The food system is constantly changing: after the peak of "hunger" diets, "protein" or "fat" diets come. Either calorie restriction or opposite nutritional systems are in trend. 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, driven by the motives of losing weight at any cost, rush to limit ourselves in food, removing fats and proteins first. But it’s one thing to give your body a "shake-up" for a week, and 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 should there be protein foods 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.
- With a lack of protein in the diet, 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 itself and receives from food. When you exclude protein from the menu, you do not receive substances without which normal body function is impossible.
- Without proteins, there are no metabolic processes, because they work as a service for delivering oxygen molecules to the cells of the body.
- Trying to limit yourself to only plant protein (for vegans) has consequences: not all essential amino acids are found in grains, nuts and soy. Vegans need to 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:
- Protein, especially from meat, activates the production of the satiety hormone (leptin) and suppresses the production of the hunger hormone (ghrelin): this is why food that satisfies "brutal hunger" is most often understood as meat;
- Protein speeds up your metabolism, helping you burn calories quickly. The Dukan, Atkins, Malysheva, Kremlin and many other weight loss diets are based on this. The keto phenomenon is of the same nature: when a person receives a lot of proteins and fats, but few carbohydrates, the body enters a state of ketosis, in which 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, which is possible with a sudden loss of extra pounds, and to strengthen bones, teeth and hair.
Protein diet rules
Any serious diet should be prescribed and monitored by your doctor, taking into account your characteristics, desired and actual weight levels. Such a diet can be high-protein, like that of professional athletes during periods of muscle gain, or a form of rational nutrition to improve health and lose weight. The second option will help you get the desired result without much hardship.
The rules for protein weight loss 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.
- Sugary fruits should be limited to 2 pieces per day.
- You need to drink more water, avoiding, of course, sweet soda.
- There is no place on the menu for preservatives, sauces and mayonnaise.
- The emphasis is on food cooked without frying, boiled or steamed.
- Meals are fractional, 5-6 times a day, in portions of no more than 200 grams.
- Physical activity is important for speeding up metabolism, and, therefore, for faster weight loss.
This approach to nutrition helps you lose from 4 to 10 extra pounds in two weeks. But if you follow the proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates described above, this can be difficult. And the body should not be subjected to a strict diet of this type for longer 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;
- 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 easily lose weight 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, dairy and fermented milk products;
- monitor your total daily caloric 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 feasible physical exercise.
How to make a menu correctly
Now 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 approximate options that you can focus on. Or put together your own menu for the week from them.Breakfast
Eggs
In diet mode, it is customary to eat only protein. But even on a diet, you can eat eggs almost every day if you do not have allergies. For example, on Monday and Wednesday the menu may include boiled eggs, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays there may be an omelet.
Both chicken and quail eggs are useful - you can alternate them. You will find the recipe for a simple and delicious omelet below.
Cereals and porridges
Nutritionists call lentil and bean porridge the most protein-rich. The first is tasty and low-calorie, rich in microelements and fiber. It is worth including it on the menu for breakfast or lunch 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 infrequently.
Dairy
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 greens to taste to cottage cheese. Or you can make delicious protein (low-calorie! ) yogurt with oriental eggs - step-by-step instructions and photos are waiting for you below.
Breakfast "combo" with meat
In autumn and winter, breakfast is denser than in summer, because we need energy for the whole coming day. Therefore, scrambled eggs with turkey will be beneficial. Moreover, it is prepared in 10 minutes.
Dinner
Salads
Tuna salad with beans, as in our recipe, can be a complete lunch. Balanced, satisfying meals in just 15 minutes.
Mussels in a spinach salad can be a lunch or part of a set meal. Tasty, low calorie and nutritious.
Soups
Simple and healthy lean lentil soup? Easy, fast and cheap in every sense. Catch our recipe with step-by-step description.
Another option is aromatic bean soup. Pork tenderloin is rich in protein and contains almost no fat or carbohydrates. Just replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt: it is less fatty.
If you think that traditional cabbage soup will not suit you, you are mistaken - take our recipe with photos and prepare a tasty, healthy and budget-friendly soup.
You can also consider options for vegetable soups with shrimp: but to comply with 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 a lunch dish, a step-by-step recipe for preparing it is presented below.
What about dumplings? If they are 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 dumpling days a week will definitely not bore you with the monotony.
If time is short, keep 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
Be mindful of your caloric intake if your goal is to lose weight. Our lunch options should be considered as dishes to choose from: combine the first course and salad or the main course and salad, without going beyond 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 haute cuisine menu, but prepared in less than half an hour.
If you are wondering whether it is possible to eat cheaply on such a diet, then the answer is of course. It is not necessary to eat shrimp every day; classic, inexpensive white fish is enough. For example, cod - a lot of vitamins, protein 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 dishes are generally rich in protein and nutrients, but are usually 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 taking into account the calorie 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 baking or grilling without oil.
Combo dinner
Baking, as many believe, should be abandoned 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 the pancakes in the oven without oil.
If you don't mind eating scrambled eggs for dinner, here's a recipe for it with fried meat. You can also reduce its calorie content by choosing the oven instead of a frying pan.
Would you like some 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 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 lots of sugars. This can ruin your week's efforts.
What you didn’t sell for breakfast from yogurt and curd snacks is quite suitable as a snack. A slice of sheep cheese is an excellent 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 for which you will find below.
What can be done?
Make protein shakes. They saturate with protein, provide vitamins and an unusual taste. Learn simple weight loss smoothie recipes to start moving towards healthy eating.