Meat for Weight Loss – What Meat Is Perfect for Weight Loss?Reading time: 8 min

Every other day it seems a new diet or way of eating comes knocking on our doors to help assist in our continual struggle of weight loss. Yet despite the numerous ideas of fasting and omitting certain food groups altogether, it seems counter research to such diets still proves that the age-old truth to consuming balanced meals is still our best bet for our bodies to obtain all the nutrients it requires.

Our hand in it is to be aware of the quantity and preparations of the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats so that our bodies can function at optimum capacity, without pushing themselves into overdrive. 

Did you know that you can eat meat for weight loss? Here, we will be presenting you with a few facts on the body’s protein intake, and what meats are best for weight loss that actually helps you in reaching your desired weight goals.

What Is a Meat Diet for Weight Loss?

Proteins are known as the building blocks within our bodies. They play countless critical roles, such as forming the basis for every living cell.

Michael Clarck

To understand how consuming meat can help in weight loss, we also need to understand proteins’ role in our bodies – which is what meat is primarily a source of.

Proteins are known as the building blocks within our bodies. They play countless critical roles, such as forming the basis for every living cell. They help build and repair tissue, allow for metabolic reactions to take place (our bodies’ ability to convert food into energy), and coordinate bodily functions. Moreover, to provide our bodies with their structural framework, proteins also play a part in maintaining the correct PH and fluid balance.

Mainly focusing on meat as a bountiful source of protein for your body, this macronutrient is vital in helping shed that unwanted fat as it helps preserve your muscle mass. The body is designed in such a way that it is easier to convert protein to energy and increase your metabolism than it does with excess fat which usually gets stored and becomes unsightly, uncomfortable, and unwanted.

In comparison to carbohydrates and fats, proteins are the most satiating. It ticks all the categories of satisfaction. Everything from the flavor and texture to the scent appeases our taste buds much more effectively. In other words,  our yearning to discover pleasure and wholeness from our meals will be met sooner, which will also ensure that we don’t overeat. As an example, it will take one portion of steak (which will be easier for your body to break down) to hit the spot,  compared to consuming much more bread rolls to feel equally full.

What Is a Meatless Diet for Weight Loss?

If a juicy, tenderized steak or pork chop doesn’t make your mouth water, there are alternate options for you to consider, with many similar benefits. 

Remember, the driving force here is fueled by consuming proteins, regardless of the source. There are many easily accessible plant based-options such as beans and lentils, whole grains, nuts, seeds, soy products, tofu, and tempeh, to mention but a few. A meatless diet for weight loss works just as well – as long as you get your proteins in. 

5  Best Meats for Weight Loss

Skinless chicken:

The white meat in skinless chicken can be one of the leanest protein sources. Selecting portions such as the breasts, wings or tenders can offer you more protein than other portions. The secret here to help assist in your weight loss regime is to avoid the dark meat as far as possible, and always remember to remove the skin before consuming your chicken, if not already done in the preparation phase of your meals.

A serving of cooked chicken breasts, for example, also offers the body other vitamins and nutrients such as phosphorus, vitamin B6, selenium, riboflavin, niacin, and choline (which is a nutrient vital in your body to perform certain essential functions).

Lean beef:

This one is for the beef fans out there. Beef falls under the red meat category which comprises saturated fats. Having leaner cuts like a hearty sirloin steak, some lean ground beef, or tenderloin is all acceptable in moderation – the key words being ‘in moderation.’

To help put this into perspective, The World Cancer Research Fund recommends we restrict ourselves to enjoying such meats to three portions a week. So in reality, you can still enjoy red meat for weight loss, as long as you keep an eye on your portions.

White turkey meat:

An alternative to your chicken is turkey, which is also a source of lean poultry. Just as with chicken, you want to stick to the white meat portions, like the breasts and wings, whilst trying to dodge the leg (which is your dark meat portion).

White meat is significantly lower in calories, but the portions of our servings make all the difference in whether we shed off those few extra pounds or not. Remember, the larger the portions the larger the total fat intake. So, use turkey’s white meat for weight loss.

Lean Pork:

While pork does consist of fattier meats like bacon and pork belly, they also do possess some healthier leaner cuts. Pork chops, sirloin pork roast, and pork chops are all healthy options if you’re a pork fan and can’t do away with them. They contain a good amount of protein and you can reduce your fat intake by cutting away all visible fat.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, their guidelines stipulate that pork portions should always be cooked at an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Lean pork meat for weight loss is widely used and you can take this one without any hesitation if you cooked perfectly.

Mollusks:

Mollusks can vary from snails and slugs to clams, oysters, mussels, squid, etc. Seafood like the latter is packed with nutrition, but we should be watchful to avoid alternatives that could be higher in mercury, such as shrimp and shellfish. So, you can use mollusk meat for weight loss when you want to lose weight.

Did you know, that mollusks are also unique and beneficial in that they cleanse our waters? They are particularly good as they filter out biological matter and heavy metals that prove dangerous to our seas. They can also be farmed raised on ropes, don’t need any feed, and place marginal stress on the environment.

Healthy Tips for Eating Meat for weight loss

Here are some helpful tips to keep you on your weight loss journey while enjoying the benefits of meat;

• Let “in moderation” become your new favorite saying. Remember to enjoy your meat portions but in line with the recommendations of the American Heart Association – which is ideally 5.5 ounces of cooked meat per day.

• If you’re a red meat lover, limit your quantity. Allow your portions to be about 3 ounces, or roughly about the size of a deck of cards to help you compare.

• When opting for red meats or pork, remember to do away with excess fat as we want to optimize protein intake and not fat consumption.

• When considering fish portions, around 8 ounces of fish is safe per week, especially oily fish such as herring or salmon.

• Together with eating the leaner portions of meat for weight loss in their allowed safe quantities, cooking methods such as baking, steaming, roasting, and stewing will help you get the most out of your meal compared to frying. Deep frying radically increases the fat content and ups the calorie count opposing your desire to lose weight. 

Beat the Bloat with Protein

Who said attaining your desired weight goal has to be a lousy, salad-only kind of diet? Just follow our tips and tricks, and stick to the best meat for weight loss. These meaty diets help provide a balanced meal.

Meats, in their correct lean portions and accurate quantities, together with being prepared appropriately, prove to be beneficial to your body in too many ways to ignore. It provides your body with ample proteins, increases your metabolism (which is one of the first steps to naturally losing weight), and overall helps assist your vital body structures.

It is also proven to be more accomplishable to lose weight through a meat diet. There is no complete deprivation or exclusion, so the likelihood of one adjusting to the guidelines is more successful and satisfying. So go on ahead, enjoy a sensational piece of steak or a hearty beef stew with a clear conscience, knowing that your taste buds and your scale will both be satisfied.

And if meats don’t exhilarate your tummy, there are alternate protein options. Either way, up the protein intake and enjoy losing weight while doing so.