The essence of the diet is that every day you should eat mainly protein foods - lots of fish, meat and low-fat dairy products. All these products are very nutritious, satiate for a long time, so you will not worry about feeling hungry. But the body, devoid of carbohydrates and fats, will begin to use its own fat reserves as extra energy.
The role of proteins in the body
Life without protein is impossible. The importance of proteins for the body lies in the fact that they serve as a material for building cells, tissues and organs, the formation of enzymes, most hormones, hemoglobin and other substances that perform the most important functions in the body. Proteins and their role in the body lies in the fact that they are involved in protecting the body from infections, and also promote the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Our vital activity is related to the constant consumption and renewal of proteins. To balance these processes, protein losses must be replenished daily. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, it does not accumulate and is not synthesized in the body from other nutrients, ie you can get protein only from food.
The duration of the protein diet
Protein-type diets are usually prescribed in detail for one or two weeks. The menu is not very diverse: in the second week, if any, experts advise to eat the same menu as in the first, following the diet from the last day to the first.
Also, nutritionists recommend following a protein diet for no more than 14 days, after which you should take a break for half a year. Only then can you continue the course.
Pros and cons of a protein diet
In addition to the usual goal of "weight loss", a protein diet has other beneficial effects on the body. namely:
- Improving the condition of the skin. Protein is an essential element in the body. Thanks to it, your muscles are strong and your skin does not sag. Increasing the protein content of your daily diet will ensure the beautiful appearance of your skin.
- Calorie content. Protein contains almost 2 times fewer calories than fat. And given the fact that the body needs much more time and energy to process fat, the weight loss process is simply inevitable.
- Eliminate toxins. Protein contributes to the removal of excess fluids from the body, and with them toxins.
- Lack of feeling hungry. Due to the peculiarities of the body and the long absorption of proteins, the feeling of hunger comes after a long period of time. And given the fact that the protein diet consists of 4-6 meals, there is no feeling of hunger throughout the day.
There are several disadvantages of a protein diet. Most of them are based on contraindications for certain groups of people. But they can not be fully attributed to the disadvantages, because having contraindications to the diet - it makes no sense to sit on it. And if they did sit down, then what's the point of complaining?
Thus, the disadvantages of the diet include:
- constipation. This is a common problem in people on a protein diet. The solution to this problem is the use of large amounts of water or kefir. If this does not help, then use a laxative
- The products of rot are not removed. The solution to this problem, as in the previous case, is the use of water in the required quantities.
- Bad breath
- Duration of the diet. Due to its specifics, it is not recommended to sit on a protein diet for more than a month. If you use the diet only as a means of keeping the figure in good shape and you are not trying to lose weight, then this restriction does not apply to you.
This is where the disadvantages of dieting end. Everything else already belongs to the category of contraindications and should be taken above all before you go on a diet.
Rules for a protein diet
The characteristics of the protein diet are in accordance with the following rules:
- each meal is a protein combined with other foods,
- all food should be prepared without fat, your fat per day is 30 g, that's 1 - 2 tbsp. l. oils as a salad dressing
- up to 14 hours it is allowed to eat complex carbohydrates in the form of cereals (rice, buckwheat, oats) 4 - 6 tbsp. l. ,
- you can use vegetables that do not contain starch (or with a minimal amount of it) - cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage and lettuce,
- of fruit, give preference to citrus fruits or unsweetened apples (1 - 2 per day),
- drink plenty of water (1-2 liters per day),
- you should eat 4 to 6 times a day, approximately every 3 hours,
- as spices use herbs, lemon juice, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic,
- do not drink alcohol and sweets during the diet,
- follow the table for protein content in products
- the duration of the diet is not more than 2 weeks.
Diet in a protein diet
You should eat at least 5 times a day, while the last time you can afford food is 3 hours before the lights go out, and breakfast can start only 30 minutes after you wake up. As for the distribution of nutrients, before lunch you should consume a small amount of carbohydrates in the form of buckwheat, brown rice or oatmeal. In addition, before lunch, you can eat some fruit. You can consume up to 40 grams of fat per day, which is enough for your body.
How to prepare meals with a protein diet
For 7 days, 14 or for a month the menu, the number of grams per serving, with a protein diet, does not differ much.
The first, second and third are an integral part of breakfast, lunch and dinner. The only difference is in the preparation and the time of eating.
Soup is the first item on the menu. The basis of the soup is protein broth: fish, meat, poultry. Optional vegetable supplement, cabbage, eggplant, sweet pepper, beans, eggs.
Potatoes are banned due to their high carbohydrate content. The lack of pasta and potatoes in the soup will not reduce the taste of vegetable soup with protein broth. Any liquid food contributes to weight loss.
For the second dishes there is a much larger selection of products to satisfy hunger and weight loss at the same time. All recipes consist of chicken, fish, meat, eggs, cottage cheese, with the addition of vegetables, herbs and spices.
The question is what to replace the gaskets? Potatoes, pasta, cereals are rich in carbohydrates and therefore not suitable for any diet. Replace carbohydrate side dishes with vegetable dishes. Bake, cook, stew, for every housewife. Just be careful with the spices.
Sugar, sweet syrup and some additives that are not recommended for use may be lost in the composition. The use of various foods in the diet, eating disorders and hunger are not noticed.
Protein diet menu options
The daily menu consists of five meals, including a sufficient amount of protein foods so that the body does not feel hungry. The diet is quite diverse, while consisting of the simplest and easiest to prepare dishes.
The diet is designed for one week, overweight, the number of days can be increased to 14 days (2 weeks is the maximum at which you can be on a protein diet).
Menu №1 protein diet for one week (7 days)
Compose your diet in such a way that its daily calorie content does not exceed 1000 kcal. Divide them into 5 meals so that the last is 3-4 hours before bedtime. You can lose 5-7 kg in one week.
| day | nutrition | Menu for the day |
| One day | Breakfast | Omelet of 3 proteins 1 cup kefir (low fat) tea or coffee without sugar |
| Late breakfast | 1 cup of kefir or yogurt (without additives) | |
| Dinner | 100 g of boiled chicken with spices and herbs | |
| afternoon tea | 1 apple or orange | |
| Dinner | 100-150 g of roasted fish with herbs and spices. 1 cup skim kefir |
|
| 2 days | Breakfast | 2 hard boiled eggs 1 tomato 1 wholemeal bread |
| Late breakfast | 1 cup of kefir or yogurt (without additives) | |
| Dinner | 100 g of stewed meat, tomato and pepper salad - 100 g. |
|
| afternoon tea | 1 apple or orange | |
| Dinner | 100 g of canned fish (you can tuna or sardines), 100-150 g salad of fresh cabbage and cucumber, 1 cup kefir (fat content up to 5%) |
|
| 3 days | Breakfast | Oatmeal with a handful of nuts or dried fruit. Tea or coffee |
| Late breakfast | Wholemeal bread and low-fat cheese sandwich | |
| Dinner | 100g chicken breast, 1/3 cup brown rice tomato and pepper salad - 100-150 g. |
|
| afternoon tea | 1 fruit, of any kind, except bananas | |
| Dinner | 100 g of steamed fish, 1 cup boiled beans 1 cup kefir or yogurt |
|
| Day 4 | Breakfast | 150 g of nonfat cottage cheese, Green tea |
| Late breakfast | handful of nuts - no more than 30 g. | |
| Dinner | Chicken broth with vegetables and chicken breast. 1 wholemeal bread |
|
| afternoon tea | 1 apple or orange | |
| Dinner | Fish or meat in the oven. Fresh vegetable salad - cabbage, tomatoes and paprika. |
|
| Day 5 | Breakfast | Tomato and lettuce salad seasoned with lemon juice |
| Late breakfast | 1 cup of kefir or yogurt (without additives) | |
| Dinner | Cream of broccoli soup with pieces of chicken breast. 1 wholemeal bread |
|
| afternoon tea | 5 pieces. all kinds of dried fruits | |
| Dinner | Cabbage and green pea salad. Breasts baked with cheese and tomatoes (hard cheese) |
|
| Day 6 | Breakfast | Omelet of 2 eggs and low-fat ham. Tea or coffee, all without sugar. |
| Late breakfast | 1 fruit, of any kind, except bananas | |
| Dinner | 100 g of steamed fish, 1/3 cup cooked rice. 1 tomato |
|
| afternoon tea | 1 cup of kefir or yogurt (without additives) | |
| Dinner | Stew of vegetables and meat - no more than 200 g. Kefir or yogurt |
|
| Day 7 | Breakfast | 150 g of skimmed cottage cheese with dried apricots, Green tea |
| Late breakfast | handful of nuts - no more than 30 g. | |
| Dinner | 1/3 cup buckwheat (better not to boil, but pour boiling water and leave overnight) and fish or meat of your choice | |
| afternoon tea | 1 orange | |
| Dinner | 150 g of meat with lemon and herbs, baked in the oven. Mix the juice of half a lemon and spices for meat, marinate the meat for 1 to 4 hours. After baking in the oven for 25-30 minutes |
Menu number 2 protein diet for a week
Another advantage of the protein diet for very fast weight loss is that you can compose a menu at your discretion. There are no strict rules here. The option shown is just an example.
The portion size is about 200-250 g.
Day one: Morning, afternoon, evening meal, snacks
| 1 page (breakfast) | Coffee / tea without sweeteners + cottage cheese |
| 2 pages (2nd breakfast) | Apple |
| 3 o'clock (lunch) | Boiled chicken breast with roasted vegetables |
| 4 pages (snack) | Empty natural yogurt |
| 5 pages (dinner) | Steamed fish + vegetable salad |
Day two: Morning, afternoon, evening meal, snacks
| 1 page (breakfast) | Coffee / tea without sweeteners + yogurt |
| 2 pages (2nd breakfast) | Orange |
| 3 o'clock (lunch) | Vegetables (roasted) + beef (beef) |
| 4 pages (snack) | Kefir |
| 5 pages (dinner) | Fish (roasted) and vegetables (natural, non-cooked) |
Day three: Morning, afternoon, evening meal, snacks
| 1 page (breakfast) | Coffee / tea without sweeteners + a few eggs |
| 2 pages (2nd breakfast) | Grapefruit |
| 3 o'clock (lunch) | Roasted turkey legs + -5 tablespoons brown rice |
| 4 pages (snack) | cottage cheese |
| 5 pages (dinner) | Cabbage salad + boiled beef |
Day four: Morning, afternoon, evening meal, snacks
| 1 page (breakfast) | Kefir + cookies (2 pcs. , Oatmeal, better homemade) |
| 2 pages (2nd breakfast) | kiwi (2 pcs. ) |
| 3 o'clock (lunch) | Chicken with asparagus |
| 4 pages (snack) | Fresh juice |
| 5 pages (dinner) | Seafood and vegetables |
Day 5: Morning, afternoon, evening meal, snacks
| 1 page (breakfast) | Steamed omelette of 2 eggs + tea or unsweetened coffee |
| 2 pages (2nd breakfast) | Apple |
| 3 o'clock (lunch) | Fish with bread |
| 4 pages (snack) | Ryazhenka |
| 5 pages (dinner) | Chicken + raw vegetables |
Day six: Morning, afternoon, evening meal, snacks
| 1 page (breakfast) | Cottage cheese + tea or unsweetened coffee |
| 2 pages (2nd breakfast) | Orange |
| 3 o'clock (lunch) | Tofu baked with vegetables |
| 4 pages (snack) | Yogurt without additives |
| 5 pages (dinner) | Shrimp with asparagus |
Day seven: Morning, afternoon, evening meal, snacks
| 1 page (breakfast) | Cottage cheese + tea or unsweetened coffee |
| 2 pages (2nd breakfast) | Apple |
| 3 o'clock (lunch) | Vegetable soup + boiled beef |
| 4 pages (snack) | Kefir + wholemeal bread |
| 5 pages (dinner) | Steamed fish + vegetable salad |
Protein diet menu for 14 days
The products on the menu can be safely replaced with equivalents from the table of permitted, and the proposed dishes can be replaced with similar in caloric content and composition. The main thing is to follow the rules: eat partially 5-6 times a day, drink at least 2 liters of fluid a day, do not eat forbidden foods.
| Snacks |
|
| second snacks |
|
| Evenings |
|
| afternoon tea |
|
| Evenings |
|
The list of permitted products is so diverse that it is not difficult to develop a detailed menu of protein diet for yourself, there is room for imagination to "wander". Gradual adherence to a protein diet will allow you to gradually and effectively get out of the diet.
Recipes for protein diet
As you know, a protein diet is based on the complete or partial elimination of carbohydrates from your body. The basis of your diet should be white meat, fish, eggs, dairy products. In more sparing variants of such a diet, vegetables and nuts are allowed. In a strict weight loss system you can't really clear up. For a week, and sometimes more, you should eat only boiled eggs, fish and chicken every day.
As you can see, the following recipes are more suitable for frugal and more diverse in terms of permitted products. They are based on protein products, but you can add some ingredients to improve the taste, which are somewhat outside the dietary principles of a strict protein diet.
First meal
Egg custard soup
Ingredients:
- 400 g chicken or turkey breast
- 300-400 g spinach,
- 2 boiled eggs,
- 150 ml of milk
- spices
- sol,
- parsley stalk.
Boil the meat in 2-2, 5 liters of water until soft with bay leaf, black peppercorns and herbs of Provence. Take out the meat and cut it into cubes. Put the chopped spinach in the broth and cook until soft. Pour the soup, milk into the blender bowl, put the meat and chopped eggs and beat until creamy. Serve immediately, garnished with a sprig of parsley and half a boiled egg.
Nutritious fish soup
- 400 g fillet of any white fish,
- 1 red onion
- 400 g cauliflower,
- lemon juice,
- pepper,
- sol,
- natural yogurt (optional)
Disassemble the cauliflower, peel, cut into small pieces. Cut the fish into large cubes. Cut the onion into thin half rings. Put everything in a saucepan, fill with water and cook until soft. Salt, pepper, before serving, optionally add lemon juice and a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt.
Soup with chicken meatballs
- 300 g minced chicken,
- 2 squirrels,
- 1 tablespoon,
- vegetable broth (from celery or cauliflower with onions),
- 5 green onion stalks
- 1 small onion
- salt and spices.
Mix the minced meat, squirrels, bran and finely chopped onion, form meatballs the size of a small chestnut. In the boiling broth put the meatballs, bay leaf, 5 grains of black pepper, cook until soft. Garnish the soup with finely chopped green onions before serving.
Results and reviews after a protein diet
The results before and after the diet are impressive - you can lose up to 5 pounds in just one week, depending on your initial weight and activity. As protein foods saturate the body well with energy, it is recommended to combine diet with exercise for maximum effect.
As for the reviews, they are both positive and negative. For many, the diet did not fit - against the background of lack of vitamins and trace elements, some of those who lost weight developed dizziness and weakness. However, everyone who has been on this diet has lost weight.
Contraindications to protein diet
Before this diet go through a mandatory medical examination, as the protein diet is not allowed for everyone and is completely prohibited:
- with abnormalities of the heart (with arrhythmias) and some of its diseases,
- hepatitis and any liver disease,
- during breastfeeding and during pregnancy,
- with renal dysfunction
- with joint pain or related diseases,
- with colitis, dysbacteriosis, chronic pancreatitis and a number of other diseases of the digestive system,
- diet increases the risk of thrombosis and is therefore not recommended in the elderly,
- lasting more than 4 weeks.
Protein diet options
Many modern diets are based on the principle of protein nutrition. Think about the most popular options.
Protein-carbohydrate diet
Its essence is that protein days alternate with carbohydrate days, that is, one day you eat only protein foods, and the next - complex carbohydrates. This dietary option is considered more balanced and can be followed for more than two weeks. Usually such a diet is resorted to after a pure protein diet to consolidate the result.
Atkins diet
Also known as the Hollywood diet, which has become a favorite of many Hollywood stars. The basis of the diet, compiled by Dr. Atkins, is the use of mostly protein foods, even high-calorie fatty foods are allowed, but carbohydrates are excluded.
Protein diet of Dr. Pierre Ducan
The most popular protein diet is the Ducan diet. This is exactly the system of proper nutrition that you must follow for the rest of your life. According to modern nutritionists, the best diet for weight loss is one that you can safely follow without suffering from hunger, without falling from weakness and without being obsessed with the number of calories.
Recommendations for a protein diet
Given the disadvantages of this method of weight loss, we have made recommendations for you, following which you can minimize the negative effects on your body and benefit only from diet:
- First of all, do not overdo the diet. Remember that the measure is necessary in everything: do not completely exclude carbohydrates and fats from the diet. If after a week of dieting you decide to continue to lose weight, do not sit on such a diet for more than a month, then take 2-3 months off.
- Since the protein diet for weight loss for 7 days puts a lot of strain on the kidneys, eat more vegetables.
- Eat at least 4 small meals a day.
- The last meal should be no later than 2 hours before bedtime.
- To avoid stool problems, follow the water regime - you should drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water a day.
- Do not exceed the daily caloric intake of 1500 kcal.
- Choose quality products! Remember that the quality of food is a very important condition for weight loss.
- If you include eggs in your diet, do not eat more than 4 eggs a day. This is especially true for egg yolk, which consists mainly of fat and raises cholesterol levels.
- Proteins in a duet with carbohydrates are better absorbed. When eating boiled chicken breasts, add some stewed cauliflower to your plate. But it is better to introduce carbohydrates in the middle of the day, during lunch.
- If your goal is not only to lose weight, but also to gain muscle mass, remember that muscles grow from strength training.
- To avoid nutrient deficiencies, it is recommended to drink vitamins during weight loss.