Do you want to eat your way to fat loss? “Let’s face it, body fat loss can be a challenging journey. Among the nutritional changes, you also must consider physical workouts, time optimization, recovery, and maintaining a healthy personal life. As a personal trainer, my role is to simplify clients’ health needs into digestible segments of information,” says Nick Fey, a Life Time Personal Trainer and Precision Nutrition Coach Level 1 Certified with an M.A. in Kinesiology and Sport Management from the University of South Dakota. “When working on body fat loss, think of your skeletal muscle mass (SMM) as a 401(k) investment for your body. The more you can add at a young age and the longer you keep it, the more rewards you have later in life. These benefits include improved strength, metabolism, bone density, and aerobic capacity. Losing weight can have a very positive effect on your life, however, we want to minimize how much we dip into our hypothetical SMM 401(k).” So how can you keep your muscle mass loss to a minimum while losing body fat? The answer is protein, and a lot of it! “Think of protein as our SMM financial advisor, telling the muscle where to go, how to repair, and stay healthy. Mixed with appropriate resistance exercise, you will be in a great spot to minimize muscle loss while maximizing body fat loss.” Here are seven nutrient-dense foods that add protein and a lot of key vitamins, minerals, fats, and probiotics.
Whole Eggs
Whole Eggs are the first food he recommends. “Containing all nine amino acids, eggs are a complete protein with 6 to 7g of protein per egg. Key components are leucine, which increases muscle protein synthesis, and vitamin D, which supports bone and hormone health,” he says.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin Seeds are another great fat-burning food. “These seeds come in on top with the most protein per ounce (about 7g) and include a healthy source of fat along with magnesium, iron, and zinc, all of which support hormone production and recovery,” he says.
Lean Turkey
Lean Turkey is another great source of protein for fat loss. “Being up to 99% lean, turkey is packed with protein (25-27g per 4 oz) and B vitamins which aid in energy metabolism and red blood cell production,” he says.
Lentils
Adding lentils to your diet can help you burn fat. “Not only known for having a high 18g of protein per cup, lentils are also a valuable source of fiber- up to 15g per cup! This can aid with digestion while helping build muscle,” he says.
Salmon
Don’t sleep on Salmon. “Being rich in omega-3s and high in protein (22-25g per 3 oz), fatty fish such as salmon can improve fat oxidation and reduce inflammation from training,” says Fey.
Quinoa
If you are looking for a protein-packed grain, start eating Quinoa. “With about 8g of protein per cup, quinoa is another complete protein that is rich in iron, magnesium, and fiber. This can help with satiety along with supporting muscle repair,” says Fey.
Greek Yogurt
And, don’t forget to add Greek yogurt to your morning meal. “15-20g of protein per serving and deliver probiotics for gut health. Be wary of excessive added sugar!” he says.