composition is.

Things to Remember For A High-Protein Diet for Weight Loss

1. Diversity of Protein Sources

Legumes, tempeh, tofu, vegetables like broccoli and spinach, quinoa, nuts and seeds, and Greek yogurt are some of the protein sources that you can include in your high-protein diet for weight loss.

2. Whole Foods

Whole and unprocessed foods have more nutrients and fewer calories. Therefore, the key is to focus on such healthy options and avoid processed foods that are high in sugar and unhealthy fats.

3. Portion Sizes

Too much of anything is always a bad idea. Therefore, an excess of healthy foods can also lead to weight gain. To prevent this, you should pay attention to portion sizes and engage in mindful eating.

4. Balanced Macro nutrients

While protein intake is crucial, it is also important to balance it with fats and carbohydrates. Healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and olive oil are essential for the regulation of hormones and can aid in weight loss when consumed in moderation. Moreover, complex carbohydrates like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, as opposed to refined carbohydrates, will help maintain the stability of your blood sugar levels.

8 Best High-Protein Foods

Given below are 8 of the top protein-rich foods that you can include in your high protein diet for weight loss.

1. Lentils & Legumes

Lentils and legumes are perfect for weight loss because they are great sources of protein and fibre. You can make these a part of your high-protein meals by using them in salads or soups.

2. Tofu & Tempeh

Tofu and tempeh are high-protein soy products that can be added to a variety of dishes like salads, stir-fries, and curries. Tempeh is also a good source of probiotics and, hence, excellent for your gut health and digestion.

3. Edamame

Quite popular in East Asian cuisines, edamame is high in protein and fibre. You can make it a part of salads and stir-fries or simply eat it as a snack!

4. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is both high in protein and low in fat. It goes perfectly well with fruits and vegetables, and can be added to salads as well.

5. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt has high protein content and is low in sugar as opposed to regular yogurt. You can eat it along with fruits and nuts.

6. Quinoa

Quinoa is high in protein and fibre. It can be used in salads and bowls.

7. Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds like almonds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds are rich in protein and healthy fats. These can be added to oatmeals, smoothies and even salads.

8. Protein Powders

If you are unable to meet your daily protein intake, then protein powder can be a great addition to your diet. You can blend protein powder into smoothies, among other things.

7-Day High-Protein Dietary Plan to Help in Weight Loss

Now that we have learned about the best protein sources, let us take a look at a sample diet meal plan for weight loss that includes sufficient protein. 

Simple Habits to Support Your High-Protein Diet

Given below are 4 simple habits that you should adopt along with incorporating a high-protein diet for weight loss.

• Meal Planning: This is one of the best ways to stick with your diet and prevent yourself from reaching out for unhealthy snacks. Meal planning strategies include cooking in batches or meal prepping.

• Food Tracking: Using a food tracking app can ensure that the daily required protein intake is met.

• Staying Hydrated: Drinking water helps with digestion, keeps you full, and aids the metabolic processes of your body.

• Regular Exercise: Engage in regular exercise for 30 to 45 minutes. Strength training, more specifically, can help you build and maintain muscle while also losing fat. Apart from this, you should aim to complete 10,000 steps per day.

Some other important habits to incorporate:

• Make sure that you eat your dinner as early as 7:30 pm or at least 3 hours before you go to bed. 

• Make sure that you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

• Limit your intake of sugar and processed foods. 

• Use a maximum of 1 teaspoon of ghee or olive oil for each meal. 

Final Thoughts

Focusing on protein-rich foods, balanced consumption of macronutrients, and mindful eating can help you stay healthy as well as lose weight. Moreover, consistency and lifestyle changes will set you up for long-term success.

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Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Does a High-protein Diet Support Weight Loss?

Answer: Yes, it does because protein leaves you feeling full for a longer period of time, helps maintain muscle while losing fat, and controls your cravings.

2. Can I Follow a High-protein Diet and Skip Regular Exercise?

Answer: It is advisable to do regular exercise, more specifically strength training, because muscles can boost metabolism. So, pairing a high-protein diet for weight loss with exercise can be beneficial.

3. What is the Daily Protein Requirement for Weight Loss?

Answer: It depends on your activity level. However, 1.2 to 2 grams of protein per kg of your body weight is considered to be ideal.

4. What are the Best High-protein Foods for Vegetarians?

Answer: Some of the best high-protein foods for vegetarians include lentils, sprouts, chickpeas, tofu, Greek yogurt, quinoa, and nuts & seeds.

5. Will a High Protein Consumption Lead to Weight Gain?