Protein diet - essence, benefits, foods and menus

There are many variations of the technique. Any of them contains protein foods with a limited amount of carbohydrates and fats. Proteins are needed for the body to function normally. The food system will be a great way to lose weight for people who can’t live without meat. It used to be called a mono diet. However, thanks to the development of nutritionists, diet has become the most gentle method of normalizing body weight.

A proper protein menu has positive qualities and allows you to lose weight in a short period of time. The most important thing is to eat foods that contain protein. After all, they are needed for normal metabolism. The body is not able to accumulate proteins in the body on its own, so they are regularly taken into food. With a normal diet this does not happen so they are constantly consumed. If this does not happen, then the muscle mass decreases because the internal organs extract proteins from it for normal functioning. The body becomes exhausted and the skin becomes flabby.

fish on a protein diet

If you adhere to this nutritional system for weight loss for 14 days, then the weight will not disappear due to the reduction of muscles, but due to the burning of body fat. Its observance is appropriate for those people who are afraid to feel hungry. Anorexia with such a diet cannot occur and the muscles do not atrophy. After it, the losing body becomes slim and fit.

For weight loss, protein diet is very effective, and the mechanism of its action on the body has been fully studied and scientifically proven. The power system starts the following processes:

  • The body does not receive fats and carbohydrates, and it must spend its fat deposits on the hips, abdomen and buttocks. For women, these places are the most problematic.
  • To assimilate protein, the body needs a lot of energy that will be compensated by burning subcutaneous fat.
  • Protein foods create heat that speeds up metabolic processes.

If a person wants to lose weight, a protein diet will help to do so without harm to health. It is possible to choose the required duration of the food system and options for the desired dishes.

fish soup on a protein diet

Protein norms

A person needs about 0. 8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. However, many well-known nutritionists 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 before retirement and retirement age to consume at least 1. 3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.

For a healthy young man, nutritionists recommend an intake of about 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.

Characteristics of the diet

The power system has some characteristics that must be considered by all who lose weight:

  1. Proteins saturate the body of people who are constantly at work or doing sports. Such food may be suitable for women who are expecting a child. A simple protein diet menu is characterized by the intake of meat, fish and dairy dishes. The food system can be beneficial for people who want to lose weight without harming or stressing the body.
  2. The maximum period for adhering to the diet is 14 days. This period will allow you to normalize your weight without harming your body. Protein weight loss results are characterized by stable performance. To consolidate the result obtained, you must gradually leave the nutritional system, excluding fatty, fried and sweet foods.
  3. It is recommended to repeat the diet no more often than after 6 months.
  4. Protein-containing foods require important weight loss recommendations. During the diet, the work of the excretory system is activated, which can cause complications. Therefore, at this time it is necessary to follow the drinking regime and consume non-carbonated water in sufficient quantities.
  5. The total number of calories from food should be around 1200-1400. Their lack can lead to disorders of the internal organs and weaken the immune system.
  6. The protein diet menu for daily weight loss gives you the opportunity to enjoy the taste of your favorite dish (in small quantities) and allows you to maintain a stable weight.
vegetable and fish salad on a protein diet

With this diet 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. Consequentlycombined with regular intense workouts improves the quality of our body, the relief is prominent.

Most often athletes, professional athletes and people who strive to achieve as tense a body as possible resort to "drying out". But boys and girls, after seeing enough "jocks" in the gym, sometimes don’t realize that in everyday life there isn’t much need to go on such a diet.

slender girl after a protein diet

A similar diet is suitable for you if:

  • you want to lose a lot of pounds;
  • You go on vacation to the sea and want to look stunning, while you are slightly overweight;
  • photo session planning;
  • athlete and you have to dry yourself to lose weight;
  • bodybuilders.

Basically, this completes the list of situations in which a protein diet may be needed. But if you feel you have other reasons for doing so, we kindly ask you to approach your diet wisely.Do not exhaust the body in any way and think about all the meals in advance. . .

Recommended and forbidden food

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

  • Chicken and turkey meat, beef, offal. For diet, food needs to be cooked or simmered. Skinless chicken is most commonly used. It absorbs well and has no problems with preparation.
  • Lean fish. It contains the right amount of protein and trace elements, which are important for the normal functioning of the body.
  • Cottage cheese and dairy products. The casein present in their composition will require the body’s efforts to digest. As a result, a lot of calories are expended.
  • Buckwheat and oatmeal, bread (rye, black, wholemeal).
  • Boiled eggs. The proteins they contain are easily digestible and nutritious.
  • Vegetables that contain a minimum amount of starch (cucumbers, cabbage, celery).
  • Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit), sour apples.
  • Canned tuna food. They contain a large amount of protein and minimal fat composition.

Special attention should be paid to the drinking regime. You can include herbal teas, freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juices, purified water.

chicken salad on a protein diet

When compiling a protein diet menu for a week, it is necessary to limit the content of food in meals that can easily be converted into fat:

  1. First of all, you need to exclude sweets. Even fruit can spoil the result, not to mention cakes, cookies and pastries.
  2. Fried, fatty foods and pasta should be completely excluded from the menu.
  3. Carbonated drinks, compotes and juices are also not recommended during the diet period.
  4. Vegetables that contain a lot of starch (potatoes, legumes, peas).

Rejecting such products will allow 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 should be reported as follows:

  • It is best to divide the menu for each day into several receptions (5-6). Drink a glass of purified water in the morning on an empty stomach. Take your last meal 3 hours before bed.
  • Before lunch you can eat a small amount of porridge and whole grain bread. You can eat fruits (apples, oranges).
  • Protein meals are included in the afternoon meal in combination with raw vegetables or salads.

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

exercises with a protein diet

How to properly get out of this diet

Your body is used to getting certain substances every day. You don't have to throw in cakes and buns on the first day after the diet.You have to leave gradually, while still trying to keep the acquired habit of not eating fast carbs.

Slowly include grains, more vegetables, and high-fat dairy products in your diet. You can afford dark chocolate, previously forbidden fruits - bananas, dates, apricots, as well as dried fruits.

Note!The process of leaving a child can take 3 to 5 days, so there is no need to rush. It is important to give the body time to rebuild and not replenish it immediately with large amounts of new nutrients.

Diet 7 days

The weekly diet system is designed so that during the period of respect, the person does not suffer from the feeling of hunger. Meals are easy to prepare. The protein diet menu for one week includes:

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

All other days you have to keep eating this way. During the week, the protein diet menu is supplemented with fresh cheese, kefir and boiled eggs. You should also change your foods, taking into account their caloric content.

Vegetables are lightly cooked and cooked in stews and soups. They can be used as snacks during the day. It is best to consume vegetables that are not starch.

A similar diet can be used for a 14-day diet. In that case, you can get the most efficient option.

Which animal products include a 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 must be eaten without the skin. Chicken breasts are especially helpful. One serving of 200 grams has only 300 calories and as much as 50 grams of protein.
  2. Seafood, including fish varieties, rich in essential omega acids (tuna, salmon). 150 g of tuna has 200 calories and 40 grams of protein.
  3. Low-fat dairy products (kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese). 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese contains 25 grams of protein and 200 calories;
  4. Egg whites. It consists almost entirely of protein. In addition, egg white contains important antioxidants for the body, which protect the human body from aging.
foods high in protein

Diet menu for 10 days

The dishes listed in the table, losing weight, are independently distributed and exchanged throughout the feeding period.

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

Dan Breakfast Dinner Afternoon snack Dinner
Day 1 Unsweetened herbal tea Chicken breast, stewed cabbage, green apples Low fat kefir Steamed fish, salad
Day 2 Sugar-free herbal tea, whole grain bread Ukha, without potatoes, cabbage salad Fat-free kefir, grapefruit Low calorie cottage cheese
Day 3 Unsweetened tea Boiled beef, raw vegetables Kefir, orange Beetroot and cabbage salad
Day 4 Sugar-free green tea, rye bread croutons Skinny fish stewed with vegetables Tofu cheese, apple Boiled eggs, grated carrots
Day 5 Natural coffee without sugar Cooked salad of beef, cabbage and carrots Skimmed milk Low-fat cottage cheese
Day 6 Sugar-free tea Beef soup, beet salad Kefir, grapefruit Boiled chicken, tomato
Day 7 Tea, rye rusks Fish with vegetables, whole grain bread Tofu cheese, apple Vegetable salad
Day 8 Natural coffee without sugar Cooked chicken fillet, croutons Kefir or fermented baked milk, citrus Carrot salad, soft-boiled egg
Day 9 Unsweetened drink Ukha without potatoes, raw vegetables Low fat cheese Vegetable salad
Day 10 Sugar-free tea Skinless chicken, tomato salad Apples Cooked lean fish

The menu of protein diet for weight loss for 10 days is diverse. Portions should be taken in moderation so as not to overeat and leave the table with a slight feeling of satiety.

Menu in 2 weeks

This is the longest-lasting nutritional system that provides an efficient, stable result. Compliance with it for 14 days will not bring a person any discomfort or unpleasant sensations.

Recommendations for a protein diet (menu for 14 days):

Dan Breakfast Dinner Dinner
Day 1 Unsweetened black coffee 2 hard-boiled eggs, stewed cabbage, a glass of tomato juice Roasted, fried or cooked fish
Day 2 Sugar-free coffee, rye croutons Cooked fish, vegetable salad Cooked beef (250 g), a glass of kefir
Day 3 Sugar-free coffee, rye croutons Zucchini fried in oil, green apples 2 hard boiled eggs, cabbage salad, boiled beef (200 g)
Day 4 Sugar-free black coffee Salad of 3 boiled carrots, hard cheese (15 g) Fruits or berries other than grapes and bananas
Day 5 Freshly grated carrot Cooked, baked or steamed fish, a glass of tomato juice Fruit or berries, excluding grapes and bananas
Day 6 Black coffee without sugar Boiled chicken, salad with vegetables 2 boiled eggs, freshly grated carrots
Day 7 Unsweetened tea (green or herbal) Cooked veal or beef (250 g), fresh fruit Dinner on one of the days, except 3.

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

Be sure to follow a drinking regimen. You can use green and herbal tea, water. It is completely forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, so as not to put stress on 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 during meals; it is best to stop feeling slightly hungry.

Advantages and disadvantages of a protein diet

Anyone who loses weight can diversify the menu by adding their favorite vegetables or unsweetened fruits. Positive features of this system include:

  1. The diet system allows for intense sports, which is difficult with other effective and fast weight loss methods.
  2. The diet is practically not accompanied by a feeling of hunger, because the time to digest protein foods is 4 hours.
  3. Body weight is normalized.
  4. The immune system is strengthened.
  5. The body is healed. The skin tightens, reduces cellulite and improves the condition of hair, skin and nails.
  6. The protein diet menu contains a lot of fiber that helps improve bowel function.
  7. Muscle mass is not depleted due to the presence of protein foods in the diet.
  8. Minimal manifestations of fatigue, lethargy and dizziness, typical for other children.
  9. The rate of weight loss with this food system is not lightning fast and allows you to maintain a stable weight after quitting.
fish dish on a protein diet

If you stick to a protein diet for a long time for weight loss, some negative consequences can occur:

  • The use of protein for a long time 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 amount of carbohydrates in the diet.
  • Increased irritability occurs due to lack of fat in the diet - the main building material for nerve cells.
  • Blood clotting problems, blood clots.
  • Protein diet can lead to disorders of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.
  • It is not recommended to eat this way to people who are 60 or older.
  • Bad breath caused by ingesting too much protein.

Before you start losing weight, it is best to consult a specialist so as not to harm the body.

Why proteins are so important to the body

Of the proteins is:

  • human bones, muscles, skin, hair are formed. They are constantly renewed, they need a new supply of protein;
  • Hormones "chemical messengers" are synthesized to help different body systems work harmoniously;
  • also enzymes are synthesized from proteins involved in a myriad of metabolic processes;

Proteins improve the work of the immune system. They also serve as a kind of vehicle in the body. For example, hemoglobin carries oxygen through the blood to the cells.

the importance of protein for weight loss

9 amino acids are called essential because the human body does not create them on its own. They come with food or supplements.

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

If you limit your diet to only carrots, cereals, potatoes and cabbage, the body will begin to feel a lack of protein. To avoid this, vegan people who are on a diet must regularly eat a lot of plant foods, including a variety of legumes, whole grains, nuts, and grains.

Contraindications

Every food system, including a protein diet, puts a strain on the body. Metabolism is accelerated, toxins are removed, fats are burned, and the stomach must adapt to new conditions and other foods.

Bodies begin to work in an improved mode. If all is not well with them, then chronic diseases can get worse, this must be taken into account when moving to a new menu. A daily protein diet is contraindicated in such cases:

  • diseases of the excretory system;
  • old age;
  • when you are expecting a baby and during lactation;
  • cholelithiasis;
  • cardiovascular pathology;
  • citrus allergy;
  • pathology of the digestive tract;
  • diabetes;
  • adolescence.

Any contraindication is a signal to stop for people who have chosen this diet. Only after removing the contraindications will you be able to lose weight with this diet system.

Principles of nutrition

The average duration of the diet is 5 days, in some cases the doctor may recommend adherence to a therapeutic diet for up to 10 days, but no longer. You cannot keep a diet longer than this period, because due to the lack of protein, the muscle tissue begins to contract quickly.

You need to keep track of your daily calorie count

Instead of protein foods, you need to start eating plant foods. On a protein-free diet, the daily intake of carbohydrates is 350 g, and fat - 80 g. The caloric content of the daily menu does not exceed 2200 kcal. If during the period the child adheres to bed rest and strictly limits any physical activity, then the calorie content can be reduced to 2000 kcal.

In addition, the diet includes a reduction in fluid and salt intake. This is due to the need to prevent the formation of edema, which is one of the symptoms of many kidney diseases. In that case, you need to carefully monitor the amount of potassium in your diet. Basically, patients take large doses of various diuretic drugs that expel potassium from the body, so the lack of this substance must be compensated by medication or proper product selection.

Useful tips to improve performance

Nutritionists suggest how to lose weight on a protein diet without harm or harm to health. Merely adhering to a diet may not be enough to achieve an effective result. It is necessary to use the principles of a healthy diet, which will be effective in the future:

  • It is best to have a medical examination before starting the diet.
  • You must obtain a doctor's permission to adhere to such a diet.
  • You must take multivitamins throughout your diet.
  • In case of dizziness, it is necessary to increase the intake of carbohydrates and fats in the body. It is allowed to add oatmeal to the morning menu.
  • It is best to refuse a protein diet if you feel worse.
  • You should not take any medications during the weight loss period.
  • Diet should be discussed with an expert.
  • You have to eat strictly by the hour.
  • You should count calories: consume more than you consume.
  • It is better to have dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime.
  • Items on the menu should be cooked, sautéed or steamed.
  • Container sizes: drinks (200 mg), other dishes (150 g) and fruit (100 g).
  • Limit the amount of salt you eat.
  • You need to sleep at least 8 hours a day.
  • You should give up bad habits.
  • Give up sports and cardio training. It is best to swim, go to the gym, aerobics or Pilates.
high-protein salad for weight loss

A protein diet is an effective nutritional system that allows you to normalize your weight and achieve harmony in a short time. Thanks to the variety of dishes, weight loss does not feel hunger and fatigue. Adherence to all recommendations improves health. Despite its many positive qualities, the diet has certain contraindications that must be considered before adhering to it.

What foods are best not to eat

Eliminate from your diet:

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

It is also important not to limit yourself to individual products. The more different foods, the better. Due to the variety, the diet becomes more balanced, it includes all the macro and microelements needed by the body.