Looking to lose a few pounds? You may have heard about collagen peptides helping with weight loss, and are wondering what all the hype is about.
Collagen is a powerful structural protein that is used for a variety of functions all over your body. Studies have indeed found that consuming collagen has some impressive benefits, especially considering that your body begins to produce less of it around the time you enter your 30’s.
One of the benefits of collagen protein is that it can help you lose weight and then, once you’ve reached your goal, maintain a healthy weight.
When you are trying to decrease body fat and improve your fitness, you need high-quality protein and nutrients to fuel your body and cells. Without good nutrition, weight loss efforts may result in reduced overall wellness. It is important to approach weight loss with a healthy mindset and to make sure you maintain a good relationship with food (and yourself) through your weight loss journey. In this article, we will discuss collagen protein, collagen peptides weight loss supplements, and some other tips for successful weight management.
What is Collagen Peptide Protein?
There are many different types of protein structures, all built from amino acids. Collagen is a structural, fibrous protein that your body uses more than any other type of protein. It is used to strengthen your tendons, bones, muscles, skin, and other connective tissues. It is important for healing, recovery, and longevity.
Although our body can build collagen on its own, production begins to slow down in our 30’s. For this reason, many have found it useful to begin supplementing, in hopes to boost overall strength and wellness. Seeing how vital a role collagen plays in the human body, this makes a lot of sense.
Collagen protein is also found in other mammals, most densely in their ligaments, skin, tendons, etc.
Because Western diets do not generally consume these parts of animals, we miss out on natural dietary collagen. Collagen peptide supplements are most often made with cow products.
What is collagen peptide protein? Collagen peptides are smaller pieces of the large, collagen protein structure. Because collagen is a massive protein molecule (over 1000 amino acids in a single collagen protein) it can be a bit difficult to digest. When broken down into smaller pieces, however, the digestive tract absorbs it quickly and efficiently and is able to utilize it throughout the body.
Another term for collagen peptides is “hydrolyzed collagen”. This refers to the way collagen is broken down into peptides to improve digestibility.
Benefits Of Peptides For Weight Loss
Weight management is a lifelong pursuit, with some phases being more difficult than others.
While losing weight can help you feel your best, improve your energy, and increase your confidence, it is important to do it for the right reasons. Weight loss is not a cure-all, nor does it necessarily signify better health. Prioritizing mental health before beginning a weight loss journey is extremely important, and valuing your body no matter the size will help you operate from a place of self-love.
Always work with a qualified medical professional before making any significant changes to their diet or routine.
With weight loss, the goal should always be sustainable lifestyle changes over dramatic diets or extreme measures. Anything you do should be something you want to incorporate for the rest of your life. Avoid clever marketing tactics, magic pills, radical fasts or diets, and focus instead on healthy daily choices that move you reliably towards your goals.
A simple habit you can add to your daily routine is taking a collagen peptides weight loss supplement. You can also add powdered forms of collagen peptides into your smoothies, soups, and beverages (it can be a bit lumpy though). If you want to find dietary collagen, there is some naturally occurring in high-quality conventional or homemade bone broth.
Collagen peptides may help with weight loss in the following ways:
Collagen Peptides Increase Satiety
Protein, in general, helps you to feel more full and satisfied after a meal. This is because it fills an essential need in the body, so your hunger hormones can go on break once you’ve consumed enough protein-rich food.
Studies have found that hydrolyzed gelatin (a form of collagen) specifically helps to increase the satiety hormone, which means after consuming collagen, you shouldn’t feel hungry for a while. Hunger pains are one of the biggest hurdles in weight loss, and you are much more likely to stick to your goals if you feel full.
Collagen Peptides Can Reduce Overall Calorie Intake
Not feeling super hungry in between meals will reduce the likelihood of overeating during the next mealtime. When you are starving, and begin eating food, it is easy to eat way more calories than you need in an effort to stave off the hunger. It takes some time for the body to signal to the brain that it’s had enough, which means if you’re ravenous you can easily chow down more calories than you need to feel satisfied.
Using collagen and other high-quality proteins throughout the day may help to reduce your feelings of hunger and help you eat more intentionally.
Collagen Supports Joint Health and Muscle Strength
An important part of a healthy lifestyle is movement. Whether you choose to exercise at a gym, garden in your backyard, walk the dog, run, take fitness classes, or participate in sports, keeping your body moving is a key to health and longevity.
When combined with healthy, intentional eating habits, exercise can boost your weight loss efforts tremendously.
To move efficiently, you need to feel strong. You don’t want to be injured or in pain. Collagen peptides (as strong, structural proteins) play a big role in strengthening your muscles, improving joint health, reducing joint pain, and decreasing the risk of injury. Supplementing with collagen can help to support you as an active individual, which in turn will help you lose or maintain your weight.
A Protein-Rich Diet May Improve Weight Loss Success
High protein intake, in general, is correlated with more effective weight loss. This probably has to do with its effect on satiety. If the body isn’t getting the protein it needs to build cells, heal injuries, and function well, you can be eating excessive calories without ever really feeling satisfied.
What may be surprising to some, is that obese individuals are often nutrient-deficient. Even though they carry a lot of weight, they may be missing certain vitamins, minerals, or proteins. This means their body feels starving because it is not getting what it needs to thrive. These deficiencies may often be an underlying reason for overeating (the body is trying to get the nutrients it needs).
Processed foods, low socioeconomic status, or a lack of education may cause people to eat a lot of foods that are void of essential nutrients. Focusing on consuming high-quality protein can help to ensure that you are giving your body what it needs to function well, and will reduce cravings and support weight maintenance.
Collagen Peptides May Help Reduce Cellulite Appearance
Sometimes. after losing significant weight, we find ourselves self-conscious of the stretch marks and cellulite left behind. While nothing can get rid of cellulite (EVERYONE has it somewhere!) collagen peptides can help to reduce the appearance of cellulite.
This is likely because collagen makes up approximately 70% of our skin, particularly the dermis layer. It is responsible for thickness and elasticity. Increasing collagen intake is clinically proven to help hide fat cells underneath the skin.
How To Choose A Collagen Peptides Weight Loss Supplement
When you are choosing collagen peptides as a weight loss supplement, there are a few things you want to keep in mind.
- Hydrolyzed collagen. You want to choose a supplement that contains hydrolyzed collagen (or collagen peptides, which are the same thing). This will ensure that your collagen is easily digested and utilized by your body.
- A form that is easy to consume. This may take a little experimentation, but you want to choose a collagen supplement that you can easily take every day. If it is difficult to use, tastes funny, or is otherwise difficult to incorporate, you will likely stop taking it. Some people like to take pills, others like powder that they can mix into their smoothies. We prefer Liquid Collagen, which requires no mixing, blending, extra liquid, or prep. Simple open and drink as you would any other beverage.
- Low sugar/carb. When you buy a collagen peptides weight loss supplement, you want to make sure it doesn’t contain added sugar or carbohydrates. Look for a supplement that has less than 1 gram of naturally occurring sugar (like ProT Gold).
When you are on a weight loss journey, check in with yourself often.
Is your mental health in a good place? Are you focusing on lasting lifestyle changes and not extreme weight-loss measures? How do you feel, physically and mentally? Checking in with yourself once in a while can help to keep you on track and ensure you are in a good headspace.
Remember, you are worthy and beautiful just the way you are.
