Feed the fat furnace: chicken, fish and protein powders can help you build muscle and burn away fat

Men's Fitness, Oct, 2003 by Myatt Murphy

No matter whether you aim to grow big and strong or lean and muscular, ask anyone what protein means and you'll get the same response: It's all about the muscle

Or is it?

It's true that without enough protein in your diet, your odds of packing on quality muscle are as strong as Carmen Electra's chances of winning an Oscar. However, protein's role in other areas can make an impact on just how much of that muscle you get to show off.

"Once you're finished building your muscles, protein becomes critical in losing the fat you have covering them,' says Steven Lischin, M.S., N.A.S.M., nutritional and fitness director at World Gym in New York City. Here are six reasons why eating more protein may be just what you need to drop those last few pounds.

FEEL FULL LONGER

Losing fat requires eating fewer calories than you really need, which is why sticking with high-protein meals can keep you from reaching for seconds, or for dessert. "In recent studies, subjects placed on high-protein, moderate-carbohydrate meals had a greater and longer-lasting sensation of fullness compared with those on high-fat meals," says Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., R.D., owner of High Performance Nutrition in Mercer Island, Wash., and author of Power Eating.

The reason? Protein is digested and absorbed more slowly than fat (and much more slowly than carbs), giving you greater control over how much you eat at each meal. "There's also a certain amount of fat found in protein meals, since muscle-building fare tends to be animal-based foods like chicken or fish," says Lischin. This modicum of fat works together with the muscle builder to help you stay fuller for longer, curbing your desire for between-meal snacks.

STORE LESS FAT

Protein and carbohydrates may have the same amount of calories (four per gram), but they produce differing reactions from your body. "Eat too many of either and any excess calories are stored as body fat," says Lischin. However, you're more likely to store carbohydrates because many carb-heavy meals are packed with simple sugars. These simple carbohydrates stimulate a much larger spike in blood-glucose levels, signaling a release of insulin that then causes calories to be stored as fat.

"Having less insulin released into your system lowers your odds of having excess calories converted to fat," says Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., F.A.C.C., author of Lower Your Blood Pressure in Eight Weeks. Even if you can't give up your favorite pasta, mixing in any type of protein can help lower the glycemic index of that meal. "Reducing the percentage of how much sugar is in any meal can create less of an insulin spike, and therefore less calories to be stored as body fat," says Kleiner.

RAISE YOUR RESTING METABOLISM

You work hard to build muscle and burn fat, but what you may not know is that your muscles are burning fat when you're not working at all. "It takes more calories to maintain muscle than fat, so there's an overall increase in your caloric requirement throughout the day if you have more muscle," says Lischin. "Getting plenty of protein into your diet, on top of doing resistance training, can help you keep the muscle you already have. In turn, the muscle keeps your metabolism revving overtime throughout the day."

MAKE YOUR BODY MORE FAT-EFFICIENT

If you're getting some of your daily protein from fish, then you may be benefiting from a little-known weight-loss perk. "Incorporating a daily meal of fatty fish, like salmon, halibut or shellfish, may decrease fat-cell size and enhance fat loss by raising the amounts of leptin," says Kleiner. Studies have shown that fish oil enhances the efficiency of leptin in your system and increases the amount your body naturally produces.

"Protein also plays a role in the formation and action of certain hormones and 'eicosonoids,' chemicals in the body that are involved in everything from your blood pressure to levels of inflammation," says Lischin. Eating a diet high in protein is thought to lower the production of "bad" eicosonoids (those that increase pain, inflammation and blood pressure) and raise the production of "good" eicosonoids (which have the opposite effect).

"Having less aches to worry about can keep you exercising a lot longer, which will help you burn more calories down the line," says Lischin.

GAIN MORE ENERGY FOR FAT-BURNING

Throwing back carb-loaded meals or snacks may give you immediate steam to fuel your cardiovascular workouts, but that energy can be fleeting, as carbohydrates are used rapidly by the body, leaving you less inclined to finish your workout. "Fueling yourself throughout the day with five or six meals and snacks containing protein helps to regulate your blood-sugar levels, and allows you. to train longer and harder, thereby burning more body fat," says Ellen Coleman, a registered dietitian and the author of Eating for Endurance and co-author of the Sports Nutrition Handbook.

BURN MORE CALORIES THROUGH DIGESTION

No one said getting plenty of protein was easy. Whipping up your daily share of egg whites and chicken breasts can be a workout in itself, but it's all the effort your body goes through after you eat that helps you work up an internal sweat. "Protein is more thermogenic than fat or carbs," says Coleman. What this means is that your body has to work harder (burning calories in the process) to digest protein than it does digesting carbohydrates or fat.