When It Comes to Weight Loss, These 2 Nutrients Can Help ‘Significantly,’ Finds a New Study
There’s a lot of information out there about how to lose weight—and some tidbits are more reliable than others. But new research suggests that tweaking your diet to feature more protein and fiber could lead to sustainable weight loss.
The study, which was published in Obesity Science & Practice earlier this year, is raising questions about the importance of these nutrients in weight loss. Here’s what a dietitian wants you to know.
Meet the expert: Keri Gans, RD, is a dietitian and the author of The Small Change Diet.
What did the study find?
The study asked 22 people to attend 19 dietary educational sessions over a year, plus complete some educational homework. The researchers then tracked changes in the participant’s weight, diet, and body composition over the course of a year.
While everyone lost weight during the study period, the researchers discovered that those who added more protein and fiber to their diets lost the most—up to 9.6 percent of their original body weights. Worth noting: This weight loss happened without traditional methods like calorie counting or food logging.
Does protein and fiber help weight loss?
It can. While this particular study was small, it found that the people who were most likely to lose "significant" amounts of weight were those who added more protein and fiber to their diets.
Can I lose weight by only eating more protein and fiber?
Weight loss is a personal for everyone, so it’s hard to say that you’ll drop pounds just by having more protein and fiber in your diet. However, eating both may help you feel fuller for longer.
“Both protein and fiber are digested slower in our bodies than simple carbohydrates, which makes us feel more satiated,” explains Keri Gans, RD, a dietitian and the author of The Small Change Diet. “The more satiated we feel after a meal, the less likely we are to overindulge in snacking throughout the day and at subsequent meals.”
How can I incorporate more fiber and protein into my diet?
Gans recommends having a protein source—like yogurt, eggs, chicken, seafood, nuts, or legumes—at every meal and eating a full serving of each. “For example, a serving is three to four ounces of chicken or seafood, one ounce of nuts, six ounces of yogurt, and half a cup of cooked legumes,” she says.
To ramp up fiber in your life, Gans suggests swapping the current grains in your diet for whole grains. “Instead of white bread, try 100 percent whole-grain bread,” she says. “Add barley or quinoa to your dinner instead of white rice. Toss some chickpeas into your salad, and start the day with a bowl of oatmeal.”
If you’re still finding that you’re not losing weight, it may be helpful to check in with a registered dietitian or doctor for personalized advice.
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