Low-Carb High Protein Diets

This type of diet became very popular as of recently due to the promotion of the ever-popular Atkins Diet Craze. This diet is very popular because there is no calorie counting involved, and many foods that many people love to eat are allowed on the diet. Further, the Atkins diet is a high-protein diet, which means that weight lost during this diet will not result in lost muscle mass, since protein is the main nutrient needed for maintaining healthy muscle tone. This diet basically eliminates carbohydrates, which are simple sugars or foods that break down into simple sugars. These serve as empty calories in your diet, providing no nutrients yet many calories.

While we wont cover the Atkins diet here, we can give you basics of the high-protein, low-carb diet. First let us identify carbohydrates. Sugar, including powdered sugar, granulated white sugar, brown sugar, or any type of sugar you can think of, is the main carbohydrate that you would need to eliminate. All types of pastas count as carbohydrates, meaning all noodle and spaghetti products must be eliminated. Starches of any type, such as white rice, potatoes and potato chips, need to be eliminated. Cereals are mostly carbohydrates and should be avoided entirely during the diet phase. Because of the low-carb craze, there are many low-carb options of sodas, milk, ice cream, bread, beer, and wine available in the average supermarket.

If you do consume these, be sure to do so only occasionally and in moderation, even if it is a low-carb type. Otherwise, the aforementioned foods should be eliminated entirely when not of the low-carb type. Beware of foods that contain hidden sugars, like bacon, barbeque sauce, ketchup, salad dressing, cough syrup, and fruit juice. As strange as it may seem, fruits and fruit juices should be eliminated while in the weight loss phase of this diet, as they are nearly pure carbohydrates. Anything made with flour needs to be eliminated during the weight loss phase, since as mentioned earlier they are high in carbohydrates.

Now what can you eat? Well, the good news is that you can eat all meats, fish, poultry and seafood, except prepared meats like bacon and honey baked ham, which are high in sugar. Skip the bread and have meat and salad, or meat in your salad. Eggs are very low-carb friendly, but be sure to skip the mayonnaise or salad dressing unless it is low-carb type mayonnaise or dressing. Any type of vegetable is fine, but be sure to realize that when making that salad that tomatoes are actually a fruit, and you want to limit your consumption of them at least during the weight loss phase. Choose brown rice as your starch replacement, as it is low in carbohydrates comparatively to potatoes, bread or white rice. Cheese is good in limited amounts, as this is a high-protein, low-carb food. Butter and cream can be used, but should be consumed in limited amounts. One complex carbohydrate that is good is fiber, as it does not break down into simple sugar, and helps the body with elimination. Further, fiber fills you up quickly without adding significant calories, so hunger pangs are fought off successfully.

Finally, make sure you are drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day minimum in addition to any other liquid you may consume. Dehydration often masquerades as hunger and causes overeating. Of course, again exercise is a necessary and vital part of your diet plan, which we will cover in the next section on exercise.

Once you lose the weight that you set out to lose, the weight loss phase of your diet is over. Of course keep in mind that you are making lifestyle changes, not going on fad or binge diets. This means that you will not go back to your old eating habits. Instead you will introduce certain foods back into your diet in moderation. For example, you may add a couple of strips of bacon once a week to your meal plan. You can enjoy small portions of deserts of any kind, simply in moderation. It is best to avoid soft drinks all together, or opt for the low-carb type permanently. If you do introduce any other carbohydrate-laden foods, be sure to do so only at one meal, and in small portions. Reducing carbohydrates will become a lifestyle to you when following this plan, one is very likely to boost your overall energy level and help you keep the weight off.

Lose Weight With Protein

A diet based on an increased intake of foods high in protein have been shown in a number of studies to give an added boost to dieters by helping them increase weight loss, increase loss of body fat, and reduce the loss of muscle tissue.

It's recommended that your diet should contain 25 to 35 percent protein for weight loss and between 20 to 25 percent protein for weight maintenance. In either situation the protein in the food should be high quality. Protein requires more energy to digest than other foods helping you to use more calories and therefore may help with weight loss. Also, protein helps to preserve lean muscle tissue while you lose fat. If your body doesn't get enough protein and the important essential amino acids on a daily basis it will simple take the protein from existing muscle tissue.

Protein foods also help to slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This in turn reduces hunger by reducing insulin levels and making it easier for the body to burn fat.

"Protein Facts"

Protein' regardless of the types of foods high in protein it comes from, contains 4 calories per gram.

Next to water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body. Muscles, skin, eyes, individual cells and your immune system are just a few of your body parts comprised primarily of protein. Protein is the main building block of your body. It's essential that your entire body receives enough protein from food to ensure proper growth and maintenance. Protein foods also provide you with essential amino acids that your body cannot manufacture itself.

And finally, there is NO documented proof that indicates high amounts of protein or higher levels of protein intake in general lead to kidney malfunction in healthy women, no documented proof whatsoever.

Soy Versus Whey Protein For Muscle Building

If you visit a muscle building forum, you will undoubtedly see a few threads full of people arguing about the pros and cons of soy versus whey protein for muscle building purposes. So in this article, I'm going to try and sort it out once and for all. It's a pretty simple issue really, so it won't take long to get to the truth.

The Biological Value indicates both how digestible the protein is and how available the protein is for use by the body. Biological value began as a percentage - A whole egg rated at 100% nitrogen absorbed. According to the study conducted by a medical doctor by the name of Aaron Tabor, soy protein versus whey protein has a bigger advantage especially when it comes to your exercise.

Basically, there are a couple of different protein powders. Whey protein is derived from cows milk. Remember that old nursery rhyme, Incy Wincy Spider Well that mentions curds and whey. Basically two parts of milk. Whey protein is obviously taken from the whey part of the milk. Then threes soy protein. This is the stuff that is made from soy products. Obviously comes from a different place so it will obviously have different properties. The question you want answered is, which is better for muscle building

My answer to this question is whey protein. The answer can get quite involved when you look at it from a scientific point of view, but I'm not a scientist, I'm a bodybuilder, so I'm going to look at it from a bodybuilders point of view )

Basically, it has been shown in various scientific studies that soy protein can lead to higher levels of estrogen in the body. This is the female hormone and something that you don't want to have more of if you are looking at building muscle. Firstly, you don't want estrogen because it has no role in muscle building, it only has a negative impact. Heightened levels of estrogen is what actually causes gynocomastia, or man boobs. And I'm not just talking about the little bit of fat that some guys have, I'm talking about actually growing small amounts of breast tissue.

On the other hand, whey protein can actually cause your body to become more anabolic. Meaning it will build muscle more efficiently. And since you are looking to use whey protein for muscle building, this is the one you want to choose.

So there you go, the debate can finally be ended and you can get rid of that tub of soy protein you have sitting in your cupboard.