A balanced protein diet is considered one of the simplest and most effective ways to lose weight. The diet is designed for those who want to lose weight without giving up meat products. The protein diet menu consists mainly of protein foods, and the consumption of fats and carbohydrates is kept to a reasonable minimum. A protein diet for weight loss will help you lose extra pounds without causing much harm to your body, provided you follow all the advice below.
Basic principles of a protein diet for weight loss
When a person eats a lot of foods containing carbohydrates, he nourishes the body with simple "fuel", and all sandwiches, cakes, pizzas and much more, for the most part, contain fats and simple carbohydrates. The body, recognizing food, uses carbohydrates to maintain a person's strength, in other words, spends them on energy production, but (the body) puts the remaining fats in the bins, as on a "rainy day". A person has many places where fat might hide, such as the stomach or hips. But don't despair, the body can be outsmarted. It is enough to eliminate carbohydrates from consumption and feed the body only with proteins, it will immediately begin to look for a way out of the current situation and will have to burn its own fats for energy.
Physical activity will also help you lose weight. A protein diet is a great way to tone and strengthen your muscles (you need lots of protein for this), and exercise will help you burn excess fat faster.
Advantages and disadvantages of a protein diet for weight loss
Pros of a protein diet
The main and one of the most important advantages of a protein diet can be considered the fact that after eating the prescribed proportion of proteins, a person remains deprived of hunger for a long time, and during this time the body continues to work for you. Proteins are considered a complex food component, the body takes more time and effort to digest them, so hunger will not gnaw at you in an hour or a few hours. The second advantage of the protein diet, of course, remains the fact that once the course of the diet is completed, a person will not gain all those kilograms that he lost with such difficulty, while maintaining a balanced diet. Weight loss is especially noticeable in people with a large amount of excess fat in the body. Weight loss happens quite quickly, preventing you from starting to miss sweets. In addition, a huge number of recipes have appeared on the Internet that will brighten up the everyday life of a not so brilliant diet, but at the same time allow you to maintain the required amount of calories allowed. The main thing is to take the first step and when you start to notice an amazing transformation and old clothes become big, you will never want to go back or abandon the set goal.
Cons of a protein diet to lose weight
As in any other case, before starting to follow a protein diet, you need to visit a doctor and get personal advice on this step. All protein diets have contraindications: these are kidney, liver, heart and pregnancy disorders. Of course, the protein diet is very different from other mono-diets, where there is no balance between vitamins and minerals. What can we say, at least, about the cheese or kefir-apple diet. If a person decides to follow such a diet, they will not only encounter a deterioration in the quality of their hair and nails, but will also experience all the pleasures of slow/improper digestion and constipation. In the case of a protein diet, obviously, it is better to protect your body also with vitamin tablets. And the slow intake of energy from the food consumed can cause mild dizziness and weakness. During the diet it is recommended to drink more liquids. It will promote good kidney function, which is at risk during a protein diet for weight loss. Also, older adults should not follow a protein diet. A large amount of protein and a small percentage of fat increase the likelihood of blood clots due to improved blood clotting. That is why the protein diet, like others, should be approached with caution.
Products for a protein diet, their preparation
There is no need to be afraid that now you will have to sit idle in the kitchen for days, trying to prepare the entire diet menu according to recipes. At all! The diet is very simple and does not require the daily purchase of papayas or mangosteens. The main food for the entire period of the diet should be protein-containing foods. These include especially low-fat varieties of fish and meat, as well as proteins in large quantities (found in eggs and all types of dairy products). You should not abuse the percentage of fat content when consuming dairy products, it is better to limit yourself to 1-3%. Some diet menus allow you to include grapefruit or orange, but you should not abuse these citrus fruits, as stomach acidity may increase, which in turn will lead to negative consequences. It is best to boil all dietary products permitted for consumption using a double boiler. This device prepares dishes perfectly, not allowing vitamins to "leak" from the product (as can happen during cooking), and also saves time and effort. Multi-level steamers are designed for processing and cooking multiple products at the same time. A grill will also be your assistant during the protein diet, on which you can easily cook without oil or fat.
It is worth noting that along with the listed products allowed for consumption, there are also those that are strictly prohibited for all those who strictly follow a protein diet for weight loss. For example, all lovers of fried potatoes will have to forget about their delicacy for the entire duration of the diet! It is not recommended to consume potatoes in any form, whether mashed or baked potatoes. All types of cereals and pasta are now banned! And one should not give in to sellers' admonitions that the durum wheat from which their pasta is made can be consumed every day. This is not true, as well as the fact that for good functioning of the stomach it is crucial to eat oatmeal porridge in the morning, because there are many substitutes for this product to properly start the body after sleep. Of course, all baked goods are also a thing of the past, especially the rich ones. The same applies to all types of butter (butter, sunflower).
Duration of the protein diet
Typically, protein diets are prescribed in detail for one to two weeks. The menu is not very varied; in the second week, if present, professionals recommend eating the same menu as the first week, following the diet from the last day to the first. Among other things, nutritionists recommend following a protein diet for no more than two weeks, then it is advisable to take a six-month break, only then can you resume the path.
Protein diet menu to lose weight for the day
All menus of protein diets, of which today there is a huge variety (and often bear the proud names of the creators of the menus), can be studied and made based on them. Protein diets include the Kremlin diet, the Pierre Dukan diet, the egg diet, the Japanese diet for weight loss, the angel diet, the English diet and the sports diet.
The prefabricated version of the diet is particularly suitable for those who lose weight and are not used to following a plan developed by another person.
It is worth remembering that it is necessary to eat at least four times a day, this may seem difficult for some people who lead an active lifestyle and cannot devote a lot of time to food. But saying that you can lose weight by eating once a day is a huge misconception. Chinese wisdom says: "Do you want to raise a sumo wrestler? Feed him once a day! "The fact is that during the whole day our body is very tired and hunger is remembered more and more often and with renewed vigor, so there is the risk of gaining weight due to a snack, but a very dense one. At these moments, a person cannot control himself and the feeling of satiety does not come immediately, as a result of which the person overeats and gains weight. Food should be taken in small portions several times a day. It is necessary to remember that in the morning you need to start the diet with a glass of water, after which you should wait half an hour and only then you can start breakfast. The last meal should occur within two to three hours before going to sleep. After midday it is allowed to consume proteins together with some fibers, especially vegetables. This could be a small amount of tomatoes or cabbage, cucumbers or courgettes.
To better perceive the information, you need to imagine the full menu of the week.
For breakfast
You can drink any coffee, even with milk, which is even more advisable to drink than ordinary black coffee, since the latter increases acidity in the stomach. Instead of coffee you can drink any type of tea; naturally all drinks should be consumed without sugar. You can afford a pot of plain or drinking yogurt, or cottage cheese or a boiled egg. Once a week you can eat buckwheat or oatmeal in water.
For lunch
After the first meal, especially if so lean, at first you will want to eat, then after two or three hours you can eat any fruit, except bananas and peaches, preferably citrus fruits. Have some more tea.
For lunch
Lunch can be completely varied, at first you can treat yourself to thick black bread, add two medium tomatoes, a cucumber or a couple of lettuce leaves, one hundred grams of beef/fish/chicken. Occasionally - soup from vegetables rich in fiber (zucchini, cabbage). You can drink tea.
For afternoon tea
You can eat apples, just one or two, and drink kefir.
For dinner
You can prepare a seafood salad with eggs, of course, without using mayonnaise. You can eat herbed chicken breast by wrapping it in foil and cooking it in the oven without using oil. Any meat, except pork, with vegetables will be a great dinner and will keep you full for a long time. After dinner, try not to eat anything but kefir.
Protein diet menu for 14 days
A protein diet menu for weight loss for two weeks might look like this.
1 day.Breakfast: 100g low-fat cottage cheese. Second breakfast: 2 boiled eggs. Lunch: creamy broccoli or courgette soup baked with 100 g of feta cheese. Afternoon snack: 100 ml of low-fat yogurt to drink. Dinner: 150g grilled turkey fillet with cranberry sauce.
Day 2.Breakfast: 100 g of omelette. Second breakfast: fresh leafy vegetable salad with 1 tsp. olive oil. Lunch: okroshka on low-fat kefir with turkey or beef, 150 g of steamed fish. Afternoon snack: 100 ml of kefir. Dinner: 150 g of boiled beef, fresh vegetable salad.
Day 3.Breakfast: 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese with sour berries (cranberries, cranberries). Second breakfast: 1 boiled egg. Lunch: 200 g of stuffed peppers, but instead of rice use vegetables, such as broccoli. Afternoon snack: 100 g of cucumber and cabbage salad with olive oil. Dinner: 150-200 g of beef, baked with garlic.
Day 4Breakfast: 100 g boiled skinless chicken breast. Second breakfast: 100 g of grilled fish, a cucumber. Lunch: 150 ml of vegetable soup without potatoes. Afternoon snack: fresh tomato salad dressed with olive oil. Dinner: 150 g of baked beef with garlic, 100 g of grilled vegetables.
Day 5Breakfast: 150g low-fat cottage cheese. Second breakfast: 1 orange. Lunch: fish soup, 100 g of salad of red peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, seasoned with lemon juice. Afternoon snack: 100 g of low-fat yogurt. Dinner: 150 g of stewed turkey with cauliflower or broccoli.
Day 6Breakfast: oatmeal with water. Second breakfast: 100 g of unripe berries. Lunch: 150 g of grilled fish, 100 g of stewed aubergines. Afternoon snack: low-fat yogurt without sugar or additives. Dinner: 150 g of steamed beef, 100 g of tomato and cucumber salad, dressed with olive oil.
Day 7Breakfast: 150g low-fat cottage cheese. Second breakfast: 1 boiled egg. Lunch: 150g grilled skinless chicken, two fresh tomatoes. Afternoon snack: grated carrots with lemon juice. Dinner: 150 g of boiled shrimp, 100 g of green beans.
Day 8Breakfast: millet porridge with water, you can add berries or pieces of fruit. Second breakfast: tuna and tomato salad, dressed with lemon and olive oil. Lunch: 200 g of steamed fish cutlets, 100 g of any fresh vegetables. Afternoon snack: 125 ml of yogurt to drink without additives. Dinner: 200 g of any grilled fish with vegetables.
Day 9Breakfast: 150 g of low-fat ricotta with finely chopped aromatic herbs (dill and parsley). Second breakfast: boiled egg with cucumber. Lunch: 200 g of boiled beef, 150 ml of tomato juice. Afternoon snack: 50 g of pine nuts. Dinner: 200 g of steamed fish, lettuce.
Day 10Breakfast: scrambled eggs with spinach. Second breakfast: 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese. Lunch: 150 g of boiled turkey, salad of cucumbers and fresh tomatoes, seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil. Afternoon snack: 1 grapefruit. Dinner: 200 g of beef cutlets, lettuce.
Day 11Breakfast: 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese with sour berries. Second breakfast: 1 boiled egg. Lunch: 150 g of boiled turkey, fresh vegetable salad. Afternoon snack: 75 g of tofu cheese. Dinner: 150 g of grilled chicken fillet.
Day 12Breakfast: 2 low-fat yogurts, 1 hard-boiled egg. Second breakfast: fresh vegetable salad with pieces of feta. Lunch: fish soup (without potatoes). Afternoon snack: 100 g of white cabbage salad. Dinner: 150 g of boiled beef, 200 ml of tomato juice.
Day 13Breakfast: buckwheat porridge. Second breakfast: 2 boiled eggs. Lunch: 160 g of grilled fish, lettuce. Afternoon snack: an apple. Dinner: 120 g of veal stew, cabbage and carrot salad.
Day 14Breakfast: Oatmeal. Second breakfast: leaf salad with cheese. Lunch: Creamy cauliflower soup, grilled chicken breast. Afternoon snack: a hard-boiled egg, a glass of tomato juice. Dinner: 200 g of grilled fish, 100 g of steamed green beans.
What can you drink during a protein diet to lose weight?
During the diet you can drink tea or coffee without sugar, herbal infusions and natural and mineral water. Any fruit juices and sweet drinks are excluded from the menu of the protein diet for weight loss. When following a protein diet, you can sometimes drink vegetable juices: tomato juice or celery and apple juice. The main thing is that the juice contains a low amount of carbohydrates.
The diet completely excludes any alcoholic beverages to reduce the load on the liver, stomach and kidneys. In addition, alcohol blocks the enzyme pepsin, which breaks down animal proteins in the stomach, and by consuming protein foods and alcohol together, you will not only not lose weight, but you will most likely "get" indigestion.
Predictions for weight loss on a protein diet
If you follow all the diet instructions and exercise, the weight will come off pretty quickly. But the reduction occurs differently in people with different proportions of fat. For example, with a height of 170 centimeters and a weight of sixty-five kilograms, in two weeks of dieting you can easily lose six to ten kilograms, depending on the duration and energy consumption of training.
This diet is not suitable for everyone, but if you get the doctor's permission and correctly address all the points, you can ensure a good figure in a short period of time. Moreover, this figure will remain for a long time after the diet.