The food system is constantly evolving: after the peak of "hunger" diets, come "protein" or "fat" diets. The trend is either towards calorie restriction or opposing nutritional systems. We will talk about the protein diet: what are its benefits, under what conditions it will help you lose weight.
Why you shouldn't give up protein
A young girl, a mature woman, an aspiring athlete - sometimes all of us, motivated by the desire to lose weight at any cost, rush to limit ourselves in food, first eliminating fats and proteins. But it’s one thing to "hustle" your body for a week, and another to always eat like this: it doesn’t bode well in the long term. But who follows the rules when you "really need" to lose weight?
Why should there be protein foods on the menu:
- Without protein, no muscle development. When athletes gain muscle mass, they need to consume a lot of protein. If you are not an athlete and simply want to lose fat, do not remove proteins from your diet: without them, your muscles will not recover properly after training.
- With a lack of protein in the diet, hair, teeth, nails and bones deteriorate and weaken.
- Protein is made up of amino acids - the body needs 22 to function normally, of which 9 it does not produce itself and receives from food. When you exclude proteins from the menu, you do not receive substances without which normal functioning of the body is impossible.
- Without proteins, there are no metabolic processes, as they serve as a service to supply 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 studying the effects of protein nutrition on weight loss for decades. And we found out why it is important in the fight against extra pounds:
- Proteins, particularly those from meat, activate the production of the satiety hormone (leptin) and suppress the production of the hunger hormone (ghrelin): this is why foods that satisfy "brutal hunger" aremost often understood as meat;
- Protein speeds up your metabolism and helps you burn calories quickly. The Dukan, Atkins, Malysheva, Kremlin and many other weight loss diets are based on this. The keto phenomenon is of a similar nature: when a person receives a lot of proteins and fats, but few carbohydrates, the body enters a state of ketosis, in which an effective loss of excess fat occurs;
- In the case of intensive weight loss through physical activity, a protein menu is important to combat sagging skin, possible with a sudden loss of extra pounds, and to strengthen bones, teeth and hair.
Protein diet rules
Any serious diet must be prescribed and followed by your doctor taking into account your characteristics, your desired and actual weight. Such a diet can be rich in protein, like that of professional athletes during a period of muscle mass gain, or a form of rational nutrition to improve health and lose weight. The second option will help you achieve the desired result without much difficulty.
The rules for losing weight on protein are:
- Protein should make up 50% of the daily menu (ideally 60%).
- Fats 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.
- You need to drink more water, avoiding sugary sodas of course.
- There is no place on the menu for preservatives, sauces and mayonnaise.
- The emphasis is on foods cooked without frying, boiling or steaming.
- Meals are divided, 5 to 6 times a day, in portions not exceeding 200 grams.
- Physical activity is important for speeding up metabolism and, therefore, faster weight loss.
This nutritional approach helps you lose 4 to 10 extra pounds in two weeks. But if you stick to the proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates described above, it can be difficult. And the body should not be put on a strict diet of this type for more than 3-4 weeks, or the diet should be supervised by a doctor.
Contraindications to this diet:
- anemia;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- kidney disease;
- pancreatic diseases;
- heart and vascular problems;
- diabetes;
- cases of individual protein intolerance.
And yes, protein poisoning is not a myth.
If you want to favor protein nutrition and lose weight easily without changing your diet too much, you just need to review the menu:
- increase the amount of protein products in the diet: introduce meat, fish, eggs, green vegetables, dairy and fermented milk products;
- monitor your total daily calorie intake;
- 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 achievable physical exercise.
How to make a menu correctly
Now let's talk about planning a protein menu for weight loss. Many people feel uncomfortable when ready-made menus are offered for the week. We will show you rough options that you can focus on. Or create your own menu for the week.Breakfast
Eggs
In diet mode, it is customary to eat only proteins. But even on a diet, you can eat eggs almost every day if you don't have allergies. For example, on Monday and Wednesday the menu may include boiled eggs, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays - an omelette.
Chicken and quail eggs are useful - you can alternate them. Below is the recipe for a simple and delicious omelette.
Cereals and porridges
Nutritionists call lentil and bean porridge the richest in protein. The first is tasty and low in calories, rich in microelements and fiber. It is worth including it in the breakfast or lunch menu at least once a week. Find the recipe below.
Important
Despite their benefits, cereals contain a lot of carbohydrates, which can ruin your diet. That is why we recommend rarely including porridge, muesli and granola in the menu.
Milkman
Yogurt or cottage cheese for breakfast is a great option: but in the diet menu they should be sugar-free and low-fat.
You can add fresh or frozen berries to fermented milk products and green vegetables to taste to cottage cheese. Or you can prepare delicious protein yogurt (low in calories! ) with oriental eggs - step-by-step instructions and photos await you below.
"Combo" breakfast with meat
In autumn and winter, breakfast is more abundant than in summer, because we need energy for the whole day ahead. Therefore, scrambled eggs with turkey will be beneficial. Plus, it can be prepared in 10 minutes.
Dinner
Salads
Tuna salad with beans, as in our recipe, can be a complete lunch. Balanced and satisfying meals in just 15 minutes.
Mussels in spinach salad can be a lunch or part of a set meal. Tasty, low in calories and nutritious.
Soups
A lean, simple and healthy lentil soup? Easy, quick and cheap in every sense of the word. Discover our recipe with a step-by-step description.
Another option is aromatic bean soup. Pork tenderloin is rich in protein and contains almost no fat or carbohydrates. Simply replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt: it is less fatty.
If you think that traditional cabbage soup will not suit you, you are wrong - take our recipe with photos and prepare a tasty, healthy and economical soup.
You can also consider options for vegetable soups with shrimp: but to comply with the diet, you need to remove heavy cream or replace it with protein yogurt.
Second courses
Tuna is called sea beef: it is dense, juicy and meat-like, contains a lot of protein and vitamins. Therefore, tuna fillet can be an option for a lunch dish, a step-by-step recipe for its preparation is presented below.
And the meatballs? If it is fish according to the recipe below, they can be prepared for almost the entire period of the diet and you will not have any problems with lunch: 2-3 days of dumplings per week will definitely not bore youof 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
Pay attention to your calorie intake if your goal is to lose weight. Our lunch options should be considered as dishes to choose from: combine starter and salad or 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. It is a low-calorie and very tasty dish: an almost haute cuisine menu, but prepared 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. It is not necessary to eat shrimp every day, classic and inexpensive white fish is enough. For example, cod - lots of vitamins, protein and a very nice 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 dishes are generally high in protein and nutrients, but are generally low in calories; try to include them in your diet at least 3 times a week.
Meat or poultry
Steak is always good, as meat is one of the main sources of protein. But taking into account the caloric requirements, we advise you to 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 cooking or grilling without oil.
Combined dinner
As many believe, baking should be abandoned when dieting. But pancakes with beef liver according to our recipe - no. You can prepare the dish at least once a week and make it even healthier: bake the pancakes in the oven without oil.
If you don't mind eating scrambled eggs for dinner, here is a recipe with fried meat. You can also reduce its calorie content by choosing the oven rather than a frying pan.
Do you want pizza? There is a completely acceptable option that you can afford once every 1-2 weeks: get a recipe for mini pizza with zucchini.
Snacks and desserts
Nuts, seeds, chia and sesame seeds are high 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 enhance 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 lots of sugars. This can ruin your week's efforts.
What you didn't sell for breakfast, namely yogurt and curd snacks, is quite suitable as a snack. A slice of sheep's cheese is a great solution for any occasion.
And to be able to enjoy desserts, without increasing the total calorie intake, you can approach the issue in a sporting way: using 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 these waffles whose recipe you will find below.
What can be done?
Make protein shakes. They saturate with protein, provide vitamins and an unusual taste. Learn simple smoothie recipes for weight loss to start moving toward a healthy diet.