Singaporeans often struggle with being overweight because of our rich food culture. We have a plethora of delicious food choices here that make it easy to let ourselves go and indulge ourselves. But if you’re serious about wanting to lose a few kilos, then you need to be more conscious not only of how much you eat, but what you eat as well. Many people even join weight loss programs in Singapore to help with their diet.
One important food group that can help you slim down is protein, so you’ll want to add more of it to your diet compared to fats and carbohydrates. Let’s learn more about why protein is important when losing weight and how much you should eat to get the results you want.
What Makes Protein Great for Weight Loss?
Here are some of the main benefits protein brings to people trying to lose weight:
- Protein triggers the hormones that signal your brain that your body feels full, while also reducing the hormones that increase your appetite.
- Your body uses more energy or calories to digest protein than it does for fats and carbs. You would help create a calorie deficit much quicker by eating more protein.
- Protein also preserves muscle mass, which often decreases when you try to lose weight. It helps ensure that you’re burning fat instead of muscle tissue.
- Eating more protein-rich foods also prevents blood sugar spikes and crashes which affect your cravings. It will also improve your body’s response to insulin, so you don’t store more sugar as fat.
The Right Serving Size for Protein-rich Diets
The recommended amount of protein for most people is around 0.8 to 1.2 grams for every kilogram of body weight. However, if you’re trying to lose weight more effectively, you may have to increase your intake to 1.2 to 1.6 grams or even higher.
To illustrate, let’s say you weigh 80 kilograms. That means you should eat around 96-128 grams of protein every day — preferably spread across your daily meals.
But those are just the general recommendations. You may have different requirements based on your circumstances, so it would be better to consult a professional about it. In some cases, you might need over 2 grams of protein per kilogram instead.
What Foods Are Packed With Protein?
Let’s have a look at some of the best foods you can add to a high-protein diet:
Animal-based Proteins
- Lean meats such as chicken, pork tenderloin, and lean ground beef
- Fish including salmon, tuna, and sardines
- Seafood such as shrimp, crab, and clams
- Eggs and dairy products
Plant-based Proteins
- Soy products including tofu, tempeh, and edamame
- Lentils and beans
- Nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and sesame seeds
- Certain whole grains such as quinoa and oats
Go ahead and mix and match these foods with healthy sources of fats and carbs. This will create all kinds of delicious and nourishing meals to support your weight loss journey.
Work With Weight Loss Programs for Effective Diets
Although we now have a good idea of where to get started with our protein-packed diet, don’t be afraid to get help if your efforts don’t work. Sometimes, it will take professional guidance to make sure you’re in the right direction.
This is why many people sign up for weight loss programs in Singapore. Sure, it’s easy to find some basic guidelines online, but these programs have experts like coaches and dietitians who can provide more personalised meal plans and continuous support. They can make sure you’re not only eating correctly, but you’re also doing the right things to keep your figure in check.
Weight loss journeys don’t have to be done alone. With the right people to guide you, you can work your way to your ideal weight and gain habits that can benefit you for a long time.
