#BestDietHack: Start with a bite of protein
So many rules for dieting out there. I think I’ve tried them all. This has to be my favorite of all of them.
Stop. Then Start with protein.
Why? Because starting each meal with one or two bites of protein can help regulate your insulin level. When your stomach receives one or two bites of protein first, the pancreas produces a hormone called glucagon, which helps digest the protein. Glucagon is the antagonist to insulin. It blocks insulin production. The result is a lower insulin level, which stimulates fat burning, blocks fat synthesis, and switches off your ravenous appetite.
But, amazingly, this easy “rule” is one of my clients hardest to achieve. Remembering to start with protien is not a habit. At least, not yet. So together, we’ve invented some options to get protein in first.
- When you prepare your plate, “sneak” a taste of the protein before you sit down.
- If you are going out to eat, take a few almonds to eat before you put carbs in. This works well before consuming alcohol, too.
- Stop before you eat. Notice what you do reach for first. For many, it was the carbohydrate on their plate.
- And when you do learn to stop, add yet another step in before that protein bite… giving yourself a moment to enjoy the scents and sites set before you, and be in a moment of gratitude.
- Improve your digestion by taking in the moment. Your brain is turned on before you even take a bite. It’s called the cephalic phase of digestion, when your body responds to the sight, smell, taste, or thought of food. When it happens, you’ll sometimes feel that ache in your salivary glands. It gets the body ready to break that food down, secreting gastric acids, pepsinogen, and enzymes even before food enters your stomach.
Want to nerd out some more? More about the digestion https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/cephalic-phase and protein first https://news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2015/06/food-order-has-significant-impact-on-glucose-and-insulin-levels-louis-aronne
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Theresa is a certified Metabolic Balance® coach and functional nutrition counselor, helping clients with metabolic syndrome & hormone imbalances reset their metabolisms with a comprehensive whole-food + whole-body plan that is unique to her clients blood work and lifestyles. More information on her programs, and a get a free session, at https://davisshea.com/
