Picture it. You’re at a social gathering, maybe at a friend’s house or at a party. There are people around you enjoying themselves, but you feel like something’s missing. As the host, you’re trying to greet people and make introductions, but you keep feeling distracted. You’re looking at your phone, scanning social media, or even worse, sending texts. Suddenly, you realize you’re starving and the conversation is over. You’ve eaten all the food without having even tasted a bite. What happened?
You could be experiencing semi-supermarketoid syndrome. The term was first used in 2017 to describe the behavior of people who go into a retail store with a specific meal in mind, and then spend as much time as they can in the aisle containing the food they want. Supermarketoid syndrome is associated with increased food shopping and food delivery due to social media. People experience it when they’re under a lot of stress or anxiety. Many people wrongly think that it’s a sign of depression or clinical depression, when in fact it’s a behavior pattern that researchers are still trying to figure out.
Eating more protein can help you lose weight. Here’s how:
Protein Boosts Your Metabolism
When you eat protein, your body’s metabolism increases. Your metabolism is the rate at which your body uses energy. It essentially determines how quickly you’ll lose weight. Muscles need energy to function, and energy needs to be burned, which is why a major focus of weight loss efforts should be placed on boosting your metabolism. The easiest way to do this is by eating more protein.
Protein is also important for maintaining muscle mass and strength as you age. There are several studies that have shown a clear correlation between higher protein intake and reduced risks of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. When you eat more protein, you’re putting your body in a better state of health. This is also why it’s important to include protein-rich foods in your diet plan. You can get protein from meat, eggs, and dairy products, as well as plant-based proteins. Though plant-based proteins are usually seen as a healthier choice, they can’t provide the same benefits to your body as animal-based proteins. This is why some nutritionists suggest that those who want to lose weight should opt for vegan-based diets.
Eating more protein regularly can help you lose weight. It’s important to note, however, that this doesn’t mean that you eat eggs and bacon for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are plenty of healthy, creative ways to eat more protein while still staying within the parameters of a healthy diet. For example, you could try taking a stab at these protein-packed foods that are usually skipped by most people:
- Fish
- Chicken
- Tofu
- Soybeans
- Quinoa
- Beans
- Vegetables
Consuming these foods regularly may just boost your metabolism enough to make a difference in how much weight you lose. If you’re looking to adopt a more vegan-friendly diet, you could try taking a look at these foods as well.
Protein Helps You Stay Hydrated
Just like your body needs energy to function at its best, your cells need a constant source of hydration to stay healthy. When you’re dehydrated, your cells don’t function properly, which results in a number of poor health outcomes. This includes a host of diseases that you might not even know you had.
Your cells are made of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and they need these three things to stay alive. Of these three elements, carbohydrates are the ones that get broken down into sugars that your cells can use for energy. As you might imagine, eating lots of carbohydrates puts you at risk for dehydration and poor cell functioning. This is why it’s important to stay hydrated by avoiding dehydration as much as possible.
High-protein diets are known to increase thirst, so it follows that drinking enough water is key to maintaining hydration. Your body also releases anti-diuretic hormones when you eat protein, which results in more frequent urination. This is why it’s important to drink plenty of water even if you don’t feel thirsty. Your cells need sufficient hydration to function properly, and you should do your best to ensure that this is the case.
There are many ways in which drinking enough water can help with your weight loss efforts. For one thing, staying hydrated means that you’ll drink more calories than you need. This, in turn, can help you lose weight. It also means that you’ll drink more often than usual, which studies have shown to be useful in controlling your appetites. Though it might not seem obvious, staying hydrated can also help you stay within your required calorie limits. This is why most diet plans recommend that you drink at least eight glasses of water per day. If you’re not sure how many glasses you should be drinking, ask your doctor or a dietitian for advice. They can help you understand how much water you should be drinking for your body’s particular size and weight.
Protein Increases Your Energy Levels
Did you know that your body’s protein requirements increase when you’re under a lot of stress or anxiety? This is why it’s important to try and stay relaxed and stress-free as much as possible. Eating protein can increase your energy levels and improve your mood. This makes protein one of the ultimate comfort foods when you’re stressed or upset. When you’ve got depression or anxiety, it can be hard to know how much energy you should have. It can feel like you have too much or too little depending on your current situation. A regular source of high-protein food can provide you with a steady energy boost wherever you are in life, whether you’re a professional or a student. This is why it’s important to include protein-rich foods in your diet plan. They can provide your body with the nutrients that it needs to function at its best, and give you a boost whenever you need it.
You might assume that a vegan diet is always the best choice when it comes to losing weight. This isn’t necessarily the case, as there are a few instances where a non-vegan diet might be the better choice. The only way you’ll know for sure is by following the instructions of a qualified nutritionist or doctor.