Add THIS To Your Meals To Help With Weight Loss

Good news! We’re about to increase your food intake to help with weight loss.

Dieting has long held the belief that cutting everything from carbs to dairy to sugar will help you lose weight. While these might help you shed a few pounds, the key to dieting is actual protein intake.

Protein takes longer to digest than other macronutrients, making you feel fuller for longer so you won’t eat as much, explains Jackie Newgent, a registered dietitian nutritionist and author of The Plant-Based Diabetes Cookbook.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service, women between 20 and 49 consume 42 percent of their daily protein at dinner and 17 percent at breakfast. But you should be distributing your protein intake throughout the day to support your metabolism, bones, muscles and hormones.

Here’s everything you need to know about adding more protein to your meal plan.

How does protein help with weight loss?

It’s the most satiating macronutrient. Translation: Often, you derail your diet because you’re hungry or crave a massive chocolate chip cookie with chocolate ice cream on top (hopefully not just me?). But if you have more protein, you’ll feel fuller longer, and you won’t need to head back to the kitchen. Plus, protein helps repair tissue and keeps your immune system running, says Christopher Norman, a geriatric nurse practitioner in New York.

“I have clients saying they are always hungry, and when we bump up the protein, within one to seven days, they feel less hungry and have less cravings,” adds Danielle Rancourt, a registered dietitian in Minnesota.

Why is protein important beyond weight loss? Its main function is to build and repair tissue, including muscles. Protein also strengthens your immune system. Finally, it regulates your metabolism and digestion, says Brittany Werner, a registered dietitian nutritionist and director of coaching at Working Against Gravity, an online nutrition coaching company.

How much protein do women need daily?

It varies. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is technically .36 grams per pound of body weight, says Newgent. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you need 54 grams of protein per day — but this is the minimum amount required to prevent protein deficiency.

An easier way to calculate your protein is to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, especially if you’re lifting weights, says Chris Mohr, a registered dietitian and fitness and nutrition advisor at Fortune Recommends Health in Charlotte, North Carolina. But protein needs aren’t one-size-fits-all, she adds. The more active you are, the more protein you need. And if you’re cutting fat, you need even more protein to preserve muscle mass.

Werner says that if you want to lose body fat, reduce hunger and boost your metabolism, aim for 1.5 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. So, for a 150-pound woman, this amounts to 81-150 grams of protein a day. It may be more helpful to think about protein intake per meal: Aim for 25-30 grams of protein per meal daily.

What are some yummy protein ideas?