11 High-Protein Hacks for Women to Burn Fat and Build Muscle Every 4 Hours

Does the thought of another restrictive diet make you want to reach for the cookie jar? You're not alone. Many women find themselves trapped in a cycle of severe calorie cutting and frustrating results. But what if the secret to successful weight loss isn't about eating less but eating smarter? Dr. Taz Bhatia, M.D., CNS, L.AC, and Danni Patton, AKA the Macro Coach, are two experts championing a high-protein approach to weight loss and overall health. Their insights might just revolutionize the way you think about food and weight management.

1. Why Protein Matters

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In her video, Dr. Taz explains, "Protein is becoming increasingly important in our diets because we are starting to really understand that the entire conversation around weight, belly fat hormone balance, and so much more centers around blood sugar." She adds, "Blood sugar is regulated in our body by our gut, our liver, and our pancreas, and we really need all of those organs working together in harmony."

Nutritionist Danni Patton echoes this sentiment, saying, "Did you know that protein burns more calories through the digestive process than carbs + fats? On top of that, eating the right amount of protein for you can aid in smoother fat loss, hormone regulation, appetite regulation, energy levels and build/preserve muscle mass."

2. How Much Protein Do You Need?

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Dr. Taz recommends aiming for "30 to 40 grams of protein every four hours or so." She clarifies, "Now that rule is an average. If you are smaller, maybe you need a little bit under that 30 grams. If you are a bodybuilder or doing a lot of weights, a lot of times you'll need more."

3. Protein Sources: Animal vs. Plant

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"Your meat proteins are going to provide the maximum bang for your buck," Dr. Taz notes. "We know that meat has more bioavailable amino acids than plants. Meats are also a complete source of protein." However, she emphasizes that portion control is key: "For every three ounces of meat or animal-based protein, you are getting roughly 25 to 30 grams of protein. It's half of a piece of a fish filet. It's half a chicken breast."

For vegetarians and vegans, Dr. Taz suggests creative combinations: "You can still get the protein in, but you're going to have to be a little bit creative. One of the biggest issues with plant-based proteins are the amino acids are sometimes a little bit harder to absorb, and they're not complete."

4. Eggs: The Perfect Protein

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"Eggs are a complete protein," Dr. Taz explains. "They actually have choline, Omega-3 fats. One egg has about seven grams of protein." She suggests combining protein sources to reach your target: "Maybe it's two eggs plus something else, or three eggs plus something else."

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5. Plant-Based Protein Power

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For those following a plant-based diet, Dr. Taz recommends beans and lentils: "We're going to move on to the entire family of beans, lentils, all of those that have roughly about 20 grams of protein per cup." She adds, "Lentils have a lot of great amino acids in it. They also have fiber. You're also a source of carbohydrates. It is a complete food in that it is sort of serving all the different categories against some of your macronutrients."

6. Protein Powders: A Convenient Option

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Dr. Taz acknowledges the role of protein powders in a busy lifestyle: "One scoop will give us 20 grams of protein. So by adding a scoop of protein powder into different meals, you can add up those protein grams." She suggests, "Maybe you just add a scoop of protein powder into something. Maybe it's just in straight water, honestly, you don't want to mess with it, or you add it in as a smoothie, and you have a little mini smoothie along with your meals."

7. Nuts and Seeds: Use Caution

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Dr. Taz warns about relying too heavily on nuts and seeds: "They have protein, but they don't have a lot of protein and people find themselves snacking on those throughout the day thinking, oh my gosh, I'm getting my protein in. But here again is the rule of thumb, about seven almonds give you about five grams of protein. So seven to 10 macadamia nuts will give you about two to three grams of protein."

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8. Creative Protein Hacks

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Danni Patton offers several innovative ways to boost your protein intake:

• "Buy chickpea/lentil/black bean type kinds of pasta for added protein in your spaghetti with meatballs." This can add an extra 12 to 20g of protein per meal.
• "Add in protein powder to Greek yogurt, oatmeal, or chia pudding." This adds an extra 18 to 20 grams of protein.
• "Sneak in lean ground meats to pasta, bowls, and stir-fries." This can add an extra 25 to 40 grams of protein.
• "Add collagen powder to your morning cup." This adds an extra 10 to 20 grams of protein.
• "Make your rice with bone broth instead of rice." This adds an extra 10 to 20 grams of protein.
• "Drink a cup of warm bone broth." This adds an extra 10 to 20 grams of protein.
• "Add cottage cheese to pasta sauce, blend and make a creamy low-fat, high protein sauce." This adds an extra 10 to 20 grams of protein.
• "Swap Greek yogurt for sour cream." This adds an extra 8 to 15 grams of protein.
• "Use a Greek yogurt cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese." This adds an extra 10 grams of protein.

9. The Importance of Protein as We Age

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Dr. Taz emphasizes the increasing importance of protein as we age: "We need protein for blood sugar management, really to keep inflammation down, to keep our muscle mass intact. And that becomes more and more important for many of us as we're crossing that 35, 40, 50 threshold because muscle mass is going down every decade by a certain amount, and as muscle mass goes down, our blood sugar becomes more unstable."

10. Meal Planning for Success

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Danni is an advocate of meal planning. She advises, "Pre-plan your day in a food tracking app and build your meals around the protein source." She adds that this is the "easiest way to understand how to add protein to your meals."

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11. Start Small and Be Consistent

"You don't have to go from 0-100! Start by adding a little each week until you get more comfortable with your protein choices!" Danni Patton advises.

By focusing on adequate protein intake, you can address multiple health concerns simultaneously. As Dr. Taz concludes, "To really solve this issue with blood sugar, slow metabolism, insulin going all over the place, muscle mass going down, weight gain going up, inflammation going up, getting your protein grams continues to be an important part of the conversation." And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Are you struggling to lose weight without constant hunger pangs? Protein might be the secret weapon you're missing. Dani Marenburg is a double-certified nutrition coach who has helped over 1,000 women achieve their weight loss goals. On her podcast Mindin’ My Macros, Danny shares her top protein hacks that can help you melt fat fast while keeping you satisfied. Whether you're a protein novice or looking to optimize your intake, these tips will give you the edge in your weight loss journey.

Meet The Protein Queen

Danny introduces herself with a personal touch saying that she is "an ex-yo-yo dieting cardio junkie turned sustainable nutrition coach who's helped over 1000 women feel confident in their skin by learning how to eat for their goals without sacrificing a life well lived," she says in the podcast.

Danny's passion for protein is evident: "If you have been around the block with me, you know that I am the protein queen and my friends will agree because back in, what was it, 2022, I got married nearly all of my friends got married that year. So there were bachelorette parties, there were bridal showers, all of that. Everyone would laugh when I prioritized protein. Prioritize protein. And now that is apparently my slogan."

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The Power of Protein for Fat Loss

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Danny starts by explaining why protein is crucial for fat loss:

"There are four different main ways that protein can really help with you losing overall body fat," she says in the podcast. Let's break them down:

1. Boosting Satiety Hormones

"Number one is protein, which increases the secretion of our satiety hormone. This is GLP one, making us feel fuller with those protein meals," Danny explains. She adds, "This is the same hormone that's activated with ozempic with these weight loss medications."

2. Reducing Hunger Signals

She continues, "Number two is protein decreases the secretion of ghrelin, which is a hormone that signals to the brain that we are hungry. So it's kind of making this two-pronged approach where it's increasing the satiety hormone, and it's decreasing the hunger hormone, allowing us to feel fuller, more satisfied, more satiated throughout the day."

3. Increasing Calorie Burn

"Protein also has a greater thermic effect than carbs and fat," Danny points out. She elaborates, "Essentially, the thermic effect of food means that there is a thermic effect, meaning that there is a different amount of calories burnt through the digestive process based on what you're eating. So protein burns more calories through the digestive process than carbohydrates and fat do."

4. Regulating Blood Sugar

"Protein helps to regulate blood sugar levels," she says. "When we have regulated blood sugar levels, we're able to curb cravings and provide steady energy throughout the day. This also prevents us from grabbing less nutrient-dense snacks or nibbles that can really easily add up and pull someone into either a surplus or out of their deficit without even realizing it."

Real-Life Example

Danny shares a personal anecdote to illustrate the importance of protein:

"Yesterday actually, quick little story and side note, I had a consultation with somebody who won the Summer Reset Challenge, my group program, and I do these consultations, the winners, and she was like, oh, you know what? I feel really good in the morning, but then once I get home from work, I don't eat dinner until later because my boyfriend doesn't get home till late. We like to eat together. So that period of time after work before dinner, I find myself just snacking and eating," Danny recounts. She explains how increasing protein earlier in the day can help prevent this issue.

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Strategies to Boost Your Protein Intake

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Now that we understand why protein is so important let's dive into Danny's hacks for increasing your protein intake:

1. Aim for 30 Grams Per Meal

"The first thing I recommend doing is really start by aiming for 30 grams of protein per meal," Danny advises. She adds, "Maybe this doesn't all add up to whatever your protein goal is, but it's a great place to start to get comfortable."

2. Pre-log Your Meals

Danny suggests, "Pre log your days and focus those days around your protein sources." She explains, "Pre logging is a technique that I talk about that essentially you're going into your food tracking app and you're planning out your day for maybe the next day."

3. Find Your Staple Proteins

"Find a few of their favorite staple proteins and then recycle them in multiple meals," she recommends. Danny shares a personal example: "For me, a great example of a stable protein is a ground turkey. I can use that to make a turkey burger. I can use that in my pasta to make a meaty pasta sauce. I can use that as a stir fry."

4. Increase Portion Sizes or Add Extra Sources

"Either increase the amount of a single serving of protein... or you can add in an additional protein source to your plate," Danny explains. She gives a personal example: "I love my Greek yogurt bowl. I absolutely love it, but sometimes it doesn't get me to my 30 to 40 grams of protein that I'm trying to aim for with my breakfast. And so what I'll do then is I will add in another protein source."

5. Use Supplements Wisely

"You can also supplement with things like powders, bars, shakes, but I do say do this more sparingly," she cautions. "It's a supplement for a reason. You want to supplement with those and be very cautious of the ingredients in them." As you increase your protein, you might worry about fat intake. Danny has some tips for that, too:

6. Choose Lean Cuts

"If you are eating meat, opt for a leaner cut of meat," Danny suggests. "So chicken breast first, chicken thighs, chicken breast is a much leaner cut, meaning it's lower in fat than chicken thighs."

7. Opt for Lower Fat Dairy

She adds, "There are also lower fat options that you can find. Like with Greek yogurts for example, there's a 0% or there's a 2%, there's a 5%."

8. Use Low-Fat Cheese as a Protein Booster

"You can find cheeses like there's fat-free fatted cheese. There's different types of cheeses that are going to be lower in fat that are going to add protein too," Danny points out.

9. Track Your Macros

Danny recommends using a food tracking app: "If you have the free version and pro tip, turn your phone horizontally. You'll be able to see your macros by food item and by meal."

10. Consistency is Key

Finally, Danny emphasizes the importance of consistency: "I guarantee you, you're going to see some immediate results from that alone." By implementing these protein hacks, you can supercharge your fat loss efforts without feeling deprived. Remember, as Danny says, "Protein is such an under consumed macronutrient and I just want more women to understand what their protein needs are."

Danny concludes with an encouraging message: "Use this information to your advantage. I'm always here to support you. If you have any questions, if you want to chat further, feel free to DM me over on Instagram at minded my macros. I am always there and I look forward to catching you in next week's episode. Until then, keep mind in your wellness." And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.