Seeking a Stable Weight? Maybe You Should Bring Home the Bacon.

It doesn't seem to matter what type of protein is eaten as long as it's lean. So poultry without the skin, fish, vegetable protein such as soybeans, eggs and low-fat or nonfat dairy products are just as good as eating lean cuts of meat.

During the Holiday Challenge, Lean Plate Club member Thomas Girard, 49, of Northern Virginia, is making time for lunch with a little extra protein, such as fish or a Caesar salad with broiled chicken. "If I don't do that, then at 2 to 3 in the afternoon, I'm starving," Girard says.

Nor does it take a lot of protein to see the effects. For healthy people, "an extra three ounces per day is well within the acceptable range," says Campbell, whose study was funded by the National Pork Board. (If you have Type 2 diabetes or any medical condition that could affect your kidneys, be sure to check with your doctor before boosting protein intake.)

It's also best if extra protein calories replace other food, rather than add to the total. "So instead of a soda," Campbell says, "have a glass of milk and you'll get an extra eight grams of protein."

Or choose high-protein snacks. Among the options:

· A cup of bean soup with nonfat cheese on top.

· Half a peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain bread.

· Pudding made with skim milk.

· Low-fat string cheese.

· Turkey, beef or salmon jerky.

· Bean dip with veggies.