Protein diet is very popular among world show business stars, athletes and ordinary people.It is an effective weight loss technique that allows you to lose weight quickly without harming the body or causing stress.However, you need to lose weight according to the rules so that health problems do not appear instead of a beautiful figure.
The main features of a protein diet
You need to start the diet after studying its basic principles.This includes:
- Protein is the basis of nutrition.It should make up at least 60% of the daily diet.
- The amount of fat and carbohydrates is reduced to a minimum.Ideally, they should make up no more than 15% of the daily diet.
- It is allowed to include vegetables and fruits in the menu, which make the diet more varied and balanced.
- Physical activity is required.
- Meals should be divided up to 6 times a day, the portion size does not exceed 200 grams.
This nutritional system allows you to lose 4-5 kg in a week without feeling hungry.Protein saturates the body with important substances, but you cannot eat according to this system for a long time.The maximum period is 21 days.The optimal period of the diet is 14 days.
Who is a protein diet for?
A protein diet is ideal for those who want to lose weight quickly and without stressing the body.Thanks to a varied diet, you don't need to eat only one type of product, and the high nutritional value of meat eliminates the feeling of hunger for a long time.
For people who exercise and live an active life, a protein diet helps them lose weight and gain muscle mass.Weight loss comes from losing fat, not muscle.It helps to form a beautiful, well-groomed figure.
Contraindications to protein diet
Ideally, you should consult your doctor before starting a diet to determine contraindications.This is a rather serious electrical system that should not be used by persons:
- minors and the elderly;
- for pregnant and lactating women;
- for diabetics;
- with kidney and liver diseases;
- with cancer;
- with an increased level of blood coagulation;
- under high physical and emotional stress.
You should not start a diet when you are sick or unwell.
When following a protein diet, you need to take vitamin complexes.This is necessary to prevent hair loss, deterioration of nails and teeth.
Protein norm
The average person needs 0.8 grams.of protein per kilogram of weight.When losing weight, this rate doubles.If you follow a protein diet, you should consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams per day.of protein per kilogram of weight.It is not the current, but the planned body weight that is taken into account.
To calculate how much protein is in a prepared dish, you need to know its composition and the amount of protein in each ingredient.
For example.The planned weight is 70 kg.It is necessary to consume from 84 to 112 grams per day.squirrelThe menu consists of:
- beef - 200 gr.(37.8 g of protein);
- eggs - 2 pcs.(12.7 g of protein);
- cottage cheese - 200 gr.(33.4 g of protein).
It turns out that 83.9 g.squirrelIn addition, other foods are taken into account, which increases the total amount of protein consumed.
To make the correct calculation, buy a kitchen scale and weigh each product fresh.
Pros and cons of a protein diet
A protein diet, like any specialized nutritional system, has its advantages and disadvantages.When planning to lose weight with the help of protein, you need to take them into account.
Advantages:
- A variety of food.You don't have to eat just one product.The list of allowed dishes is quite extensive.
- No hunger.Protein keeps hunger at bay for a long time.This allows you to lose weight without suffering from the debilitating desire to eat something.
- Strengthening the immune system.Protein increases the body's endurance and increases physical strength.
- Rapid weight loss.After finishing the diet, you will not return to the previous table, but will eat healthy food, the lost kilograms will not return.
- Weight loss due to fat layer.The body gets energy from fat, not muscle.Therefore, following this diet, muscle mass does not suffer.
- Ideal for athletes.Due to the high protein content in the diet, muscle mass is actively accumulated.As a bonus when losing weight, the athlete increases the endurance of the body and forms a beautiful relief of the body.
However, the protein diet also has its drawbacks.This includes:
- Mental performance can be reduced by limiting the amount of carbohydrates in the diet.
- Due to increased blood density and clotting, there is a risk of blood clots.
- Calcium is washed out, problems with bones and teeth may occur.
- An unpleasant smell appears from the body and mouth, because ketone bodies increase in the body.
The protein diet should be viewed wisely, making sure to take vitamin complexes to compensate for the lack of nutrients.This method of losing weight is suitable only for completely healthy people who do not suffer from chronic or acute diseases.
Another disadvantage of the protein diet is the complete rejection of sweet and fatty foods.And if you can't do without sweets and cakes, such a nutritional system will cause nervous stress.It is worth choosing a different diet in which carbohydrates are allowed in small amounts.
Protein diet rules for weight loss
In order for a protein diet for weight loss to help you lose weight, follow a few important rules:
- Focus on protein.These are meat and dairy products.You can add a side dish to the main meal once a day.
- Limit your fat intake.Their daily rate should not exceed 30 grams.
- Cereals are allowed, but only in the first half of the day, as a side dish.Choose low-calorie foods other than semolina and millet.
- Vegetables can also be used as a side dish, but potatoes and other starchy types are completely prohibited.You can eat cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers.
- Fruits are allowed, but not sweet.Prefer oranges and green apples.
- The last meal should be 2-3 hours before bedtime.
- You will have to give up alcohol and sweets during the diet.
- Following a protein diet, a lot of fluid is removed from the body, so the amount of water consumed daily should be increased by 1.5 times.Drink at least 2 liters of fluids a day.
- Ideally, you should avoid salt.You can add dried herbs, garlic and soy sauce to food as spices.
If during the diet you feel dizzy, your health and sleep worsen, then you need to add more complex carbohydrates to your diet.
Allowed foods for a protein diet
When creating a menu, take into account the list of foods allowed on a protein diet.This includes:
- Meat.Lean cuts of beef, chicken, veal, rabbit and turkey are allowed.Fatty pork and lamb are completely prohibited.
- Fermented milk products.The daily diet should include low-fat cottage cheese, natural yogurt and kefir.
- Eggs.Be sure to eat chicken or quail eggs.It can be soft boiled, scrambled eggs or omelette.It is recommended to consume 2 chicken or 4 quail eggs per day.
- Fish.Another source of protein is lean fish.Steam, oven or sauté without adding oil.
- Green vegetables.Fiber is essential for complete digestion and well-being.Give preference to tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and zucchini.Vegetables can be eaten fresh, stewed, fried or boiled.
- Grains.High-protein diets require avoiding all types of grains.However, they are still necessary as a source of carbohydrates.You can cook buckwheat, peas or oatmeal.
- Fruits.Nutritionists recommend eating citrus fruits with a protein diet.But be careful with them - high acidity irritates the stomach lining and can cause gastritis.
For drinks, prefer herbal infusions and green tea.A small amount of coffee is allowed - no more than 1 cup per day.Most of the liquid should be plain water.
Prohibited foods for a protein diet
The list of prohibited foods in the protein diet is much wider.This is because the nutritional system involves the exclusion of many food groups.So, this list includes:
- Baked goods are not included at all.You can eat 1 piece of rye bread a couple of times a week.
- Pasta.
- Sweet and flour dishes.This includes all foods that contain sugar.You can't even sweeten drinks.
- Alcohol.Some protein diets allow you to drink a glass of dry red wine a day.But it is still better to give up any amount of alcohol.
- Starchy vegetables.Avoid radishes and potatoes.Despite their nutritional value, they increase weight.
- Sweet fruits.Bananas, pears, melons are prohibited.
- Fast food products.Fast food will have to be eliminated from the diet.
- Carbonated drinks.
Giving up your favorite food is difficult only in the first week.Then you will get into the habit of eating right and you will keep this habit after you finish the diet.
How to organize a protein diet
To keep your new diet from harming your health, stick to the plan:
- Preparation for the diet.In 2-3 weeks, gradually start giving up sweets if you love them a lot.Replace sugar with dried fruits, reduce the amount of sweeteners in drinks.
- Smooth entry into the diet.You need to switch to a protein diet smoothly, giving up other foods within 1-2 days.
- The diet itself.Be sure to monitor your health and control your weight.
- Abandoning the diet.End the diet smoothly, gradually increasing the amount of food consumed.
It is good if the diet time falls on vacation, which reduces the temptation to lunch on sandwiches or skip a full breakfast.
Buy groceries by making a menu in advance.When you go to the store, you risk buying a product from the prohibited list.
Be sure to exercise.You can go to the gym or opt for home aerobics.Yoga and running will do.Physical activity should be at least 3 times a week.However, remember that if you have not exercised before, you should not overload your body.Start with light exercises and gradually increase the load.
The duration of the protein diet
The maximum duration of the protein diet is 14 days.During this time, you can lose up to 15 kg.After a break of 3 months, you can repeat to improve the result.
The optimal period is 10 days.During this time you can lose up to 10 kg.The result depends on the individual characteristics of the organism.The more you weigh, the more active your weight loss.
The minimum period is 7 days.It allows you to lose up to 8 kg.This period is suitable for those who find it difficult to give up their favorite foods.
An example of a weekly menu for weight loss
An approximate weekly weight loss protein diet menu will help you decide on a diet.Take the specified dishes, but adjust them yourself, taking into account the lists of prohibited and permitted foods.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
| 1 | Cheese omelet, green tea | Beef stew with buckwheat | Boiled fish |
| 2 | Low-fat cottage cheese | Boiled chicken breast, cucumber and tomato salad | Scrambled eggs, green tea |
| 3 | Oatmeal on water | Stewed veal with zucchini | Baked salmon with lemon and herbs |
| 4 | Cottage cheese cakes | Rabbit in sour cream sauce, brown rice | Steamed turkey meatballs |
| 5 | Toast with cheese | Fish soup with rice | Beef tenderloin fried with soy sauce |
| 6 | Low-fat cottage cheese, apple | Veal, carrot, cabbage and zucchini stew | Caesar salad |
| 7 | Buckwheat porridge | Chicken soup with meatballs | Fish stew |
What to eat as a snack:
- boiled eggs;
- kefir;
- natural yogurt;
- apples, grapefruit;
- cheese;
- cottage cheese pancakes and stew;
- vegetable salad.
You should eat 3 full meals and 2-3 snacks each day.Before going to bed, 2-3 hours before sleep, you can drink a glass of kefir, tea or eat natural yogurt.Food should be as light as possible so that you do not feel bad due to indigestion and a full stomach.
If you exercise, drink extra protein shakes.Choose foods that are free of sugar and additives.This cocktail will suppress the feeling of hunger and will not gain weight.
Get off the protein diet
So that the lost kilograms do not return after the end of the diet, it is necessary to correctly return to the usual table.Include 1-2 products in your diet every day, leaving sugar, pasta and potatoes for last.Start with vegetables and fruits, increase the amount of side dishes.Be sure to include grains as a source of carbohydrates.
Nutritionists say that the withdrawal period from the diet is twice as long as the duration of the diet itself.If the protein diet was followed for 10 days, then it should be completed within 20 days.
Follow a healthy diet to maintain your results.Avoid unhealthy, fatty, fried food.And then the weight will disappear, your figure will become slimmer, and as a pleasant bonus you will receive good health and beauty.
Mistakes in High Protein Diets
Many people make fairly common mistakes that prevent them from achieving their goals.This includes:
- Get rid of carbs and fat quickly instead of protein.Remember that the protein diet is serious, so you can't suddenly "enter" it by giving up your usual diet during the day.
- Complete rejection of carbohydrates.The diet should include vegetables, fruits and grains in small quantities.Otherwise, poor health and stress cannot be avoided.
- Lack of physical activity.You cannot achieve a beautiful figure without sports.However, the appearance of stretch marks and loose skin is worth the wait.
- Starvation.Plan your meals so that you don't feel hungry.Otherwise, the body will go into a phase of extreme energy conservation and start storing fat.
Smoothly transition to a new system and monitor your well-being.And then you will lose weight in a week without stressing the body.