Want to Burn More Calories While You Sleep?
Protein and Muscles
Want to burn more calories while you sleep? Speed up your metabolism by eating the right kind of proteins and the right amounts at the right times. Eating more protein when paired with regular exercise will help increase your muscle mass thereby increasing your metabolism. Be sure to talk to a nutritional consultant or your doc before making any major changes to your nutrition.Protein and Muscle Mass
Proteins are found in every tissue type in your body, the densest in protein are your muscles. When you exercise, you make small tears in your muscle fibers which need to be repaired. So your body repairs these tears by adding additional proteins to the muscle fibers which increases your muscle strength and size but only when there is enough high quality protein in you the foods you are eating. High quality proteins are either animal based (lean meats such as chicken, beef and fish) or vegetable based (vegan protein powders).Muscle Mass and Metabolism
Remember that muscles dictate your metabolism. Stop blaming your parents and look at your lifestyle first. Do you exercise daily, do you eat enough high quality protein and vegetables? Increased muscle mass will allow you to burn more calories. Now I am not talking about big muscles but nice long lean and strong muscles vs flab. Doesn’t that sound prettyJ? The biggest contributor to your metabolism is your basal metabolic rate, which is how many calories your body burns simply keeping you alive. Because muscle tissue requires more energy than fat, increasing your muscle mass will increase your basal metabolic rate. In fact, the gradual loss of muscle mass due to aging is one of the reasons our metabolisms slow down as we get older. Adding protein to your diet and exercising can help you increase your muscle mass, thereby enhancing your metabolism.Thermic Effects of Protein
Your body burns approximately 10 percent of the calories you consume while breaking down the food into energy and nutrients it can use. This is known as the thermic effect of food. Protein in particular stimulates the thermic effect of food, which means that the body burns more energy processing dietary protein than it does carbohydrates or fats. The act of digesting protein therefore boosts your metabolism more than other nutrients. Diets high in protein may also make you feel full faster, helping you to eat less.Limitations
Although adding protein to your diet may help boost your metabolism, higher protein intake alone will not cause you to burn significantly more calories. Your muscle mass will only increase if you combine additional protein with exercises such as weight training. In addition, while it may take more energy to digest proteins than other energy sources, protein still provides calories, which means that if you eat too much of it, you will still gain weight. Replacing refined carbohydrates with high-protein, green leafy vegetables and low-fat foods will help you add protein to your diet without unnecessary calories. The Best and the Worst Protein Powders – The Hard Facts By: Tina McDermott As a professional nutritional consultant for over 11 years, clients often ask about protein powders as a meal substitute. Mostly I find that they are eating a brand that is loaded with sugar, artificial ingredients and other chemicals which are not fit for humans or even rats for that matter. These ingredients are more harmful to your health than they are good for many reasons. The first thing to consider is that any and all protein powders are not a substitute for real food. Real food should always be your first choice. Now when that is simply not possible due to a busy schedule or the need for more protein in your nutrition plan then protein powders are a good second choice with one caveat; they are sourced from organic foods and are vegan. Some protein bars could be a third choice and you must be extremely careful about them as well for the same reasons. More on protein bars later. Why vegan protein powders? Well, as a blood type O, I love to eat animal protein and I do encourage all people with the same blood type to eat animal protein. The problem with it is that it is simply too acidic for the body so to compensate for that, one meal a day is a vegan meal which helps to alkalinize the body. A body that is more alkaline vs acidic is closer to health vs disease. That’s an entire different article that I’ll write later. Vegan Protein Powder helps to feed your body and alkalinize it as well. Protein is necessary to help maintain or build your muscles. If you body is lacking in protein then it will cannibalize your muscles for fuel hence lowering your metabolism. Remember that muscles dictate your metabolism so the stronger your muscles are the more calories you will burn, even at rest. Many plant proteins contain the essential amino acids which make up protein. It is possible to obtain all nine essential amino acids necessary for muscle growth and optimal bodily function with a balanced vegan diet. Protein-rich supplements are the perfect accompaniment to that diet for any body from the, “I want to lose weight” person to the hard-training athlete. And plant based protein powders are much easier on the digestive tract than animal sources. Here are some vegan protein powders that pass all the tests, no chemicals, no soy, no wheat, no artificial ingredients, low carbohydrate, low cholesterol, and no dairy. Most importantly, all of these are excellent for the person who wants to lose weight as well as the athlete. Stay tuned for next week’s blog on the best protein powders!
