Why?
In a short answer - it fills you up. In a long answer...
Your body takes more time to digest protein than it does to digest carbs (your primary energy source). It's quite common for someone to eat a large steak and feel really full after it, or maybe not even being able to finish it. However, with a carb based meal (spaghetti/pasta for example), it's fairly easy to finish, and that's because your body digests it easier and faster.
If you consume more protein in your meals, you will become fuller, which means you won't think about snacking as much -> saving calories -> reduced body fat. There's usually two reasons why you 'go back for more' unhealthy foods. 1) It's simply a habit. 2) you're still hungry. The latter is very common, which then leads to it becoming a habit.
I eat anywhere from 2800-3300kcals a day (sometimes I drop my calories on rest days - and they tend to be an estimate rather than measuring out to the 't'). I spread my calories out between 7am and 10pm. I rarely have any 'cravings' or feeling starving hungry, and that's because I consume a higher protein diet. When I eat my meals, I feel full afterwards, and that takes me through to the next meal. Most people who don't feel full after a meal, will snack on unhealthy foods in between meals. Those snacks don't fill them up either, so they eat more and more because they're hungry - leading to weight gain.
If your goal is to lose body fat, then I recommend increasing your protein intake (won't give specific amounts as I have no idea who I am talking to, what their current body situation is or anything...). This will help your hunger levels and also protein will be used for fuel if you are dropping your carbs.
Hope that helps, give it a try!
Lee Gregory Fitness
