I’ve shared a great deal with my pals at the Diary of an Overweight Mom Forum and they’ve shared a great deal with me too. I think the most important thing I’ve shared with them is the need for adequate amounts of protein when we’re trying to lose weight.
So often we cut out protein because it provides the biggest chunk of calories through the course of our day but we’re doing ourselves a great disservice when we do this. Sure, it seems logical. Instead of having a 230 calorie roasted chicken breast, you could just have a 65 calorie apple, but will you be as satisfied after eating the apple as you would be after eating the chicken breast? Not likely. In fact, you could eat 3 1/2 apples and probably still not feel as satisfied even though they’d provide the same amount of calories as that chicken breast.
Now, think back to every diet you’ve tried. What is the single most reason you’ve had for quitting a diet?
Hunger, perhaps?
Yeah. Hunger. It makes us grouchy and we snap at our kids and our spouse. Not only do they begin to resent our dieting but they want to shove a Snickers bar in our mouth to make the snapping stop. Then we begin to hate ourselves for what we’re doing to our family and really start getting down on ourselves about how much we weigh. Hunger makes us spiral into a pit of self-loathing and the only thing that brings us out is a great, big, fat piece of chocolate cake. Then we struggle over our dieting failure even as we shovel that cake into our mouth.
This is where protein can save your family, your life and your self-esteem.
The next time you think about cutting out protein, try this:
Pick a reasonable goal weight for yourself. For every pound of goal weight, make sure you eat one gram of protein per day. (For example: If your goal is 140 pounds, make sure you plan to eat 140 grams of protein throughout the day. Just remember that your body cannot process more than 50 grams of protein at a sitting.)
The best way to boost your metabolism, lose weight, and still feel human is to break your calories and protein up into several small meals throughout the day. With 140 as your magic number, you could have four meals a day and consume 35 grams of protein at each meal. When you add in some healthy fruits and vegetables at each meal, you’ll have plenty of variety, flavor, textures and colors as well as feel satisfied after every meal.
Give it a try. Your family will thank you for it.
Your scale will probably reinforce your decision as well.
Be sure to stop back by and let me know how it works out for you.
Related Blogs:
Low-Carb Diets and Conventional Wisdom
Do You Want to Be a Buff Mother?
Diary of an Overweight Mom Forum