Alternative Health Blog

There is a shorthand way to develop a diet plan that will help you lose weight. Pick your ideal body weight, then multiply it by 10. That’s the number of calories you need to eat each day—and limiting it to that. Now new research makes a case for making sure you get enough protein as part of those calories rather than simply limiting saturated fat intake.

What University of Illinois researchers have reported is that proteins improve blood composition (more HDL or “good” cholesterol, fewer triglycerides) and help burn fat more effectively. The Illinois findings, published in the Journal of Nutrition, show that moderate-protein diets will lead to more long-term loss of body fat than popular high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets. That translates to great lean muscle mass and, practically speaking, reduced clothing sizes.

In the study, 130 volunteer subjects were assigned to one of two calorie-restricted diets: One was high-carb with 15 percent of calories coming from protein, 55 percent from carbs and 30 percent from fats. The other plan called for 30 percent protein (lean meats, lowfat dairy, nuts, plus 40 percent carbs and 30 percent fats.

Here’s the differential between low-protein / high-carb and moderate-protein / moderate carb: While both groups lost considerable weight on restricted-calorie diets—the high-carb dieters lost 19 pounds compared to 23 pounds for the higher protein group—the higher protein group lost more pounds of fat both overall and proportionately. What’s more, the protein group enjoyed significantly healthier cholesterol blood makeup.

Illinois researcher Donald K. Layman said the extra protein—spread over meals and snacks throughout the day—helps encourage muscle mass, which leads to higher metabolic ratesell on their own is unclear.

Layman said the concept of spreading your calories and especially protein to all three meals and two to three snacks per day is a vital part of losing weight. .

You need to understand “a higher protein diet is not more protein at dinner, but balanced protein at breakfast and lunch," said Layman. Eating breakfast for many people is not a habit, but research continues to point to its value for both providing energy for the day and losing weight.

The latter seems like a good way to stay motivated to developing a breakfast habit after maybe calling yourself a non-breakfast eater for decades. One thing to remember: You don’t have to eat your breakfast in one sitting or even immediately upon waking. The idea is to get some protein and calories in your body during the first three hours of your wakeful day.

Bob Condor blogs for Alternative Health Journal every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.