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Home » How to lose weight quickly » 18 Healthy High-Protein, Low-Carb Meals Ideas That Keep You Full – Prevention.com

Feb 1

18 Healthy High-Protein, Low-Carb Meals Ideas That Keep You Full – Prevention.com

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Food Faith Fitness/Cotter Crunch

You want to lose weight? A low-carb, high-protein diet is a classic method to get there. The logic is simple: Eat fewer carbs, consume fewer calories. And when you simultaneously keep the protein intake high, you'll feel fuller, longer. Bingo.

High-protein, low-carb diets aim to build muscle mass and decrease body fat and weight," says Katherine Brooking, M.S., R.D., co-founder of the nutrition news company Appetite for Health in San Francisco. "Theres good evidence to support a faster rate of weight loss when people go on a low-carb, high-protein diet compared to people on a more traditional low-fat diet, or even a Mediterranean diet."

But while some people benefit from limiting their carb intakesay, you have trouble controlling your blood sugara keto-style low-carb diet can be tough to follow. (I mean, is a life without sweet potatoes or even blueberries worth living?!) Not to mention, a diet predominately high in protein and fat will likely lack fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all of which reduce your risk of chronic diseases.

Your gut bacteria feeds on fiber, so a low-fiber diet makes your gut unhappy, says Lauren Harris-Pincus, M.S., R.D.N., author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club. Plus, our bodies primarily use carbohydrates for fuel, so significantly limiting this macronutrient means your body needs to find alternate fuels, such as ketones, which can make you feel lousy.

The upside: You can still reduce carbs without going full-on ketoand we have your guide below.

Aim for balance: Brooking and Harris-Pincus recommend a modified high-protein, low-carb plan with 35% carbs, 30% fat, and 35% protein. (Similar to keto 2.0.) On a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, that breaks down to: 175 grams of carbs, 67 grams of fat, and 175 grams of protein. Try to balance these macronutrients fairly evenly among your meals for best results, Harris-Pincus says.

More protein isnt always better: Some research recommends 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal to maximize muscle growth and repair, especially if you exercise frequently. More protein is not necessarily better, as we can only really use that 25 to 30 grams at a time. Any extra is just an extra calorie, Harris-Pincus says.

Make room for fiber: Seek out meals that have at least half of the total carb grams from fiber, when possible, Harris-Pincus says. Focus on fiber instead of cutting carbs. If each carbohydrate-based food you eat is also high in fiber, you will be full and need to consume fewer calories overallwhich leads to weight loss.

Now that you know the basics, we have a bunch of fun recipes. Try a mix of meals below to create a high-protein, low-carb plan that you can actually stick with for life.

1Spinach Tomato Frittata

This veggie-packed breakfast is quick (15 minutes, tops) and packs 23 grams of protein. Dont have the appetite to eat all four servings? No problem. Itll taste just as good the next morning!

Per serving: 280 calories, 23 g protein, 15 g carbs (4 g fiber), 17 g fat