Nutritionists assure: a protein diet for weight loss allows you not only to fit in a dress one size smaller, but also to fix the weight. Yes, and you need to hold out relatively little - 2 weeks. But the diet also has pitfalls.
How this diet differs from the rest
The medically approved human diet contains 12% protein. This is enough for an active life and healthy work of the body. At least 1 g of "pure" protein should fall per 1 kg of human weight.
Eating a protein diet is based on reducing the intake of carbohydrates and fats. That is,the daily percentage of protein consumed by a person grows.
Proteins take four hours to digest to ensure you feel full for the day. You will not starve on such a diet.
List of Approved Products:
- lean meats (skinless chicken or turkey fillets, veal, rabbit);
- reduced fat milk (as well as vegan milk - say soy milk);
- chicken or quail eggs (it is better to use only protein);
- "dry" fish varieties (hake, pollock, cod, carp, pike);
- seafood (shrimp - yes, crab sticks - no, these are carbohydrates);
- soy products (tofu cheese, soy meatballs or goulash, sprouted soybean salad);
- legumes (peas, beans, beans, lentils);
- oatmeal, quinoa;
- vegetables such as brussels sprouts, broccoli;
- seeds (the champion in protein content is pumpkin);
- nuts.
Bread and flour products, sweets, foods with a high percentage of fat, alcohol, soda are prohibited.
Protein Alternative
The Atkins diet and the Kremlin diet are based on a similar nutritional principle. Such diets are also effective (this is proved by repeated examples of stars who praise protein nutrition in interviews), but it is difficult to call them the healthiest. Reviews of those who are losing weight often end with the words "I could not restrain myself, I lost it. "
The point is that these diets exclude carbohydrates. And, since these nutrients are needed by the body, a person will constantly dream of sweets, until the thought of sweets or pies becomes an obsession.
Ducan's diet is also protein (especially phase 1 - Attack). But in this case, reviews warn of possible kidney problems. On this diet, you should never violate the drinking regimen, and if the kidneys previously gave slack (sand or stones were found in this organ, a history of a "dormant" chronic disease), it is better not to take risks and lose weight by another method.
How does such nutrition benefit the body?
Proteins, they are proteins - these are the "bricks" of which the human body is built. Digestion converts them into amino acids, without which muscle growth, the correct production of hormones, and the liver are impossible. A person who consumes too little protein is faced with chronic fatigue, reduced performance, inability to build a beautiful muscle relief when playing sports.
That is, a lot of protein is not only the absence of hunger, but also strength, beauty, health.
Diet Pros
- Unlike mono diets, protein nutrition pleaseswith a large list of allowed dishes. And if you compare with "hungry" methods of losing weight (for example, with the Japanese or French diet), this food is plentiful, and you will not have to struggle with the constantly arising appetite.
- Necessary products are sold in every supermarket.
- The body gets used to small portions, so that even after leaving the diet the body will not require a "bowl" of food.
- You are losing weight not due to loss of muscle mass, but due to melting fat(therefore, a protein diet is suitable not only for women, but also for men).
- The menu tastes good. Meat and seafood with salads are not nasty onion or celery soups, solid boiled buckwheat and other dubious joys of mono-diets.
- The result is pinned. If the weight comes back, then only after 6-8 months.
- Protein strengthens bones. Protein diet is an effective prevention of osteoporosis.
But don't forget thedrinking regime. Obligatory daily allowance of 1. 5-2 liters of water is a guarantee of fresh health, tightened skin (even with a loss of 5-6 kg), healthy kidney function.
Important: In the early days of the diet, the body loses a lot of water (hence the protein regimen is called "drying"). Drink plenty to replenish moisture loss. However, in the following days, the body needs clean water: the liquid will help to remove toxins released during the "melting" of fat reserves.
Disadvantages and contraindications
- Protein diet is unlikely to suit vegetarians, because it is based on the regular use of animal products. Of course, you can try to get out of it by eating lots of soy substitutes (vegan sausages and meatballs) and legumes. But at the same time, there will be no choice in the diet, so it will quickly become boring.
- This diet is slow. For a week on "protein" you can also lose weight, but this weight will not be fixed. To get a more or less decent result, lose weight from 2 weeks.
- Thediet is categorically contraindicatedfor people suffering from liver and kidney diseases. Also at risk are those suffering from arthritis, arthrosis and other joint diseases, having problems with the gastrointestinal tract (chronic pancreatitis, dysbiosis, colitis), heart problems (arrhythmia). It is worth refraining from a protein diet for pregnant women as well as lactating women.
- Although it is believed that this is not a "hungry" diet, it is impossible to eat protein food "from the belly". That is,will still have to limit yourself by measuring out small portions and refusing excessively plentiful snacks.
- Due to a decrease in the amount of sugar in the diet, a person may be faced with the inability to concentrate on work, reduced working capacity, unreasonably spoiling mood. It will be especially difficult for people of mental labor.
- In addition to carbohydrates, such a diet is poor in fiber. And for such nutrition, the body will "avenge" constipation. Drinking often will help to solve this problem (but instead of tea, pour yourself clean water without gas). Also, do not ignore fresh herbs, vegetables, bran (add to salads, cottage cheese, buy diet whole grain bread).
Can a protein diet harm?
Yes, if the person gets too carried away by completely giving up carbohydrates. It's true, we get fat from them, butcarbohydrates are neededfor muscle strengthening, proper cell division of the body, mental activity and the same physical endurance.
In addition, the increased protein content in the dietprovokes the appearance of sand and kidney stones, constantly overloading this organ. So stretching the protein diet (even if you really liked the diet) is not worth it.
By the way: it is believed that if a person goes in for sports on a protein diet (including strength training), the harm of a large amount of protein will be minimized.
When starting to lose weight, remember . . .
- Don't be hungry. Hungry - cook! You can have a snack, but - only light vegetables or permitted protein meals.
- Drink with meals. And not 2-3 sips, but up to 2 glasses of water. The liquid will help your stomach handle heavy meals.
- Give up fat(if possible completely). Don't even oil the salad.
- If you see that you are buying few fruits and vegetables, do not hesitate - addvitamin supplementsto your diet.
- Supplement your diet with exercise.This is not only possible, but necessary, because fitness and shaping will speed up the process of losing weight.
- It is desirable to eat fractionally, dividing the daily food into 6 meals.
- You can repeat this diet after 4 months, but better later.
- Desired daily calorie content -from 700 kcal, maximum 1200 kcal. Remember: the daily energy requirement for a petite woman and a tall muscular man is different. If the mentioned 700-800 kcal is enough for the first, then such a diet will “kill” the health, its norm is at least 1200 kcal, or even more.
- The menu must be balanced: Combine vegetable and animal proteins.
What to cook all week
The simplest menu for a week and 14 days does not require long standing at the stove (after all, a long cooking is a constant “sampling” and an unabated appetite). Use products with a minimum, or better - zero fat content.
But: it can be difficult to buy diet meals in supermarkets or cafes. So it's better to prepare lunch in advance, at home (in the morning or in the evening), take it with you to the office in a tray and warm it up there.
Breakfast: quick ideas
Have breakfast 30 minutes after getting up.
- A portion of cottage cheese without honey and sugar. You can make the dish more appetizing with 2-3 tablespoons of berries, a handful of seeds, or garlic and herbs. It is not often possible to allow yourself to dry fruits (say, raisins). But banana, grapes or honey should not be added to cottage cheese - these products contain a lot of carbohydrates.
- Omelet with spinach and / or broccoli.
- Egg Scramble. The recipe for this dish is simple: eggs are broken into a cold saucepan, butter is added, the saucepan is put on fire. The eggs are mixed. When they cool down, take out the scrambled eggs on a plate and sprinkle with herbs . . . Yes, this is the same omelet, but from Gordon Ramsay! But it is rarely worth cooking, because the recipe contains oil.
- Sandwich: A slice of whole grain bread toasted without oil + boiled chicken breast + lettuce.
- Chicken (boiled, baked) + salad of fresh carrots and apples drizzled with lemon juice.
- Chicken broccoli soup.
- Unsweetened oatmeal + protein omelet (1 yolk can be left for 3 proteins).
To make it to lunch, you need amorning snack. The protein diet does not prohibit it.
Allow yourself 2-3 fruits. They will saturate the body with fructose and "fast" carbohydrates, which in the first half of the day will have time to go into motion and are completely used up.
But since the diet is protein, you should choose snacks to match it: a protein shake, a slice of low-fat cheese, boiled egg white, a smoothie with soy milk, grated carrots with sour cream dressing.
Lunch: Easy to Take
- Lentil soup (you can cook for 2 days, and so that the soup does not become boring, the next day turn it into puree and season with light sour cream).
- Steak + vegetable salad (no potatoes and corn).
- A serving of whole grain noodles (or durum wheat pasta) + vegetables + tofu.
- Light shrimp salad.
- Grilled turkey (fillet) + green salad.
- Boiled chicken fillet + a portion of mushrooms (cooked without sauce, stewed or baked, including grilled). These dishes can be prepared in double quantities, leaving half for dinner.
- Steamed chicken meatballs + rice garnish (max. 5 large spoons).
Some nutritionists also allow salmon fillets to be cooked, but not more than 75 g per serving.
After lunch, theafternoon snackis important (or snack # 2). In this case, try to avoid carbohydrates and fats. Crunch with fresh cucumber or 2-3 lettuce leaves.
Nuts are also a great solution. There is a lot of protein in this product (especially in peanuts, almonds, pistachios), but no less calories, so eat a little, but do not get carried away with nuts. The maximum daily dose is 30 g of nuts. It is desirable that this product is neither fried nor salty.
Dinner: Hey Easy!
- Chicken fillet + celery salad (any kind).
- Falafel + Green Salad. Important: Falafel recipes require you to deep-fat it. But this is not your option, because you are losing weight. Bake chickpea balls in the oven, so it will turn out to reduce the calorie content of dinner at times.
- Braised rabbit + quinoa garnish.
- Mussels cooked in tomato sauce.
- Boiled beans + steamed lean fish fillets.
- Boiled or canned tuna + a serving of seaweed.
- Protein omelet from 3-4 eggs + fresh tomatoes.
- Salad from boiled proteins and fresh vegetables.
- Boiled beef meatballs + a glass of tomato juice.
- A portion of cottage cheese casserole (no sugar, with dried fruits, eggs and 2-3 tablespoons of semolina).
- Apple baked with cottage cheese and cinnamon.
You don't need to delay dinner.Finish it 3 hours before bed.
However, you shouldn't fall asleep from hand to mouth either. If before going to bed "sucks in the spoon", drink a glass of low-fat kefir, "empty" yogurt, yogurt.
Quitting the diet
Don't rush to buy sweets and fast food!
First, cook everything the same as you are used to, but start pouring vegetable oil on the salads(sesame, olive). Also pay attention to coconut oil - it can be used to season porridge, and it is also fried in this oil. At the same time, coconut oil saturates the body with vitamins, but contains few calories.
Introduce 100 kcal per dayuntil you return to the "pre-diet" diet . . . However, if because of it you gained extra weight, you have probably already revised it and will not eat like that again!
And do not forget to introduce morefiberinto the diet (champions in the content of such a nutrient - bran, pears, avocados, apples, beets, artichokes, chia seeds). Your task is to quickly cleanse the "stagnant" intestines.
The experience of those who lost weight (and did not lose weight)
Positive Feedback
- The diet works, the weight is gone.
- Don't leave the gym.
- No hunger. She got hungry - she immediately took out something protein from the "bins". If you ran in and did not manage to cook something for yourself a day in advance, snacks for this diet are sold even at gas stations and in small shops near the house (cereal bread, nuts, dried meat snacks, dried fish fillets or squid rings, salted or canned).
- The experience of losing weight on 100% vegetable protein is described (the basis of such a diet was made up of lentils, soy meat, as well as tripled the amount of dairy products).
- Along with losing weight, you can gain catchy muscles, build abs, squat your buttocks.
- After losing weight, the volumes from the waist and hips were gone, but the bust remained unchanged.
Losing weight women also call the protein diet"beauty diet", because during this diet, the appearance of cellulite decreases, the face freshens, the skin tightens, acne and blackheads disappear. Finally, during this period it is especially sweet and sound to sleep - and healthy sleep also has a positive effect on appearance.
And "the cherry on the cake":Positive feedback on the protein diet - about 95% of the total weight.
Criticism and shattered illusions
- If your store does not sell a rabbit, and you rarely buy turkey, you will have to build your entire menu on chicken. As a result, by the end of the second week, you no longer want to look at this meat.
- People with high blood pressure jump from high protein.
- Some people crave sweets all the time.
- If you get carried away with the diet and tighten it, protein poisoning will begin. This condition can be recognized bythe characteristic body odor that has appeared- it gives off acetone from the skin. The smell has gone - we urgently "roll up the fishing rods" and introduce fiber, glucose.
- If you need to lose weight to the maximum, you need to count calories on a diet, weigh portions.