Protein diet: essence, benefits, food and menu

There are many variations of the technique. Each of them contains protein foods with a limited amount of carbohydrates and fats. Protein is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. The nutrition system will be a great way to lose weight for people who can't live without meat. Previously, it was referred to as a mono diet. However, thanks to the development of nutritionists, diet has become the gentlest method of weight normalization.

The correct protein diet menu has positive qualities and allows you to lose weight in a short period of time. The main thing is to eat protein-containing foods. After all, they are necessary for normal metabolism. The body is unable to independently accumulate proteins in the body, so they are regularly included in food. With a normal diet, this does not happen, so they are constantly consumed. If this does not happen, muscle mass decreases, because the internal organs draw protein from it for normal functioning. Exhaustion of the body occurs and the skin becomes flabby.

If you adhere to this nutrition system for weight loss for 14 days, the weight will not disappear due to muscle reduction, but due to the burning of body fat. Its observance is suitable for those people who are afraid of feeling hungry. Anorexia with such a diet cannot occur, and the muscles do not atrophy. After her, the body of those who lose weight becomes slim and fit.

For weight loss, the protein diet menu is very effective, and the mechanism of its effect on the body has been fully studied and scientifically proven. The fuel system initiates the following processes:

• The body does not receive fat and carbohydrates and has to spend its fat deposits located on the hips, abdomen and buttocks. For women, these places are the most problematic.
• To assimilate proteins, the body needs a lot of energy, which will be replenished by burning subcutaneous fat.
• Protein food creates heat production which accelerates metabolic processes.

If a person wants to lose weight, a protein diet will help to do this without harm to health. You can choose the required duration of the food system and options for your favorite dishes.

Protein norms

A person needs about 0. 8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. However, many well-known nutritionists believe that this amount is not enough for the body. Especially for the elderly, for whom it is very important to maintain muscle mass.

Experts advise people in pre-retirement and retirement ages to consume at least 1. 3 grams of protein per kilogram of weight.

For a healthy young man, nutritionists recommend eating about 1. 5 grams of protein per kilogram per day. Therefore, an individual weighing 70 kg should eat around 90-120 grams of protein per day.

Features of the diet

The feeding system has some features that must be taken into account by all those who are losing weight:

1. Protein saturates the body of people who are constantly at work or playing sports. Such food can be suitable for women who are expecting a baby. A simple protein diet menu is characterized by the intake of meat, fish and dairy dishes. The nutritional system can be useful for people who want to lose weight without harming and stressing the body.
2. The maximum period of adherence to the diet is 14 days. This period will allow you to normalize weight without harming the body. The results of protein weight loss are characterized by stable performance. To consolidate the result obtained, it is necessary to gradually abandon the nutritional system, excluding fatty, fried and sweet foods.
3. It is recommended to repeat the diet no more often than after 6 months.
4. Foods containing proteins require important weight loss recommendations. The work of the excretory system during the diet is activated, which can cause complications. Therefore, at this time, it is necessary to observe the drinking regime and consume still water in sufficient quantities.
5. The total number of calories from food should be around 1200-1400. Their lack can lead to disruption of the functioning of internal organs and weaken the immune system.
6. The menu of a protein diet for weight loss for the day gives you the opportunity to savor the taste of your favorite dish (in small quantities) and allows you to maintain a stable weight.

With this food system, the feeling of hunger does not have to be constantly experienced, the diet is unlimited and varied.

Who is this diet for?

We already know that a protein diet can affect the growth of muscle mass, and the lack of carbohydrates forces us to take energy from fat stores. Here becausein combination with regular intensive training, the quality of our body improves, the relief is highlighted.

Very often, athletes, professional athletes and people looking to get the most toned body resort to "drying". But boys and girls, having seen enough "athletes" in the gym, sometimes do not understand that in everyday life it is not necessary to follow such a diet.

Such a diet is suitable for you if:

• you want to lose a lot of kilos;
• Going on vacation to the beach and you want to look stunning, while you are slightly overweight;
• schedule a photo session;
• an athlete and you need to dry yourself to reduce weight;
• bodybuilder.

Basically, this concludes the list of situations in which a protein diet may be needed. But if you feel you have other reasons to sit down, then we kindly ask you to approach your diet wisely.Do not impoverish your body in any way and think about all your meals in advance. . .

Recommended and prohibited foods

The protein diet menu for the day is diverse and includes a list of some dishes that can be included in the diet at this time. Recommended products include:

• Chicken and turkey meat, beef, offal. For a diet, foods must be boiled or stewed. Most often, skinless chicken is used. It is well absorbed and there are no problems with its preparation.
• Lean fish. It contains the right amount of proteins and trace elements, which are important for the normal functioning of the body.
• Cottage cheese and dairy products. The casein present in their composition will require efforts on the part of the body to be digested. As a result, a lot of calories are wasted.
• Buckwheat and oatmeal, bread (rye, black, wholemeal).
• Hard-boiled eggs. The proteins they contain are easily digestible and nutritious.
• Vegetables that contain a minimal amount of starch (cucumbers, cabbage, celery).
• Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits), sour apples.
• Canned tuna. They contain a large amount of protein and a minimal fat composition.

Particular attention should be paid to the consumption regime. You can include herbal teas, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, purified water.

When composing a protein diet menu for a week, it is necessary to limit the content of foods in meals that can easily turn into fat:

1. First of all, you need to exclude sweets. Fruit can also spoil the result, not to mention cakes, cookies and pastries.
2. Fried, fatty foods and pasta should be completely excluded from the menu.
3. Carbonated drinks, compotes and juices are also not recommended during the diet period.
4. Vegetables that contain a lot of starch (potatoes, legumes, peas).

Refusal of such products will allow you to achieve tangible results in a short period of time.

Diet plan

The power supply system must be made like this:

• It is better to divide the menu for each day into several receptions (5-6). In the morning on an empty stomach, drink a glass of purified water. Have the last meal 3 hours before bedtime.
• You can eat a small amount of porridge and wholemeal bread before lunch. You can eat fruit (apples, oranges).
• Protein meals are included in the afternoon meal in conjunction with raw vegetables or salads.

When losing weight on the protein diet menu, it is important to have the right combination of dishes. This will get a positive result. The feeding system will relieve 10 kg of excess weight in 2 weeks. To do this, it is necessary to strictly follow all recommendations.

How to get out of this diet correctly

Your body is used to taking certain substances every day. It is not necessary to pounce on cakes and buns on the first day of the end of the diet.You have to start graduallywhile trying to keep in the habit of not eating fast carbohydrates.

Slowly introduce grains, more vegetables, and high-fat dairy products into your diet. You can afford dark chocolate, previously forbidden fruit: banana, persimmon, apricot and dried fruit.

Note!The process of getting out of the diet can take anywhere from 3 to 5 days, so there's no need to rush. It is important to give the body time to rebuild itself and not immediately load it with a large number of new nutrients.

Diet for 7 days

The food system for a week is designed in such a way that during the observance period a person does not suffer from a feeling of hunger. The dishes are easy to prepare. The menu of the protein diet for weight loss for one week includes:

• Breakfast. Cottage cheese (160 g), tea (green or herbal), half an orange.
• Dinner. Chicken breast (170 g), wholemeal bread.
• Afternoon snack. A glass of low-fat yogurt.
• Dinner. Steamed fish (200g), vegetable salad (170g).

On all other days, you have to keep eating this way. During the week, the protein diet menu is supplemented with cottage cheese, kefir and hard-boiled eggs. You should also alternate foods, taking into account their calorie content.

Vegetables are lightly cooked and cooked in stews and soups. They can be used as a snack throughout the day. It is best to consume non-starchy vegetables.

A similar diet can be used for a 14-day diet. In this case, you can get the most effective option.

What animal products does a protein diet include?

A protein-based diet should include the following animal products:

1. Lean white meats (chicken breast, turkey meat, lean parts of other varieties of meat). The product must be consumed without the skin. Chicken breast is especially useful. There are only 300 calories in a 200-gram serving and up to 50 grams of protein.
2. Seafood, including fish varieties, rich in essential omega acids (tuna, salmon). 150g of tuna has 200 calories and 40 grams of protein.
3. Dairy products with a minimum of fat (kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese). 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese contains 25 grams of protein and 200 calories;
4. Egg white. It is made up almost entirely of proteins. In addition, egg white contains important antioxidants for the body, which protect the human body from aging.

Diet menu for 10 days

The dishes indicated in the table, losing weight, distribute and alternate independently during the entire feeding time.

The 10-day recommended protein diet menu is shown in the table below.

Day	Breakfast	Dinner	Afternoon snack	Dinner
1st day	Sugar-free herbal tea	Chicken breast, stewed cabbage, green apples	Low-fat kefir	Steamed fish, salad
2nd day	Sugar-free herbal tea, wholemeal bread	Ukha, no potatoes, coleslaw	Fat-free kefir, grapefruit	Low calorie cottage cheese
3rd day	Sugar-free tea	Boiled beef, raw vegetables	Kefir, orange	Beetroot and cabbage salad
4th day	Unsweetened green tea, rye croutons	Stewed lean fish with vegetables	Tofu, apple	Hard-boiled eggs, grated carrots
5th day	Natural coffee without sugar	Salad of boiled beef, cabbage and carrots	Skimmed milk	Fat-free cottage cheese
6th day	Sugar-free tea	Beef broth, beetroot salad	Kefir, grapefruit	Boiled chicken, tomatoes
7th day	Tea, rye rusks	Fish with vegetables, wholemeal bread	Tofu, apple	Vegetable salad
8th day	Natural coffee without sugar	Boiled chicken fillet, croutons	Kefir or fermented cooked milk, citrus	Carrot salad, soft-boiled eggs
9th day	Unsweetened drink	Ukha without potatoes, raw vegetables	Low-fat cheese	Vegetable salad
10th day	Sugar-free tea	Skinless chicken, tomato salad	Apples	Boiled lean fish

The menu of a protein diet for weight loss for 10 days is diverse. Portions should be taken in moderation so as not to overeat and leave the table with a slight feeling of fullness.

Menu for 2 weeks

This is the longest lasting nutritional system that provides an effective and stable result. Respect for 14 days will not give a person any inconvenience and unpleasant sensations.

Recommendations for a protein diet (menu for 14 days):

Day	Breakfast	Dinner	Dinner
1st day	Black coffee without sugar	2 boiled eggs, stewed cabbage, a glass of tomato juice	Baked, fried or steamed fish
2nd day	Coffee without sugar, rye croutons	Boiled fish, vegetable salad	Boiled beef (250 g), a glass of kefir
3rd day	Coffee without sugar, rye croutons	Fried zucchini in oil, green apples	2 hard-boiled eggs, cabbage salad, boiled beef (200 g)
4th day	Black coffee without sugar	Salad of 3 boiled carrots, hard cheese (15 g)	Fruits or berries other than grapes and bananas
5th day	Fresh grated carrots	Boiled, baked or steamed fish, a glass of tomato juice	Fruit or berries, excluding grapes and bananas
6th day	Black coffee without sugar	Boiled chicken, salad with vegetables	2 hard-boiled eggs, grated fresh carrots
7th day	Unsweetened tea (green or herbal)	Boiled veal or beef (250 g), fresh fruit	Dinner on one of the days, except the 3

The second week of the protein diet menu for 14 days takes the same diet, that is, repeats the first 7 days.

Be sure to observe the drinking regime. You can use green and herbal tea, water. It is completely forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, so as not to stress the liver.

The first meal contains only liquids in the form of tea or coffee. During the meal, do not overdo it, it is better to stop it with a feeling of slight hunger.

Advantages and disadvantages of a protein diet

Anyone who is losing weight can diversify the menu by adding their favorite vegetables or unsweetened fruit. The positive properties of this system include:

1. The nutritional system allows for intensive sports, which is difficult with other effective and quick methods of losing weight.
2. The diet is practically not accompanied by a feeling of hunger, because the time for digestion of protein foods is 4 hours.
3. Body weight is normalized.
4. The immune system is strengthened.
5. The body is healed. The skin is tight, cellulite is reduced and the condition of the hair, skin and nails is improved.
6. The protein diet menu contains a lot of fiber, which helps improve bowel functioning.
7. Muscle mass is not depleted due to the presence of protein foods in the diet.
8. Minimal manifestations of fatigue, lethargy and dizziness, typical of other diets.
9. The weight loss rate with this food system is not lightning fast and allows you to maintain a stable weight after leaving it.

If you stick to the protein weight loss diet for a longer period of time, some negative consequences may occur:

• The use of protein for a long time leads to the leaching of calcium and other trace elements from the body, which adversely affects the health of the skeletal system.
• Reduced performance due to the minimal amount of carbohydrates in the diet.
• Increased irritability occurs due to a lack of fat in the diet, the main building material for nerve cells.
• Blood clotting problems, blood clots.
• Protein nutrition can lead to disruption of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.
• It is not recommended to eat this way for people aged 60 and over.
• Bad breath caused by consuming too much protein.

Before starting to lose weight, it is better to consult with a specialist in order not to harm the body.

Why proteins are so important to the body

It is from proteins:

• human bones, muscles, skin, hair are formed. They are constantly renewed, they need a new supply of proteins;
• "chemical messenger" hormones are synthesized, which help the various body systems to work harmoniously;
• enzymes are also synthesized from proteins that are involved in countless metabolic processes;

Proteins improve the functioning of the immune system. They also serve as a kind of vehicle in the body. For example, hemoglobin carries oxygen through the blood to cells.

9 amino acids are called essential, because the human body does not create them by itself. They come with food or dietary supplements.

Foods of animal origin (including eggs, milk) are the best source of protein. Contains all 9 essential amino acids in optimal proportions. In addition, animal food is well absorbed (90-95%). In plant foods, everything is less balanced.

If you limit your diet to just carrots, grains, potatoes and cabbage, the body will begin to experience a lack of protein. To avoid this, vegan dieters must regularly eat many plant-based foods, including a variety of legumes, whole grains, nuts and grains.

Contraindications

Any nutritional system, including a protein diet, puts a strain on the body. Metabolism speeds up, toxins are removed, fats are burned, and the stomach has to adapt to new conditions and other foods.

The bodies start working in an advanced mode. If not everything is in order with them, chronic diseases can worsen, this must be taken into account when switching to a new menu. A daily protein diet is contraindicated in such cases:

• diseases of the excretory system;
• old age;
• when expecting a baby and during breastfeeding;
• cholelithiasis;
• pathology of the heart and blood vessels;
• citrus allergy;
• pathology of the digestive system;
• diabetes;
• adolescence.

Any contraindication is a stop sign for people who have chosen this diet. Only after the elimination of contraindications will it be possible to lose weight using this food system.

Principles of nutrition

The average duration of the diet is 5 days, in some cases the doctor may recommend adherence to the therapeutic diet for up to 10 days, but no more. You cannot follow the diet for longer than this period, because due to the lack of protein, muscle tissue begins to contract rapidly.

You have to keep a daily calorie count

Instead of protein foods, you need to start eating plant-based foods. With a protein-free diet, the daily intake of carbohydrates is 350 g, and fat - 80 g. The calorie content of the daily menu does not exceed 2200 kcal. If, during the diet period, a person adheres to bed rest and strictly limits any physical activity, then the calorie content can be reduced to 2000 kcal.

In addition, the diet provides for a reduction in fluid and salt intake. This is due to the need to prevent the formation of edema, which is one of the symptoms of many kidney diseases. In this case, it is necessary to carefully monitor the amount of potassium in the diet. Basically, patients take large doses of various diuretic drugs that eliminate potassium from the body, therefore, the lack of this substance must be compensated for with drugs or the correct selection of products.

Useful tips to enhance the effect

Nutritionists suggest how to lose weight on a protein diet without harm or harm to health. Just sticking to a diet may not be enough to get an effective result. It is necessary to use the principles of healthy nutrition, which are effective in the future:

• It is best to have a medical examination before starting the diet.
• It is necessary to obtain a doctor's permission to comply with this nutritional system.
• You should take multivitamins during your diet.
• In case of attacks of dizziness, it is necessary to increase the intake of carbohydrates and fats in the body. It is allowed to add oatmeal to the morning menu.
• It is best to refuse a protein diet if you are feeling worse.
• During the weight loss period, you shouldn't take any medications.
• The diet should be discussed with a specialist.
• You must eat strictly by the hour.
• You have to count calories: consume more than you consume.
• It is best to have dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime.
• Menu items should only be boiled, stewed or steamed.
• Dish formats: drinks (200 mg), other dishes (150 g) and fruit (100 g).
• Limit the amount of salt you eat.
• You need to sleep at least 8 hours a day.
• You should give up bad habits.
• Give up strength sports and cardio training. The best thing is to swim, go to the gym, do aerobics or do Pilates.

A protein diet is an effective nutritional system that allows you to normalize weight and achieve harmony in a short time. Thanks to the variety of dishes, losing weight does not make you feel hungry and tired. Compliance with all recommendations improves health. Despite many positive qualities, the diet has some contraindications that must be taken into account before starting to comply with it.

What foods are best not to eat?

Remove from the diet:

• Foods rich in saturated and transgenic fats. The former are particularly abundant in red meats (pork, lamb), the latter are abundant in margarine;
• canned and processed meats with excess salt (such as sausages and smoked sausages).
• even the use of simple carbohydrates (high-grade white bread, sugar, sweets, pastries, chocolate) should be minimized. They "burn" very quickly, causing the feeling of hunger;
• you should refuse food fried in oil. It is too high in calories;
• do not use mayonnaise. You can replace it with soy sauce, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and even the most common kefir;
• you will have to give up milk, butter, high-fat cheeses.

It is also important not to limit yourself to individual products. The more different foods, the better. Due to the variety, the diet becomes more balanced, it includes all the macro and microelements necessary for the body.