We eat way to much carbohydrates and fats in our diets. The average person seems to pay very little attention to protein intake.
Our body stores all its reserve protein in our muscles. When we don’t eat sufficient protein in our diets our body will begin to cannibalize our own muscle tissue as its only source of more protein. The body’s metabolic rate is solely determined by how much lean muscle mass we have on our frame. Our metabolic rate is what determines the efficiency of out body’s ability to burn caloric energy. Without adequate protein we destroy our lean muscle tissue and in turn destroy our metabolisms. So, by the time we are 40 we have begun to loose much of our lean muscle tissue and have replaced the tissue with fat. And then we wonder why our metabolic rate is so slow.
When people diet they only increase this muscle loss scenario. Most diet programs today focus only on total weight loss, and unfortunately a lot of this weight loss is loss of healthy muscle tissue. When the diet is over you have lost some weight, but the weight usually comes back on, because your metabolic rate has been decreased by the effects of a diet with low protein. When choosing a diet program to follow you need to pick one that understands this and focuses on protein intake while loosing weight. This is the only type of dieting that is in the long run is even worth pursuing. Otherwise your weight loss will only be temporary.
It is almost impossible for an individual to take in to much protein. The idea that to much protein is a health concern has been completely disproven. Eat as much protein as you can particularly if you are restricting calories.
It is amazing that most people don't eat protein often enough throughout the day. Sure, they might get enough in their lunch and dinner meals but their breakfast, mid-morning and mid-afternoon meals are virtually totally devoid of protein!
Of course, if they go without protein for greater than about 2 or 3 hours their body goes into a catabolic state and they lose precious muscle tissue, which then results in a drop in their metabolic rate.
By having protein more frequently throughout the day they can prevent this metabolic slow-down from occurring. Plus, they get the added benefits of suppressing appetite and slowing down the absorption rate of any carbs consumed with the meal as well.
Here's some information on how to determine your daily protein requirement.
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