When the “no carb craze” came about it opened the floodgates for people to eat much more protein. The rationalization is that when you eat carbohydrates, particularly the wrong type of them, you will ultimately gain weight or have a hard time in losing it. Though there may be some truth to it, particularly when it comes to simple carbohydrates, but you don’t need to get rid of carbs altogether. Not only is this true, but the fact is that most of us are actually eating more protein than we really need. Though we may wish to concentrate on food groups such as these, we may also need to be more mindful of our protein intake overall.
It used to be that it was only bodybuilders that ate an excess amount of protein to help them build muscle and gain strength. Protein definitely has its merit as it is an important part of building muscle and also helping your body function properly. Recognizing the important role that it plays, it’s understandable how so many people would think that you can never eat too much protein. The reality though is that as more and more people turned away from carbs, they started to really eat far more protein than they needed. Not only that but they turned to protein in nearly any form that they could get it, and this isn’t the way to go if you want to lose weight or transform your body.
Though protein is an important part of your diet, you don’t want to overdo it. Be certain that you eat a well rounded diet overall, and that you are mindful that your protein intake needs to be under control so you don’t do more harm than good.
Be sure that you are always eating the right type of protein: This is the biggest mistake that so many people make when they try to get more protein in their diet. They overdo it, and they also turn to the wrong types of protein as well. Just because it offers protein doesn’t mean that it’s actually good for you, and therefore you must keep that in mind. You want to avoid the fatty and processed proteins such as hot dogs, sausage, or lunch meats. Be sure that you are focused on lean proteins which give you everything that you need, help you to feel satisfied, and don’t overdo it with the fat or calorie intake in the process.
Know that you may have to cut your overall calories and that may include protein as part of it: To those who are having a difficult time losing weight, it may have a lot to do with the overall calorie intake. If you need to cut calories so that you give your system a jump start and get the weight loss going, be sure that protein is a part of this. If you are eating the right protein then it should help you to feel satisfied. Be sure that you look at your overall protein intake and that as you cut your overall calories, this comes from all food groups and not just in one concentrated area alone.
You probably are not at risk of falling short of your protein intake if it’s part of your regular diet: The reality is that with such a strong focus on protein, many more of us are eating it far more than we ever used to. Most of us are no longer at risk of being short in our intake of protein, and therefore there is no need to bulk up on it. Even vegetarians have far more options with soybeans, tofu, beans and legumes, and so falling short in terms of your overall protein needs is not a worry since our shift for eating healthy has focused in a very big way.
It may be wise to cut back a bit and focus on getting the most that you can out of the protein that you do eat: It’s a good idea to cut back on carbs and eat the right type of them through complex carbohydrates that are full of fiber and therefore good for you. It’s also wise to focus specifically on lean proteins that give you this nutrient in the way that you need it. You may want to take a closer look at your protein intake and how this measures up to your requirements each day based on your gender, height, and overall makeup. Protein is good, but you don’t need to overdo it so just be mindful of how much you are getting and be sure it comes from the right sources.
