The “formula” for weight control, on the surface, sounds quite simple: Increase protein and vegetable intake while lowering the ingestions of fruits, carbohydrates and alcohol. The ingestion of a healthy amount of protein jacks up metabolism and as weight is being lost, muscle mass is maintained and the weight loss is mostly coming from fat dissipation. We are able to show this quantifiably by our Inbody composition machine.
However, one of the major challenges that people experience is being able to eat enough protein. This is especially true when we have people in the visit phase of the medical SP Program taking appetite suppressants. Additionally, there seems to be a gender difference as well, mostly with women being more challenged than men in gobbling up the protein portions.
So, if eating lots of protein is important for weight control, and getting those 12, 13 or more exchanges in per day is important, what steps can we tale to combat the “protein challenge”? Here are some suggestions:
- When making a protein dish such as a steak, burgers or chicken on the grill for dinner, make extra portions that can be used for lunches.
- Make use of the slow-cooker to make a tasty protein dish that does not require much work on your part.
- Add an extra hard boiled egg into your lunch or dinner salad
- Make a bunch of hard boiled eggs on a Sunday allowing for their use as snacks as opposed to cheese sticks or yogurts
- When dining out, pay the extra $4 bucks or so to get an additional amount of chicken on the salad.
- Eat a “lighter” type of protein such as fish or seafood as opposed to “heavier” proteins such as red meats, allowing for more ounces of protein ingestion, yet feeling less “full”.
Please send any of your other suggestions to us at: nposner@spdiet.com.
Overcoming the “protein challenge” will allow for more aggressive weight control. You can do it!