Protein diet

A protein diet is a common nutritional system that helps to cope with excess weight.As the name suggests, this diet is protein-based.At the same time, the amount of fats and carbohydrates is reduced.As a result, metabolic processes in the body change.It is forced to spend a lot of fat for energy.

Principles of a protein diet

Proteins are of great importance for the proper functioning of the body.From this substance, muscle tissue, organs, blood cells and immune bodies are formed.It is also included in the structure of the skin, hair and nails.

The main functions of proteins include the following:

1. Structural.Proteins are considered the basis for building the body.They are part of bones, hair, skin and muscles.
2. Metabolic and enzymatic.The basis of hormones and enzymes is pure protein or its combination with other elements.
3. Transport.Proteins transport important elements to organs and cells.These include molecules, ions and useful substances.Therefore, hemoglobin carries oxygen to the cells of the body.

Proteins are important for the proper functioning of the immune system.They provide reliable protection against infections.In addition, these substances support beauty and youth.This occurs due to the renewal of elastin and collagen fibers.

Protein substances enter the human body from animal food.It contains many precious amino acids necessary for the body.

Plant proteins do not provide the body with enough amino acids.At the same time, they are able to combine with other substances.This allows you to get complete proteins.

When there is a deficiency of protein in the body, metabolic disorders occur.The basic principle of a protein diet is to replenish the body with important substances necessary for its normal functioning.In a typical diet, the amount of protein is usually 12%.During the diet period, this figure increases significantly due to the decrease in the volume of fats and carbohydrates.

Features of a protein diet

Following a protein diet is quite simple.This is due to the possibility of adapting it to a person's personal preferences and taste desires.

To achieve good results, you need to observe the following features of a protein diet:

1. Write down the menu. To do this, you need to start keeping a food diary.This can be done manually or using a special program.
2. Find out your protein intake. To do this, you should focus on your body weight.
3. Maintain a protein balance.The menu may include foods containing essential amino acids.
4. Check the lower limit of the protein norm.Even outside of the diet, the body must receive the necessary amount of protein.The average is 30 g.
5. Monitor the biological value of proteins.It is better to give preference to fresh meat, eggs and dairy products.At the same time, it's best to avoid processed foods like bacon, sausage and ham.
6. Combine proteins with herbs and vegetables.The diet should contain a sufficient amount of vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Benefits of a protein diet

The advantage of a protein diet is that it helps not only to eliminate excess weight, but also to achieve the following results:

1. Increases muscle mass. The combination of protein with strength exercises is considered particularly effective.
2. Reduce age-related muscle loss. Over the years, many people lose muscle mass.If you include protein shakes in your menu, you will be able to prevent such losses.
3. Strengthen bones.A protein diet helps avoid the development of osteoporosis, which is often found in women.This nutritional system helps reduce risks by 69%.
4. Accelerates wound healing. Eating protein foods normalizes recovery processes after injuries or operations.

Harm of a protein diet

The harm of a protein diet is that meat foods can contain a lot of calories.Therefore, uncontrolled use of protein can result in weight gain.It is advisable to carefully count calories and avoid exceeding the daily amount.

Severe carbohydrate restriction can place severe stress on the body.Sugar keeps the brain active.If you abandon it completely, there is a risk of worsening your mood and decreasing your concentration.

Lack of fiber in the diet and increased protein digestion cause constipation.To minimize the load on the kidneys, you need to drink plenty of fluids.The diet should also include vegetables and herbs.

Other disadvantages of a protein diet include the following:

1. Increased load on the kidneys.When consuming large amounts of protein, the oxidation of its elements - amino acids - causes an increased load on the kidneys.In addition, such a nutritional system can lead to the appearance of stones.
2. Threat of metabolic disorders. During the processing of amino acids, byproducts are synthesized that interfere with the oxidation of fatty acids.If there is a large amount of fat in the diet, underoxidized substrates accumulate in the body.They cause disruption of insulin action and increase the risk of metabolic disorders.
3. Lack of vitamins and microelements. This risk is only relevant for strict, high-protein diets.Therefore, nutritionists do not recommend completely excluding fruits, vegetables and grains from the diet.If this is not possible, you should take additional vitamins.

Allowed and prohibited foods in a protein diet

To ensure that a protein diet for weight loss does not harm the body, you should follow these recommendations:

• drink enough liquid - at least 2 liters;
• take multivitamins;
• consume at least 1200 kcal per day.

The list of foods allowed in a protein diet includes:

• lean fish;
• offal;
• poultry meat without skin: it is better to give preference to chicken, turkey;
• low-fat dairy products;
• seafood;
• veal and beef;
• apples and citrus fruits;
• cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage;
• cereals;
• egg whites;
• mineral water, tea and coffee without added sugar.

Prohibited products in a protein diet are:

• oven;
• sweets;
• canned foods;
• full-fat dairy products;
• semi-finished products;
• sweet fruits;
• fruit juices, carbonated sweet drinks;
• starchy vegetables;
• composed;
• sugar and its analogues.

The method of food preparation is of no small importance.It should be steamed, boiled, baked.Do not fry foods in oil or pour fatty sauces on them.To improve the taste of dishes, it is allowed to use aromatic herbs, salt, soy sauce and pepper.You can also use lemon juice and balsamic vinegar.

Protein diet for pregnant women

During pregnancy, the need for protein foods increases significantly.Most of the amino acids are spent on the development of the child.Many people are sure that such a food system implies only serious restrictions.However, a protein diet for pregnant women implies the regulation of these substances in the diet.

During the pregnancy period, it is recommended to eat up to 2-2.5 g of protein foods per 1 kg of weight.This means that the daily intake should be around 100-120g.

At the same time, other products must definitely be present in the diet.Fats and carbohydrates are a must.They are necessary for the full development of the child.At the same time, you should give up sugar, bread and sweets.

Each meal should include only 1 serving of protein foods.If these substances are present in excessive quantities, there is a risk of overloading the body with their decomposition products.This significantly increases the load on the liver and kidneys.

Contraindications for a protein diet

A protein diet has contraindications in the following situations:

• age over 45;
• tendency to form blood clots;
• nephropathy;
• pregnancy;
• breastfeeding.

Protein diet for weight loss: menu of the week

The protein diet for weight loss includes the following weekly menu.

Day 1

1. Breakfast:it can consist of cottage cheese or brown rice with chicken, you can also drink tea or coffee.
2. Lunch:you can eat an apple.
3. Dinner:You can eat boiled brisket with a piece of wholemeal bread.
4. Afternoon snack:a little natural yogurt.
5. Dinner:may include poultry or fish with vegetable salad.

Day 2

1. Breakfast: You should eat yogurt and drink tea.
2. Lunch:eat a couple of sugar-free cheesecakes or an orange.
3. Dinner: you can eat beef or turkey.Stewed vegetables are suitable as a side dish.
4. Afternoon snack: you can drink kefir.
5. Dinner:eat baked fish with vegetables.

Day 3

1. Breakfast:It is worth eating 3 squirrels or cottage cheese.Drinks include tea or coffee.
2. Lunch: You can use any fruit except banana.
3. Dinner:I have to prepare the meat soup.Turkey with cooked brown rice is also suitable.
4. Afternoon snack:eat an apple.
5. Dinner:It is worth eating coleslaw and beef.

Day 4

1. Breakfast:may consist of milk buckwheat porridge.
2. Lunch:may include grapefruit.
3. Dinner:It is worth eating asparagus and chicken fillet.
4. Afternoon snack:You should drink a glass of fermented baked milk.
5. Dinner:may include vegetables and boiled fish.

Day 5

1. Breakfast:You should eat boiled chicken with coleslaw and cucumbers.
2. Lunch:it may consist of an apple and an orange.
3. Dinner:You should eat steamed fish or vegetable soup.
4. Afternoon snack: may include natural yogurt.
5. Dinner:Beef and vegetable salad will do.

Day 6

1. Breakfast:You should eat a protein omelet and drink tea or coffee.
2. Lunch: Any citrus will do.
3. Dinner:you can eat veal steak or chicken and vegetables.
4. Afternoon snack:It is worth drinking a glass of kefir.
5. Dinner:may consist of baked fish and salad.

Day 7

1. Breakfast: Cottage cheese is worth eating.It is also acceptable to drink tea or coffee.
2. Lunch:you can eat an apple.
3. Dinner:you can eat boiled beef and vegetable soup.
4. Afternoon snack:ricotta.
5. Dinner:may consist of poultry and vegetable salad.

If you follow this nutritional system, you should eat 4-6 meals a day.The first meal should be half an hour after getting up.You need to eat dinner 3 hours before going to bed.During the day you should drink 1.5 liters of water.

Protein diet for 14 days: menu

If you are planning a protein diet for weight loss for 14 days, you should focus on the following menu:

1. Food should be consumed 5-6 times a day.It is recommended to do it for the first time half an hour after getting up, the last time – 3 hours before going to sleep.Carbohydrates can be consumed before 2pm.
2. Breakfast may consist of a portion of complex carbohydrates.To do this, you will need 4 tablespoons of boiled cereals: oatmeal, buckwheat, brown rice.It is also acceptable to eat a piece of wholemeal bread.In addition, eat some protein: 100 g of boiled fillet, 30 g of nuts, 1 egg, yogurt.
3. In the first half of the day you should eat fruit as a snack.A great option would be apples, tangerines or oranges.
4. In the afternoon, protein foods should be combined with non-starchy vegetables.These include tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage.
5. It is recommended to season salads with 30 g of vegetable fats.The remaining products are prepared without oil.

Recipes for a protein diet

For such a nutritional system to be beneficial, recipes for a protein diet must be tasty and varied.

Egg cream soup

For this dish you will need:

• 300 g of spinach;
• 400 g of chicken fillet;
• 2 eggs;
• 150 ml of milk;
• spices, salt, parsley.

Preparation:

1. First, boil the meat in 2 liters of water.
2. Then take it out and cut it into cubes.
3. Add the chopped spinach to the broth and cook until tender.
4. Pour the soup into a blender, add the milk, meat and eggs and blend until creamy.
5. When serving, garnish the egg cream with parsley and a hard-boiled egg.

Protein salad

To prepare you need:

• 3 eggs;
• 400 g of Chinese cabbage;
• 1 chicken fillet;
• 1 cucumber.

For refueling:

• salt;
• natural yogurt;
• mustard.

Preparation:

1. Grind all the ingredients.
2. Mix the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Pour the mixture into the salad and mix well.
4. Before serving, the protein salad can be sprinkled with lemon juice.

Protein ice cream

To prepare you need:

• 1 package of low-fat cottage cheese;
• half an orange;
• 1 apple;
• vanilla.

Preparation:

1. Cut the orange and apple into slices.
2. Mix the fruit with the ricotta.
3. Add some vanilla and beat until smooth.
4. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.The finished dessert tastes like popsicles.

Quit the protein diet

To record the results obtained it is necessary to correctly exit the protein diet.

To do this, it is recommended to follow the following rules:

1. Within 2 weeks of finishing the diet, you should give up sweets and heavy foods.In this case, preference should be given to light dishes.If it is difficult to do without sweets, you can add a spoonful of honey to your oatmeal.
2. Drink unsweetened tea.You need to eat grains and low-fat dairy products.
3. For lunch it is recommended to eat vegetables and lean meat.Excellent options would be fish, beef, chicken.You can also eat various stews.It is also useful to eat fruit.For drinks you can choose herbal teas or herbal teas.Eggs are fantastic.
4. Dinner can be quite light.A good option would be a vegetable salad with a boiled egg or a piece of meat.If you feel severe hunger before going to bed, you should drink 250 ml of low-fat kefir.
5. Of the sweets, you should give preference to honey and fruit.It is also acceptable to eat yogurt.In any case, such products should be consumed in the first half of the day.

Protein diet: reviews of nutritionists

Nutritionists' reviews of the protein diet for weight loss are positive:

1. "The main advantage of such a diet is the feeling of satiety it provides. At the same time, protein foods quickly eliminate excess weight. The disadvantages include the risk of loss of skin elasticity and reduced kidney function."
2. "Any dietary restrictions must be treated very responsibly. The diet should not completely exclude fruits and vegetables. Only in this case will it be possible to lose weight without harm to health."

Protein diet is a popular nutritional system that helps to eliminate excess weight and fill the body with vital energy.To achieve good results and avoid negative consequences, you must strictly adhere to the recommendations of nutritionists.Before following the diet, be sure to read the list of contraindications.