| Facts About Weight Loss Loss of lean body mass is one of the most common problems in weight management programs. In fact, a significant percent of the weight that most dieters lose is muscle, but when that weight is regained (as it often is), it comes back as fat. Loss of lean body mass can lead to poor health as well as a decrease in fat-burning...just the opposite of what you're trying to achieve! The more lean body mass, the higher the metabolic rate and the greater the body's fat burning capacity. And while muscle weighs more than fat, it takes up less space in the body, so a true goal should actually by a loss of inches rather than strictly loss of pounds.
Consuming a sufficient amount of high quality protein each day during weight loss safeguards against the loss of lean body mass (muscle and organ tissue). At one time the egg was the "gold standard" of protein, but recent technology has produced whey proteins that are even more easily used and absorbed by the body than are those found in eggs. Ultra filtered whey protein concentrate has one of the highest "Biological Values", which means the amount of protein retained in the body per gram absorbed.
Any weight management program puts increased stress on our ability to provide the body with the adequate nutrients needed each day. Therefore, each meal should be nutrient rich, providing a broad range of the basic vitamins and minerals.*
*A Full Spectrum nutrition program (one which supplies the body with the 100+ nutrients it needs every day) is also an integral part of any weight loss program.
Excerpt from lecture by Dr. Steven Whiting, Director, Institute of
Nutritional Science
Reproduced with permission. |