Freydis Hjalmarsdottir, MS

Protein is a key nutrient for weight loss.
In fact, adding more protein to your diet is the easiest and most effective way to lose weight.
Studies show that protein can help curb your appetite and keep you from overeating.
Therefore, starting your day with a high-protein breakfast may be an effective weight loss tip.
Should You Eat Breakfast?
In the past, skipping breakfast has been associated with weight gain, but we now have good evidence showing that recommendations to eat or skip breakfast have no effect on weight gain or loss. However, eating breakfast may be a good idea for other reasons. For example, it may improve mental performance in school children, teenagers and certain patient groups.
This depends on the quality of the breakfast. A breakfast that is high in weight loss friendly protein has positive effects.

How Protein Helps You Lose Weight

Protein is the single most important nutrient for weight loss.
This is because the body uses more calories to metabolize protein, compared to fat or carbs. Protein also keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
One study in women showed that increasing protein intake from 15 to 30% of total calories helped them eat 441 fewer calories per day. They also lost 11 pounds (5 kg) in just 12 weeks. Another study found that increasing protein to 25% of total calories reduced late-night snacking by half and obsessive thoughts about food by 60%.
In yet another study, two groups of women were put on weight loss diets for 10 weeks. The groups ate the same amount of calories, but different amounts of protein.
All the women in the study lost weight. However, the high-protein group lost about half a kg (1.1 lbs) more, and importantly, a larger percentage of body fat.
Protein may also help you maintain weight loss in the long term. A study found that increasing protein from 15 to 18% of calories made dieters regain 50% less weight.

High-Protein Breakfasts Help You Eat Less Later

Studies have shown that high-protein breakfasts reduce hunger and help people eat up to 135 fewer calories later in the day.
Protein helps you feel full. This is because it activates the body’s signals that curb appetite, which reduces cravings and overeating. This is mostly due to a drop in the hunger hormone ghrelin and a rise in the fullness hormones peptide YY, GLP-1 and cholecystokinin. Several studies have now demonstrated that eating a high-protein breakfast changes these hormones throughout the day.

How Protein at Breakfast Helps You Lose Weight and Belly Fat

High-protein breakfasts can reduce appetite and cravings. They may also help you lose belly fat. Dietary protein is inversely related to belly fat, meaning the more high-quality protein you eat, the less belly fat you have.
In one study, people on a weight loss program received either an egg breakfast or a bagel breakfast with the same amount of calories.
After 8 weeks, those eating the egg breakfast had a 61% higher reduction in BMI, 65% more weight loss and a 34% greater reduction in waist measurements.

Protein May Boost Your Metabolism

Speeding up your metabolism can help you lose weight, as it makes you burn more calories. Your body uses much more calories to metabolize protein (20-30%) than carbs (5-10%) or fat (0-3%).
This means you burn more calories by eating protein than by eating carbs or fat. In fact, a high protein intake has been shown to result in an extra 80 to 100 calories burned each day.
A high protein diet can also help prevent muscle loss during calorie restriction, and partly prevent the reduction in metabolism that often comes with weight loss, often referred to as “starvation mode”.

Which High-Protein Foods Should You Eat For Breakfast?

In short, EGGS.
Eggs are incredibly nutritious and high in protein. Replacing a grain-based breakfast with eggs has been shown to help you eat fewer calories for the next 36 hours and lose more weight and body fat.
However, fish, seafood, meat, poultry and dairy products are also great sources of protein to include for breakfast.

If You Eat Breakfast, Make it High in Protein
If you do choose to eat breakfast, eat one that is rich in protein.
And Stay Healthy!