This Memorial Day, I hope you enjoy some good times with family and friends. Most of all… don’t feel an ounce of guilt about enjoying that thick, juicy burger straight off the grill. Turns out, it may boost your weight-loss even more than eating a steak.
In fact, for a recent study, researchers gave 10 older men with an average age of 74 either 5 ounces of ground beef or the same amount of steak. They assessed the rates of protein digestion and absorption, as well as whole-body protein balance and muscle protein synthesis that accompanied each meal.
Turns out, protein-derived amino acids showed up in circulation faster after eating a meal of ground beef compared to eating steak. And this superior availability lasted a good six hours after eating too!
What’s more, the subjects’ whole-body protein balance — that is, their body’s ability to preserve lean tissue — was also better after eating ground beef.
And that’s not all…
Research shows throwing a slice of cheese on top of your burger might boost those results even further. It also links cheese to a faster metabolism, reduced obesity, and increased longevity.
In one study, researchers from Denmark analyzed urine and fecal samples from 15 men whose diets either contained cheese and milk or contained butter with no other dairy products.
The cheese group had higher levels of butyric acid, a gut microbe and short chain fatty acid linked to lower obesity and faster metabolism.
One note of caution, though: Always opt for full-fat cheese.
It will help you achieve a better concentration of the important branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), as I explain in The A-List Diet. Which means the amino acids you need for successful weight loss will stay in the body longer
A nice, juicy steak is great. But you don’t need to deny yourself the metabolism-boosting effects of a simple, satisfying cheeseburger.
Just make sure you hold the sesame seed bun.
A-Listers’ Corner
More and more A-Listers are sharing their great weight-loss news with us. Susan B. from Australia dropped us an email recently:
“Hi Dr. Fred,
I bought the A-List diet for my daughter but decided to try it for myself.
It’s very easy to follow and have lost 5 kg [11 pounds].
The very best thing, however, is a surprising side effect — no more back-ache after 20 years of chronic pain! I am now moving as I did in my 50s, not like the 73 year-old I really am. And I have so much more energy as well.
My daughter will have to wait for me to hand over your book as she is a nursing mother, but I am hooked!”
Congratulations on your success so far, Susan! Like you mentioned, the alleviation of bodily pain is often a benefit many A-Listers tell me about.
It’s really quite simple to do once you break it down into steps. Many of my patients are simply amazed at how eating right and moving around has been such a game changer for their quality of life… and it can be for you, too.
If you’re experiencing aches and pains, ditch the dangerous pain meds and give the A-List a try. I just released the book in paperback... perfect timing for some beach reading!
One more thing…
Recognizing the emotional aspect of your weight loss journey will be one of the most important things you do in your quest to get healthy. Just remember…it’s not something you need to do alone. In fact, I find that my patients with a strong support system achieve the greatest success.
So don’t hesitate to seek out an experienced counselor or even a local support group. (Overeaters Anonymous is a fantastic resource that can help connect you with other people who are also working to overcome addictive eating behaviors. Visit www.oa.org to find a meeting near you.)
SOURCES:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23636241
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf505878a
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/133/1/261S.full.pdf