Protein helps girls drop 10% of their body weight (study)

More protein could be the key for overweight women trying to slim down

Young women who want to lose weight should eat 300g of protein-rich food a day, including three to four serves of lean red meat a week, according to new research.

A 12-month study by The University of Sydney found that overweight women aged 18 to 25 will, on average, lose almost 10 per cent of their initial body weight after spending a year on a protein-rich diet.

“Losing 10 per cent of your body weight is like the holy grail for weight-loss studies,” says lead study author Dr Helen O’Connor, a lecturer in exercise and sports science at The University of Sydney. “Many of the women also achieved this loss after just six months, which surprised us.”

Why protein works

Melanie McGrice, spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), says that protein is essential for weightloss for two reasons: it makes us feel fuller for longer, and it keeps our metabolisms ticking along. “Protein is the macronutrient with the highest satiety ranking. It also requires more energy to break down in our body, and keeps our blood sugar levels balanced, both of which are beneficial for our metabolism.”

Protein is particularly beneficial for significantly overweight or obese people wanting to lose weight.

“Because overweight people have more total body weight, they need higher levels of protein to support muscle mass and metabolism,” McGrice says. “If you’re not meeting your protein requirements, which often happens when following a fad diet, then the body has to break down muscle instead, which lowers metabolism, and it’s really hard to rebuild that again.”

O’Connor and McGrice agree that a protein rich diet does not have to be low in carbs. “The protein-rich diet followed in the study still contained four serves of carbohydrates a day, which is not low at all,” O’Connor says. Participants were encouraged to choose wholegrain and low-GI types. “These types of carbs help you feel fuller for longer, and keep blood sugar levels in check, just like protein does,” O’Connor says.

Protein-rich meal plan:

Breakfast: porridge (made with 1/2 cup rolled oats, 250ml low fat milk, 20g sultanas, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp honey).

Lunch: Beef and pasta salad

Dinner: 200g salmon fillet, steamed, with 1/3 cup cooked brown rice, 2 cups steamed vegetables (e.g. carrot, bok choy, broccoli) and 1 tsp oil.

Snacks: 1 piece of fresh fruit; tub of low-fat yoghurt with handful berries; or 1 chopped carrot with tablespoon of fresh hummus.

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