Reshape Your Shape. Ask Me How.

During crash dieting, the body naturally tries to protect itself from perceived famine by going into starvation crisis mode. In this mode, the body starts clinging to fat deposits because those deposits will provide the most energy in the long run. Meanwhile, the body starts breaking down muscle tissue to use as energy.

To counter this loss of lean muscle mass, protein consumption must be increased. Studies have shown that protein prevents the loss of lean muscle and actually helps rebuild these muscles.

In addition, maintaining the right ratio of proteins and carbohydrates is critical for optimal weight loss. Studies show that increasing the protein to carbohydrate ratio has positive effects on body composition, blood lipids, and satiety during weight loss. Carbohydrates are problematic because the body converts them into sugar via an enzyme called alpha-amylase and, when those sugars aren't used for energy, secretes insulin to convert them into glycogen, which can then be stored in fat cells. One of the best ways to eliminate this fat-storage cycle is to reduce intake of carbohydrates.

Research indicates that eating smaller, more frequent meals may enhance nutrient absorption, promote stable blood-sugar levels, and enhance metabolic rate. Current recommendations suggest that fat should provide no more than 20 to 30 percent of total caloric intake, carbohydrates should contribute approximately 40 to 50 percent of total caloric intake, and protein should make up the rest. In addition to maintaining these overall ratios in the diet, one should also strive to consume the proper types of macronutrients. Fat intake, for example, should be high in unsaturated fat and essential fatty acids. The best food sources for such fats are soybeans and cold-water fish. Complex carbohydrates should be consumed in lieu of highly processed simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates have lower glycemic indices and also provide fiber to the diet. Proteins should supply all essential amino acids without increased consumption of fat.

While it's true that dieters who forsake bread and gorge on bacon tend to drop weight (at least in the short-term), it's never been clear why. Until now, that is: Extra protein, it turns out, sends "stop eating!" messages to the brain.

Robert Atkins, the late originator of the eponymous and best known low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet, believed that cutting carbohydrates stops sugar from getting stored as fat, while increasing protein works the kidneys harder and thus burns more calories. But all that was ever shown scientifically was that protein feeding suppresses the appetites of both animals and humans, said Gilles Mithieux of the University of Lyon in France, one of the authors of the study.

Previous research from the University of Washington, for example showed that simply increasing the amount of protein in your diet helps you lose weight even if you don't shun carbohydrates one bit. Protein makes up 15 percent of most of western dieters daily caloric intake, while fat accounts for 35 percent and carbohydrates for 50 percent. In the study, subjects bumped up their protein intake to 30 percent and reduced their fat intake to 20 percent. Within three months, they were 11 pounds lighter on average, even though half of the calories they ate still came from carbohydrates. The group also reported feeling satisfied with less food. In other words, they lost weight because they consumed fewer calories.

To figure out just how protein achieves this special effect, Mithieux and his colleagues fed rats a protein-enriched diet and measured metabolic changes. They found that the regimen sparked production of glucose in the small intestine, and that this increase, sensed in the liver and relayed to the parts of the brain involved in the control of appetite, caused the rats to eat less. Since the human intestine also synthesizes glucose, glucose metabolism may be a new target in the treatment of food intake disorders, the researchers concluded.

Protein's benefits go way beyond waistline trimming. The brain and its long spidery neurons are essentially made of fat, but they communicate with each other via proteins. The hormones and enzymes that cause chemical changes and control all body processes are also made of proteins. Carbohydrates, while essential as the brain's main source of fuel, can make you feel tired and hungry for an energy boost because they increase the brain's level of the amino acid tryptophan, which in turns spurs production of the calming neurotransmitter serotonin. Protein, on the other hand, prompts the brain to manufacture norepinephrine and dopamine, chemical messengers that promote alertness and activity.

Not all high protein foods are created equally, though nutritionists recommend low-fat dairy products, beans, fish and lean cuts of meat, such as skinless chicken and turkey breasts. Even carb-heavy treats, like muffins and cookies, can be made protein-rich when baked with non-fat powdered milk and egg whites.

Herbalife Weight Management Programmes are high protein programmes that follow GI principles and that offer balanced approach to dieting. Here are some programmes and products from our range:

Introducing ShapeWorks - Herbalife's Weight Management Program
Formula 1 Nutritional Shake Mix
Personalised Protein Powder
Herbalife Healthy Protein Snacks - protein bars and soya beans