Ever hear that too much protein is bad for you? Some people, even many medical professionals believe that high amounts of protein can be damaging to the body. Heck, even some of my fellow trainers still hold onto the old belief that too much protein is bad for us.

Are they right? If you read my newsletters, you may know by now I’m not a fan of those who say too much protein is bad for us. Simply look at the statistics. 66% of the US population is overweight or obese, and I can tell you one thing, it’s not because they eat too much protein. In fact, I’d say it’s because they don’t eat enough protein and are loading up on processed carbs.

If someone has kidney issues, then yes, protein consumption does need to be monitored, but for the vast majority of us, without kidney problems, higher amounts of protein can be beneficial for fat loss.

What better way to explain this than with actual results? A client of mine (Wendy) recently had her body fat taken with the Bod Pod. A few months ago she discussed with me that her weight loss was slowing down, and looking at her nutrition she wasn’t consuming enough protein. In fact, most women don’t. Take a typical portion controlled flavored yogurt (yup, tons of sugar in there) that people eat. One of those small containers has a measly 5-8g of protein.

I wanted Wendy to be consuming a minimum of 120g of protein per day. That would be pretty difficult if someone is only eating 5-8g per meal. We worked on her diet and over the next few months she was getting her protein intake up. After 3 months and the next Bod Pod test, she lost another 13 lbs of body fat, but just as impressive, she gained 2 lbs of lean mass (muscle being part of that). Hmm, seems like more protein did her body good.

 Strive to be better than the average, eat your protein!

With the heat index reaching over 100* today, what are you drinking? For anyone not familiar with the quote from the title of this post, you are missing out on some corny humor from Will Ferrell in Anchorman. The following article is a reprint from another newsletter I contribute for. I figured it would be fitting for a hot day like today. 

After a busy year helping people lose weight, I’m on vacation this week at a cabin on the Shenandoah River. That’s when I get a text that interrupts the serenity of nature (I told myself I would turn my phone off, who was I kidding?).

The text was asking me if I had the next article for the newsletter. That would be a big fat no! But, I was told something quick and short would suffice. Hmm, what could be quick and short that can also help you lose fat? As I was sipping on my beer (hey, I’m on vacation), it hit me. Don’t drink your calories.

There aren’t many dietary changes that would be so simple to change, yet provide such massive results. As a society today, we drink way too many calories. Think I’m fabricating this? From 1971 to 2001, we as a nation are consuming an additional 278 calories from drinks alone. That is staggering! Left unchecked, this can cause upwards of 30 extra pounds per year.

Back in college I did a quick 10 minute speech on how we as a nation consume way too much sugar. I talked about how things like soda, and wait for it… fruit juice, are not good for weight loss. In the middle of the talk, a student held up her hand to ask a question, “What are we supposed to drink?”  I was dumbfounded. Have we been so brainwashed as a society to believe that we have to suck down sugary drinks all day, bombarding our taste buds with constant flavor? In a split second, without thinking about it, I held my water bottle up and said, “This!”

Most people know that drinking sodas are not good for us. Sadly though, the millions of dollars pumped into advertising sugary drinks have brainwashed us into thinking there is nothing wrong with drinking fruit juices, Gatorade, and Vitamin Waters. If you’re out performing hours of intense exercise, Gatorade might be a decent option.  But, if you’re sitting at your desk all day, then go to the gym for a 60 minute workout, Gatorade probably won’t be conducive to your weight loss goals. That glass of OJ in the morning can pump just as much sugar into your bloodstream as a can of soda. And Vitamin Water? Why didn’t I think of that name? I could have bought this cabin we are staying at, rather than renting it for the week.

If you’re looking for an easy way to lose body fat, start by reducing the number of calorie containing beverages during your day. 

Article update: If you are going to be outside for prolonged periods of time on such a day as this, it would be a good idea to drink an electrolyte drink such as Propel (only 10 calories) or something like Powerade Zero. You get the benefits of preventing dehydration without the sugar bombardment.