- What is the essence of a protein diet?
- Pros and cons of a protein diet
- Protein diet rules
- Mandatory components of a protein diet
- Protein diet menu for a week
A healthy lifestyle is becoming more and more popular every year both among people striving for beauty and health, and among those who have lost some of their health and are trying to regain it. When we hear the word “diet,” associations arise in our minds about dietary restrictions or the desire to lose weight. However, this is not the only reason why people stick to diets. Among other things, diet is one of the components of a healthy lifestyle and in this understanding it really contributes to normal body weight and ensures good metabolism and healthy functioning of internal organs.
When dieting, the ratio of nutrients in the diet is always taken into account and more attention is focused on individual nutrients (more on nutrients than on individual foods). A number of these include a protein diet . |
The essence of the technique
First of all, a protein diet should not be mixed with a ketogenic diet. On a ketogenic diet, the body is almost completely deprived of carbohydrates, and the body, in conditions of deprivation of the brain of glucose, enters a state of ketosis, switches to feeding on ketones, byproducts of the destruction of fat tissue and an alternative source of nutrition for the brain (which first of all reduces intellectual abilities).
Of the 20 amino acids into which proteins are broken down during digestion, 15 are glucogenic, they can be converted into glucose and glycogen, 3 ketogenic amino acids can be converted into ketone bodies, and 2 are both glucogenic and ketogenic.
To keep the body in a state of ketosis, the daily amount of protein should not exceed 1.8 g per 1 kg of weight; on protein diets such a restriction is not set, but the total amount of protein is limited by a much lower calorie diet.
If the calorie content of a ketogenic diet for weight loss is usually 1800 kcal, then a protein diet is about 700 kcal. In a state of ketosis, the main component of nutrition is fats, making up about 75% of the calorie intake, while on a protein diet, fats are limited. Often, when choosing a diet, those losing weight lean towards the ketogenic diet precisely because of its higher calorie content and more significant results in losing weight.
Nutritionists have developed various options for protein diets, differing in duration of 7, 14 days and a month.
The 7-day diet is usually used as the final stage of a long-term low-calorie balanced diet, solely for the purpose of “strengthening” the result (for which you then have to pay for the need to restore not only the decreased basal metabolism, but also carbohydrate metabolism).
Protein diets for 14 days and a month have effective results, and a choice is usually made between them. Staying on a protein diet for more than 4 weeks is contraindicated.
The essence of a protein diet
The essence of the protein diet is simple: the basis of the diet of this weight loss system is food rich in protein (fish, meat, low-fat dairy products).
At this time, the body, deprived of carbohydrates and fats, burns fat reserves, due to which excess weight is lost. It is noteworthy that muscle mass remains intact.
In general, protein plays an important role in the functioning of the body. So, protein is involved in:
- tissue regeneration (protein is a kind of building material of the human body);
- acceleration of chemical processes (with a lack of protein in the body, growth slows down, negative changes occur in the functioning of internal organs, immunity decreases),
- production of hormones (if there is a lack of hormones, doctors always prescribe a protein diet),
- delivery of essential substances (for example, oxygen enters cells thanks to the hemoglobin protein).
However, excess protein in the body, as well as carbohydrates and fats, can lead to health problems. Excess protein breakdown products:
- interferes with the normal functioning of the excretory system,
- activates putrefactive processes in the intestines,
- increases nitrogen levels;
- leads to cycle failure in women.
Precisely because an increased level of protein can have both a positive and negative effect on the condition of organs and systems, experts do not advise following a protein diet for more than 14 days. By the way, for the same reason, the second week of this program involves some relaxations in the diet. However, courses should not be repeated too often: at least 4-6 months should pass between programs.
Rules
Recommendations for a protein diet menu for 14 days are quite simple:
- 6 meals a day;
- ban on sweets and alcoholic drinks;
- 1.5-2 hours before bedtime, a glass of tea, juice or fermented milk drink, after which food is no longer taken;
- products are chosen mainly low-fat;
- between meals (per day) you need to drink 6-8 glasses of clean still water.
There are no strict menu requirements for a protein diet for two weeks, provided the above recommendations are followed.
Important! Substitutions of products and substitutions of diets on individual days are acceptable, but at the same time, the calorie content of the daily diet should not exceed 700 kcal.
Try to eat at the same time. Keep in mind that violating the above rules will cause stress and may lead to illness.
Permitted and prohibited products
A sudden transition to a low-carbohydrate diet can lead to discomfort and disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. Gradually eliminate sugar and other foods containing fast carbohydrates from the menu.
When compiling your diet, refer to the table:
Allowed | Forbidden | Limit |
Meat | Sugar | Cereals |
Fish and seafood | Honey, jam, jams | Legumes |
Meat and chicken by-products | Cakes, pastries, pastries | Vegetables |
Eggs | Soda and energy drinks | Unsweetened fruits |
Cottage cheese, natural yogurt, kefir | Juice from bags | Berries with minimal fructose content |
Low-fat cheese | Mayonnaise, cooking oil | Natural juices |
Greens, herbs | Starchy vegetables | Compotes without sugar |
Leaf and head salads | Sweet fruits and berries | Kiseli |
Bran | Fast food | Rice |
Natural oils | Semi-finished products |
Be sure to read: What is the 1200 calorie per day diet, menu for the week and recipes for home use
Alcoholic drinks of any strength are prohibited. But herbal teas, rosehip decoction and still mineral water will be useful for the breakdown of fat.
Limiting the consumption of vegetables and fruits threatens vitamin deficiency, so take a vitamin complex.
Menu
For convenience, the menu is presented in tabular form. Ideally, each food day is characterized by its own menu, different from the menu of other days, indicating the number of products designed for the “average” person.
If you are much larger or engage in energy-intensive sports (running, skiing), you can slightly increase the amount of products based on the results.
Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Snack | Dinner | 2 hours before bedtime |
1 | Tea coffee) | Egg Salad | Chicken breast Rice | Cottage cheese | Fish Salad | Tomato juice |
2 | Tea coffee) | Salad Rusk | Fish Rice | Salad | Beef | Kefir |
3 | Tea coffee) | Egg Fruit | Egg Salad | Salad | Beef or chicken | Tea |
4 | Tea coffee) | Egg Cheese | Zucchini fried in vegetable oil | Grapefruit | Salad | Apple juice |
5 | Tea coffee) | Salad | Fish Rice | Salad | Fruit | Tomato juice |
6 | Tea coffee) | Egg Salad | Chicken breast Rice | Salad | Salad | Kefir |
7 | Tea coffee) | Fruit | Beef | Cottage cheese | Salad | Tea |
8 | Tea coffee) | Salad | Chicken Buckwheat | Cheese | Salad | Kefir |
9 | Tea coffee) | Egg Salad | Chicken Rice | Salad | Egg Bread | Tea |
10 | Tea coffee) | Salad | Fish Rice | Tomato juice | Grapefruit | Kefir |
11 | Tea coffee) | Egg | Salad | Cheese | Fruit | Tea |
12 | Tea coffee) | Fruit | Beef Rice | Salad | Egg Fruit | Kefir |
13 | Tea coffee) | Salad | Beef Oatmeal | Orange juice | Fish Rice | Tea |
14 | Tea coffee) | Cottage cheese | Fish Rice | Egg | Egg Salad Bread 30 g | Tomato juice |
Beef, chicken, turkey and fish should be boiled, stewed, or baked in foil. It is better to eat chicken meat white (breast), the skin should be separated from the meat. The fish can be steamed. The weight of a serving of chicken breast is 100-150 g, fish breast 150 g, beef serving 150-200 g, cottage cheese 200 g.
Cereal side dishes are cooked in water without salt and sugar, the amount of cereal is 50 g.
Vegetable salad options:
- cabbage;
- cabbage with green peas;
- carrot;
- tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers;
- cabbage (white, red, broccoli), carrots, pepper.
The weight of the products in the salad is 150-200 g, salads are seasoned with 1 tablespoon of a mixture of sunflower or olive oil with camelina, mustard or flaxseed oil, a source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
If there are 2 salads on the menu on one day, be sure to prepare them from different vegetables.
Prepare a small zucchini weighing 300 g, or half a large one.
Use whole grain bread, the weight of a piece is 30 g, the weight of a cracker is 20 g. The weight of a slice of low-fat unsalted cheese is 50 g.
In the table, a fruit means 1 medium-sized apple or 1 orange (it is recommended to alternate for variety). Choose a medium-sized grapefruit.
Tea (black or green) or unsweetened coffee, only natural coffee or with chicory. Juices and kefir are consumed in an amount of 200 ml (glass).
How to lose 10 kg in a week: TOP 7 programs
Losing weight too quickly is harmful to your health. Express methods should be used only as a last resort and no more than twice a year.
Maggi diet - menu for every day
The stress-free low-carb program lasts 4 weeks. Strict adherence to all recommendations is important. You cannot swap weeks or swap breakfast and dinner.
Maggi diet - menu for every day
Important! Follow the dosage strictly. If the weight is not specified, you can eat any amount.
Keto diet - weekly menu for women
Provides for the transition to alternative energy of one’s own body. The process of eliminating fat reserves is called ketosis. A low-carb menu for a week changes the type of energy metabolism to ketosis, in which the liver breaks down fatty acids and converts them into energy.
The body spends a huge amount of calories, but in the process of restructuring the metabolism, problems with digestion arise, and the risk of irreversible changes in the kidneys is high.
Switching to this menu is possible only under the supervision of a doctor after a full examination and a series of laboratory tests.
To maintain a keto diet, you need to count calories and protein percentage.
Eating | Products |
Breakfast | Coffee and a tablespoon of butter, three eggs and dietary fiber |
Dinner | 0.5 avocado, green leaves with a spoon of grated cheese, chicken or fish and 2 tablespoons of oil |
Afternoon snack | Cottage cheese, nuts, 0.5 avocado, nuts, celery stalks |
Dinner | Fish, meat or poultry, lots of butter or lard, fresh leaf salad with butter and nuts |
Kremlevskaya
Another option for high-protein nutrition is based on weighing and scoring. Protein foods can be eaten without restriction, but carbohydrate-containing foods must be counted in points or conventional units.
The more carbohydrates a product contains, the more points you need to add to your score. In the first week you are allowed to consume 20 points, in the second 40. It is recommended to reduce the amount of salt and increase the volume of fluid you drink.
Friends, look how simple it is, we decided not to add a complete list of products and points to the article here, the list is too large and it’s impossible to find anything there without an interactive search.
However, we now have a functional table of correspondence between points (cu) and food products, complete with search , and ready-made dishes are also available there. Follow the link Table of points for the Kremlin diet and do not forget to add it to your collections or bookmark the search page.
To lose weight in the abdomen and sides for women - menu for the week
This option involves fractional meals; one serving should not exceed the size of the palm of your hand.
Be sure to read: What can you eat on a protein diet: list of foods, what you can eat, diet, how much weight you can lose
Combine permitted products according to the principle:
- meat and fish + greens;
- cereals + fruits.
The breaks between meals are 2-2.5 hours. Eat slowly, stop eating when you feel slightly hungry. The stomach will gradually shrink in volume and you will need less food to feel full.
Include exercises, cardio exercises, massage and wraps of problem areas.
Buckwheat with kefir for weight loss
This option is suitable as unloading. For 3 days, you are allowed to drink 1.5 liters of kefir and eat 0.5 kg of buckwheat porridge without salt and butter, dividing the food into 4-5 servings.
Water, green or herbal tea are consumed without limitation, but not less than 2 liters per day. The second part of the day involves reducing the amount of water you drink, otherwise the load on the urinary system will be too high.
Hollywood Diet
This is a quick, but not very useful way to lose weight. Calorie intake should be limited to 600-800 kcal per day. Meals are provided twice a day: at lunch and in the evening.
On odd days, you can eat 100 g of fish, chicken breast or lean beef and 100 g of non-starchy vegetables for lunch, and in the evening, grapefruit, 1 chicken or a couple of quail eggs. On even days, swap lunch and dinner. Breakfast and afternoon tea are not provided; a cup of unsweetened coffee is acceptable.
Contraindications
There are contraindications for protein diets, which are more extensive than for balanced ones. Not everyone can recommend the above menu; before losing weight, you must definitely undergo a medical examination.
Protein diets are completely excluded for the following conditions and diseases:
- cardiovascular diseases, heart rhythm disturbances;
- liver diseases;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- renal diseases and dysfunctions;
- joint pain and joint diseases;
- diseases of the stomach and intestines;
- elderly and advanced age (the risk of thrombosis increases).
Pros, cons, contraindications
If all the rules are followed, a three-week protein-vegetable diet is effective and ends with weight loss.
This method is optimal for weight loss , since the menu is quite diverse, allowing you to create options taking into account individual food preferences.
However, on protein days, the load on the liver and kidneys increases, which can lead to headaches.
Such nutrition should be treated with caution by those who suffer from cardiovascular problems, liver and kidney diseases.
It is not indicated during pregnancy, and for nursing mothers - only after consultation with a specialist and on a purely individual basis.
Advantages and disadvantages
Protein diets have a number of advantages and disadvantages, some of which have already been mentioned above, but they are systematized below.
So, the advantages of a protein diet are as follows:
- Aerobic training is not contraindicated;
- there is no feeling of hunger due to prolonged digestion of protein foods;
- minimal manifestations of weakness and ailments in comparison with other diets, health, as a rule, is maintained good;
- The menu contains a sufficient amount of dietary fiber, and constipation is unlikely.
The disadvantages of a protein diet are also widely known:
- unbalanced diet;
- blood pressure is unstable and accompanied by fluctuations;
- for those who are accustomed to 3 meals a day losing weight, 6 meals a day may be unacceptable; not everyone has the opportunity to do aerobic training;
- if there is insufficient weight loss on a diet, a repeat is possible no earlier than a month after the end of the previous one;
- possible exacerbation of chronic diseases;
- the diet is depleted in vitamins, macro- and microelements, which is why it is recommended to take multivitamin and mineral complexes.
Exit
The exit from the protein diet should be gradual, also lasting about 2 weeks. Gradually introduce carbohydrates into your diet, mostly complex ones with a low glycemic index, increase the amount of bread to your usual norm, preferably whole grain, made from wholemeal flour mixed with rye flour and a sufficient amount of fiber.
Also increase the energy value of your diet, focusing on weight stability.
Important! For a protein diet to be effective for 14 days, a balanced menu should contain about 1 g of protein per 1 kg of ideal weight, about 1 g of fat per 1 kg of weight, the remaining calories come from carbohydrates (up to 4-6 g per 1 kg of weight).
With heavy physical work or intensive sports, the amount of proteins increases slightly (up to 1.2 g/kg), the main increase in calories comes from fats and carbohydrates. You should not be afraid of them, these are sources of energy for the body, and the parity of the calorie content of food with energy expenditure can be judged by the stability of weight.
Quitting the diet
Quitting a diet is an important part of the weight loss process. The duration of preservation of the obtained result depends on it. With a sudden transition to the usual diet (with carbohydrates and fats), a person runs the risk of quickly gaining back the lost kilograms and becoming heavier than before losing weight. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to gradually switch to the regular menu.
Every day you should add 100-200 kcal, add foods from the list of prohibitions to your diet. The process of restoring nutrition usually takes 1-2 weeks. After quitting the diet, it is better to stick to a healthy diet with reasonable doses of junk food.
Reviews
Depending on the results achieved, people following a protein diet for 14 days shared different reviews.
Dasha: “I was advised to go on a 2-week protein diet precisely as a means to lose a few kilograms in a short time and not be particularly hungry. I have always loved sweets, I’m unlikely to be able to give it up forever, but at this time I gathered all my will into a fist and did everything according to the rules. As a result, I dropped from 72 kg to 65, while the weight is maintaining, I’m gradually returning to normal eating again.”
Lilyana: “I was never particularly overweight, but my weight was always “above average.” I found a protein diet for 14 days as a means to lose weight from time to time. Then it picks up very slowly, I try to follow some learned rules on certain days. I have developed recipes suitable for protein nutrition without sweets and baked goods. Now I’m not alone on a diet. I encouraged a friend, she is also doing well so far, we support each other. 3 days left until release. I already know how to get out from past experience, I’ll teach my friend too.”
Answers to frequently asked questions
- I can’t hold out for a week, I’m terribly hungry – what should I do?
If on a protein-vegetable diet you experience a constant feeling of hunger, weakness and headache even on the 3-4th day of the fasting regime, it means that the calorie content of the diet is chosen incorrectly. Increase protein volume by 20-30%. If it doesn’t help, increase the amount of carbohydrates by the same amount.
- Or maybe I’ll eat less protein and more vegetables - they’re three times less caloric, so at least I’ll be full!
No you can not. This diet is a low-carb diet that aims to stimulate the body to burn fat to fill energy deficits. If the brain receives enough glucose with each meal, then it will never reach fat reserves. Well, if there are too many carbohydrates, then their excess will also be deposited in the depot. Proteins almost never turn into fats; the body uses them as building material.
- I have kidney disease (liver, gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system...) - can I go on such a diet?
Absolutely not. People with chronic diseases should start losing weight by visiting a therapist and endocrinologist, taking tests and undergoing the necessary examinations. In any case, a low-carbohydrate diet is not suitable for those who have problems with the kidneys and liver - this is due to the peculiarities of protein processing and the consequences of the breakdown of fat deposits (acetone, ketone bodies).
- How many pounds can you lose in a week on a low-carb diet?
This completely depends on the initial body weight, gender, age and metabolic characteristics of a particular person. A man can lose up to 8 kg of weight in the first week of such a diet, a woman – up to 6 kg. Keep in mind that fat in this figure will account for no more than 60%.
- I successfully lose weight on an unloading regimen, and then on a maintenance regimen I almost completely regain the lost weight. What's wrong?
Either you pounce on food, or you make up your diet mainly from high-calorie foods, although your portions remain the same in weight, or you overuse salt, and then the reason is the accumulation of excess fluid.
- I have been alternating fasting weeks with a 1:1 maintenance regime for several months now, but the rate of weight loss has slowed down. What to do?
First, recalculate the calorie intake based on the achieved weight. Secondly, increase physical activity. If these measures do not help, alternate one fasting week with two maintenance weeks so that the body has time to wean itself off the restrictions and return basic energy metabolism to normal levels. This technique helps to get out of the so-called “plateau” in the process of weight loss.
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conclusions
Despite all the effectiveness of a protein diet for 14 days, when following it, you must carefully monitor your health; if you feel the slightest deterioration in your health, stop the diet and make a careful exit.
Perhaps a protein diet is not for you; you would be better off with a balanced diet with a slight reduction in calories, less protein and more carbohydrates.
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