High protein diet

The premise behind a high protein diet is that you have an overall energy deficit and this enables you to lose weight through fat burn.

If you indulge in a high protein diet (such as Protein Power), which is low in fat and carbs, you can lose weight if you then consume less energy than you use each day.

In reality it is not the high protein diet that can assist you with losing weight but instead simply the reduction in calories compared to the amount used up each day.

It is true however that protein consumption can actually help to suppress your appetite. Therefore you consume fewer calories and essentially lose weight.

Much like eating fibre, high protein diets can induce the feeling of fullness so you're less likely to feel hungry and thus reducing your desires for eating. This can also help you to avoid snacking which is often a cause of increased calorie consumption in your daily diet.

Metabolism is also increased through eating protein such as lean meat, fish, poultry and some dairy products so these foods can assist with weight loss as more calories can be burned. The problem once again though is the lack of a balanced diet. Without consuming sufficient quantities of protein, fat and carbohydrates as well as fibre, you tend to limit the amount of essential vitamins and minerals you receive through your diet. If you don't take multivitamin supplements to compliment your diet, you may suffer from such nutrient deficiency diseases as osteoporosis and anaemia.

Such diets are therefore highly useful for achieving sustainable weight loss results. However, to ensure you are eating healthily is not always enough. To maintain weight loss and control on a permanent basis you need to establish sensible targets and you shouldn't expect instant results. Also, the best way to achieve your weight loss targets and maintain them is to combine healthy eating with regular physical activity. This way, you can get the results you're after more quickly and most importantly in a sustainable way. You should consult medical advice and ensure you are eating the right amounts of the right foods and that your exercise regime is sensible and catered to suit your personal requirements. .

Our opinion:

Provided you ensure a balanced intake of vitamins and minerals, this can be a successful route to weight loss. It relies on your consuming less calories than you use up each day. Simple really.