Protein Bread for Weight Loss: "Here's the Recipe That Helped Me Drop 70 lbs at Age 69"
We’ve heard so many women raving about how going keto has made them slim. But is there hope for those of us who can’t give up — or simply don’t want to give up — bread? “Yes, there is!” promises British Columbia retiree Ardie Lush, who has dropped 70 pounds at age 69 and swears by protein bread for weight loss. Ardie bakes every Sunday, and she always makes a loaf of protein bread she discovered on the Internet. What makes the recipe special: It’s not only low in carbs, it’s also packed with whey. Turns out, whey, a protein from milk, is a pretty amazing choice for anyone who wants to get lean, especially those of us over age 50. One study even found it can help stimulate significant fat loss in seniors with limited mobility. Read on to learn more about how much whey helped Ardie — and how you can use protein bread for weight loss.
What is whey protein?
If you’ve ever opened a container of yogurt and noticed liquid at the top, that’s whey. It’s a protein-rich fluid in milk that contains all nine essential amino acids plus vitamins and minerals. Cheesemakers use a special process to separate whey from milk solids. The solids (or curds) become cheese, and the whey can then be dehydrated to make protein powder.
As so many folks on social media have discovered, whey protein powder is not only great in protein shakes and bars but also fantastic in baked goods like the bread Ardie loves to make. (Click through for great brands of whey to try.)
Proof that protein bread kills hunger and cravings
Think fiber is the most filling nutrient? In one study, whey beat fiber handily, proving it triggers a 415% greater surge of anti-hunger hormones. There’s even evidence it beats some other protein sources like soy and ham, says University of Tennessee researcher Michael Zemel, PhD.
Further enhancing the effect: While all protein triggers the release of stop-eating hormones, “whey digests quickly, so the hunger-control benefits you get are immediate,” notes New York weight-loss expert Tro Kalayjian, M.D., who personally shed 150 pounds while incorporating lots of whey-rich foods in his diet.
Also key: Most bread is made with highly processed flour that has been proven to stimulate us to consume far more calories than we need. Whey protein in bread helps do the opposite.
Related: “I Lost 224 Lbs — More Than Half My Size! — With This Keto Hack That Cured My Cravings”
Why protein bread boosts weight loss after age 50
A typical 140-calorie serving of bread contains 4 grams of protein. Ardie’s whey protein bread (recipe below) contains triple that amount. And that’s good news for anyone whose metabolism seems slow, digesting protein temporarily boosts metabolism by 300% compared to carbs and by a whopping 900% compared to fat.
On top of that, studies show whey actually burns up to 15% hotter than other protein options. Oh, and it has up to 75% more of the amino acid leucine. “Leucine helps release fat from fat cells and increases fat burning in muscle cells,” notes Zemel.
Plus, scientists say whey is an easier protein for aging bodies to absorb, so older folks get big benefits. A University of Arkansas study found giving sedentary seniors regular doses of whey doubled fat burn in their muscles — an effect researchers said was powerful enough to mimic the strength-building benefits of a vigorous workout for those with mobility issues.
One last bonus: Whey protein’s mix of amino acids is so good for our brains, one study found adding a serving a day boosts short-term memory by 47%.
Related: A High-Protein Diet Helps Overweight Seniors Shed Pounds Safely, Study Suggests
Protein bread for weight loss before and after: Ardie Lush, 69
Not long ago, Ardie and her husband, Wayne, had rented a condo in Las Vegas to give themselves a little break from Canada’s brutal winter. “I had always been energetic, but as the years ticked by — well, arthritis slowed me down,” she recalls. And slowing down had packed on pounds, making the arthritis worse. It had gotten so bad that when they found themselves in the middle of a large casino complex and realized the escalator was out of service, Wayne asked: “Can you make it, hon?” Ardie glanced around. The motionless staircase in front of her was daunting. She took a deep breath. “The elevator’s pretty far away too,” she finally said. “I’ll try.” Wayne kept his hand on Ardie’s back for support, yet each step was excruciating. As she cringed her way to the top, she thought: I’m not ready to feel this bad.
By that point, Ardie had been on lots of diets: low-carb, vegan, WeightWatchers. “At best, I’d lose 20 pounds before gaining it back,” she recalls. Now she was in her 60s and basically falling apart. Besides her knees, her plantar fasciitis was so bad, she couldn’t walk barefoot. She’d also developed severe heartburn, high blood pressure, constant tiredness. “I thought it was probably too late to turn things around,” she confesses. “I didn’t tell Wayne, but he knew anyway.” So after seeing a TV segment about a slimmed-down actress, he told her to Google the keto diet. She did.
“The goal of a keto diet is to lower blood sugar,” explained a doctor on YouTube. “It’s very therapeutic because chronically high sugar causes inflammation that drives most health problems.” As inflammation drops, symptoms like GI distress and arthritis get better quickly. And easing inflammation wasn’t the only benefit: Over about eight weeks, the body adapts and begins to run on fat instead of blood sugar. "It sounded perfect for me," shares Ardie.
How Ardie discovered protein bread for weight loss
Ardie downloaded the KetoDiet app to track her carbs. Then, in her vacation condo’s kitchen, she started whipping up simple things like eggs and bacon, chicken salad, steak with broccoli. She and Wayne enjoyed the meals. Over the next few weeks, her GI trouble vanished, her knees hurt less — and she shed about 10 pounds.
Ardie’s hunger and cravings seemed to shrink the longer she ate keto. Yet like many keto dieters, “I missed sandwiches,” she shares. Since store-bought keto bread reminded her of Styrofoam, she hit the Internet. A recipe for “soul bread” caught her eye. It was made with whey powder, which she had on hand. “The recipe said the bread had 12 grams of protein a slice, and I knew I needed more protein at my age.”
She had a loaf in the oven in no time, and it smelled absolutely heavenly as it baked. Even better, it had great flavor, a sourdough texture. And it made sandwiches that were deeply satisfying. “This bread makes keto a way of eating I can follow forever,” she says.
On Sundays, Ardie would bake keto cookies and a loaf of her new bread. Her hunger shrank more, and she found she only needed brunch and dinner, rarely snacking. She was 40 pounds lighter when they headed home to British Columbia. “I lost over 70 pounds in eight months, and it let me enjoy more of life’s little pleasures,” shares Ardie, whose knee, foot and belly pain are gone, her blood pressure meds slashed. After maintaining for a few years, Ardie is still a huge fan of whey bread and keto in general: “You can change your whole life, and it doesn’t feel like a diet at all. I feel 39, not 69!”
Using protein bread for weight loss
Experts say whey bread can boost any healthy eating plan. Want to try Ardie’s approach? Enjoy a serving of whey bread daily as part of a regimen with less than 20 grams of carbs and more than 100 grams of protein. A free app like Cronometer makes tracking easy. We’ve got a whey bread recipe and meal ideas to inspire you. Find more great recipes at KetogenicWoman.com.
Breakfast idea: Slimming toast ‘n’ jam
Toast slices of whey bread and top with a low-carb jam, such as Smucker’s Sugar Free
Lunch idea: Salad with Crunch
Cube stale whey bread; pan-fry with butter and seasoning. Cool; add to any salad.
Dinner idea: Upgraded Club
Just layer three slices whey bread with fillings like ham, turkey, cheese, bacon, hardboiled egg and mayo
Bonus recipe: Protein bread for weight loss
Ardie loves this egg-free version of ‘soul bread’ from Ioana Borcea of LowCarbSpark.com
Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
1? cups whey powder
1 Tbs. xanthan gum
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
? cup olive oil
1? cups warm water
Instructions:
Combine flour, whey, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. Poor oil on top. Slowly pour in water, using spatula to mix ingredients. Stop mixing as soon as dough forms.
Bake in parchment-lined loaf pan at 375oF until bread is golden and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Cool completely on rack before slicing.
Makes 16 slices, about 140 calories, 12 grams protein, and 1 net carb each
This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman's World.
Click through for more stories on using protein to boost weight loss after age 50:
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Proffee: The Delicious Breakfast Helping Women Over 60 Lose Weight Effortlessly
