The food system is constantly changing: after the peak of "starvation" diets come "protein" or "fat" diets. The trend is either calorie restriction or opposing nutritional systems. We will talk about the protein diet: what are its advantages, under what conditions it will help you lose weight.
Why you shouldn't give up protein
A young girl, a mature woman, a future athlete - sometimes all of us, at any cost to lose weight, are in a hurry to limit ourselves with food, eliminating fats and proteins first. But it's one thing to "move" your body for a week and it's quite another to always eat like this: it doesn't bode well in the long run. But who follows the rules when you "really need" to lose weight?
Why protein foods should be on the menu:
- Without protein, there is no muscle building. When athletes gain muscle mass, they need to consume a lot of protein. If you are not an athlete and just want to lose fat, do not remove protein from your diet: without it, your muscles will not recover properly after training.
- If there is a lack of protein in the diet, hair, teeth, nails and bones deteriorate and weaken.
- Proteins consist of amino acids – the body needs 22 for normal functioning, of which 9 are not produced by the body and are obtained from food. Excluding proteins from the menu does not provide substances without which the normal functioning of the body is impossible.
- Without proteins, metabolic processes do not occur, because they act as a service to carry oxygen molecules to the cells of the body.
- Trying to limit yourself to plant proteins (vegan) has consequences: not all essential amino acids are found in grains, nuts and soy. Vegans should supplement them with special vitamins and nutritional supplements.
Protein diet for weight loss: how it works
Scientists have studied the effects of a protein diet on weight loss for decades. And we found out why it is important in the fight against extra pounds:
- Protein, especially from meat, activates the production of the satiety hormone (leptin) and suppresses the production of the hunger hormone (ghrelin): therefore, "brutal hunger" most often means meat;
- Protein boosts your metabolism, helping you burn calories quickly. Dukan, Atkins, Malysheva, Kremlin and many other weight loss diets are based on it. The keto phenomenon has the same nature: when a person receives a lot of protein and fat, but little carbohydrates, the body enters a state of ketosis, in which there is an effective loss of excess fat;
- In the case of intensive weight loss through physical activity, a protein diet is important to combat the sagging skin that can occur with sudden weight loss and to strengthen bones, teeth and hair.
Protein diet rules
Any serious diet should be determined and monitored by a doctor, taking into account your characteristics, desired and actual weight. Such a diet can be high in protein, for example, for professional athletes in periods of muscle growth, or a rational form of nutrition for improving health and losing weight. The second option will help you get the desired result without much difficulty.
The rules for protein weight loss are:
- Protein should be 50% of the daily menu (ideally 60%).
- The amount of fat and carbohydrates should be reduced, ideally they should not exceed 15% of the daily diet.
- Vegetables and herbs complement the protein menu with fiber and vitamins.
- Sweet fruits should be limited to 2 pieces per day.
- Drink more water, of course, avoiding sugary soda.
- The menu has no place for preservatives, sauces and mayonnaise.
- The emphasis is on food prepared without frying, boiled or steamed.
- Meals are partial, 5-6 times a day, in portions no more than 200 grams.
- Physical activity is important for speeding up the metabolism and therefore for faster weight loss.
This nutritional approach helps you lose 4 to 10 extra pounds in two weeks. But if you follow the proportions of protein, fat and carbohydrates described above, it can be difficult. And the body should not be subjected to this type of strict diet for more than 3-4 weeks, or the diet should be under the supervision of a doctor.
Contraindications for this diet:
- anemia;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- kidney disease;
- diseases of the pancreas;
- problems with the heart and blood vessels;
- diabetes;
- cases of individual protein intolerance.
And yes, protein poisoning is not a myth.
If you want to focus on protein nutrition and lose weight easily without changing your diet much, you just need to review the menu:
- increase the amount of protein products in the diet: introduce meat, fish, eggs, green vegetables, milk and fermented milk products;
- monitor total daily calorie consumption;
- eat small meals and drink enough fluids;
- minimize frying when cooking, remove mayonnaise from the diet, reduce salt and coffee consumption;
- To speed up weight loss, you need physical exercise.
How to properly create a menu
Now about planning a protein menu for weight loss. Many people feel uncomfortable when presented with ready-made menus for the week. We'll show you rough options that you can focus on. Or create your weekly menu from them.For breakfast
Eggs
It is customary to eat only protein in the diet. But even on a diet, you can eat eggs almost every day if you don't have an allergy. For example, on Monday and Wednesday, the menu may include boiled eggs, but on Tuesday and Thursday, there may be an omelette.
Both chicken and quail eggs are useful - you can change them. You will find the recipe for a simple and tasty omelette below.
Cereals and porridge
Nutritionists call lentil and bean porridge the richest in protein. The first is tasty and low-calorie, rich in trace elements and fiber. It is worth including in the breakfast or lunch menu at least once a week. Find the recipe below.
Important
Despite the benefits, cereals contain a lot of carbohydrates, which can ruin your diet. Therefore, we recommend including porridge, muesli and granola in the menu less often.
Milk
Yogurt or cottage cheese for breakfast is a great option: but the diet menu should be sugar-free and low-fat.
Fresh or frozen berries can be added to fermented milk products, and herbs to taste to cottage cheese. Or you can make a delicious protein (low-calorie! ) yogurt with oriental eggs - step-by-step instructions and photos await you below.
Breakfast "combination" with meat
In autumn and winter, breakfast is denser than in summer, because we need energy for the whole next day. Therefore, scrambled eggs with turkey will be beneficial. Plus, it cooks in 10 minutes.
Dinner
Salad
Tuna salad with beans, as in our recipe, can be a complete lunch. Balanced, satisfying meals in just 15 minutes.
Mussels in spinach salad can be lunch or part of a set meal. Tasty, low-calorie and nutritious.
Soups
A simple and healthy lean lentil soup? Easy, fast and cheap in every sense. See our recipe with a step-by-step description.
Another option is flavored bean soup. Pork tenderloin is rich in protein and contains almost no fat or carbohydrates. Just replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt: it's less fatty.
If you think that traditional cabbage soup will not work for you, you are wrong - take our recipe with photos and make a delicious, healthy and budget-friendly soup.
You can also consider the options of vegetable soup with shrimp: but to follow the diet, you should remove the heavy cream or replace it with protein yogurt.
Second courses
Tuna is called sea beef: it is dense, juicy and resembles meat, contains a lot of protein and vitamins. Therefore, tuna fillet can be an option for lunch, the step-by-step recipe for its preparation is given below.
How about dumplings? If it is fish according to the recipe below, it can be prepared almost the entire time of the diet, and there will be no problem with lunch: 2-3 days of dumplings a week will definitely not tire of monotony.
If time is short, save the recipe with the video below. Chicken fillet with beans is probably the fastest recipe for delicious weight loss.
Another good option for a quick and satisfying afternoon meal: try the spicy beef, you won't be disappointed.
Important
Pay attention to your calorie intake if your goal is to lose weight. Our lunch options should be considered meals to choose from: combine a first course and a salad or a main course and a salad without exceeding the daily calorie level.
Dinner
Fish or seafood
Spinach with shrimp can be called a snack, a hearty dinner or a hot salad - the essence will not change. This is a low-calorie and very tasty dish: almost haute cuisine, but prepared in less than half an hour.
If you're wondering if it's possible to eat cheaply on this diet, the answer is of course yes. You don't have to eat shrimp every day, a classic, cheap white fish is enough. For example, cod - a lot of vitamins, proteins and a very beautiful presentation. The recipe below can be prepared in half an hour and your family or guests will be delighted with its appearance, taste and healthiness.
Advice
Fish foods are usually high in protein and nutrients, but generally low in calories; try to include them in your diet at least 3 times a week.
Meat or poultry
Steak is always good because meat is one of the main sources of protein. But considering the calorie requirements, we recommend that you pay attention to the recipe for juicy turkey steak with teriyaki sauce.
You can eat meat steaks or steaks 1-3 times a week. Their calorie content will be reduced by frying or grilling without oil.
Combined dinner
Baking, as many believe, should be avoided on a diet. But from beef liver pancakes according to our recipe - no. You can prepare the dish at least once a week and make it even healthier: bake pancakes in the oven without oil.
If you don't mind having scrambled eggs for dinner, here's a recipe for making it with roast meat. You can also reduce its calorie content by choosing the oven instead of pans.
Would you like some pizza? There is a perfectly acceptable option that you can afford once every 1-2 weeks: get a recipe for a mini pizza with zucchini.
Appetizers and desserts
Nuts, seeds, chia and sesame seeds are rich in protein but high in fat. So a handful of nuts or seeds is not suitable as a snack during diet weeks. But you can decorate a vegetable salad with a spoonful of nuts.
The same with dried fruits - raisins, dried apricots, prunes and citrus fruits. They contain protein, fiber and a lot of sugar. It can ruin your efforts for the week.
What you didn't sell for breakfast from yogurt and cottage cheese snacks is pretty good for snacks. A slice of sheep's cheese is a great solution for any occasion.
And in order to be able to enjoy desserts, but not increase the total calorie content, you can approach the matter in a sporty way: use protein powder. It is added instead of flour to pies and cheesecakes. It turns out to be a protein bomb of benefits and taste. Like, for example, those waffles, the recipe of which you will find below.
What can be done?
Make protein shakes. They saturate with protein, provide vitamins and an unusual taste. Learn easy weight loss smoothie recipes to get you started on your way to a healthy diet.