A study published from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that overweight premenopausal woman who ate low carbohydrate/high protein diets lost more bodyweight than a group eating high carbohydrate/low fat diets.  Another study published in the ADA Journal divided three groups of post menopausal woman that were overweight.  Group one reduced 400 calories per day.  Group two used less than 400 calories but, did low intensity exercises and group three ate smaller calorie amounts but exercised with high intensity.  All three groups lost weight but it wasn’t all fat.  The group that ate more protein did not lose lean muscle.  And, you do not want to lose lean muscle!  If you are post menopausal lean muscle is very important; to prevent or slow the effects of osteoporosis, making sure you are strong so you don’t fall and just being strong enough to take care of yourself.

Research after research substantiates that protein helps you lose the fat and not the muscle.  If you have more muscle you burn more calories and look better and can exercise more (burning even more calories) with a much stronger body.  Some women express a concern about getting larger muscles.  Ladies this does not mean big bulky muscles.  Women do not have the hormones to create those big muscles that bodybuilders have. Protein shakes and regular exercise means you will stick to your diet and you will only lose fat while retaining your muscle.

Protein powders help control hunger so you won’t eat as much and feel fuller longer.  Now this doesn’t mean you have to eat meat, and other high caloric proteins along with the fat they contain. Plant based diets also supply phytochemicals along with vitamins necessary for your health; this includes beans, nuts, seeds along with vegetables, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy such as cottage cheese, milk, tofu, etc.  Protein shakes help to control hunger and help maintain your muscle.

Another wonderful option that has helped women, including me, are protein powders.  I struggled for years trying to lose those last ten pounds; I gave up and even added more pounds until I got sick of how I looked.  I started using protein powders to make protein shakes, along with a healthy diet and the pounds started melting off.  I do not each much meat to speak of anymore, only fish and chicken a couple times per week; and a lot of veggies, beans and fruit.  Protein powders, rich in amino acids help me exercise longer with more energy, which of course will add to your weight loss.

If you haven’t tried the new protein powders out there today you are in for a treat.  With names like Brownie Batter, Cake Batter, Mango Magic, Strawberry Kiwi, Green Apple, Vanilla Chai and Lemon Burst you are not limited to tasteless vanilla or chocolate.  Bodybuilders have used protein for ages to get lean bigger muscles.  If you use protein shakes for weight loss you do not have to worry about getting huge muscles.  You are just drinking enough protein to maintain and firm up your muscles with your amount of exercise, helping your weight loss program and creating a much firmer and curvier body than you could without the added protein.  So if you want to be firm and not flabby, feel full and stick to your weight loss plans try a good protein shake.  It’s a healthy way to lose weight.

our muscles utilizes considerable energy. And the only way to replace that energy is with food! So what happens if you fail to eat the right type of food to build muscle mass? It will take longer to build muscle, and it may even prevent effect muscle building altogether once you reach a certain point.

How does one identify food that helps build muscle? Protein is probably the most important nutritional component in a muscle building program. You probably thought the most important component was cutting out fat, in order to reduce your body fat, didn\’t you? Well, it is not. Protein is essential. Without protein, your body withers away to nothing. So make sure you include protein foods that build muscle such as chicken, lean beef, eggs, fish (don\’t like fresh fish? Try canned tuna ?it\’s perfect), and cheese.

Finding out how much protein to eat when you are interested in building muscle fast is actually not difficult. First, you will need to find out your lean body mass weight in kilos, and then you simply multiply that figure by 2.75 to determine your daily protein requirement. Calculating your lean body mass uses some complex formulae, so ask a professional at the gym if you do not already have this figure.

Carbohydrates, in moderation, are also essential when finding foods that build muscle. Do not eat too much, though, unless you choose high fiber carbohydrates (which are the healthiest ones anyway), and then you can indulge in much larger amounts. Good high fiber carbs include rice, potatoes (yes, potatoes ? just do not add butter!), oatmeal and bananas.

Reducing fat in your diet is of course necessary to build bigger muscle on a body that appears lean and has a low body fat ratio. If you are focussing on what foods build muscle mass, you also need to bear in mind that it pays to reduce fat as well. Although proteins are essential (as we talked about earlier), it is really important to select proteins that are low in fat, or that you can cut the fat off. So eat your chicken without the skin, and go for lean steaks rather than more fatty cuts of meat. Opting for cottage cheese or other reduced fat cheeses, and low fat milk also helps reduce your fat intake.

Drinking sufficient water with your meals, between meals, and while you are working out is also very important. Without sufficient water you will dehydrate, and you will be tired and lacking in energy, which gives no assistance at all to building your muscle with the right type of food.

Most experts agree that between 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day helps flush toxins and hydrate the body. And that is for everyone, regardless of activity levels and desire to have a buff body. So for those of us on bodybuilding diets, who are conscious of building muscle, water is even more important.

Foods that build muscle are one of the two essential components to having the body of your dreams. The other component is your weight training program or other type of bodybuilding workouts that you engage in regularly. Just because you have found foods that build muscle does not mean you can start to slack off with your weight training.