By: Garin Kilpatrick
Protein boosts your metabolism and allows your body to burn more fat throughout the day.
Protein is truly a super nutrient that will give you more energy throughout the day and it will help you get a six pack fast if you are able to eat plenty of protein on a daily basis.
Protein comes in many forms. You can buy whey protein in a powder, and it comes in many food sources as well, such as fish, beef, chicken, eggs, and cheese.
When you consume high amounts of protein (about 1 gram of protein for every pound of your body weight, throughout the day) the “thermic” effect of your body is about three times higher than if you did not consume so much protein.
The reason for this is because your body burns more calories when it processes protein, compared to carbohydrates. Protein takes more energy to burn, and takes more time to digest, so it will keep you feeling fuller, longer.
The thermic effect of your body peaks one hour after eating, and this is when your body is burning the most calories simply by digesting your food. To increase the amount of calories you eat from digestion, and to keep your energy levels constant throughout the day, eat smaller portions.
Protein is not always as readily available as carbohydrates, but if you make an effort to integrate protein rich meat, fish, beans, and dairy in to your diet you will reap the reward of a better looking belly.
More protein means that your body will have amino acids readily available that will help you build lean muscle. The more lean muscle you have, the stronger you will be, and the more calories your body will fry even when you are not exercising.
Protein in the morning is especially important since it will help to wake up your liver, which is the metabolism factory for your body. The sooner you can get your metabolism up and running the sooner you can burn those calories the bulk up your belly. A few great ways to get protein for breakfast are eggs, cottage cheese, and a morning protein shake.
The leanest sources of protein include chicken, turkey, seafood, low-fat dairy, pork tenderloin, and lean beef. Milk is also a significant source of protein and contains about 8 grams of protein per glass.
The bottom line is that protein boosts your metabolism and burns calories, so you should integrate protein rich foods and drinks into your diet whenever possible.
