Soy diet - eliminates excess weight and strengthens muscles

Scientists around the world never cease to argue about how healthy and safe soy meat or textured meat, as it is also called, is for humans. The naturalness of the bean product is beyond doubt, but some of its properties are alarming to lovers of healthy eating. For those same vegetarians, soy meat is simply a godsend - the lack of amino acids caused by refusing to eat meat can be almost completely restored thanks to this product.

CALCULATORS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT

Soy meat contains up to 70% protein, and almost completely no fat . The product can not only replace meat, but at the same time maintain a slim figure. But some side properties of soy make you refuse this product or reduce its consumption.

The calorie content of soy meat is approximately 300 kcal per 100 grams.

What are the benefits of soy for weight loss?

An annual herbaceous plant - soybean - belongs to the legume family, contains protein (essential and essential amino acids), minerals (potassium, phosphorus, calcium, manganese, iron), vitamins E and B. thiamine. Soybeans are grown in Asia, on the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, in Southern Europe and America. Products prepared on its basis (milk, meat, tofu (cheese), sauce) are low-calorie, easily digestible, and contain a high content of complete protein and biologically active substances (lecithin, phytoestrogen).
The beneficial components of soy lower cholesterol levels, improve metabolism, and, in combination with physical activity, help burn fat without losing muscle mass. Thanks to the existence of various options for creating a daily menu, the soy diet helps not only to get rid of excess weight, but also to tighten muscles, overcome cellulite, swelling , gain a beautiful body and improve the health of the body.

Why do soybeans make you lose weight?

There are several reasons why soy products transform your figure.

The first and main thing is to supply the human body with a large amount of high-quality protein, which prevents the depletion of muscle tissue during a weight loss marathon. Unlike the vast majority of other plant-based delicacies, soybean dishes contain both essential and essential amino acids, with the latter predominating. At the same time, soybeans contain half as much fat as protein (17.8 g versus 36.7), and they are represented mainly by mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which regulate weight in the most natural way. There are approximately the same amount of carbohydrates in the product as lipids.

The second reason for losing weight by eating soy is the presence of special phytoestrogens components in its composition. They maintain an optimal balance of estrogen in the female body, which, by the way, is produced less and less with age. First of all, this is important during menopause, when a beautiful lady, against the background of hormonal changes, faces various problems - including a deficiency of hormones. In addition, phytoestrogens regulate the synthesis of leptin, which is responsible for excess weight gain.

Soybeans are an excellent source of other biologically active substances: for example, B compounds, vitamins H, E and PP. All of them have a beneficial effect on metabolism, increasing its speed and eliminating problems. Beauty vitamin H stimulates the formation of collagen fibers, helping the skin remain firm, taut and elastic during weight loss. You should not discount mineral compounds: the culture is rich in molybdenum, iron, cobalt, potassium, silicon, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc and chromium, which play an important role in correcting obesity.

There is quite a lot of fiber in soybeans: 13.5 g. Dietary fiber swells under the influence of water, providing a long-lasting feeling of fullness and solving the problem of constipation. Thanks to this component, legume fruits remove various ballast and toxic substances from the human body. This also applies to excess fat.

Soybeans also have a moderate calorie content: 364 kcal per 100 g of product. For dishes and products prepared from them, the energy value is even lower: for soy meat this figure is 321 kcal, for soy milk and sauce - 54 kcal, for soy tofu cheese - 73 kcal. In addition, the glycemic index of legumes is characterized as very low: only 15 units. Finally, the last bonus: soy products are digested faster and easier than animal delicacies.

Requirements and principles of the soy diet

There are several common types of effective soy diets. This is the so-called analogue diet, in which you eat as usual, replacing dairy products, meat and cheese with soy analogues; seven-day soy milk diet; five-day diet on soybeans (the daily diet consists of only 500 g of boiled soybeans without salt and seasonings); diet based on meat or using soy sauce. When following any option, the following principles must be adhered to:

1. Small frequent meals (at least 4-5 times a day, for example every four hours) in small portions (200-250 g).
2. In addition to plain water, it is allowed to drink green tea without sugar; the drinking regime is standard - at least 1.5-2 liters of liquid per day.
3. When preparing dishes, you must avoid adding vegetable or animal fats and sauces based on them. Vegetable salads can be seasoned with soy sauce, lemon juice or olive oil.
4. Salt is on the list of prohibited foods; in some recipes it can be replaced with soy sauce.
5. The foods you eat should contain as little fat as possible. The percentage of fat in soy meat, drinks, mayonnaise or desserts should not exceed 1%.
6. During the diet, frying of foods is excluded; it is better to steam or bake dishes in the oven or slow cooker.
7. Exit from the diet is carried out gradually, especially if the weight loss was long-term. A sharp jump in the amount of fats and carbohydrates consumed daily can quickly “negate” the achieved results and become a dangerous overload for the body.

By creating a varied, balanced diet, you can stick to a soy-based diet for a long time, from two to four weeks. You can lose up to 15 kg of excess weight, while the body will experience minimal stress. However, before you start losing weight, you need to consult with a specialist, develop a daily menu, diet duration, and a plan for introducing animal products into your diet at the stage of exiting this diet.

What foods should you include in your diet?

The basis of the daily menu during a diet on soy products is soy meat, beans, milk, and tofu. In addition to them, especially with long-term adherence to such dietary rules, at the stage of completing the diet, it is allowed to add lean meat or fish (pollock, pike, hake), fermented milk products (kefir, natural unsweetened yogurt, cottage cheese). Snacks between main meals, consisting of fruits and dried fruits, are acceptable. In addition to protein products, the menu includes:

• vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, carrots, potatoes, white cabbage, bell peppers);
• fruits and natural juices from them (apples, kiwi, plums, citrus fruits);
• dried fruits (prunes, dried apricots);
• cereals (brown rice, oatmeal, buckwheat);
• legumes (peas, green beans);
• mushrooms;
• honey (1 tablespoon per day);
• rye or bran cereal bread, whole grain bread (limited)

List of prohibited products

It is prohibited to include sweet confectionery, chocolate and cocoa, baked goods, fatty fish and meats, pasta and white rice in the daily menu. It is necessary to completely abandon sugar and salt, exclude carbonated and alcoholic drinks, natural and instant coffee. It is better to steam or bake dishes, avoiding frying. Smoked meats, pickles and marinades, semi-finished products and fast food are excluded.

Harm

If you decide to lose weight with meat products, you should know what harm they can cause to the body. However, do not forget that all the arguments below are only hypothetical and require more thorough scientific confirmation.

Increased protein consumption can provoke poisoning by its breakdown products and cause intoxication of the body. Animal fat is difficult to process and settles on the walls of blood vessels in the form of atherosclerotic plaques. During the digestion of red varieties, uric acid is formed, which contributes to the development of arthritis and arthrosis.

The meat supposedly contains thyroid and sex hormones, which are used in animal husbandry to accelerate the growth of livestock. Once in the human body, they disrupt hormonal levels, which is fraught with serious health problems. Considering that this is one of the main causes of excess weight, including this product in your diet is not the best solution.

To prevent animals from getting sick due to poor conditions, they are given antibiotics, which can then be contained in meat products. For human health, their harm is that they kill the immune system, and against the background of any weight loss, the body is already weakened. The result is a deterioration in health and an increased risk of various viral and infectious diseases.

Recently, data from various studies have been constantly published indicating that red meat is a real killer, as it causes such deadly diseases as:

• cancer (due to carcinogens formed in it during frying);
• heart pathology (due to high cholesterol);
• Alzheimer's disease (due to the amino acid homocysteine, released during the breakdown of animal proteins).

In this regard, many nutritionists and doctors recommend giving up meat products altogether. And not only while losing weight, but for the rest of your life.

But! Carcinogens are formed when fish is fried too. So it’s enough to just abandon this cooking method. And homocysteine ​​is found in all products of animal origin (eggs, milk, fish).

There is also an opinion that meat disrupts the intestinal microflora due to infection with parasites and the proliferation of putrefactive bacteria. And with a diseased digestive tract, healthy weight loss is impossible.

Soy milk diet menu for 7 days

Soy milk contains a large amount of fiber, which helps cleanse the intestines and remove accumulated toxins and waste from the body. The protein component works to preserve and strengthen muscle mass, while the vitamins and microelements included in the product are sufficient to maintain the overall tone of the body. You can lose 4-5 kg ​​by following the following diet for 7 days:

Power System Options

Soy diet

Soy diet for 3 days

The essence of this technique is that in addition to soy products, you can also eat vegetable salads, low-sugar fruits and cereal porridges. You should stick to four meals a day. Thanks to it, you can say goodbye to 1.5-3 kg of excess weight.

Sample menu:

Day I

• Breakfast - salad of tomatoes, kale, tofu cheese and soy sprouts plus a decoction of medicinal herbs, flavored with 1 tsp. honey It is best to season the salad with soybean oil.
• Lunch - 1 medium sized pear.
• Lunch - creamy mushroom soup with low-fat sour cream, a second serving of mashed potatoes and 1 soy meat cutlet.
• Dinner - a mixture of grated carrots and boiled soybeans with the addition of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Day II.

• Morning meal - a piece of rye bread, spread with a thin layer of butter, with slices of fresh cucumber and tofu cheese. This sandwich is washed down with a glass of soy milk.
• Second breakfast - a handful of prunes (50 g).
• Lunch meal - pea soup with chicken broth, a portion of boiled buckwheat, 1 pickled cucumber and 2 beef meatballs.
• Evening - soy goulash stewed with vegetables.

Day III.

• Breakfast - some biscuits (50 g) and soy milk (250 ml).
• Lunch - a glass of natural yogurt.
• Lunch - boiled chicken, a portion of boiled rice sprinkled with soy sauce; a little sauerkraut, a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Evening meal - steamed fish (a couple of pieces), 100 g of bell pepper, 200 ml of freshly squeezed apple juice.

Soy diet for 7 days

This technique is the most popular. It is characterized by a more varied menu, requires adherence to three meals a day and allows you to lose weight by 3-5 kg.

Sample menu:

Day I

• At breakfast, drink a glass of soy milk and eat 1 rye toast.
• In the middle of the day they eat 150 g of soy goulash, 100 g of boiled brown rice, and for dessert they enjoy a small sweet and sour apple.
• They dine with a couple of cabbage rolls made from soy meat and a cabbage salad with crab sticks, seasoned with lemon juice.

Day II.

• In the morning, hunger is satisfied with buckwheat porridge cooked in soy milk, plus a cup of unsweetened green tea.
• For lunch, allow yourself to eat stewed zucchini (200 g), 2 soy meat cutlets, 1 pear.
• In the evening, refresh yourself with cucumber salad, tofu cheese and 250 ml of fresh orange juice.

Day III.

• For breakfast, eat half a glass of oatmeal, poured with warmed soy milk. Unsweetened green tea is used as a drink.
• At lunch, hunger is satisfied with 150 g of soy curd and the same amount of grated carrots, sprinkled with soy sauce.
• At dinner they eat boiled broccoli and about 200 g of steamed fish. All this is washed down with orange juice (1 glass).

Day IV.

• The morning meal consists of a couple of slices of tofu, two rye crackers, one fresh tomato and a glass of soy milk.
• A few hours later they eat vegetable soup and a salad of soybean sprouts and white cabbage. For dessert they enjoy an apple.
• In the evening, eat potatoes baked in the oven with grated cheese, soy goulash and one grapefruit.

Day V

• It starts with eating soybean curd seasoned with low-fat sour cream (150-200 g) and two dried pieces of wheat bread.
• They have lunch with soy goulash (no more than 150 g), cabbage and cucumber salad with lemon juice.
• The dietary day is completed by consuming a mixture of boiled soybeans and bell peppers, as well as 1 piece of bread and a glass of plum juice.

Day VI.

• In the morning, limit yourself to 250 ml of soy milk and two pieces of toast.
• For lunch, enjoy a salad of radish, cucumber and chicken egg, sprinkled with lemon juice, as well as stewed soy meat.
• For dinner, just eat a slice of whole grain bread, a mixture of lettuce, soy sprouts and celery and drink a glass of pomegranate juice.

Day VII.

• Breakfast - 0.5 cups of corn flakes doused with soy milk; 1 orange, 2-3 pieces of tofu, a slice of rye bread.
• Lunch - bell pepper stuffed with soy meat mixed with white rice (2-3 pcs.); vegetable salad, strawberry compote (200 ml).
• Dinner - 150 g of bean curd, a glass of apple juice, biscuits (3 pcs.).

Soy sauce while dieting

Natural soybean sauce will give bland dishes a piquant, slightly salty taste without increasing their calorie content. Its presence in the diet activates digestive processes and speeds up metabolism. During the diet, the daily intake of this product is two tablespoons; it can be added to salads, meat or fish dishes, porridges, and used for marinating poultry before baking. The duration of the soy sauce diet should not exceed one week .

Controversy about harm

Many people have a negative view of soy as such, arguing that it contains GMOs and is a cheap substitute for real meat in sausages. In fact, soy is no more harmful than eating beef, pork or lamb. By choosing soy meat, you can be sure of the quality and safety of products that do not contain GMOs.

Meat eaters should think about sometimes replacing meat products with soy products - this will allow the body to unload from time to time and give it a break from processing heavy meat foods. There is nothing wrong with moderate consumption of soy, or indeed any other food product. A balanced diet is the oldest and simplest secret of health.

Cooking recipes

The soy diet requires a varied daily menu; the diet should not be skimpy. Based on soy products, you can prepare familiar dishes or an unusual oriental salad with nori leaves and tofu. Instead of salt during cooking, soy sauce is used (not exceeding the daily norm of 2 tablespoons) , the frying process in oil is replaced by baking in the oven or stewing.

Vegetable salad with tofu cheese and croutons

• Cooking time: 30 minutes.
• Quantity: 4 persons.
• Calorie content: 60 kcal/100 g.

Tofu cheese is great for adding to vegetable salads, making them tastier and more nutritious. Ingredients of traditional oriental recipes (nori leaves, sesame oil) can be replaced. When preparing the dressing, use lemon or grapefruit juice instead of oils. If desired, you can add fresh cucumber, bell pepper and other vegetables to your salad to your taste.

Ingredients:

• lettuce leaves of two or three varieties - 150 g;
• red cherry tomatoes – 12 pcs;
• tofu – 150 g;
• sesame – 1 tsp;
• bran bread – 30 g;
• olive oil – 1 tsp;
• sesame oil – 2 tsp;
• soy sauce – 1 tsp;
• nori sheet – 1 pc.;
• ginger root – 10 g.

Cooking method:

1. Dry the crackers. Cut the bread into small cubes, place on a baking sheet and leave in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
2. Wash the tomatoes and lettuce. Cut the tomatoes in half and place the salad in serving bowls.
3. Cut the tofu cheese into medium-sized cubes, roll in sesame seeds, and add to the tomatoes.
4. Make the dressing - chop the ginger, add oil, soy sauce, mix thoroughly.
5. Cut the nori sheet into thin strips, add to the salad along with the prepared croutons, and season.

Soy meat goulash

• Cooking time: 40 minutes.
• Quantity: 4 persons.
• Calorie content: 80 kcal/100 g.

There are several options for preparing soy meat goulash. You can add seasonal vegetables to the dish, such as zucchini or eggplant, bell peppers or green beans. In the proposed recipe, tomato paste is replaced with fresh tomatoes; if desired, use any favorite spices, sprinkle the finished dish with fresh herbs. It is better to serve meat with rice or stewed potatoes.

Ingredients:

• goulash – 300 g;
• large carrots – 1 pc.;
• onion – 1 pc.;
• large tomatoes – 2 pcs.;
• paprika – 1 tsp;
• mixture of peppers - to taste;
• soy sauce – 1 tbsp.

Cooking method:

1. Soak the meat for 10-15 minutes in hot water, drain, and squeeze a little.
2. Set the multicooker to “stew” mode, place the goulash in a bowl, add water, and simmer with the lid open for 10-20 minutes.
3. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater, finely chop the onion, add to the meat, sprinkle with paprika, simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Peel the tomatoes after scalding with boiling water, mash with a fork or blender, and add to the meat. Pour over the sauce, season with a mixture of peppers and simmer covered for another 10 minutes.

Buckwheat porridge with milk

• Cooking time: 30 minutes.
• Quantity: 2 persons.
• Calorie content: 70 kcal/100 g.

Buckwheat porridge with milk is perfect for a hearty breakfast that will give you a boost of energy for the whole coming day. In the proposed recipe, sweet porridge is prepared with honey and cinnamon; if desired, you can prepare a savory dish or add a little salt. Before cooking, buckwheat can be soaked in water for 20-30 minutes for better boiling. There is no need to add oil during the diet.

Ingredients:

• buckwheat – 0.5 cups;
• water – 250 ml;
• soy milk – 200 ml;
• cinnamon – 0.5 tsp;
• honey – 1 tsp.

Cooking method:

1. Prepare the buckwheat - sort it (if necessary), rinse thoroughly.
2. Pour cold water over the cereal, put it on the fire, bring to a boil, cook under the lid over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
3. Add milk, bring to a boil, cook for another 5-7 minutes. Remove any foam that appears.
4. 2 minutes before readiness, add cinnamon and stir. Before serving, add honey to the finished dish.

Additional recommendations

When is the best time to eat?

At any main meal. It is better to eat veal and beef for lunch, chicken and turkey for dinner. Considering the long digestion of meat in the stomach, you should not eat it at night. This will contribute to the storage of fat, slow down weight loss and can cause intestinal disorders.

What's the best way to cook?

1. Choose the leanest part (in poultry, for example, this is the breast).
2. Rinse.
3. Remove the skin and subcutaneous layers of fat.
4. Boil in unsalted water - this is an ideal cooking option for weight loss.
5. Baked, steamed and stewed are also allowed.

What is compatible with?

• Leafy greens: lettuce, spinach, sorrel, parsley, cilantro, dill, basil;
• vegetables: avocado, white and cauliflower, green peppers, cucumbers, celery.

Is it possible to give it up completely?

If you decide to combine giving up meat and losing weight, you will have to carefully work on what to replace it with so that the body does not feel a deficiency of the essential nutrients of which it is a source:

• nuts, legumes and grains are plant sources of protein;
• eggs and dairy products are animal sources of protein, vitamins A and E;
• sprouted wheat, bran, buckwheat, corn contain B12;
• vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs, cereals are rich in iron;
• replacing meat with fish will compensate for the deficiency of phosphorus, protein, vitamins A and E;
• dark green, red and yellow vegetables and fruits saturate the body with vitamins A and E;
• Some nuts (Brazil, pine, almonds) and seeds (sesame) contain a lot of phosphorus.

The only vitamin that is not found in any other food product is D, but to prevent its deficiency, frequent sun exposure is sufficient. In addition, vitamins and microelements, the main source of which is meat, can be replenished with dietary supplements, multivitamin complexes, and individual medications if you refuse it.

Advantages and disadvantages

The soy diet has a number of advantages over other types of diets, as well as some disadvantages. Soy products have a specific taste and can cause flatulence (gas formation in the intestines), bloating, individual allergic reactions and other side effects. Not everyone likes the taste of tofu or sauce, in which case it is better not to torture yourself and choose another option for losing weight.

Some methods of losing weight on soy (for example, a five-day diet on soybeans) involve strict restriction of caloric intake and can cause weakness, a feeling of tiredness, and increased fatigue, so it is better to modify such a soy diet into one fasting day.

The undoubted advantages of the weight loss method include:

1. The ability to lose excess weight without a constant strong feeling of hunger, while maintaining physical and mental activity.
2. A high protein content and a low amount of carbohydrates in the diet helps to maintain muscle relief during the diet, provided that there are regular (at least 3 times a week) full-fledged (lasting at least an hour) workouts.
3. The variety allows you to choose the option that best suits your individual daily routine and taste preferences.
4. Thanks to their unique composition, the products have a beneficial effect on overall well-being, slow down the aging process, and normalize hormonal levels and the functioning of the endocrine system. Their regular consumption helps normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and the isoflavonoids included in the composition reduce the likelihood of developing oncological processes. The risks of diabetes, liver and kidney diseases are minimized.

Diet for weight loss using soy products: reviews, results, real stories of people losing weight

Doctors do not advise resorting to this method more than three times a year, because an excess of protein is not safe for the body. To maintain the weight gained after losing weight, it is enough not to eat too high-calorie foods and engage in light exercise.

The results of the soy diet for weight loss are simply wonderful:

• Strengthening muscles;
• Improving metabolism;
• Weight loss.

Quitting the diet

In order to return to your usual diet, you need to gradually replace soy products with regular ones: for example, on the first day, leave diet foods for breakfast and dinner, and eat regular meat for lunch.