I am a 43 year old 170 lb. vegetarian who eats fish, and I lost 70 lbs. over the course of a year. I have maintained this weight for about 3 months, but have yet to lose about 3 to 4 % body fat. I want to add about 10 lbs. of muscle while cutting my body fat percentage.
I am wondering if I should incorporate chicken and eggs into my diet to get a greater amount of protein or would egg protein shakes be sufficient?
If you’ve evaluated your protein and have actually determined that you need more, then quantity is the issue, not the source. Snack size cans of tuna are perfect for adding about 10 grams of protein, the amount needed to build a pound of muscle in a week. You could also get that amount from a half-cup of shelled edamame or 2 tablespoons of soynut butter. Make sure that you max out on fish, beans and nuts.
If you are open to poultry breast meat and egg whites, then YES they are great sources of nearly pure protein. – Debbie J., MS, RD
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spirulina and proteins from organic greens are the healthiest. Watch Fat Sick and Nearly Dead!
Protein is a building block used by every cell in your body. When you add more protein foods to your diet and greatly reduce the fats and simple carbohydrates (grains, starch and foods with sugar), you are encouraging your body to use stored fat for energy, while maintaining or building muscle mass. If you have a protein shake or eat an omelette, your body will go to your fat reserves and use stored energy to provide the energy your body needs to function. Most people eat more carbs and fats than protein, therefore, their bodies never get around to losing fat while maintaining muscle mass. If you reverse that, by eating protein and very little fat and only slow-burning carbs, you will get the desired result.
Really really awesome article and review. So did you try it?