Consume Quality Protein from Whole Food Sources

Protein is essential for virtually all cells, body tissues, bones, organs and fluids. If you fail to consume enough protein, your body may not be able to repair itself and may start to lose muscle mass in the process. Since your body breakdown protein into amino acids, it cannot store protein in reserve. This makes healthy sources of protein an ideal snack to curb hunger pangs without the sugar spikes associated with munching on a handful of carbs. Good sources of protein comes from a variety of animals and plants, such as meat, dairy, fish, soy, eggs, legumes and nut butters. Either source leaves behind important amino acids that your body needs for tissue growth and repair. Nonetheless, try to consume the majority of your protein from whole-food sources including lean cuts of beef, pork and poultry along with high-protein plant-based foods.

How to Increase Your Metabolism

Even though you can't control your age, gender or genetics, there are ways you can increase your metabolic rate and fine tune your metabolism. Listed are some tips for increasing your burn, such as:

• Have a Cup of Coffee - Caffeinated beverages like coffee have been shown to boost metabolism, promote fullness and decrease hunger, all of which can encourage healthy weight loss.
• Include Protein at Every Meal - Adding more protein your daily menus also helps to offset the drop in metabolism associated with muscle loss from crash dieting, which is a common side effect of losing weight too quickly.
• Watch Calorie Cutting - Suddenly forcing yourself to follow a very low-calorie diet is a surefire way not to lose weight as your body is programmed to defend itself and will lower your resting rate.
• Drink Cold Water - People who drink water instead of sugary beverages are more successful at losing weight and keeping it off. By replacing the sweet calories contained in sugary drinks with ice cold water automatically reduces caloric intake and triggers metabolic burn.
• Add Strength Training - Lifting weights, not pumping iron, is important for building and retaining healthy muscle mass. More muscles results in a higher metabolism and healthier burn rate.

There is a lot you can do in the gym to add muscle mass, but it is what you outside your daily workout that has the greatest effect. You can see huge improvements in your metabolism by simply moving more in your daily life.

Protein May Increase the Calories Your Body Burns

While there are a few super foods that are known to rev your metabolism, protein is the macronutrient that may actually be able to increase the amount of calories that you burn. If you are skipping meals earlier in the day so you can sit down to a bigger evening meal, you are likely sabotaging your metabolism as the disrupted insulin response is more likely to cause metabolic dysfunction. Numerous medical conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid problems and hormonal imbalances can cause weight gain. It is important to make sure you don't have hidden food allergies or intolerances that hinder your ability to lose weight. If you frequently overestimate the calories your body burns while underestimating the amount consumed through your menu plan, the net metabolic burn can cause weight loss to stall or result in weight gain.

At the Metabolic Research Center, our weight loss specialists have been warning clients for decades about the dangers of following fad diets with highly restricted food groups and how it can lower metabolism when their body goes into starvation mode. If you have been searching online for a weight loss program that helps you maintain a healthy metabolism for long-term weight control, visit the MRC location nearest you or use this website's Contact Us form for prompt answers to any questions you have about adding protein to your diet.