Many of us would love to lose a few quick pounds. But the problem with most crash diets is that you lose muscle along with the fat.
The problem is having muscle burns calories… So you don’t want less of it. And losing muscle also makes you feel weaker. This makes you less likely to exercise. All of this means your weight loss comes to a screeching halt.
Now researchers believe they may have found a way to break through this diet wall.
Scientists at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, recently discovered it’s possible for people to lose weight quickly while building muscle at the same time.1
The key is doing these two things…
- Eat lots of protein.
- Get the right kind of exercise.
The new study was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers had two groups of overweight men exercise six days a week. The program included strength workouts and high-intensity interval training.
Both groups also went on low-calorie diets. One group’s diet included 15% protein. This is a typical amount recommended by many nutrition experts.
The second group ate much more protein. They got 35% of their calories from protein.
After one month, both groups had lost weight. But the high-protein group lost significantly more. They lost an average of 10 ½ pounds compared to 8 for men who didn’t get extra protein.2
But the big difference came in where the weight loss came from. The high-protein group had actually gained muscle… As much as 3 pounds of it. That means all their weight loss was fat.
The men who didn’t get extra protein did not add any muscle… Even though they were working out six days a week.
The weight loss program in the study was rigorous. Many people would find it difficult. But the results reveal vital lessons for anybody trying to lose weight.
They show that extra protein is crucial during dieting if you want to avoid losing muscle. And researchers say strength training is important, too… More so than cardio exercise.
To add protein to your diet, eat more of these:
- Organic meats and poultry
- Wild-caught, cold-water fish
- Pastured eggs
- Raw almonds and walnuts
- Pumpkin seeds (Calorie for calorie, this is one of the highest-protein foods there is.)
When it comes to strength training, focus on both arms and legs. Avoid machines and heavy free weights. Bodyweight exercises are enough. They build functional strength and have a low risk of injury. These exercises include:
- Push-ups
- Pull-ups
- Squats
- Lunges
If you want to lose weight, go ahead with a diet… But harness the power of protein to stay strong.
In Good Health,
Angela Salerno
Publisher, INH Health Watch
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References:
1http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/03/a-diet-and-exercise-plan-to-lose-weight-and-gain-muscle/?ref=health&_r=0
2 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160127132741.htm