Let’s cut to the chase: what are high-protein foods for weight loss?

Here are 9 of them:

1. Lentils
2. Tofu
3. Black beans
4. Cooked Quinoa
5. Peanut Butter
6. Cashews
7. Almonds
8. Lactose-Free Cheese

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Here are some cartoon images of what these 9 Proteins (25g of protein each) look like:

What are high-protein foods for weight loss?

I want to get specific from a nutritional standpoint.

Are you ready? 

But instead of just giving you lists of calories, vitamins, and minerals …

I want to talk to you about VALUE.

Value is always discussed here in San Jose, where I reside and work as an Overeating Disorder Coach.

So, value, let’s talk about value, shall we?

The value of food is not created equal.

Said differently, not all foods are created equal.

And the point I’d like to make the most clear is this: a calorie is not just a calorie!!

You don’t lose weight fast by eating less!

You lose weight by switching to foods with more VALUE.

Value is worth more. So you don’t have to have as much.

Does this make sense at a conceptual level?

So the old equation calorie in = calorie out …

It just isn’t true!

Truth be told,, when I was a personal trainer, I am embarrassed to admit that while I was in good shape, I knew very little about how to help others lose weight.

My gym manager taught me how to explain diets to people. He said, ‘ A calorie is just a calorie,’ so if you eat fewer calories, your body will burn fat, and you’ll lose weight.

Sigh. Oh. My Gosh. Looking back, that was terrible advice.

Nowadays, as a San Jose Coach focusing on helping people stop overeating, I think much differently.

That’s what many of us are told, right?

Just eat less.

But here’s why that slogan is demonstrably false:

A calorie of a donut is just a calorie.

A calorie of a donut is then equal to the calorie of an avocado, a nut, or fruit, correct?

Do you see the craziness of this?

A calorie of a chip DOES NOT EQUAL the calorie of an avocado or nut!!!

And here’s why:

• You experience fullness partly based on the amount of space food takes up in your belly.
• Chip calories are condensed, meaning they don’t fill you up
• So you could have 200 calories of chips and 200 calories of avocados but feel different afterward. The chip would make you wayyyy less complete than the avocado
• And … nutrition.
• A calorie of a chip has zero nutrition.
• And guess what? Your body craves nutrition.
• So you can eat calories all you want … but they are empty calories (I’m sure you’ve heard of that before)

Ergo, calories are not created equal.

So, what does this mean? What does this have to do with understanding what high-protein foods are for weight loss?

You have to fill yourself up with calories that have VALUE.

You can’t be eating crap that doesn’t fill you up.

I’m saying the calories you eat must be accurate. By real, I mean they have to take up space and have nutrients.

Want a picture?

I will give generic, straight forward advice about a high-protein diet.

Eat 25-30g grams of protein 2-3x a day at a minimum.

2x a day if you’re a girl. 3x a day if you’re a guy.

Now, protein can be made more complex than this, no doubt.

But this is some of the best advice I can give to people who are just trying to lose weight and keep it off.

Now, don’t get too hung up on the 3x a day or whether the amount of protein you get is 20 grams or 30 grams.

But it would be best if you ate natural protein.

Not that fried crap from McDonalds.

Not those burgers that come in sterile plastic bags.

I’m talking home-cooked meat—nuts, avocados, eggs, or tofu.

And to make things even more simple for you…

Here is another resource on what this looks like:

Here is a powerful graphic on what 30 grams of  protein looks like:

• So you need about five eggs, including the yellows OR
• One chicken breast OR
• Seven strips of bacon
• One hamburger

Let’s recap:

The bottom line is that calories are not created equal.

Foods that are unprocessed, natural foods… these have value!

In particular, natural protein sources give you nutrients and take up space.

It fills you up!!!

So …

If there ever was a ‘hack’ to lose weight sustainably and filling… It would be protein.

Like every meal, get protein.

For example, here’s my lunch of eggs on my Instagram account.

Eggs get a bad rap. But they are amazing. So much protein And much more!

And we have to remember that everybody is different.

What works for me may not work for you.

But upping your protein intake is one of the core lessons I teach people.