A balanced diet with protein is considered one of the simplest and most effective methods 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 recommendations below.
Basic principles of a protein diet for weight loss
When a person eats a lot of foods that contain carbohydrates, he feeds the body with simple "fuel", and all buns, sweets, pizza and much more, for the most part, contain simple fats and carbohydrates. The body, recognizing food, uses carbohydrates to maintain a person's strength, in other words, it spends it on the production of energy, but it (the body) throws the remaining fats into the bins, as if for a "rainy day"". A person has many places where fat can be hidden, for example, the stomach or sides. But do not despair, the body can be overcome. It is enough to eliminate carbohydrates from consumption and feed the body only with proteins; he will immediately start looking for a way out of the current situation and will have to burn his 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 a lot of protein for that), and exercise will help you burn excess fat faster.
Advantages and disadvantages of a protein diet for weight loss
The benefits of a protein diet
The main advantage and one of the most important advantages of a protein diet can be considered the fact that after eating the specified proportion of protein, a person is deprived of hunger for a long time and during this time the body continues to work for you. Protein is considered a complex food component, the body spends more time and effort to digest it, so hunger will not swallow you for an hour or several hours. The second advantage of the protein diet, of course, remains the fact that after the course of the diet is over, a person will not gain all the kilograms that he lost so hard, maintaining a balanced diet. Weight loss is especially noticeable in people with a large excess amount of body fat. Weight loss happens quite quickly, preventing you from starting to lose sweets. In addition, a large number of recipes have appeared on the Internet that will illuminate a not so bright diet for everyday life, but at the same time will allow you to maintain the required amount of allowed calories. 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 not want to turn back or leave your intended goal.
Disadvantages of a protein diet for weight loss
As in any other case, before starting to follow a protein diet, you should visit a doctor and get personal recommendations regarding this step. All protein diets have contraindications - these are kidney, liver, heart and pregnancy disorders. Of course, the protein diet is very different from some other mono-diets, in which there is no balance of vitamins and minerals at all. What can we say, at least, about the cheese or kefir-apple diet. If a person decides to follow such a diet, he will not only experience a deterioration in the quality of his hair and nails, but will also experience all the pleasures of poor/slow digestion and constipation. In the case of a protein diet, of course, it is also better to protect your body with vitamin tablets. And the slow absorption of energy from the food consumed can cause lightheadedness and weakness. While following the diet, it is recommended to drink more fluids. It will promote good kidney function, which is at risk during a protein diet for weight loss. In addition, the elderly should not follow a protein diet. A large amount of protein and a small portion of fat increases the possibility of blood clotting due to the improvement of blood clotting. This is why the protein diet, like any other, should be treated with care.
Products for a protein diet, their preparation
There is no need to be afraid that now you will have to stand idle in the kitchen for days, trying to prepare the entire diet menu according to the recipes. Not at all! The diet is very simple and does not require you to buy papaya or mangosteen every day. The main food for the entire period of the diet should be foods containing protein. 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 use these citrus fruits, as the acidity of the stomach can increase, which will bring negative consequences. It is best to boil all dietary products that are allowed for consumption using a double boiler. This device perfectly prepares dishes, not allowing vitamins to "escape" from the product (as can happen during cooking), and also saves your time and effort. Multi-level steamers are designed for processing and cooking several products at the same time. A grill will also be your helper during the protein diet, in which you can easily cook without oil or fat.
It is worth noting that in addition to the listed products that are 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! Potatoes are not advised to be consumed in any form, whether mashed or baked. All types of cereal and pasta are now banned! And you should not fall for the advice of sellers that the durum wheat from which their pasta is made can be eaten every day. This is not true, just like the fact that for the good functioning of the stomach it is vital to eat oatmeal in the morning, because there are many substitutes of this product to properly start the body after sleep. All baked goods, of course, also remain a thing of the past, especially rich bakery products. The same applies to all types of butter (butter, sunflower).
The duration of the protein diet
Typically, protein-type diets are detailed for one to two weeks. The menu is not very varied; in the second week, if it is present, professionals advise to eat the same menu as in the first week, following the diet from the last day to the first. Among other things, nutritionists advise to follow a protein diet for no more than two weeks, then it is advisable to take a break of six months, only after which you can resume the course.
Protein diet menu for weight loss for the day
All protein diet menus, of which there is a huge variety at the moment (and often bear the proud names of the menu creators), can be studied and made your own 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 sports diets.
The prefabricated version of the diet is especially suitable for those who lose weight who are not used to following a plan drawn up by another person.
It is worth remembering that you should eat at least four times a day, this may seem difficult for some people who lead an active lifestyle and cannot devote much time to eating. But claims that you can lose weight by eating once a day are a big misconception. Chinese wisdom says: "Do you want to raise a sumo fighter? Give him food once a day! "The fact is that throughout the day our body is very tired, and hunger will remind itself more and more often and with renewed energy, as a result of which there is a risk of weight gain due to a light but very dense snack. 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 excess weight. Food should be taken in small portions several times a day. It is necessary to remember that in the morning you should start your diet with a glass of water, after that you should wait half an hour and only then you can start breakfast. The last meal should be no later than two to three hours before bedtime. After noon, it is allowed to consume proteins together with some fibers, namely vegetables. This can be a small amount of tomato or cabbage, cucumber or zucchini.
To better perceive the information, you need to imagine the full menu for the week.
For breakfast
You can drink any coffee, even with milk, which is even more advisable than regular black coffee, as the latter increases acidity in the stomach. Instead of coffee, you can drink any kind of tea, of course, all drinks must be consumed without sugar. You can afford a small jar of plain or drinkable yogurt, or cottage cheese, or a hard-boiled egg. Once a week you can drink buckwheat or oats in water.
For lunch
After the first meal, especially such a poor meal, at first you will want to eat, so after two to three hours you can eat any fruit except bananas and peaches, preferably citrus fruits. Drink some more tea.
For lunch
Lunch can be completely varied, at first you can treat yourself with thick black bread, add two medium tomatoes, a cucumber or a few lettuce leaves, a hundred grams of beef/fish/chicken. Occasionally - soup from vegetables rich in fiber (zucchini, cabbage). You can drink tea.
For afternoon tea
You are allowed to eat apples, just one or two, and drink kefir.
For dinner
You can prepare a seafood salad with eggs, naturally, without using mayonnaise. You can eat herbed chicken breast by wrapping it in foil and cooking it in the oven without using any oil. Any meat, except pork, with vegetables will make a great dinner and keep you full for a long time. After dinner, try not to eat anything other than kefir.
Protein diet menu for 14 days
A protein diet menu for weight loss for two weeks may look like this.
1 day.Breakfast: 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese. Second breakfast: 2 boiled eggs. Lunch: creamy soup with broccoli or baked zucchini with 100 g of feta cheese. Afternoon snack: 100 ml of low-fat drinkable yogurt. Dinner: 150 g grilled turkey fillet with cranberry sauce.
Day 2.Breakfast: 100 g omelet. Second breakfast: salad with fresh leafy vegetables with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Lunch: okroshka in low-fat kefir with turkey or beef, 150 g of steamed fish. Afternoon snack: 100 ml of kefir. Dinner: 150 g of boiled beef, salad with fresh vegetables.
Day 3.Breakfast: 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese with sour berries (lingonberries, blueberries). Second breakfast: 1 boiled egg. Lunch: 200 g stuffed peppers, but use vegetables, such as broccoli, instead of rice. Afternoon snack: 100 g cucumber and cabbage salad with olive oil. Dinner: 150-200 g of beef, roasted with garlic.
Day 4Breakfast: 100 g boiled chicken breast without skin. 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 beef roasted with garlic, 100 g of grilled vegetables.
Day 5Breakfast: 150 g of low-fat cottage cheese. Second breakfast: 1 orange. Lunch: fish soup, 100 g salad with red bell pepper, lettuce, tomato, seasoned with lemon juice. Afternoon snack: 100 g of low-fat yogurt. Dinner: 150 g of turkey, boiled with cauliflower or broccoli.
Day 6Breakfast: oatmeal with water. Second breakfast: 100 g sour berries. Lunch: 150 g of grilled fish, 100 g of boiled eggplant. 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: 150 g of low-fat cottage cheese. Second breakfast: 1 boiled egg. Lunch: 150 g grilled skinless chicken, two fresh tomatoes. Afternoon snack: grated carrots with lemon juice. Dinner: 150 g boiled shrimps, 100 g 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 fillet, 100 g of any fresh vegetable. Afternoon snack: 125 ml of drinkable yogurt without additives. Dinner: 200 g of any grilled fish with vegetables.
Day 9Breakfast: 150 g of low-fat cottage cheese with finely chopped herbs (fennel 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 with cucumbers and fresh tomatoes, seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil. Afternoon snack: 1 grapefruit. Dinner: 200 g beef cutlet, lettuce.
Day 11Breakfast: 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese with sour grains. Second breakfast: 1 boiled egg. Lunch: 150 g of boiled turkey, salad with fresh vegetables. Afternoon snack: 75 g of tofu cheese. Dinner: 150 g grilled chicken fillet.
Day 12Breakfast: 2 low-fat yogurts, 1 boiled egg. Second breakfast: fresh vegetable salad with feta cheese slices. Lunch: fish soup (without potatoes). Afternoon snack: 100 g salad with white cabbage. Dinner: 150 g of boiled beef, 200 ml of tomato juice.
Day 13Breakfast: buckwheat porridge. Second breakfast: 2 boiled eggs. Lunch: 160 g of any grilled fish, lettuce. Afternoon snack: an apple. Dinner: 120 g of boiled beef, cabbage and carrot salad.
Day 14Breakfast: oatmeal. Second breakfast: leafy salad with cheese. Lunch: creamy cauliflower soup, grilled chicken breast. Afternoon snack: a boiled egg, a glass of tomato juice. Dinner: 200g of any grilled seafood, 100g of steamed green beans.
What can you drink during a protein diet for weight loss?
During the diet, you can drink tea or coffee without sugar, herbal infusions and plain and mineral water. Any fruit juices and sugary drinks are excluded from the protein diet menu for weight loss. When you are on 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 small 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, not only will you not lose weight, but you will most likely "get" indigestion.
Prediction of weight loss on a protein diet
If you follow all the dietary guidelines as well as exercise, the weight will come off pretty quickly. But the reduction happens differently in people with different amounts of fat. For example, with a height of 170 centimeters and a weight of sixty-five kilograms, in two weeks of diet you can easily lose from 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 approach all points correctly, you can provide yourself with an excellent figure in a short period of time. Moreover, this figure will remain for a long time after the diet.