Eat enough protein at every meal

The importance of getting enough protein in your diet cannot be underestimated. Protein is required not just for synthesizing protein-derived hormones (also known as peptide hormones), but also for synthesizing essential amino acids that your body cannot produce on its own.

Amino acids are used to make these hormones by your endocrine glands. Many physiological processes, such as growth, energy metabolism, appetite, stress, and reproduction, are regulated by peptide hormones. Protein intake, for example, influences hormones that control appetite and food intake, giving your brain information about your energy status. According to research, eating protein reduces the hunger hormone ghrelin and increases the synthesis of hormones that help you feel full, such as peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1. A high protein breakfast was related to higher PYY and GLP-1 levels in 156 obese teenagers over the course of three months, resulting in weight reduction due to increased feelings of fullness. Experts recommend that each meal contain at least 20–30 grams of protein with high-protein foods like eggs, chicken breast, lentils, or fish.