The focus of dieting is often on what not to eat, but Michael Mosley is encouraging people to consume more protein.
The diet guru, who is the creator of the Fast 800 and 5:2 Diet, swears by the advice for losing weight quickly. The presenter encourages slimmers to make sure they're getting enough food like meat, fish and legumes.
Not only does Michael say it helps weight loss, but upping your protein intake can help curb cravings as well as build muscles that helps keep weight off in the long term.
Michael says the foods should be protein-rich, as well as high in fibre and healthy fats. If following this weight loss technique, he recommends that adults consume around 60g of protein daily, the Express reports.
He also claims that those who eat less than the recommended amount of protein could be harming their metabolic rate.
"Your body will cannibalise your muscles and your metabolic rate will go down. It's really important to have a decent amount of protein, which is 50-70g a day," said Michael.
"You can mainly get protein from meat or from fish, and you can also get it from legumes, but you have to eat rather more."
It's no secret that eating more protein is good for losing weight, as it can help reduce cravings for unhealthy foods and "bad" carbohydrates.
According to Healthline, a protein-rich diet helps to boost the metabolism as well as lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake. This is because high-protein foods help to suppress appetite, keeping slimmers fuller for longer.
Other examples of protein-rich foods include:
- Eggs
- Almonds
- Chicken breast
- Lean beef
- Greek yoghurt
- Tofu
- Cottage cheese
- Lentils
- Spinach
- Fish
- Quinoa
"The reason for protein is you need it for your muscle," Michael said, revealing the Fast 800 Diet also includes protein shakes or protein bars to help them increase their intake of the macronutrient.
"We do have meal replacement shakes which are very rich in protein, and we’re also aiming to produce protein boosters, to help people who might otherwise struggle with it," he said.
While protein can help slimmers lose weight, it is also an important macronutrient for building muscle.
The expert added: "The reason for protein is you need it for your muscle. If you do a safe and effective rapid weight loss diet, two to three years down the road you'll keep most of that weight off."
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