Effects of High Protein Diets
If you alter your diet to become high protein, low carbohydrates, several alterations will take place. First, you will probably be consuming fewer calories. Most high protein diets are low in calorie. Because your diet is higher in protein and fat, you will feel fuller and eat fewer calories per day. Whenever one consumes fewer calories than the body needs, weight loss occurs, regardless of the diet consumption. Instead of using protein and fat to promote fullness, you should increase the intake of fiber from whole grains and legumes to produce the same effects.
Second, your low carbohydrate diet will not allow your body to maintain it’s stores of glycogen in your liver and muscles. This glycogen is stored with water. Thus you will lose weight as a result as this loss of glycogen and water from the body. Third, you are not providing the body with enough carbohydrates to supply the energy you need. The excess protein and fat you are eating must therefore do carbohydrates job of providing energy to the brain and cells. When excess proteins and fat are consumed, the liver and kidneys have more work to do. Protein contains nitrogen, a waste product not found in carbohydrates. Nitrogen must separate from the protein molecule and processed by the liver. The kidneys must then filter the excess nitrogen out of the body. The more protein you eat the harder the liver and kidneys must work to accomplish this task.
When fats do carbohydrates job, ketones may be produced. Ketoses must also be processed and excreted by the liver and kidneys to prevent ketosis, a potentially fatal condition in which the body becomes too acidic. Because the kidneys must filter out the excess nitrogen and ketones, you may become dehydrated, leading to further weight loss. In a dehydrated state, your body may not be able to maintain its temperature properly, making you more susceptible to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Lastly, because you are eating more protein, your intake of fat, cholesterol, and saturated fat will likely be high. The American Heart Association recommends an intake of no more than 300 mg of dietary cholesterol per day. Just one 3.5 ounce piece of white meat chicken without the skin, roasted contains 77 mg of cholesterol, one quarter of the daily limit. One 3.5 ounce portion of extra lean ground beef, baked to well done contains 107 mg of cholesterol. Diet providing 16 ounces of lean meat and 4 ounces of cheese per day can provide almost double the amount of dietary cholesterol recommended by the American Heart Association daily.
Avoiding carbohydrate may also compromise intakes of dietary fiber. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends the consumption of a diet high in whole grains, cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables and limited in animal foods.
Protein Needs
1.7 to 1.8 g/kg of body weight (212 to 225% of currebt RDA)
To determine your protein needs multiply your body weight by the conversion factor of .8 to 1.8 This will give you the grams of protein you need per day.
Sendentary or sporadic exerciser:
.8 grams per kg of body weight or,
.4 grams per pound of body weight
Active exerciser:
1.2 1.4 grams per kg of body weight
.5 to .6 grams per pound of body weight
Very active exerciser, weight lifter:
1.7 to 1.8 grams per kg of body weight
.7 to .8 grams per pound of body weight
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Eating Right
Eating the right foods for all-day energy. Having energy to meet the demands of your job and personal life starts with your diet. To maintain your energy levels, your body breaks down the food you eat into glucose (blood sugar) – the body’s main fuel, and sends a steady stream of it to your cells. To feel energized throughout the day, your blood-glucose levels should stay within a certain range. If your blood glucose drops too low –which can happen if you go too long without eating – you are going to feel lightheaded and lethargic. If you eat the wrong kinds of foods, your blood glucose can spike and drop, eventually causing the same symptoms. With this in mind, here’s how to eat for all-day energy and keep your blood-glucose level stable.
Don’t skip meals
Not eating meals is one of the fastest ways to low blood sugar. If you skip breakfast, your ability to concentrate will suffer all morning. Skip lunch, and by 3pm your energy level and concentration will crash. The reason: your brain needs glucose to function. To keep your blood glucose from dipping, and zapping your physical and mental energy, eat three (3) meals or six (6) smaller meals a day and don’t go more than four (4) hours without eating something.
Balance meals
Make sure your meals include a mix of complex carbohydrates – such as grain products, fresh vegetables and fruit, beans, lentils and other legumes, protein and some fat. At breakfast, have waffles topped with fresh fruit and a cup of low fat or nonfat yogurt (a mix of protein, carbohydrate and fat). At lunch, have a ham and cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread (this provides protein, fat and carbohydrate) and a piece of fruit (this is mostly carbohydrates). A combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat helps moderate blood-glucose absorption so you blood sugar rises gradually. On the other hand, if you eat only carbohydrates, such as fruit alone, you blood-glucose level will rise and drop quickly, leaving you hungry and low on energy within an hour or two after you eat. Likewise, if you only eat protein, you’ll get calories, but they won’t kick in fast enough to make you feel energized when you need it.
Snack smart
To counteract energy lulls you feel during the day, eat snacks that mix carbohydrates, Protein and fat. Good energy-sustaining snacks include low-fat yogurt with fruit, cheese And crackers, an apple with peanut butter, and low fat cookies, such as ginger snaps or Graham crackers and a glass of skim milk. If you experience an energy low that makes you feel shaky or keeps you from focusing on your work, opt for a carbohydrate-rich Snack, such as a whole-grain breakfast bar or a glass of fruit juice. Doing so will raise your blood-glucose levels quickly. Either way, be sure to keep you snack light to avoid weight gain.
