Many people say it is, and have the results to prove it. On the other hand, there are also many people who have not had such success with the high-protein diet. As with all things weight loss, there are copious amounts contradictory studies to suggest high-protein is best and high-protein is no good.

There are a number of things to consider when weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of a high protein diet. First, and most importantly, can you stick to this kind of eating plan or would it be so alien to your eating habits and preferences that it would be torture for you to concentrate all your meals around high protein and low carb. If so there are plenty of other weight loss methods that might suit you better, make life easy for yourself and go with something you can easily stick to. On the other had if you are a big meat eater and are not too worried about giving up the carbs then read on.

An instant advantage of the high protein diet is that weight loss during the first few weeks on is definitely more impressive than when eating a mixed diet, however, it's been discovered that almost all the difference is a result of water loss. But you can only lose so much water, so eventually that rapid weight loss slows down.

There are different ways of interpreting that. Some people think it's good, because the rapid weight loss during the first month can be very encouraging. In contrast, when eating a simple healthy diet, weight loss tends to be much more gradual which can be discouraging.

On the other hand, what happens when people on the high-protein diet discover after two months that the same diet that was initially causing them to lose 4 or 5 pounds a week is only producing a 1- or 2-pound weight loss now? Maybe they think they're not dieting carefully enough and cut back their calories still more, only to find that the difference hardly shows up on the scale. That, too, can be very discouraging.

One of the supposed benefits of the high-protein diet is that it produces a mild state of metabolic ketosis and, as a by-product of that process, certain chemical substances called ketone bodies are created, which are said to suppress appetite so at least you don't have to suffer the hunger pangs associated with low calorie or low fat diets.

Essentially eating mainly high protein foods and cutting out all carbohydrates including healthy fruit and vegetables is a somewhat unnatural and unsustainable way of eating and not to be recommended. However, I believe a moderate high protein diet which advocates lean meats and includes a limited amount of healthy complex carbohydrates but excludes the unhealthy refined carbohydrates such as white bread, sugar, pasta etc. is the ideal diet.

The high-protein diet has a long history of success, and although many people associate it mainly with diets like Atkins and The South Beach Diet, it actually made its first published appearance almost 140 years ago. In his 'Letter On Corpulence' William Banting detailed the phenomenal weight loss and surge in energy he experienced while following a diet which closely resembles the high-protein diets we know today. Read his original diet published in 1869.

by Dianne R Maurer
Weight Loss Success Coach