If you are a woman, you need protein, plain and simple. While that doesn’t mean you have to eat hamburgers every day, it does mean that you can and should incorporate healthy protein into your diet five times each day.

Protein is great because it assists healthy weight loss and encourages lean muscle mass. The consumption of protein reduces your waistline over time because it takes longer to digest, metabolize, and use. Since proteins remain in your stomach longer, they keep you full for more time than other foods.

You lose fat, not muscle, when you eat adequate amounts of protein. The amino acids in the protein are used to build lean muscle. Having more lean muscle keeps your body burning calories even when you are not active.

Even if you are a vegetarian, complete proteins can be integrated into the diet. By pairing incomplete proteins such as brown rice and beans, you can benefit. Other proteins that vegetarians can enjoy include tofu, hemp seed, quinoa, and buckwheat.

An example of what types of protein to include in your diet:

• 1 cup of Egg Whites with breakfast
• 6 ounces of nonfat Greek Yogurt with morning snack
• 4 ounces of Tilapia with lunch
• ½ cup of low-fat Cottage Cheese with afternoon snack
• 4 ounces of Chicken breast with dinner

Protein is most important after your metabolic resistance workout. This is when your body is able to absorb the nutrients. Whey protein shakes are a great way to get quality protein to help you recover from your workout and give your muscles the nutrients they need to become lean and burn fat.

Once you incorporate protein into five meals each day, you will notice the difference in how you feel during your workouts and the difference in your hunger levels. If you have to choose between a carbohydrate filled snack or a protein filled snack, go for the protein!

Metabolic Resistance Workouts

Come out for a free metabolic resistance workout every Sunday this month at Lululemon.

These community boot camp workouts are open to everyone. For April, Bootique Fitness will be the featured boot camp.

Classes meet at Lululemon, located at 877 G St (corner of G and 9th) at 10:00 am and last for one hour. For more details, see Bootique Fitness.

Jaylin Allen is a local Fitness Expert in San Diego, known for getting her clients in shape in record time through her popular "Boot Camps For Women" and "Zumba" classes. For more information about Jaylin, fitness, or her classes, be sure to check out Bootique Fitness or call 619.602.8087.