protein & weight loss - With excercise

Hello all,

I am confused about how protein assists in weight loss. I have been advised to increase protein to assist in weight loss. I eat fairly healthy but have extra weight on from some time ago.
I have not had any surgery & am wishing to lose weight by eating healthy & taking a protein drink(Max's Hydroxy) but am confused about if increasing protein will bulk me up. I understand that you must excercise when increasing protein but how much excercise daily - I am worried that I should be doing much more than half and hour a day & if i dont will bulk up really big.

Any feedback from anyone would be greatly appreciated. I am very confused,

B

If you eat/drink more calories than you burn each day, the calories are stored as fat. It doesn't matter if the calories come from protein, carbs, or fat. Too many calories = calorie storage = fat. If you eat protein all day long, and nothing else - and you get more calories than you burn - you will store the extra calories as fat. If you are lifting weights & body building, your body is laying down more muscle and your body's protein requirements go up. If your not lifting weights or doing anerobic exercise, you won't "bulk up" from eating too much protein. Some people increase protein and decrease carbs & fat to lose weight because protein is 4 calories per gram and fat is 9 calories per gram. If you reduce fat and eat more protein, you'll be consuming less calories. However, carbs are also 4 calories per gram. But, many people "carb crave". Meaning, if they eat carbs they want more carbs. Typically this doesn't happen with meat/protein. Many people feel protein fills them up faster and they end up eating more. Thus, the high protein diets. In addition, there is also the ketosis factor. In a regular diet, the body will break down carbohydrate to glucose (sugar) and use as energy. In the absence of carb, the body will breakdown fat for energy (producing more ketones). Usually ketosis makes people feel crumby (like Atkins diet). However, you're not asking about a protein only diet. Sounds to me you are eating a relatively balanced diet. So, just taking a protein shake won't 'bulk you up' or make you lose weight, for that matter. Reducing your calories and exercising will make you lose weight. If you're using the shake as a meal replacement - check the calories. If it's less than 400 per shake, then you will probably lose weight with it. If not, it may just be a calorie heavy shake and you won't lose weight. My opinion: eat more fruits and vegetables - eliminate junk food, sugar foods and fast foods. Don't eat juice or soda. Drink more water. Eat low fat meats and fiber rich carbohydrates. And, EXERCISE. Good luck.

Hello,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to my post & answer my questions. I have a much better understanding now from what you have explained in your reply to myself. I was so worried about bulking up having additional protein powder.

Now I will will look into the calories as that is something i have never looked at before - only portion size.

Thanks again

 

Bel :)