The food system is constantly changing: after the peak of the "hunger" diets comes the "protein" or "fat" diet. Either calorie restriction or opposite nutritional systems are in trend. We will talk about the protein diet: what are its advantages, under what conditions does it helpweight loss.
Why should you not give up protein?
A young girl, a mature woman, an aspiring athlete - sometimes all of us, driven by the motives of losing weight at any cost, rush to limit ourselves in food, first removing fats and proteins. But it's one thing to "shake" your body for a week, and quite another to eat like this all the time: this doesn't bode well in the long run. But who follows the rules when you "really need" to lose weight?
Why protein-rich 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 don't do sports and just want to lose fat, don't remove protein from your diet: without it, your muscles won't recover properly after training.
- If the diet lacks protein, hair, teeth, nails and bones deteriorate and weaken.
- Proteins are made up of amino acids - the body needs 22 for normal functioning, 9 of which the body does not produce, but gets from food. When you exclude protein from the menu, you do not get substances without which the normal functioning of the body is impossible.
- Metabolic processes cannot take place without proteins, because they serve as a service to deliver oxygen molecules to the body's cells.
- Trying to limit yourself to only plant proteins (for vegans) has consequences: not all essential amino acids are found in grains, nuts, and soy. Vegans should supplement them with special vitamins and dietary supplements.
Protein diet for weight loss: how it works
Scientists have been investigating the effect of protein nutrition on weight loss for decades. And we found out why this is important in the fight against extra pounds:
- The protein, especially from meat, activates the production of the satiety hormone (leptin) and suppresses the production of the hunger hormone (ghrelin): therefore, by food that suppresses "brutal hunger" we most often mean meat;
- Protein speeds up metabolism and helps burn calories quickly. Dukan, Atkins, Malysheva, Kremlin and many other weight loss diets are based on this. The keto phenomenon is of the same nature: if a person receives a lot of protein and fat, but few carbohydrates, the body enters a state of ketosis, in which the excess fat is efficiently lost;
- When losing weight through intense physical activity, the protein menu is important to overcome skin sagging, which is possible with the sudden shedding of excess pounds, and to strengthen bones, teeth and hair.
The rules of the protein diet
Any serious diet should be prescribed and supervised by your doctor, taking into account your characteristics, desired and actual weight. Such a diet can be high in protein, like that of professional athletes during the growth of muscle mass, or a rational form of nutrition to improve health and lose weight. The second option will help you achieve the desired result without much difficulty.
The rules for protein weight loss are as follows:
- 50% (ideally 60%) of the daily menu should be protein.
- The amount of fats and carbohydrates should be reduced, ideally not exceeding 15% of the daily diet.
- The protein menu is complemented by vegetables and herbs with fiber and vitamins.
- Sugary fruits should be limited to 2 pieces per day.
- You should drink more water, of course you should avoid sweet soda.
- The menu has no place for preservatives, sauces and mayonnaise.
- The emphasis is on cooked, boiled or steamed food without baking.
- Meals are fractional, 5-6 times a day, in portions of no more than 200 grams.
- Physical activity is important in speeding up the metabolism and thereby losing weight faster.
With this nutritional approach, you can lose 4-10 pounds in two weeks. But if you stick to the proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates described above, this can be difficult. And the body should not be subjected to such a strict diet for more than 3-4 weeks, or the diet should be kept under the supervision of a doctor.
Contraindications to this diet:
- anemia;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- kidney disease;
- pancreatic diseases;
- 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 much of your diet, you just have to look at the menu:
- increase the amount of protein products in the diet: introduce meat, fish, eggs, green vegetables, dairy products and fermented milk products;
- monitor total daily calorie intake;
- eat small amounts of food and drink enough fluids;
- minimize frying while cooking, remove mayonnaise from the diet, reduce salt and coffee consumption;
- To speed up weight loss, you need proper physical exercise.
How to make a menu correctly
Now it's about planning a protein menu for weight loss. Many people feel uncomfortable offering a set menu for the week. We show you the approximate options that you can focus on. Or put them together for the weekly menu.Breakfast
Egg
In diet mode, it is customary to eat only protein. But even with a diet, you can eat eggs almost every day if you don't have an allergy. For example, boiled eggs can be on the menu on Monday and Wednesday, and omelets on Tuesday and Thursday.
Both chicken and quail eggs are useful - you can alternate between them. Below you will find a simple and delicious omelette recipe.
Cereals and porridge
Nutritionists call lentil and bean porridge the richest in protein. The first is tasty and low-calorie, rich in microelements and fiber. It is worth adding it to the menu at least once a week for breakfast or lunch. Find the recipe below.
Important
Despite the benefits, cereals contain a lot of carbohydrates, which can ruin your diet. Therefore, we recommend that you rarely add porridge, muesli and granola to your menu.
Dairy product
For breakfast, yogurt or cottage cheese are great options: but they must be sugar-free and low-fat in the diet menu.
Fresh or frozen berries can be added to the fermented milk products, and greens can be added to the cottage cheese according to taste. Or you can make delicious protein-rich (low-calorie! ) yogurt with Eastern 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, turkey scrambled eggs will be useful. Plus, it's ready in 10 minutes.
Dinner
Salads
Tuna bean salad, as described in our recipe, can be a complete lunch. Balanced, satisfying meals in just 15 minutes.
Clams in a spinach salad can be lunch or part of a specific meal. Tasty, low-calorie and nutritious.
Soups
Simple and healthy lean lentil soup? Simple, fast and cheap in every sense. Check out our step-by-step recipe.
Another option is aromatic bean soup. Pork tenderloin is rich in protein and contains almost no fat or carbohydrates. Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt: less fat.
If you think traditional cabbage soup is not for you, you are wrong - follow our recipe with photos and make a tasty, healthy and budget-friendly soup.
You can also consider shrimp vegetable soups: but to stay on the diet, remove the heavy cream or replace it with protein yogurt.
Second courses
Tuna is called sea beef: it is thick, juicy, resembles meat, and 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 presented below.
What about dumplings? If you use fish according to the recipe below, they can be prepared for almost the entire duration of the diet, and there will be no problem with lunch either: 2-3 dumpling days a week will certainly not bore you with the monotony.
If you're short on time, save the recipe with the video below. Chicken fillet with beans is perhaps 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
Watch your calorie intake if your goal is to lose weight. We should think of our lunch options as meals from which we can choose: we combine the first course and salad or the main course and salad without exceeding the daily calorie level.
Dinner
Fish or seafood
Spinach with shrimp can be called a snack, a full dinner or a hot salad - the essence will not change. This is a low-calorie and very tasty dish: almost a haute cuisine menu, but it is ready in less than half an hour.
If you are wondering if it is possible to eat cheaply on such a diet, the answer is of course yes. It is not necessary to eat shrimp every day, the classic, cheap white fish is enough. For example, cod - a lot of vitamins, protein and a very nice presentation. The following recipe 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 three times a week.
Meat or poultry
Steak is always good because meat is one of the main sources of protein. But considering the calorie requirement, we advise you to pay attention to the recipe for juicy turkey steak with teriyaki sauce.
You can eat steak or steak 1-3 times a week. Their calorie content is reduced if they are fried or grilled without oil.
Combined dinner
Baking, as many people believe, should be avoided with the 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 eating scrambled eggs for dinner, here is a recipe for fried meat. You can also reduce the calorie content by choosing the oven instead of the pan.
Would you like a pizza? There is a perfectly acceptable option that you can afford once every 1-2 weeks: get a recipe for zucchini mini-pizzas.
Snacks 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 your vegetable salad with a spoonful of walnuts.
The same with dried fruits - raisins, dried apricots, prunes and citrus fruits. They contain protein, fiber and a lot of sugar. This can ruin your weekly efforts.
What you didn't sell for breakfast from yogurt and cottage cheese snacks is very suitable for snacks. A slice of sheep's cottage cheese is an excellent solution for any occasion.
And in order to be able to enjoy desserts, but not increase the total calorie content, we can approach the matter in a sporty way: use protein powder. It is added to pies and cheesecakes instead of flour. It turns out to be a protein bomb of benefits and flavors. Like, for example, the waffles whose recipe you can find below.
What can be done?
Make protein shakes. They are saturated with protein, provide vitamins and an unusual taste. Learn easy weight loss smoothie recipes to get you started on your path to healthy eating.