As summer approaches and you start to shed your winter layers in favor of more revealing clothing, it’s a natural impulse to want to look your best. While however you look at this moment is beautiful and worthy of being appreciated, making positive changes to promote healthy habits can be beneficial for improving your quality of life and feeling all around better in your skin. Instead of dieting this spring and praying that the pounds will fall off as you buy into an unhealthy and unrealistic eating pattern for short term results, try turning towards scientifically proven methods for losing weight in a safe way over the next several weeks. If you’re looking to lean into a healthier lifestyle in order to reach your weight loss goals this spring, this is the best way to do it according to health experts.
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Everyone knows that the basic formula for weight loss is by creating a sustainable calorie deficit. This can be done by eating slightly less calories, adding in slightly more physical activity, or a combination of both. However, the quality of food you’re eating is more important than you may think when it comes to calories. In order to lose weight this spring, health experts suggest increasing your protein intake while adding cardio into your gym routine to create a natural and easy calorie deficit. Hannah Daugherty, certified personal trainer explains, “Not incorporating enough protein into your diet can hamper weight loss success. Protein has been shown to help you feel full and boost your metabolic rate, so ensuring that your meals have a high-quality protein source is key for weight loss.”
Protein is an essential source of fuel for your body, feeding your muscles so they can grow while simultaneously allowing you to lose weight. Seeing as protein increases satiety, adding more of this macronutrient to your diet will allow you to snack less throughout the day as your cravings are curbed through nutrient dense food. Your body burns through protein as energy efficiently as well, making it valuable for weight loss, especially when we’re working out. “You want to put in fuel you burn, and do not store. This falls into the healthy fats and protein categories and it's also about portion control, as even healthy fats and protein can be stored as calories. This is where we have to pay attention to portion size if we want to maintain weight loss,” explains registered nutritionist Jay Cowin.
The thermic effect of food determines if the ingredients you’re putting in your body will boost your metabolism or not. With a faster and more efficient metabolism, you will find that your body burns calories more effectively, making it easier to maintain the necessary deficit for weight loss. Healthline notes, “Although not all sources agree on the exact figures, it is clear that protein has a much higher thermic effect (20-30%) compared to carbs (5-10%) and fat (0-3%). If we go with a thermic effect of 30% for protein, this means that 100 calories of protein only end up as 70 usable calories.” Not only is protein useful for keeping you full, but it will actually allow you to burn more calories throughout the day after eating, making weight loss easier to achieve.
Losing weight may seem like a daunting task, but when it comes down to it making more intentional choices in your diet and incorporating more protein along with at least 30 minutes of exercise each day will allow you to cut down on calories in a healthy manner so you can reach your goals. Your eating plan doesn’t have to be restrictive for you to see the results you’re looking for, and in eating more protein each day your body will feel more full and energetic. This will increase your quality of life so you can feel great in your body without growing exhausted due to poor nutrition. Weight loss isn’t a necessity for summer, but if you want to take steps towards an overall healthier lifestyle, eating more lean protein or even plant based sources such as legumes and tofu can make a profound difference in your body.
