We’ve already discussed some of the reasons you should be eating more protein in your diet.
Should we be worried about eating too much protein?
One oft–heard argument against ‘high’ protein diets is that they can do serious damage to your kidneys. One would have to consume copious amounts of protein (400, 500 grams or more) for an extended period of time to even approach amino acid levels necessary for kidney damage. It’s much more likely that you aren’t consuming nearly enough protein in your diet.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the recommended daily allowance for protein is only 50 grams a day for a 2000 calorie diet—– a laughingly inadequate and antiquated figure. The study on which that recommendation is based featured older, sedentary men as subjects. If you participate in even the most leisurely of exercise activities at any point in a given week, you would much more than a paltry 50 grams of protein per day to maintain amino acids level optimal for fat loss.
The most popular consumption pattern today features foods high in carbs, moderate- to -high in fat, and low in protein. Even people who pride themselves on adhering to a healthy diet and lifestyle may not consume enough protein. You don’t have to starve yourself to achieve the lean figure you desire —diets that mix lots of protein with moderate carbs and fat will do the trick.
Many weekend warriors and gym rats don’t understand why they have so much trouble putting on mass or losing fat without sacrificing hard earned muscle. Inadequate protein consumption is often the culprit. Sufficient protein consumption coupled with enough rest is the key to muscle growth and long-lasting fat loss.
I myself have experimented with diets featuring at least one gram of protein per pound per day intermittently over the past seven years with great results. During those periods (in which I sought to either lose over 10lbs of fat or gain at least 10lbs of muscle), I found that I was leaner and put on muscle mass much easier than when I consumed less than .7 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day.
Try out a higher protein diet for ten weeks. Do not change your exercise habits or make drastic alterations to your lifestyle; this will help ensure that diet is the only variable. See if a diet rich in protein isn’t the answer to your fitness problem.
Foods high in protein include:
Chicken, fish, eggs, lactose free milk (some brands boast protein servings as high as 15grams of protein per serving), turkey, beef. You might even buy some protein shakes or protein powder (although you may lose much of the Thermogenic Effect).
As with all diet and exercise programs, you should consult your doctor before instituting any changes.