Protein

Eat plenty of protein.

Why: Protein is a great way to optimize fat loss and body composition by keeping you full longer, stabilizing blood sugar and mood, and supporting muscle repair.

It is also essential for maintaining healthy hormone production—especially for women, who often under-eat it relative to what their metabolism and hormones need.

When protein is consistently low, it can show up as irregular hunger, low energy, mood swings, weaker workouts, slower recovery, and stubborn body-composition changes that don’t match the effort you’re putting in.