Fighting overweight is not just a tribute to fashion, it is a way to maintain the health and youth of the body. It is believed that a protein diet for weight loss is the most sparing and effective way to regain its former grace. To whom is it shown, and what is its essence?
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The essence and principles of protein diet
Proteins are an important part of our diet, as they play a significant role in metabolism. Protein must necessarily come with food, without it, the synthesis of essential amino acids is disrupted. How does protein work? The digestive enzymes that come with food break down it into amino acids, and they, in turn, synthesize their own protein, or break down, converting into energy. The use of proteins as an energy source is important in conditions of fasting and diets, otherwise the body's own proteins will become an energy source, primarily to the detriment of muscle tissue.
The protein diet originated in antiquity, since the founding of the Olympic Games in Greece. Before the competition, the athletes ate meat, excluding bread, sweets, wine, fruits and vegetables. As a result, athletes lost weight but did not lose muscle mass. At the heart of a modern protein diet are all the same principles - reducing the level of carbohydrates coming from food in favor of proteins. How much protein is required? Unified consumption standards have not been established.The microflora of the large intestine synthesizes amino acids that are not taken into account in the preparation and calculation of protein norms.
There are many variations of the diet. But they are all united by the main principle: the absence of carbohydrates is compensated by proteins.
This reduces the amount of fat. There are also special options for a protein diet: protein-carbohydrate, protein-fat.
The basic rules of the diet:
- Each meal should include a serving of protein and additional low-carb foods.
- Until noon, 1-2 meals with complex carbohydrates are allowed - buckwheat, rice, oatmeal.
- In the afternoon, proteins are required to be consumed with starchless vegetables: cucumbers, cabbage, tomatoes, zucchini.
- From fruit unsweetened apples and citruses are allowed.
- Animal fats can be consumed no more than 40-50 grams per day.
A protein diet is not limited to one or two days, do not confuse it with mono-diets. The duration of such a diet directly affects the result: the effect of losing weight is higher, the longer the diet. At the same time, muscle tissue is not lost, reliefs appear more clearly, the body does not experience a deficit in energy.
Protein Diet Product Recommendations
What foods form the basis of a protein diet? First of all, meat (veal, low-fat beef, rabbit), poultry (turkey, chicken), fish (almost any).
A complete protein containing the necessary, including essential amino acids, is in products such as:
- eggs
- dairy products;
- cottage cheese;
- cheese.
Defective proteins (deficient in important amino acids) are found in plant foods: legumes, cereals, nuts, and some vegetables. These products are able to partially replace high-grade protein, but in a diet, animal products cannot be dispensed with.
What foods still need to be included in the diet of losing weight on protein? If the diet is not strict, carbohydrates (wholesome, “long-playing”) and fats are allowed in limited quantities. The poorer the foods for energy value, the better.
It is important not to forget a few rules:
- calories from food should come in less than wasted;
- it is necessary to eat fractionally: often (after 3-4 hours) in small portions;
- the last meal should be no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime.
We must not forget about the drinking regime, and plain water is best suited. You can drink milk, teas, coffee - no more than a cup per day.
Contraindications for protein diet
Excess protein intake from food can be no less dangerous than a deficiency. "Extra" protein is included in energy metabolism, but an additional burden is placed on the liver and kidneys, because it is these organs that remove the end products of protein molecules from the body. At the same time, rapid growth in the intestines of putrefactive microflora is stimulated. This is why a protein diet is contraindicated in individuals with impaired liver and kidney function.
In addition, the duration of the diet should be reduced with:
- high cholesterol;
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- gout
- diabetes mellitus;
- amenorrhea in women.
You can’t sit on a protein diet for adolescents and children - during the period of growth and hormonal adjustment of the body, a complete diet is needed!
Only one diet? Do I need a sport?
A protein diet is considered effective, but sports when sitting on it are only welcome. Athletes adhere to such a diet to build muscle and remove fat from the body (the process is called "drying").
But physical activity is also shown to people far from big sports when dieting, as they allow:
- maintain muscle tone, do not lose their mass;
- avoid sagging skin with rapid weight loss;
- increase the stamina of the body, which is so important in conditions of food restrictions;
- speed up the fat burning process.
Physical activity must be selected individually, taking into account the age, capabilities, initial weight of losing weight.
Effective in this regard:
- fitness
- crossfit;
- aerobics;
- swimming;
- cycling and so on.
What is lipolysis?
Losing weight can repeatedly hear such a term as "lipolysis." What is it?
Lipolysis is the metabolic process in the body of the breakdown of fats. Fats are broken down by a special enzyme, lipase, into fatty acids.
In addition to the natural physiological lipolysis at the cellular level, there is another meaning of the word "lipolysis".
This refers to assistive technologies for weight loss:
- injection lipolysis - the introduction of drugs with deoxycholate, lipase and phosphatidylcholine to accelerate the hydrolysis and destruction of adipose tissue;
- electrolipolysis is a hardware procedure where the breakdown of fats occurs under the influence of currents;
- laser lipolysis;
- radiolipolysis - a procedure based on radio waves;
- vacuum lipolysis.
However, a protein diet in itself is a great way to combat excess weight, and additional technologies are possible only if emergency weight loss is necessary and after a thorough examination, as they have many contraindications.
The main protein diet menu
What dishes includes a protein diet for weight loss? Menus for a week, two or 4 weeks can be prepared in advance to purchase the necessary products and plan a diet for the required period.
Menu for 7 days
A week on a protein diet - and you can easily say goodbye to a couple of three kilograms. What should be included in the weekly sample menu?
| Day of the week | The main meal is breakfast | The main meal is lunch | The main meal is dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | • Boiled chicken - 100 grams; • Buckwheat soaked in the evening in boiling water - 60 grams; •Tea. | • Pea porridge-100 grams; • Veal cutlet stewed-80 grams; • Freshly squeezed fruit juice without sugar. | • Omelet from 2 egg whites and half a glass of milk; • 1/2 grapefruit. |
| Tuesday | • Boiled egg; • Whole grain bread with a slice of hard cheese; •Tea without sugar | • Boiled lentils - 80 grams; • Stewed fish - 100 grams; •Tea. | • Fat-free cottage cheese - 150 grams. |
| Wednesday | • Cottage cheese casserole without sugar - 150 grams; • Cheese - 20 grams; • A cup of coffee without sugar. | • Chicken breast - 200 grams; •Parsley; • 1 tomato; • Cranberry juice. | • Kefir - 200 grams; • Boiled egg. |
| Thursday | • Fat-free cottage cheese - 120 grams; • Oatmeal cookies - 1 piece; • Tea with milk without sugar. | • Fish cutlet - 80 grams; • Boiled buckwheat - 60 grams; •Tea. | • Natural yogurt - 200 grams. |
| Friday | • Fish souffle - 150 grams; • Boiled egg; •Tea. | • Chicken fillet - 200 grams; • Fresh cabbage salad; •Tea. | • Fat-free cottage cheese - 200 grams. |
| Saturday | • Stewed chicken cutlet; • Boiled rice without salt and oil - 60 grams; • Rosehip broth. | • Cauliflower - 60 grams; • Baked fish - 100 grams; • bell pepper; • Natural juice. | • Omelet made of 3 proteins and ½ cup milk. |
| Sunday | • Boiled turkey - 150 grams; • Hard cheese - 30 grams; •Tea. | • Boiled veal - 120 grams; • Boiled rice - 40 grams; • Parsley; •Tea. | • Fat-free cottage cheese - 200 grams. |
In snacking are allowed:
- in the morning - unsweetened fruits, nuts;
- kefir;
- a piece of cheese;
- protein bar (1-2 times a week).
Recipes for a protein diet can be very diverse, so nutrition does not seem monotonous.
Menu for 14 days
The best result is a two-week protein diet. A menu for 14 days might look like this:
| Diet day | breakfast | dinner | dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-7 day | Menu for the week, see table above | ||
| 8 day | • Oatmeal on the water - 50 grams; • Chicken fillet - 100 grams. | • Fish stewed with vegetables - 200 grams | • Yogurt, non-fat natural - 150 grams |
| 9 day | • Buckwheat - 40 grams; • Boiled lean beef -120 grams. | • Braised zucchini - 100 grams; • stewed chicken cutlet - 100 grams. | • Omelet from 2 egg whites and ½ cup milk |
| 10 day | • 2 boiled eggs; • Hard cheese - 40 grams | • Salad of fresh cucumbers - 100 grams; • Fish souffle - 80 grams. | • Fat-free cottage cheese - 120 grams. |
| 11 day | • Oatmeal in milk - 50 grams; • Boiled egg. | • Braised cabbage with veal - 200 grams. | • Kefir - 200 grams. |
| 12 day | • Boiled rice without salt - 50 grams; • Fish cutlet - 60 grams. | • Chicken broth - 100 milliliters; • Chicken fillet - 100 grams. | • Omelet from 2 egg whites and ½ cup milk |
| 13 day | • Boiled turkey - 100 grams; • Buckwheat soaked in boiling water in the evening. | • Pea porridge - 60 grams; • Chicken souffle - 80 grams. | • Fat-free cottage cheese - 120 grams. |
| 14 day | • Cottage cheese casserole without sugar - 120 grams; • Cheese - 30 grams. | • Boiled rice - 40 grams; • Stewed fish - 120 grams. | • Natural low-fat yogurt - 120 grams. |
4 weeks menu
The protein diet for a month can be expanded due to the widespread use of dairy products so that the body does not experience calcium deficiency. Useful trace elements help make up for seafood. To maintain the health of nails, hair and skin, it is recommended to take a teaspoon of flaxseed oil every morning.
The exit from the monthly protein diet should be gradual, little by little it is necessary to increase the content of carbohydrates and fats in the menu.
Varieties and principles of diets
Protein diet is the basis of many popular methods of losing weight.
Ducan's Protein Diet
The author of the Ducane diet is a Frenchman, Dr. Pierre Ducane. For more than three decades, he has been promoting his idea of losing weight, and became especially famous after the publication of the book "I Can't Lose Weight."
Read also: Ducan's protein diet
The diet is based on ketosis - the body’s consumption of its own fats as an energy “fuel”.
The diet consists of several phases:
- Attack - loss of up to 3 kilograms of excess weight over a period of two to seven days. Of course, the attack does not lose as much fat as water, but this stage is a good incentive to continue the diet.
- Alternation - This phase consists in the alternation of seven dozen protein foods and three dozen certain vegetables. Everything that can be eaten on a protein diet is described in detail in the description for it. The duration of the phase is selected depending on the volume of extra kilograms and is calculated by the formula: one week for every kilogram of excess weight.
- Fastening - This phase is necessary so that the weight does not return after leaving the diet. You can gradually introduce products containing starch, fruits, bread. The duration of this stage is calculated by the formula: for each kilogram dropped in the previous phase - 10 days of fixing.
- Stabilization - this phase allows you to eat everything, but not to gain weight, observing simple rules: one day a week there is only protein, daily include bran, move a lot. Stabilization should turn into a lifestyle.
Ducan's diet is called fast, however, this is not so. Following its rules, a week you can lose up to half a kilogram of weight.
Protein and vegetable diet
You can sit on a protein-vegetable diet for a long time without harm to health. The essence of this method of losing weight is in the alternation of vegetables and protein foods. The duration of the diet can be up to a month. Protein-vegetable menu consists mainly of low-calorie foods, but does not prohibit eating in quantities necessary for saturation. The body does not experience stress and lack of vitamins and energy.
Protein diet "Maggie"
A diet called “Maggie” is practiced with the goal of accelerating chemical fat burning processes in the body. The Maggi diet consists of egg dishes, and calories are not taken into account. With intolerance to eggs, their replacement with cottage cheese is allowed. The diet lasts 4 weeks, during which time you can lose up to 20 kilograms of excess weight.
Protein and fat diet
The main source of energy entering the body through this food system is fat. It activates the mechanism of spending glycogen stores. Such a diet does not cause a significant blow to the work of internal organs and gives a persistent effect of losing weight due to a reduction in carbohydrates.The principles of this diet formed the author’s weight loss system of Dr. Kovalkov, which is gaining in popularity.
Protein-carbohydrate diet
The main principle of the protein-carbohydrate diet is the alternation of proteins and carbohydrates. As a result, the body consumes energy reserves from fat cells. In this case, only fat is burned, and the muscles remain normal. Following the rules of the diet, you can say goodbye to ten kilograms in 2-3 weeks.
Protein diet for pregnant women
During pregnancy, a protein diet allows you not to gain extra pounds, and also allows the fetus to develop normally. Its basis should be meat, fish, dairy products. At the same time, we must not forget that the diet of the future mother should be complete, and you can’t completely abandon fats and carbohydrates!
Dr. Robert Atkins Diet
The Atkins Diet is a low-carb diet. It was developed by American cardiologist Robert Atkins. The American Medical Association came to the conclusion that weight loss is not associated with a limitation of carbohydrate volume, but with the duration of the diet and a decrease in total caloric intake. The Atkins system is based on limiting carbohydrate intake in order to switch metabolism to fat burning. The doctor put forward the idea that the body gives more calories to fat burning than to the destruction of carbohydrates. In addition to meat and fish, the author of the methodology allows you to eat, without limitation, seafood, eggs, mushrooms, and in moderation - fats, nuts, dairy products. This diet was recognized as one of the most sparing in the world.
Protein diet during pregnancy
While waiting for the baby diets as such are prohibited! The diet of a woman must be full and varied for all nine months. Protein food can be the basis of the menu, but it needs to be supplemented with fats and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are needed "long", those found in cereals and cereals, in vegetables and fruits. But from empty and fast carbohydrates it is better to refrain.
If the pregnant woman is gaining weight too intensively, or suffers from edema, the doctor can recommend her fasting days on protein foods - cottage cheese, chicken, and so on. However, these single days should not last more than a day in a row.
Feedback and Results
Protein diet allows you to quickly and effectively lose weight.
Its supporters call the clear benefits:
- wide list of foods allowed with a diet;
- lack of hunger;
- minimal load on the organs and systems of the body (including the nervous one).
“Limiting carbohydrates in your diet is a smart approach to weight loss. What is the danger of a protein diet? Low-carb diets lead to active use of protein as an energy source, says Dr. A.G. Utin (cardiac surgeon, cardiologist, Moscow). - And this causes an increase in nitrogenous products in the body, which gives a load to the liver and kidneys. That’s why before you go on the same Ducane diet you need to have a biochemical blood test! ”
A diet with a predominance of protein foods has a number of contraindications, however, a tangible effect and a significant loss of excess weight among her fans make this type of diet very popular.
