We're sure you've heard that protein is required to maintain our muscles, but you might be surprised to know that protein is actually a fantastic weight loss tool. Yes really! Here's 5 ways that protein can aid with your weight loss goals.
1. Protein keeps you fuller for longer- eating protein rich meals will keep you feeling fuller for longer than a meal or snack high in carbohydrates or fat due to the length of times it takes to digest it. Try including a protein source at every meal and snack to avoid hunger dips between meals.
2. Lean body mass uses more calories that body fat- lean body mass (our muscle) requires calories to be maintained, this is called 'metabolically active'. Body fat on the other hand doesn't require any calories to exist. Therefore the more lean muscle we have, the more calories we burn at rest. What helps us maintain this? You guessed it, protein!
3. Protein requires more energy to be digested- this simply means your body uses more calories digesting protein than it does carbohydrates or fat. This is known as the 'thermic effect of food' and protein wins hands down!
4. Protein aids with sugar highs and low- when he eat foods high in carbohydrates our blood sugar increases. As we know everything that goes up must come down and protein helps to regulate these highs and lows which stops the feelings of cravings for more sugar!
5. Protein helps us lose more body fat- when looking to lose weight what we really mean is we want to lose body fat. Having a diet that is rich in protein will help to support the body in losing more body fat.
Now you know that protein is key to your weight loss goals, but how easy is it to include more protein in your diet? Well it's easy than you might think. If you have a slice of toast for breakfast try adding some scrambled egg. Enjoy a sandwich at lunch? Fill it with grilled chicken to boost the protein intake. What about snacks? UFIT drinks contains 22g of protein which is the same as a chicken breast or 4 eggs but it far easier to pop in your bag when you're out and about.
You can find UFIT drinks at Tesco, Holland & Barrett, Ocado, Superdrug, One Stop, Road Chef or directly from us here.
