Why Protein Is Important For Losing Weight And Building Muscle
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What Are The Best Protein Sources To Build Muscle And Lose Weight?
On today’s Live Lean TV episode, I’m sharing why protein is important for losing weight and building muscle.
I’ll also be showing you my top lean muscle building sources.
Yes we’re talking protein.
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Protein comes from the Greek word “of prime importance”.
Yeah buddy, protein!
Why Protein Is Important For Losing Weight And Building Muscle
Protein is important for:
- building lean muscle
- increasing your metabolism
- helping balance the body’s fat storing hormone insulin
- keeping you feeling fuller for longer periods of time
Thermic Effect Of Protein
In addition to this, protein is great for losing weight because it has the highest thermogenic effect of any macronutrient.
In other words your body burns up to 30% of the calories in the protein source just to digest it.
For example, if you consumed 100 calories of protein, your body would burn off 30 of those calories, just to digest it.
This leaves your body with the remaining 70 calories.
Ultimately, protein helps build lean sexy muscle and burns more calories.
This sounds like protein is the perfect food for Living Lean.
Here are the highest quality protein sources that I consume.
Best Protein Sources To Build Muscle And Lose Weight
#1. Grass Fed Beef
#2. Free Range Chicken Breast And Turkey
#3. Whole Eggs (My Favorite Protein Source)
#4. Wild Salmon And Other Fish
#5. Pork
#6. Protein Powder
#7. Shellfish
Biological Value (BV) Of Protein
These protein sources have the highest biological value, meaning the body absorbs it best, and it’s a full complete protein.
This means each of these protein sources contain all the essential amino acids that your body requires from food.
So don’t be fooled when looking at the protein content on a food’s nutrition label.
Even though the nutrition label on foods such as conventional bread shows 6 grams of protein, your body doesn’t necessarily absorb all 6 grams of protein.
The reason?
It’s not a complete protein because bread does not contain all the essential amino acids.
Change Up Your Protein Sources
It’s also best to try and consume a different protein source with each meal and snack throughout the day.
For example, don’t drink 6 protein shakes a day or eat 6 servings of chicken.
Each protein source is made up of a different amino acid profile.
So it’s important to continually mix up your protein sources.
Is Dairy A Good Source Of Protein?
Now you’re probably asking, what about dairy sources of protein?
Is greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and dairy milk a good source of protein?
Over the last 6 months, I’ve cut dairy out of my diet.
Unlike the popular marketing slogan, dairy doesn’t always do a body good.
A lot of people, including myself, have intolerances to lactose and casein.
After doing some testing, I noticed I consistently felt bloated after consuming dairy.
Once I removed dairy from my diet, the bloating disappeared.
This is just another reason why I don’t consume it anymore.
When It Comes To Protein, Give Me Meat!
In addition to this, a lot of conventional sources of dairy can be pumped full of unnatural hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics.
Dairy doesn’t need to be an essential part of your diet.
But if it is, make sure you are consuming the best types of dairy, including raw, organic, unpasteurized, full fat greek yogurt and cottage cheese.
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Also try to stay away from regular conventional pasteurized and homogenized 2% and skim dairy milk.
Give this a try and see how you feel.
What About Vegans And Vegetarians?
I’ve also been getting a lot of questions from vegans and vegetarians about what can they eat for protein?
Now, I’ll be 100% up front with you, I love you, but I don’t claim to be an expert on being a vegan or vegetarian.
Therefore, I am not the best person to give vegan and vegetarian nutrition advice.
So the best thing I can do is point you in a direction of other fitness experts that are more in tune with the vegan and vegetarian lifestyle.
Here’s a link to a vegan nutrition program that I’ve never tried, but may help you meet your vegan protein requirements.
How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day?
Why Protein Is Important For Losing Weight And Building Muscle
Again, the greek meaning of protein is “of prime importance”.
So it’s important for you to get more high quality protein sources in your diet.
Check out my blog post on how to calculate your daily protein requirements.
I hope this post cleared up why protein is important for losing weight and building muscle.
Now it’s time to go check out this post on the best healthy sources of fat.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
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Protein shake key to muscles.
Bulk up muscles.
Appreciate another superb article. The site altogether different can anybody get that sort of information and facts in such a great way of creating? I own a demonstration in the future, with this particular on the hunt for similarly info.
Man if I have a organized diet plan I’m going to build mass.
Protein shake GNC way to go build muscles.
it’s a whey isolate (which removes most of if not all the lactose)… check it out here –> bradgouthrofitness[dot]com/protein
Hey Brad, I want to know what is your protein powder brand that you take. I am looking for one without dairy…. thanks Bro !
Hi Brad, i am starting my weight lost journey. I am very happy to have found your personalized 6 weeks program. And all of your youtube tutorials they have helped a lot. I am a working Wife with a 3 year old. I recently started my WOD 30 day begginer challenge and i try to do Tabata everyday or every other day. So my questions are can you build me a program that will work in my situation a program that really works. I do not have a gym at home? Plus I love bread and have different workout hour
organic dairy milk is better than skim of 2% but i still prefer to get my protein from meat/poultry/fish/etc and if milk is needed, I get it from coconut or almond milk
What about organic milk ?
No skim milk???
Hey, no I haven’t heard of it so i can’t really say if it’s good or not…but if i haven’t heard of it, I’d probably recommend just sticking to real foods like i listed in this video.
Hey Brad have you heard of Moringa? It is supposed to have the highest source of protein calorie wise along with all other vitamins and minerals. Just Wanted to know what your thought was on it or maybe do video about 😀 . Cheers, I love your channel!
I use this one –> bradgouthrofitness[dot]com/protein
sure do. 90% of the nutrition is in the yolk
Yes! Love this. Whole foods at their best. Nothing better than complete proteins! Eggs are my favorite protein source!
Eggs are my fav too. I eat them at any time of the day!
love seafood 🙂
1/2 your bodyweight (pounds) in ounces of water
beef, ground turkey and whey powder.
Eggs – really like poached. Ordered my first protein powder from Prograde – should get it tomorrow.
SALMON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn’t be MORE OBSESSED with this food! I will cause its extinction for sure! LOL! Salmon belly, skin, bones, fillets, heads, eye balls, neck… You name it, I eat it! Ah ha ha ha ha! 😉
PS: Ground Ostrich is ALSO AMAZING as well as elk, venison, bison & Grass-Fed Beef! Weeeee! When/if you come visit, I will have my shipment of all these amazing meats… You may have to try! 😉
I’ve had venison, bison, and of course grass fed beef…but that fact you’re stocking up on that stuff makes this trip even more exciting! I’ll have my people call your people.
this isnt relatedbto the topic but how muchh water should I drink if.i take Creatin to not get kidneystones annd thaks brad this is an awesome video
whey isolates are fine since most of the lactose has been removed.
Eggs too (omelet with red pepper is my favorite breakfast 🙂
Awesome Thank You!!! Now you mention to stay away from dairy, so with the protein powder do I want to avoid Whey or given my situation would that be ok?
protein powder, quinoa, mixing brown rice/beans…
protein powder, quinoa, mixing brown rice/beans…
What are some of the best sources of protein for people with protein sensitivities or issues digesting certain kinds of protein? I can’t eat meat, red or white. So what would be some good sources to help fill in the gaps?
What are some of the best sources of protein for people with protein sensitivities or issues digesting certain kinds of protein? I can’t eat meat, red or white. So what would be some good sources to help fill in the gaps?
Lean beef steak has got be my favourite, Love me some beef!!!
i don’t drink dairy milk at all. haven’t for about 4 years.
What about milk? Did you drink it often?
sorry man, never heard of it so i can’t say one way or another
i have whey isolate once a day (after workout).. since it’s an isolate most of the lactose has been removed.
yep and the other reasons mentioned in the video
nice…lamb is a go!
that looks like a decent breakfast. i’d rather you skip the ezekiel/honey in the morning though and add in some greens…see my meat and nuts breakfast video for the reason why
DAA? not sure what that is.. Dominion Automobile Association? hah
full complete protein.
I’ve read a lot about it but never tried it. I talked about it in one of my #LLTV Q&A videos…go check out the playlists to see it
Hi Brad! i realize that this is not really related to your video, but what are your thoughts on Intermittent Fasting (IF)? have you done it before?
thanks in advance! 🙂
what about quinoa?
The turkey bacon only has 7 ingredients ( from whole foods), oh and it’s two slices of bread, and the avocado is raw, the green tea is also organic.
Her Brad I was wondering how you would rate my daily breakfast. Every morning I have 3 organic eggs, 4 strips of turkey bacon, an avocado, Ezekiel bread toasted with raw honey on it, green tea( also with raw honey) and if course my mens one daily (from new chapter) with a new chapter fish oil pill. Should I remove anything? Add anything? I never eat bread throughout my day except for that Ezekiel bread cause I think you o.k’d it in a video. Thanks man! Oh and egg is also my favorite protein.
why stay away from skim milk? cause of the hormones?
SALMON!
also.. are you still consuming Whey protein even though you’ve cut dairy?
YEAH BUDDY!
Chiken! And Whey Protien Powder 🙂
love your videos, thank you☺