Protein diet for weight loss: 3 menu options, pros and cons of the diet

Hi everyone! Today I will tell you how to lose up to 3 kilograms in 10 days without feeling hungry and without doing intense exercise. We were taught that results can only come through hard work. However, there is a protein diet for weight loss and with it you can actually lose weight in a very short time, of course, under a number of conditions. Below you'll learn how to wear those skinny jeans you never bought.

Looking to the future: protein dietnot suitable as a permanent base, you can practice it for 7 to 14 days several times a year.

What we will talk about in this post:

• what is a protein diet,
• when it can be used and to whom,
• its pros and cons (we will certainly see the contraindications),
• permitted and prohibited products,
• approximate food for several days,
• reviews from those who have personally tested the system.

What Causes Weight Loss on Protein?

What have you heard about the protein diet? Many people often confuse it with keto nutrition. However, there is a small but key difference between these weight loss options. Take a look at the diagram.

• Macronutrient ratio on keto: B - 20%, F - 75%, U - 5%;
• The ratio of macronutrients in a protein diet: B - 70%, F - 5%, U - 25%;

The high-fat (keto) system involves consuming large amounts of high-fat foods. If it is fish, then it is the fattest one; if it's meat, it's definitely not lean. And most importantly, there should be no other elements. Carbohydrates are prohibited, even complex ones, which can only be obtained from vegetables, herbs and a couple of other products.

Losing weight with protein foods, on the contrary, rather prohibits eating too fatty foods and allows a small amount of "long-term" carbohydrates for breakfast or lunch. Additionally, you can eat unsweetened dairy products and fermented milk ingredients.

That is, you practically do not limit yourself in food, you do not feel hunger and at the same time you lose volume and weight. The main thing is to maintain your calorie intake, protein foods are very filling, you may simply not get the calories you need, this will slow down the weight loss process. It can be calculated using the calorie table. There are a lot of them on the Internet. Print and hang on the fridge for easy counting or use the free app. The daily norm for weight loss with a less active lifestyle is 1200-1500 kcal.

The optimal number of meals per day: five to six times in small portions. Coffee, unsweetened tea and water are allowed. Muscle mass does not suffer and remains in place, and with physical activity it can even grow.

The advantage of this diet is that, due to the lack of fast carbohydrates:

• first, excess moisture is removed,
• and secondly, the reserves of the hips, flanks and abdomen are used.

Therefore, you lose weight quite quickly and see results immediately. This technique is also called "drying". Athletes actively use it before important competitions.

Protein foods for weight loss: list

Let's find out what qualifies as a protein product. Many people may have different ideas about them.

Here's what you should buy during your diet:

• chicken and turkey breast,
• ham without starch and sugar from the same birds,
• veal, beef, rabbit,
• low-fat cheeses (cheese, feta, tofu),
• low-fat, unsweetened dairy products,
• ricotta up to 9%,
• sour cream up to 15%,
• fish (preferably not too fatty), seafood,
• mushrooms,
• vegetable oils,
• Lentils,
• egg,
• whey protein (optional, but as a snack - a salvation for the lazy).

You should also include in your shopping list:

• green fruit and vegetables (avoid too sweet fruit and limit yourself to 1-2 pieces per day),
• from cereals, leave oat flakes, buckwheat, brown rice (though in moderation),
• green.

Avoid frying since. . . destroys amino acids. It is best to stew, bake or boil the ingredients.

Here is a list of what should be excluded from the diet:

• sweets (anything that contains sugar),
• Honey,
• focaccias and white bread,
• soda and any alcohol,
• semi-finished products, including sausages and frankfurters (even if they have the ideal composition),
• canned food,
• pasta,
• cereals with a high glycemic index (white rice),
• sauces,
• spicy food
• fast food and street food.

Let me remind you that this restriction list is only valid for 7-14 days. Then you can introduce the ingredients gradually.

Ideally, eat what is prepared at home, and not in a cafe, and you will be happy on the scales and in the dressing room.

Protein norm per day

Under normal conditions, without physical activity, a person needs 0. 66-0. 8 g. protein per kilogram of weight (WHO). For weight loss on a protein diet, this norm is doubled. If you follow a protein diet, the norm is 1. 3 to 1. 6 g. per 1 kg of weight.

The calculation does not take into account the current body weight, but the desired one.

How not to harm excess protein?

But it is important to clarify: a protein diet is not a healthy diet. In the sense that it is not balanced in terms of BJU and is suitable for limited time use. The most optimal is a week, maximum 14 days. If it is longer, you can harm your body and get a long list of problems instead of a flat stomach. I will dwell further on this point.

By the way, for people who do not get enough protein in their daily diet, switching to a similar diet can also be beneficial: eating habits should be restructured.

Amino acids in foods of animal and plant origin are important for immunity, especially during the cold season. Residents of coastal towns get sick less because they regularly eat fatty sea fish.

Furthermore, without proteins it is impossible to keep your skin young. Flaccidity, dullness, peeling, early wrinkles - these are, among other things, symptoms of a lack of meat and fermented milk in the daily menu.

It is especially important that women receive all microelements. Their deficiency leads to inflammatory processes in the female reproductive system, difficulty conceiving, dizziness, etc.

Pleasant side effects of this diet are decreased appetite and weight loss. Personally tested: after a good steak you won't want to eat it soon. And you completely forget about sweets.

I once took a fish oil course and noticed that I started craving less sweets and biscuits. However, do not rush to get ready for the supermarket. Let's find out, is this menu right for you?

To whom and how much?

Despite the apparent PP of the diet, it has a number of limitations.

• First of all it is not balanced. Carbohydrates and fats will decrease. Add here the lack of vitamins and minerals.

  That is why it is not recommended to abuse this menu. One week, maximum 14 days. This is a critical period after which the body will understand that it is missing something and will begin to rebel. But we don't want it. Ideally, take additional vitamins for seven to fourteen days. Of course, subject to agreement with your doctor.

• Secondly, the load on the kidneys is significant, which means they work to the limit. It shouldn't be like this.
• Thirdly, the recommended break between diets is at least 3 months, preferably six months. That is, such an expressed remedy cannot be used against gluttony on New Year's Eve, and then even after March 8. Just two or four times a year, wisely, with the right shopping list and thoughtful recipes.

Who is suitable and who is not suitable for protein weight loss?

If your health is good, you are not allergic to amino acids or some ingredients in the menu and you want to lose up to 5 kilograms, you can safely switch to a protein diet.

But, as always, I highly recommend that you consult a doctor or registered dietitian before experimenting on yourself.

Here is a list of contraindications according to which you should not eat a lot of protein for dinner, lunch and breakfast:

• pregnancy and breastfeeding,
• kidney problems,
• diabetes,
• chronic diseases,
• anemia,
• diseases of the female reproductive system,
• liver problems,
• gastrointestinal diseases.

Additionally, children and teens shouldn't just switch to meat and dairy. Their growing bodies require large amounts of carbohydrate fuel.

Pros of the system

We describe all the advantages of the system:

• A relatively safe weight loss technique. This is not a mono-diet with its hard blow to the immune system and not a ruthless detox. In reasonable quantities and with a healthy approach, nothing bad will happen,
• a truly working weight loss system. According to my friends, they really lost kilos without much effort,
• ideal diet at home. No complicated recipes or dishes. Very simple and understandable food that is sold in every supermarket,
• I don't want sweets at all and my appetite decreases. This is true! I checked it myself. Sometimes the need for dinner disappeared completely,
• you can organize fasting days even on holiday or traveling (obviously if you have strong willpower),
• easy to prepare dishes.

And the shortcomings?

Disadvantages of protein nutrition

Don't rush to buy chicken and eggs until you read the following points:

• relatively small list of food items. There are options to choose from, but some familiar ingredients are still off limits. For example, the same potatoes,
• At first, weakness and nervousness may occur due to lack of carbohydrates. A real sugar withdrawal also occurs. If you have a sweet tooth, be patient for a couple of days, then it will become easier,
• problems with stool. Constipation can occur due to lack of fiber. The problem can be solved by taking raw vegetable oils, drinking at least one and a half liters of water and including vegetable salads in the menu,
• there is ammonia smell from the mouth. This happens when there is more protein in the body than usual. Just drinking lots of fluids will help a little in this case,
• It is necessary to exit the diet carefully. Many "nutritionists" write that the weight disappears and does not return. Yes, this is true, but provided that you gradually and correctly transition to a normal diet. Gradually include small portions of complex carbohydrates and only then gradually add sweets and starchy foods,
• if you are in treatment or don't want to give up alcohol you shouldn't even start,
• you have to eat small portions 4-6 times. This point is not a definitive negative. But when time is lacking, it can be difficult to find the opportunity to snack more than once at work,
• you need to think about the menu so that it does not become boring and at least somewhat balanced.

Whether this weight loss option is right for you or not, decide for yourself. Please read these points carefully and evaluate your options and needs. If such weight loss is not suitable for you, there are many options for how to reduce the volume without harm to health.

Protein diet for weight loss: menu for several days

I offer 3 meal options. You can swap and combine dishes at your discretion. Add something of your own. I purposely didn't schedule it for the week, because there are many alternatives. You'll see for yourself.

option 1

Breakfast

• Two hard-boiled eggs
• 30 grams of cheese
• Vegetable salad with a teaspoon of oil
• Coffee

Snack

After a couple of hours, have a snack on natural yogurt or 5% cottage cheese with a handful of your favorite nuts, topped with a spoonful of sour cream.

Dinner

• Tilapia or catfish steak with a small portion of brown rice (about a handful) and cucumber.
• Spinach or mushroom soup.

Dinner

For dinner, prepare a stew with vegetables (without potatoes) and chicken. A couple of hours before going to sleep: kefir.

Remember to drink several glasses of water between meals.

option 2

Breakfast

• 2 wholemeal toasts, spread with cream cheese, topped with avocado and a piece of lightly salted fish.
• 1 hard-boiled egg, 30 grams of hard cheese.
• Coffee is the perfect way to start the day.

Snack

A handful of nuts and vegetables cut into strips.

Dinner

• Soup is a good first course for lunch. Any version without potatoes or rice.
• Baked chicken fillet with spices under a cheese cap.
• A serving of broccoli or cauliflower.

Dinner

• Stewed chicken breast, 3 tablespoons of buckwheat, cucumber salad with tomato, herbs and onion. Season with a teaspoon of oil.
• If desired, before bedtime, a portion of whey protein in milk 3, 2% or kefir.

Option 3

Breakfast

• Omelette with vegetables and pieces of stewed turkey.
• Buckwheat bread with feta.
• Coffee or tea.

Snack

Kefir with some unsweetened fruit. Sometimes I mix the ingredients in a blender and get a rich smoothie.

Dinner

For lunch, prepare a now fashionable bowl: mix a little boiled cereal (rice or lentils) in a plate, add lightly salted minced fish, your favorite vegetables, avocado, an egg in a bag, yolk which cola will serve as sauce. The result is a nutritious dish that will last until the evening.

Dinner

• Soup made with chicken leg and green vegetables (broccoli, spinach, celery, onion, cabbage, courgettes).
• Cucumber salad and canned tuna in its own juice.

As you can see, you will need the simplest recipes and quick meals.

What are people saying?

The girls I know say they resort to a protein diet when they needed to lose a few pounds quickly. According to them, such weight loss was one of the most delicate in life. It is not necessary to strictly limit yourself in food intake, on the contrary, you need to force yourself to eat regularly.

Here's what my friend says:

"I followed a protein diet for 7 days and lost 3 kilograms. Without fatigue and hunger. The first two days I really wanted sausages and sweets. It was strange to drink tea without sugar. But on the third day it somehow became easier. On the bright side, I've freed myself from drinking hot, sweet drinks. "