High Protein Intake Maintains Metabolic Rate During Low-Cal Diets
Losing weight and maintaining lost weight is difficult because metabolic rate (i.e., calorie burning) gradually slows, which makes it difficult to sustain a negative caloric balance. Researchers from Maastricht University in the Netherlands found that consuming a high-protein, low-calorie diet maintained metabolic rate better than a high-carbohydrate, low-protein and low-calorie diet. During the early phases of the weight-loss program, the high-protein diet prevented hunger but this disappeared during the later phases of the 12-week experiment. Consuming high amounts of protein during dieting and weight maintenance will help maintain metabolic rate and increase the chances for successful weight loss.
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(Clinical Nutrition, published a online November 8, 2014)