Protein diet is very popular among stars of world show business, athletes and ordinary people.This is an effective weight loss technique that allows you to lose weight quickly without harming the body or stressing it.But you need to lose weight according to the rules, so that instead of a beautiful figure you do not encounter health problems.
Main features of the protein diet
You need to start the diet by examining its basic principles.These include:
- The basis of nutrition is protein.It should constitute at least 60% of the daily diet.
- The amount of fat and carbohydrates is reduced to a minimum.Ideally they should not constitute more than 15% of the daily diet.
- It is allowed to include vegetables and fruits in the menu, which makes the diet more diverse and balanced.
- Physical activity is necessary.
- Meals should be divided up to 6 times a day, the portion size should not exceed 200 grams.
This nutritional system allows you to lose 4-5 kilos a week without feeling hungry.Proteins saturate the body with important substances, but according to this system you cannot eat for a long time.The maximum duration is 21 days.The optimal duration for the diet is 14 days.
Who is protein diet suitable for?
Protein diet is ideal for those who want to lose weight quickly and without tiring the body.Thanks to a varied diet, you do not have to eat only one type of product, and the high nutritional value of meat eliminates the feeling of hunger for a long time.
For athletes and people leading an active lifestyle, a protein diet helps them lose weight and gain muscle mass.Weight loss occurs through fat loss, not muscle.This helps create a beautiful, sculpted figure.
Contraindications to the protein diet
Ideally, before starting the diet, you should consult a doctor to determine contraindications.This is a pretty serious power system that should not be used by individuals:
- juniors and seniors;
- pregnant and breastfeeding women;
- diabetics;
- with kidney and liver diseases;
- cancerous;
- with an increased level of blood clotting;
- Under high physical and emotional stress.
You should not start a diet during illness or when you are not feeling well.
You need to take vitamin complexes, adhering to a protein diet.This is necessary to prevent hair loss, deterioration of nails and teeth.
Protein norm
The average person needs 0.8 grams.protein per kilogram of weight.For weight loss, this norm is doubled.If you are following a protein diet, you should consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams per day.protein per kilogram of weight.It is the planned, not the current, body weight that is taken into account.
To calculate how much protein a prepared dish contains, you need to know its composition and the amount of protein in each ingredient.
For example.Planned weight – 70 kg.You need to consume between 84 and 112 grams per day.squirrel.Compiling the menu:
- beef – 200 gr.(37.8g protein);
- eggs – 2 pcs.(12.7g protein);
- cottage cheese – 200 gr.(33.4 g protein).
It turns out 83.9 grams.squirrel.Additionally, other foods that increase the total amount of protein consumed are also taken into account.
To make the correct calculation, purchase a kitchen scale and weigh each product fresh.
Pros and cons of protein diet
Like any special nutritional system, the protein diet has its pros and cons.You need to take these into account when planning to lose weight with the help of proteins.
Benefits include:
- Various foods.You don't have to eat just one product.The list of allowed dishes is quite extensive.
- There is no hunger.Proteins satisfy hunger for a long time.This allows you to lose weight without feeling the urge to eat.
- Strengthening the immune system.Proteins increase the body's endurance and increase physical strength.
- Rapid weight loss.After completing the diet, if you do not return to your previous situation and eat healthy, the lost weight will not come back.
- Weight loss due to fat layer.The body gets energy from fat, not muscles.Therefore, muscle mass is not damaged on this diet.
- Ideal for athletes.Due to the presence of a large amount of protein in the diet, muscle mass is actively formed.As a bonus of losing weight, it increases the endurance of the athlete's body and creates a nice relief in the body.
But the protein diet also has its disadvantages.These include:
- It is possible to reduce mental abilities by limiting the amount of carbohydrates in the diet.
- There is a risk of blood clots due to increased blood density and clotting.
- Calcium is washed out and problems with bones and teeth may occur.
- Due to the increase in ketone bodies in the body, an unpleasant odor occurs from the body and mouth.
You need to approach the protein diet wisely, being sure to take vitamin complexes to compensate for the lack of nutrients.This method of losing weight is suitable only for absolutely healthy people who do not have chronic or acute diseases.
Another disadvantage of the protein diet is the complete rejection of sweet and fatty foods.And if you cannot 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 quantities.
Rules of protein diet for weight loss
For a protein diet for weight loss that will help you lose weight, follow a few important rules:
- Give the main emphasis to proteins.These are meat and dairy products.You are allowed to add a side dish to the main dish once a day.
- Limit the amount of fat you consume.Their daily amount should not exceed 30 grams.
- Cereals as a side dish are allowed only in the first half of the day.Choose low-calorie foods, except 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.Choose oranges and green apples.
- The last meal should be 2-3 hours before bedtime.
- During the diet, you will have to give up alcohol and sweets.
- On a protein diet, a lot of fluid is removed from the body, so the daily amount of water consumed needs to be increased by 1.5 times.Drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day.
- Ideally you should avoid salt.You can add dried herbs, garlic and soy sauce as spices to your meals.
If you feel dizzy during the diet, your health and sleep deteriorate sharply, you need to add more complex carbohydrates to your diet.
Foods allowed on a protein diet
When creating a menu, consider the list of foods allowed on a protein diet.These include:
- Meat.Lean cuts of beef, chicken, veal, rabbit and turkey are allowed.Fatty pork and lamb are completely prohibited.
- Fermented dairy products.The daily diet should include low-fat cottage cheese, natural yoghurt and kefir.
- Eggs.Be sure to eat chicken or quail eggs.They can be soft boiled, scrambled eggs or omelettes.It is recommended to consume 2 chicken or 4 quail eggs a day.
- Fish.Another source of protein is lean fish.Cook by steaming, baking or boiling without adding oil.
- Green vegetables.Fiber is essential for complete digestion of food and better health.Choose tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and zucchinis.Vegetables can be eaten fresh, boiled, baked or stewed.
- Cereals.High-protein diets involve avoiding grains of all kinds.However, they are still necessary as a source of carbohydrates.You can cook buckwheat, peas or oatmeal.
- Fruits.Nutritionists recommend eating citrus fruits in a protein diet.But be careful with them - high acidity has an irritating effect on the gastric mucosa and can cause gastritis.
For drinks, choose herbal infusions and green tea.Small amounts of coffee are allowed - no more than 1 cup per day.Most of the liquid should come with plain water.
Forbidden foods for protein diet
The list of prohibited foods on a protein diet is much wider.This is because the nutritional system requires the rejection of most food groups.So this list includes:
- Baked goods are completely excluded.You can eat 1 piece of rye bread several times a week.
- Pasta.
- Sweet and flour dishes.This includes all foods that contain sugar.You can't even sweeten the 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 foods will need to be excluded from the diet.
- Fizzy drinks.
Giving up your favorite foods is difficult only in the first week.Then you will get used to eating right and you will continue this habit after completing the diet.
How to organize protein nutrition
To prevent your new diet from harming your health, stick to the following plan:
- Preparing for the diet.Within 2-3 weeks, if you have a great love for sweets, slowly start giving up sweets.Replace sugar with dried fruits, reduce the amount of sweeteners in drinks.
- Smooth entry into the diet.You need to give up other foods and switch to a protein diet without any problems within 1-2 days.
- The diet itself.Be sure to monitor your health and control your weight.
- Quit dieting.Complete your diet smoothly and gradually increase the amount of food consumed.
It's good if the diet time falls on a holiday, which reduces the temptation to have lunch with a sandwich or refuse a full breakfast.
Buy food in advance by preparing a menu.When you go to the store, you run the risk of purchasing a product from the prohibited list.
Be sure to exercise.You can join a gym or choose to do aerobics at home.Yoga and running will help.Physical activity should be done at least 3 times a week.However, if you have not done sports before, remember that you should not overload your body.Start with light exercises and gradually increase the load.
Duration of protein diet
The maximum duration of the protein diet is 14 days.During this period it is possible to lose up to 15 kg.You can repeat this after a break of 3 months to improve the result.
The optimum 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 weight you gain, the more active your weight loss will be.
The minimum period is 7 days.It allows you to lose weight up to 8 kg.This period is suitable for those who have difficulty giving up their favorite foods.
Sample menu for a week for weight loss
An approximate protein diet menu for weight loss for a week will help you decide on your diet.Take the specified dishes as a basis, but adjust them yourself, taking into account the list of prohibited and allowed foods.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Evening meal |
| 1 | Cheese omelette, 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 water | Stewed beef with zucchini | Baked salmon with lemon and herbs |
| 4 | Curd cheesecakes | Rabbit with sour cream sauce, brown rice | Steamed turkey cutlets |
| 5 | cheese toast | Fish soup with rice | Beef tenderloin cooked with soy sauce |
| 6 | Low-fat cottage cheese, apple | Beef, carrot, cabbage and zucchini casserole | caesar salad |
| 7 | buckwheat porridge | Chicken soup with meatballs | fish stew |
What to eat as a snack:
- boiled egg;
- kefir;
- natural yoghurt;
- apple, grapefruit;
- cheese;
- pancakes and casseroles with cottage cheese;
- vegetable salad.
You should eat 3 full meals and 2-3 snacks every day.You can drink a glass of kefir, tea or eat natural yoghurt 2-3 hours before going to bed.In order not to feel bad due to indigestion and fullness, food should be as light as possible.
If you do sports, take additional protein shakes.Choose foods that do not contain sugar and additives.This cocktail will satisfy the feeling of hunger and will not cause weight gain.
Exit from protein diet
To ensure that the lost weight does not come back after completing the diet, you need to return to your regular desk correctly.Add 1-2 products to your diet every day;Leave the sugar, pasta and potatoes for last.Start with vegetables and fruits, increase the amount of side dishes.Be sure to include grains as a carbohydrate source.
Nutritionists say that the exit period from the diet is twice as long as the duration of the diet.If you followed the protein diet for 10 days, you need to complete it in 20 days.
Follow a healthy diet to maintain your results.Avoid unhealthy, fatty, fried foods.And then the weight will disappear, your figure will become slimmer, and as a pleasant bonus, you will regain health and beauty.
Mistakes related to high protein diet
Many people are prevented from achieving their goals by very common mistakes.These include:
- Quickly give up carbohydrates and fats in favor of proteins.Remember that the protein diet is serious;Therefore, you cannot suddenly “get into” this diet by giving up your normal diet in one day.
- Complete rejection of carbohydrates.The diet should include small amounts of vegetables, fruits and grains.Otherwise, poor health and stress cannot be avoided.
- Lack of physical activity.You cannot achieve a beautiful figure without sports.But the appearance of stretch marks and sagging skin is worth the wait.
- Hunger.Plan your diet so that you don't feel hungry.Otherwise, the body will go into the phase of excessive energy saving and start storing fat.
Transition seamlessly to the new system and track your health.And in a week you will lose weight without straining your body.