Looking to control hunger & lose weight? Try 30/30

Author Tim Ferriss suggests consuming 30g protein within 30 minutes of waking. Research shows that breakfast eaters live longer and stay leaner. In fact, those who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight and obese!

What’s the theory of doing that? Must it be pure protein or protein and fat ok? What if it’s 30g protein, carbs & fat all at the same time?

The purpose of this is appetite control as large protein meals generally increase cortisol. This really isn’t in dispute if you look at the scientific literature. Cortisol naturally follows a diurnal pattern, meaning it’s higher in the morning (around when you wake up) and lower at night (around when you go to sleep).

Disregulation of cortisol secretion can lead to higher levels at night, lower levels in the morning, or both. This trend is seen in unhealthy people, frequently in those with sleep and fatigue issues. It isn’t always clear whether cortisol is a casual factor in those conditions, but since cortisol is essentially a stimulatory hormone (part of HPA axis/fight or flight mode), elevated levels at night do seem to lead to difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep.

So the theory is that by essentially spiking cortisol in the morning you begin training your body to have higher levels when you wake and decline to lower levels around bedtime, leading to improved sleep. It’s pretty widely accepted that better sleep leads to huge improvements in numerous health parameters, including body fat regulation.

There is a questionnaire based study on 2-6 year olds, so it’s pretty weak evidence for the underlying mechanism, but it lends a small amount of support. It included this quote:

\”Children who usually ate a breakfast including at least one protein-containing food item were significantly more morning-typed and tended to show earlier bed times and wake-up times than those who did\”.

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jpa2/28/5/28_5_239/_pdf

What’s a good breakfast? Scrambled eggs with some cheese and veggies with a side of lean bacon and some almond milk. Or make a smoothie with a scoop of whey protein, almond milk, walnuts and fresh or frozen fruit. You can also look to nuts, legumes and beans for protein sources but be aware of their added fat content.

And don’t forget to Drink More Water. Drink at least half your body weight in fluid ounces of water each day. Your urine should be clear. Higher water consumption helps increase fat loss

HOW MUCH IS 30g OF PROTEIN?

#1: Turkey Breast (and Chicken Breast)

Protein in 100g

Half-Breast (306g)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

30g

92g

1g protein per 4.5 calories

Chicken: Chicken Breast (58g) provides 17g protein. Chicken Leg (69g) provides 18g protein. Chicken Thigh (37g) provides 9g protein. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#2: Fish (Tuna, Salmon, Halibut)

Protein in 100g

3oz Fillet (85g)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

26g

22g

1g protein per 4.5 calories

Other fish high in protein per fillet(3oz or 85g): Tuna (22g), Salmon (22g), Halibut (22g), Snapper (22g), Perch(21g), Flounder and Sole (21g), Cod (20g), Tilapia (17g). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#3: Cheese (Low-fat Mozzarella and Cottage Cheese)

Protein in 100g

1oz Slice (28g)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

32g

9g

1g protein per 4.7 calories

Other cheese high in protein per ounce(28g): Low-fat Cottage Cheese (5g), Low-fat Swiss Cheese (8g), Low-fat Cheddar (6g), Parmesan (10g), Romano (9g). *Low fat Mozzarella and Cottage cheese provide the most protein per calorie. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#4: Pork Loin (Chops)

Protein in 100g

1 Chop (134g,~5oz)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

25g

33g

1g protein per 5.2 calories

Sirloin Roast 3oz (28g) provides 23g of protein, Ham 3oz (28g) provides 18g of protein, 1 slice of bacon (8g) provides 3g of protein. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#5: Lean Beef and Veal (Low Fat)

Protein in 100g

3oz Slice (85g)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

36g

31g

1g protein per 5.3 calories

T-Bone Steak 3oz (28g) provides 19g of protein, 1 Piece of Beef Jerky (20g) provides 7g of protein. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#6: Tofu

Protein in 100g

3oz Slice (85g)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

7g

6g

1g protein per 7.4 calories

Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#7: Beans (Mature Soy Beans)

Protein in 100g

1 cup (172g)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

17g

29g

1g protein per 10.4 calories

Other beans high in protein per cup cooked: Kidney Beans (17g), White Beans (17g), Lima Beans (15g), Fava Beans (14g), Black Beans (15g), Mung Beans (14g). Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#8: Eggs (Especially Egg Whites)

Protein in 100g

1 Large Egg (50g)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

13g

6g

1g protein per 12 calories

1 Egg White (33g) provides 4g protein, 1g protein to 4.4 calories.
Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#9: Yogurt, Milk, and Soymilk

Protein in 100g

1 cup (245g)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

6g

14g

1g protein per 18 calories

1 cup skim milk (245g) provides 8g protein, 1 cup soymilk (243g) provides 8g protein. Click to see complete nutrition facts.

#10: Nuts and Seeds (Pumpkin, Squash, and Watermelon Seeds, Peanuts, Almonds)

Protein in 100g

1 Ounce (28g)

Protein to Calorie Ratio

33g

9g

1g protein per 15.8 calories

Other nuts and seeds high in protein (grams proten per ounce (28g)): Peanuts (7g), Almonds (6g), Pistachios (6g), Sunflower Seeds (6g), Flaxseed (5g), Mixed Nuts (4g). Click to see complete nutrition facts.