How Protein Powder Can Help You Shed Pounds
Want to lose weight? Whether you’ve got five, 15 or 40 pounds to lose, you have plenty of options. There’s keto. Paleo. Low-carb. Low-fat. Intermittent fasting. And those are only a few of the diets out there.
With so many options, it can be confusing and even overwhelming to determine how you should eat to lose weight. However, there is one simple technique that can help you lose body fat, regardless of how much you want to lose and the diet plan you follow. It involves consuming more protein, a macronutrient that is linked to an improved likelihood of losing weight and keeping it off.
The good news? It’s easy and convenient to up your protein intake when you consume protein powder. In fact, if you’re wondering “how do I use protein powder to lose weight,” read on.
Protein Powder: Making Protein Simple and Convenient
You may already know that your body relies on three macronutrients — carbohydrates, fat and protein — for energy. While your body needs all three, upping your protein intake can boost your metabolism and help you lose weight.
Protein, which consists of amino acids, delivers 4 calories of energy per gram — the same as a gram of carbohydrate and less than the 9 calories in a gram of fat. Good sources of protein include meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, soy, seeds, nuts and beans. Your body uses protein to repair, build and maintain muscle. Protein also is found in all the cells of your body and is a major building block of your skin, hair and nails as well as your internal organs.
Protein tends to be more satiating than carbohydrates, which means eating it can help you feel full longer. Research shows that simply increasing your protein intake makes you take in fewer calories, without feeling deprived. It also may help reduce ghrelin, the hunger hormone, in turn decreasing feelings of hunger. And because your body expends more energy to digest protein than carbohydrates or fat, it can help increase your metabolism, which results in burning more calories, even at rest. If you strength train and build additional muscle, you’ll boost your metabolism even further.
The takeaway? Consuming more protein, both in snacks and meals, can help you lose weight. And one of the easiest ways to do so is by using protein powder, which is convenient, portable and can even be tasty!
Common Questions and Answers About Protein Powder
If you haven’t tried protein powder, you may have some questions about it. Here are some common ones, along with the answers:
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How does protein powder work?
It simply makes it easier to get additional protein into your diet because the powder contains a specific type of protein (like whey, casein or soy). -
Is there a best time to drink a protein shake for weight loss?
Studies show that your body may use protein most efficiently during the two-hour window after a workout. -
Is protein powder safe?
As long as you buy it from a reputable company, yes. Protein powder is considered a dietary supplement and is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. -
How much protein powder per day?
The current recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. However, if you’re trying to add muscle, training for an endurance event or trying to lose weight, you may want to consume more than that. -
How often should I drink a protein shake?
That’s up to you. Adding a protein shake to your post-workout routine or as a midafternoon snack or a meal replacement is a simple way to get additional protein into your diet.
With protein powder, getting more protein into your diet doesn’t take a lot of time and effort. Try upping your protein quotient and you may be surprised at the positive effect it has on your waistline.