The Importance of Protein

We wanted to take a moment to talk to you about protein.  Did you know that along with fat and carbohydrates, protein is a "macronutrient," meaning that the body needs relatively large amounts of it. However, unlike fat and carbohydrates the body does not store protein, and therefore has no reservoir to draw on when it needs a new supply. "Proteins are made up of hundreds or thousands of smaller units called amino acids, which are attached to one another in long chains. There are 20 different types of amino acids that can be combined to make a protein. The sequence of amino acids determines each protein’s unique 3-dimensional structure and its specific function."

Proteins are essential to everything that is vital.  They play a role in the work that takes place in cells, and are necessary for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs.  Here are some functions of protein:

Antibodies - Help attack bacteria and viruses, and help protect the body.
Enzymes - Carry out almost all of the thousands of chemical reactions that take place in cells. They also assist with the formation of new molecules by reading the genetic information stored in DNA.
Messenger - Messenger proteins, such as some types of hormones, transmit signals to coordinate biological processes between different cells, tissues, and organs.
Structural Component - These proteins provide structure and support for cells. On a larger scale, they also allow the body to move.
Transport/Storage - These proteins bind and carry atoms and small molecules within cells and throughout the body.

As you can see protein is very important to your health! With that in mind, when you follow our program we ensure you are meeting your minimum protein needs.  That is important because it's clear your body needs protein to function properly, but it also helps preserve your muscle mass while losing weight.  That's is critical because when you are reducing calories you still need to make sure you are meeting your protein needs.  If you don't some of your weight loss could be muscle.  Because the weight you are losing on our program is mostly fat most clients notice that their clothes start to become loose very quickly!  That's because losing fat also causes your body to lose inches.  Believe it or not fat takes up a lot of space, so even losing five pounds of fat can make a difference.



Reference: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/howgeneswork/protein, What are proteins and what do they do?