Protein diet - essence, pros, food and menus

There are many variations of the technique. Any of them contain protein foods, with limited amounts of carbohydrates and fats. Proteins are necessary for the normal functioning of the body. The nutritional system will be a great way to lose weight for those who cannot live without meat. It was formerly called the Monodiet. However, thanks to the development of nutritionists, diet has become the most gentle method of weight balance.

The right protein diet menu has positive properties and allows you to lose weight in a short time. The key is to eat foods that contain protein. After all, they need a normal metabolism. The body is not able to accumulate proteins in the body on its own, so they are regularly included in food. With a normal diet, this does not happen, so it is constantly consumed. If this does not happen, muscle mass will decrease because the internal organs pull proteins from it for normal functioning. Exhaustion of the body occurs and the skin becomes flabby.

fish on a protein diet

If you follow this nutritional system for 14 days to lose weight, your weight will not be lost due to muscle loss but by burning body fat. Retaining it is suitable for people who are afraid to feel hungry. Anorexia cannot occur with such a diet and the muscles do not wither. After that, the losing body will be thin and fit.

To lose weight, the protein diet menu is very effective, and the mechanism of its effect on the body has been fully studied and scientifically proven. The power supply system starts the following processes:

  • The body does not get fat and carbohydrates and has to spend its fat deposits on the hips, abdomen and buttocks. For women, these places are the biggest problem.
  • To assimilate protein, the body needs a lot of energy, which is replenished by burning fat under the skin.
  • Protein-containing foods create heat production, which speeds up metabolic processes.

If a person wants to lose weight, a protein diet will help in this without compromising their health. It is possible to select the desired duration of the food system and the preferred food options.

fish soup on a protein diet

Protein norms

A person needs 0. 8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. However, many known nutrition experts believe that this amount is not enough for the body. Especially for the elderly, for whom it is very important to maintain muscle mass.

Experts advise people of pre-retirement and retirement age to consume at least 1. 3 grams of protein per kilogram.

For a healthy young man, nutrition experts recommend consuming 1. 5 grams of protein per kilogram per day. Thus, an individual weighing 70 kg should eat about 90-120 grams of protein per day.

Features of the diet

The energy supply system has features that all dieters should consider:

  1. Proteins saturate the bodies of people who are constantly working or exercising. Such food may be suitable for women who are expecting a baby. A simple protein diet menu is characterized by eating meat, fish and dairy dishes. A nutritional system can benefit those who want to lose weight without damaging and straining the body.
  2. The maximum duration of diet is 14 days. This period allows the weight to be normalized without damaging the body. Protein weight loss results are characterized by stable performance. To consolidate the result, you need to gradually leave the nutritional system, except for fatty, fried and sweet foods.
  3. We recommend that you repeat the diet after a maximum of 6 months.
  4. Protein-containing foods require important recommendations from dieters. During the diet, the work of the excretory system is activated, which can cause complications. Therefore, the drinking system should be adhered to during this time and sufficient non-carbonated water should be consumed.
  5. The total number of calories from food should be around 1200-1400. Their deficiency can lead to disruption of internal organs and weakening of the immune system.
  6. A daily protein diet for weight loss allows you to enjoy the taste of your favorite foods (in small amounts) and allows you to maintain a stable weight.
vegetable salad and fish on a protein diet

With this food system, the feeling of hunger does not have to be experienced constantly, the diet is unlimited and varied.

turkey rolls with spinach on a protein diet

Who is this diet for?

We already know that a protein diet can affect muscle mass growth, and a lack of carbohydrates forces us to take energy from fat reserves. Thereforecombined with regular intense training improves the quality of our body, the relief is highlighted.

Most often, athletes, professional athletes, and those who want to achieve the most toned body, resort to "drying. "But guys and girls, having seen enough of the "bags" in the gym, sometimes don’t realize that there’s not much need for such a diet in everyday life.

slim girl after protein diet

A similar diet is right for you if:

  • you want to lose a lot of pounds;
  • If you go on vacation to the sea and want to look stunning while being a little overweight;
  • photography planning;
  • an athlete and must dry out to reduce weight;
  • body-builder.

This basically ends the list of situations in which a protein diet may be needed. But if you feel there is another reason to sit on it, we ask you to approach your diet wisely.Don’t eat your body in any way and think about all your meals in advance. . .

Recommended and forbidden foods

The daily protein diet menu is varied and includes a list of certain foods that can be included in the diet at this time. Recommended products:

  • Chicken and turkey, beef, offal. For the sake of diet, food should be boiled or steamed. Skinless chicken is most commonly used. It is well absorbed and there is no problem with its preparation.
  • Lean fish. It contains adequate amounts of protein and trace elements that are important for the normal functioning of the body.
  • Cottage cheese and dairy products. In their casein composition, the body needs to make an effort to digest. As a result, many calories are wasted.
  • Buckwheat and oatmeal, bread (rye, black, wholemeal).
  • Boiled eggs. The protein in them is easy to digest and nutritious.
  • Vegetables with minimal starch (cucumber, cabbage, celery).
  • Citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit), sour apples.
  • Canned tuna. They contain high amounts of protein and minimal fat.

Particular attention should be paid to the drinking pattern. It can contain herbal teas, freshly squeezed juices from vegetables and fruits, purified water.

chicken salad on a protein diet

When compiling a protein diet menu for a week, you should limit the content of foods that can easily become fat:

  1. First of all, sweets should be excluded. Even fruits can ruin the result, not to mention cakes, cookies and pastries.
  2. Fried, greasy foods and pasta should be completely excluded from the menu.
  3. Carbonated drinks, compotes and juices are also not recommended during the diet.
  4. Vegetables with a lot of starch (potatoes, legumes, peas).

Rejection of such products allows you to achieve tangible results in a short period of time.

salad with avocado and eggs on a protein diet

Diet schedule

The power supply system must be implemented as follows:

  • It is best to divide the daily menu into several receptions (5-6). In the morning, on an empty stomach, drink a glass of purified water. Take your last meal 3 hours before bedtime.
  • Before lunch, you can enjoy a small amount of porridge and wholemeal bread. You can eat fruits (apples, oranges).
  • Protein dishes are included in the afternoon meal combined with raw vegetables or salads.

When losing weight on a protein diet menu, the right combination of foods is important. This will achieve a positive result. The power supply system is free of 10 kg of excess weight in 2 weeks. To do this, you must strictly follow all the recommendations.

exercise with protein diet

How to properly exit this diet

The body is used to receiving certain substances every day. You don’t have to jump on cakes and rolls on the very first day of finishing your diet.You have to leave graduallywhile still trying to maintain the acquired habit of not eating fast carbs.

Slowly include cereals, more vegetables, and high-fat dairy products in your diet. You can afford some dark chocolate, previously forbidden fruit - bananas, persimmons, apricots, and dried fruits.

Note!The process of getting out of the diet can take 3-5 days, so there is no need to rush. It is important to give the body time to rebuild and not immediately load it with a large number of new nutrients.

Diet for 7 days

The one-week meal system was designed so that one would not suffer from hunger during the observation period. The dishes are easy to prepare. The protein diet menu for weight loss for a week includes:

  • Breakfast. Cottage cheese (160 g), tea (green or herbal), half orange.
  • Dinner. Chicken breast (170 g), wholemeal bread.
  • Snack. A glass of low-fat yogurt.
  • Dinner. Steamed fish (200 g), vegetable salad (170 g).
foods for a 7-day protein diet

You should continue to eat this way every other day. During the week, the protein-rich diet menu is complemented by cottage cheese, kefir and boiled eggs. You should also alternate foods, taking into account their caloric content.

The vegetables are lightly cooked and cooked into stews and soups. They can be used as snacks during the day. It is best not to eat non-starchy vegetables.

A similar diet can be applied to a 14-day diet. In this case, you can choose the most effective solution.

What products of animal origin are included in the protein diet?

A protein-based diet should include the following animal products:

  1. Lean white meat (chicken breast, turkey meat, lean parts of other types of meat). The product should be eaten without skin. Chicken breast is especially useful. A 200 gram serving has only 300 calories and 50 grams of protein.
  2. Seafood, including fish, is rich in essential omega acids (tuna, salmon). 150 grams of tuna contains 200 calories and 40 grams of protein.
  3. Minimal fat dairy products (kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese). 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese contains 25 grams of protein and 200 calories;
  4. Egg white. It consists almost entirely of protein. In addition, egg white contains important antioxidants for the body that protect the human body from aging.
high protein foods

Diet menu for 10 days

The slimming foods shown in the table are distributed and alternated throughout the feeding period.

The recommended protein diet menu for 10 days is shown in the table below.

Day Breakfast Dinner Snack Dinner
One day Unsweetened herbal tea Chicken breast, braised cabbage, green apples Low fat kefir Stewed fish with salad
2 days Sugar-free herbal tea, wholemeal bread Ukha, does not contain potatoes, cabbage salad Fat-free kefir, grapefruit Low calorie cottage cheese
3 days Unsweetened tea Boiled beef with raw vegetables Kefir, orange Beetroot and cabbage salad
4 days Green tea without sugar, rye bread with croutons Lean fish steamed with vegetables Tofu cheese, apple Boiled eggs, grated carrots
5 days Natural coffee without sugar Boiled beef, cabbage and carrot salad Skimmed milk Fat-free cottage cheese
6 days Tea without sugar Beef soup with beet salad Kefir, grapefruit Boiled chicken with tomatoes
7 days Tea, rye rusks Fish with vegetables, whole wheat bread Tofu cheese, apple Green salad
8 days Natural coffee without sugar Boiled chicken fillet with croutons Kefir or fermented fried milk, citrus fruits Carrot salad with soft boiled eggs
Day 9 Unsweetened drink Ukha potatoes without raw vegetables Low fat cheese Green salad
10 days Tea without sugar Skinless chicken with tomato salad Apples Cooked lean fish

The protein diet menu for 10-day weight loss is varied. Doses should be taken sparingly so as not to overdo it and leave the table with a slight feeling of fullness.

Menu for 2 weeks

It is the longest-lasting nutritional system that provides effective, stable results. Adherence to the 14-day period does not cause any discomfort or discomfort.

Recommendations for a protein diet (14-day menu):

Day Breakfast Dinner Dinner
One day Unsweetened black coffee 2 hard boiled eggs, braised cabbage, a glass of tomato juice Fried, fried or steamed fish
2 days Sugar-free coffee with rye croutons Boiled fish with vegetable salad Boiled beef (250 g) in a glass of kefir
3 days Sugar-free coffee with rye croutons Zucchini and green apples fried in oil 2 hard boiled eggs, cabbage salad, boiled beef (200 g)
4 days Black coffee without sugar Salad of 3 boiled carrots, hard cheese (15 g) Fruit or berries, excluding grapes and bananas
5 days Fresh grated carrots Boiled, fried or steamed fish in a glass of tomato juice Fruit or berries, excluding grapes and bananas
6 days Black coffee without sugar Boiled chicken with salad vegetables 2 boiled eggs, fresh grated carrots
7 days Unsweetened tea (green or herbal) Boiled veal or beef (250 g), fresh fruit Dinner one day, except for 3

The second week of the protein diet menu assumes the same diet for 14 days, i. e. , repeats the first 7 days.

Be sure to follow the drinking system. You can use green and herbal tea, water. It is completely forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages so as not to burden the liver.

salmon with quinoa on a protein diet

The first meal contains only liquid in the form of tea or coffee. Do not overeat while eating, it is best to stop with a slight feeling of hunger.

Advantages and disadvantages of a protein diet

Everyone who loses weight diversifies the menu by adding their favorite vegetables or unsweetened fruits. The positive features of this system are:

  1. The nutritional system allows for intense exercise, which is difficult with other effective and fast diets.
  2. The diet is practically not accompanied by a feeling of hunger because the digestion time of protein foods is 4 hours.
  3. Body weight normalizes.
  4. The immune system is strengthened.
  5. The body was healed. The skin tightens, cellulite decreases and the condition of the hair, skin and nails improves.
  6. The protein diet menu is high in fiber, which helps improve bowel function.
  7. Muscle mass is not lost because they are high in protein foods in the diet.
  8. Minimal manifestations of fatigue, lethargy, and dizziness that are typical of other diets.
  9. The rate of weight loss with this food system is not lightning fast and allows you to maintain a stable weight after you leave.
fish meal on a protein diet

If you stick to a protein diet for a long time to lose weight, there may be some negative consequences:

  • Long-term use of the protein leads to the leaching of calcium and other trace elements from the body, which negatively affects the health of the skeletal system.
  • Reduced performance due to minimal carbs.
  • Increased irritability occurs due to a lack of fat in the diet - the main building block of nerve cells.
  • Blood clotting problems, blood clots.
  • Protein feeding can lead to disruption of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.
  • It is not recommended for people 60 years of age or older to eat this way.
  • Bad breath due to consuming too much protein.

Before you start losing weight, it is best to consult a specialist to avoid damaging your body.

Why protein is so important to the body

Derived from protein:

  • human bones, muscles, skin, hair are formed. They are constantly renewed, they need a new supply of protein;
  • "chemical messengers" synthesize hormones that help the various body systems function harmoniously;
  • and synthesizing enzymes from proteins that are involved in numerous metabolic processes;

Protein improves the functioning of the immune system. They also serve as a kind of vehicle in the body. For example, hemoglobin transports oxygen with the blood to the cells.

the importance of protein in weight loss

9 amino acids are called essential because they are not created by the human body alone. They come with food or dietary supplements.

Foods of animal origin (including eggs, milk) are the best source of protein. It contains all 9 essential amino acids in optimal proportions. In addition, food of animal origin is well absorbed (90-95%). Everything in plant foods is less balanced.

If you limit your diet to carrots, cereals, potatoes, and cabbage, your body will begin to feel a lack of protein. To avoid this, vegan dieters should regularly consume a lot of plant-based foods, including a variety of legumes, whole grains, nuts, and grains.

Contraindications

Any nutritional system, including a protein-rich diet, puts a strain on the body. It speeds up metabolism, removes toxins, burns fat, and the stomach needs to adapt to new conditions and other foods.

Bodies begin to work in advanced mode. If not everything is fine with them, chronic diseases can get worse, this should be taken into account when switching to the new menu. A daily protein diet is contraindicated in the following cases:

  • diseases of the excretory system;
  • old age;
  • while expecting a baby and while breastfeeding;
  • cholelithiasis;
  • cardiac and vascular pathology;
  • citrus allergy;
  • gastrointestinal pathology;
  • diabetes;
  • adolescence.

Any contraindication is a stop signal for those who have chosen this diet. You can lose weight with this food system only after eliminating the contraindications.

Principles of nutrition

The average duration of the diet is 5 days, in some cases your doctor may recommend that you follow a therapeutic diet for up to 10 days, but no more. You can’t stick to a diet for longer than this, because due to a lack of protein, muscle tissue begins to contract quickly.

You need to keep a daily calorie count

Instead of protein foods, you should start eating foods of plant origin. In a protein-free diet, the daily intake of carbohydrates is 350 g and that of fat is 80 g. The caloric content of the daily menu does not exceed 2200 kcal. If one adheres to bed rest and severely restricts physical activity during dieting, the caloric content can be reduced to 2000 kcal.

In addition, the diet includes reducing fluid and salt intake. This is due to the need to prevent the development of edema, which is a symptom of many kidney diseases. In this case, you should carefully check the amount of potassium in your diet. Basically, patients take large doses of various diuretic drugs that deplete potassium from the body, so the lack of this substance should be compensated by medications or proper selection of products.

Useful tips to improve the effect

Nutritionists recommend how to lose weight with a protein-rich diet without harming or damaging your health. Adherence to diet alone may not be enough to achieve effective results. It is necessary to apply the principles of healthy eating, which will continue to be effective:

  • It is best to have a medical examination before starting your diet.
  • Adherence to such a nutritional system requires the permission of a physician.
  • You should take multivitamins during your diet.
  • In case of dizziness attacks, the intake of carbohydrates and fats in the body should be increased. It is allowed to add oatmeal to the breakfast menu.
  • It is best to refuse a protein diet if you feel worse.
  • No medication should be taken during weight loss.
  • The diet should be discussed with a professional.
  • You must eat strictly every hour.
  • Calories need to be counted: consume more than you consume.
  • It is better to have dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime.
  • The menu items may only be cooked, steamed or steamed.
  • Food sizes: drinks (200 mg), other foods (150 g) and fruits (100 g).
  • Limit the amount of salt you consume.
  • You need to sleep at least 8 hours a day.
  • You have to give up bad habits.
  • Quit strength sports and cardio training. The best solution is swimming, fitness, aerobics or pilates.
high protein slimming salad

A protein diet is an effective nutritional system that allows you to normalize your weight and achieve harmony in a short amount of time. Thanks to the variety of foods, weight loss does not feel hungry and tired. Following the recommendations will improve your health. Despite its many positive properties, the diet has certain contraindications that need to be considered before you start following it.

What foods are not worth eating

Remove from the diet:

  • Foods rich in saturated and transgenic fats. The former are especially abundant in red meats (pork, lamb), the latter in margarine;
  • canned and processed meats with excess salt (such as smoked sausages and sausages).
  • simple carbohydrates (the highest quality white bread, sugar, sweets, pastries, chocolate) should also be kept to a minimum. They "burn out" very quickly, causing a feeling of hunger;
  • you must refuse food fried in oil. Its calorie content is too high;
  • do not use mayonnaise. You can substitute it with soy sauce, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and even the most common kefir;
  • you have to give up high-fat milk, butter, cheese.

It is also important not to be limited to individual products. The more food you have, the better. Due to the variety, the diet becomes more balanced, it contains all the macro- and microelements needed by the body.