Protein diet for weight loss: 3 menu options, pros and cons of the diet

A high-protein diet includes a variety of nutritious foods

Hello everybody! Today I'm going to tell you how to lose up to 3 kilos in 10 days without feeling hungry and without intense exercise. We were taught that results can only come through hard work. However, there is a protein diet for weight loss, and with it you can lose weight almost quickly, of course, with a number of conditions. Below you'll learn how to fit into those skinny jeans you never bought.

Looking to the future - protein dietnot suitable as a permanent base, you can practice it for 7 to 14 days, several times a year.

What we will talk about in this post:

  • what is a protein diet,
  • when it can be used and for whom,
  • its pros and cons (we will definitely look at the contraindications),
  • permitted and prohibited products,
  • approximate food for several days,
  • comments from those who have tested the system for themselves.

What Causes Protein Weight Loss?

What have you heard about the protein diet? Many people often confuse it with keto nutrition. However, there is a small but fundamental difference between these weight loss options. Take a look at the diagram.

  • Proportion of macronutrients in keto: B - 20%, F - 75%, U - 5%;
  • The proportion of macronutrients in a protein diet: B - 70%, F - 5%, U - 25%;

The high-fat (keto) system involves eating large amounts of high-fat foods. If it is fish, then it is the fattiest; if it is meat, then it is definitely not lean. And most importantly, there should be no other elements. Carbohydrates, even complex ones, are prohibited, as they can only be obtained from vegetables, herbs and some other products.

Healthy, Protein-Rich Foods for Weight Loss

Losing weight on protein foods, on the contrary, prohibits eating very fatty foods and allows a small amount of "long-term" carbohydrates for breakfast or lunch. Additionally, you can eat unsweetened dairy and fermented milk ingredients.

In other words, you practically do not limit yourself in your diet, you do not feel hungry and at the same time you lose volume and weight. The main thing is to maintain your caloric intake, protein foods are very satiating, you may simply not get the calories you need, this will slow down the weight loss process. It can be calculated using the calorie table. There are many of them on the Internet. Print and hang on the fridge for easy counting, or use the free app. The daily norm for weight loss with a less active lifestyle is 1200-1500 kcal.

The ideal number of meals per day: five to six times in small portions. Coffee, unsweetened tea and water are allowed. Muscle mass does not suffer and remains in place, and with physical activity it can even grow.

The advantage of this diet is that due to the lack of fast carbohydrates:

  • first, excess moisture is removed,
  • and secondly, lateral reserves, hips and abdomen are used.

Therefore, you lose weight quickly and see results immediately. This technique is also called "drying". Athletes actively use it before important competitions.

Protein foods for weight loss: list

Let's find out what qualifies as protein products. Many people may have different ideas about them.

Turkey or chicken breast on the protein diet menu

Here's what you should buy during your diet:

  • chicken and turkey breast,
  • ham without starch and sugar from the same birds,
  • veal, cow, rabbit,
  • low-fat cheeses (cheese, feta, tofu),
  • low-fat and sugar-free dairy products,
  • cottage cheese up to 9%,
  • sour cream up to 15%,
  • fish (it is better to take not too fatty), seafood,
  • mushrooms,
  • vegetable oils,
  • lentils,
  • eggs,
  • whey protein (optional, but as a snack - a salvation for the lazy).

You should also include on your shopping list:

  • green vegetables and fruits (avoid overly sweet fruits and limit yourself to 1-2 pieces per day),
  • of cereals, leave rolled oats, buckwheat, brown rice (albeit in moderation),
  • vegetation.

Avoid frying like. . . destroys amino acids. It is best to sauté, roast or boil the ingredients.

Here is a list of what should be excluded from the diet:

  • sweets (anything containing sugar),
  • honey,
  • buns and white bread,
  • soda and any alcohol,
  • semi-finished products, including sausages and sausages (even if they have the ideal composition),
  • canned food,
  • pasta,
  • cereals with a high glycemic index (white rice),
  • sauces,
  • spicy food
  • fast food and street food.

Let me remind you that this list of restrictions is only valid for 7-14 days. Then you can introduce the ingredients gradually.

The ideal is to eat what is prepared at home, and not in a cafe, and you will be happy on the scale and in the fitting room.

Protein norm per day

Under normal conditions, without physical activity, a person needs 0. 66-0. 8 g. protein per kilogram of weight (WHO). For weight loss on a protein diet, this norm is doubled. If you follow a protein diet, the norm is 1. 3-1. 6 g. per 1 kg of weight.

The calculation takes into account not your current body weight, but the desired one.

How not to harm yourself with excess protein?

But it's important to clarify: a protein diet is not a healthy diet. In the sense that it is not balanced in terms of BJU and is suitable for limited time use. The ideal is a week, maximum 14 days. If it is longer, you can harm your body and get a long list of problems instead of a flat stomach. I will elaborate further on this point.

By the way, for people who do not get enough protein in their daily diet, switching to a similar diet may even be helpful - eating habits should be restructured.

Amino acids from foods of animal and plant origin are important for immunity, especially in the cold season. Residents of coastal countries get sick less because they regularly eat fatty sea fish.

Furthermore, without proteins it is impossible to keep your skin young. Sagging, dullness, peeling, early wrinkles - these are, among other things, symptoms of a lack of meat and fermented milk in your daily menu.

It is especially important for women to get all the trace elements. Its deficiency leads to inflammatory processes in the female reproductive system, difficulties with conception, dizziness, etc.

You can include a small amount of vegetables in your protein diet.

The pleasant side effects of this diet are decreased appetite and weight loss. Tested by myself - after a good steak you won't want to eat it right away. And you completely forget about sweets.

Once I took a fish oil course and noticed that I started to crave sweets and cookies less. However, don't be in a rush to get ready to go to the supermarket. Let's find out: is this menu right for you?

For whom and how much?

Despite the apparent PP of the diet, it has a number of limitations.

  • Firstly, it is not balanced. Carbs and fats will drop. Add here the lack of vitamins and minerals.

    That is why it is not recommended to abuse this menu. One week, maximum 14 days. This is a critical period after which the body will understand that it is missing something and will begin to rebel. But we don't want that. Ideally, take additional vitamins for seven to fourteen days. Of course, after agreement with your doctor.

  • Secondly, the load on the kidneys is significant, which means they work to the limit. It shouldn't be like this.
  • Thirdly, the recommended interval between diets is at least 3 months and preferably six months. That is, such an express remedy cannot be used against the New Year glutton, and even after March 8th. Just two to four times a year, wisely, with the right shopping list and well thought out recipes.

Who is suitable and not suitable for protein weight loss?

If your health is good, you are not allergic to amino acids or certain ingredients on the menu and you want to lose up to 5 kilograms, you can safely switch to a protein diet.

But as always, I highly recommend that you consult a doctor or nutritionist before experimenting on your own.

Here is a list of contraindications under which you should not eat too much protein at dinner, lunch and breakfast:

  • pregnancy and lactation,
  • kidney problems,
  • diabetes,
  • chronic diseases,
  • anemia,
  • diseases of the female reproductive system,
  • liver problems,
  • gastrointestinal diseases.

Furthermore, children and adolescents should not start consuming only meat and dairy products. Their growing bodies require large amounts of carbohydrates.

Pros of the system

Let's describe all the advantages of the system:

  • A relatively safe weight loss technique. This is not a mono-diet with its strong blow to the immune system and not a relentless detox. In reasonable quantities and with a healthy approach, nothing bad will happen,
  • a really functional weight loss system. According to my friends, they really lost kilos without much effort,
  • ideal diet at home. No complicated recipes or dishes. Very simple and understandable food that is sold in all supermarkets,
  • I don't want any sweets and my appetite decreases. This is true! I checked it myself. Sometimes the need for dinner disappeared completely,
  • you can organize fasting days even on vacation or during travel (of course, if you have a lot of willpower),
  • easy-to-prepare dishes.

What about deficiencies?

Disadvantages of protein nutrition

Don't rush to buy chicken and eggs before reading the following points:

  • relatively small list of food products. There are options to choose from, but several familiar ingredients are still banned. For example, the same potatoes,
  • At first there may be weakness and nervousness due to the lack of carbohydrates. Even true sugar withdrawal happens. If you like sweets, be patient for a few days, then it will be easier,
  • problems with stool. Constipation can occur due to a lack of fiber. You can solve the problem by ingesting raw vegetable oils, drinking at least a liter and a half of water and including vegetable salads on your menu,
  • there is a smell of ammonia in the mouth. This happens when there is more protein in the body than normal. Just drinking plenty of fluids will help a little here,
  • You need to come off the diet carefully. Many "nutritionists" write that the weight goes away and does not return. Yes, this is true, but as long as you gradually and correctly switch to a normal diet. Gradually include small portions of complex carbohydrates and only then gradually add sweets and starchy foods,
  • If you are in treatment or don't want to give up alcohol, you shouldn't even start,
  • you need to eat small portions 4 to 6 times. This point is not a definite negative sign. But when you don't have time, it can be difficult to find the opportunity to have a snack more than once at work,
  • you need to think over the menu so that it is not boring and is at least somehow balanced.

Whether this weight loss option is right for you or not is up to you to decide for yourself. Please read these points carefully and evaluate your options and needs. If such weight loss is not suitable for you, there are many options for how to reduce volume without harm to your health.

Protein diet for weight loss: menu for several days

I offer 3 meal options. You can swap and combine dishes at your discretion. Add something of your own. I deliberately didn't schedule it for the week, because there are many alternatives. You will see for yourself.

Omelet is the ideal breakfast for those who are losing weight on a protein diet

Option 1

Breakfast

  • Two boiled eggs
  • 30 grams of cheese
  • Vegetable salad with a teaspoon of olive oil
  • Coffee

Snack

After a few hours, have a snack on plain yogurt or 5% cottage cheese with a handful of your favorite nuts and a spoonful of sour cream on top.

To have lunch

  • Tilapia or catfish steak with a small portion of brown rice (about a handful) and cucumber.
  • Spinach or mushroom soup.

To have lunch

For dinner, make a stew with vegetables (no potatoes) and chicken. A few hours before bed - kefir.

Remember to drink several glasses of water between meals.

option 2

Breakfast

  • 2 whole grain toasts, spread with cream cheese, top with avocado and a piece of lightly salted fish.
  • 1 boiled egg, 30 grams of hard cheese.
  • Coffee is the perfect start to the day.

Snack

A handful of nuts and vegetables cut into strips.

To have lunch

  • Soup is a good first course for lunch. Any version without potatoes or rice.
  • Roasted chicken fillet with spices under a cheese lid.
  • A serving of broccoli or cauliflower.

To have lunch

  • Stewed chicken breast, 3 tablespoons of buckwheat, cucumber salad with tomatoes, herbs and onions. Season with a teaspoon of olive oil.
  • If desired, before bed - a portion of whey protein in 3. 2% milk or kefir.

Option 3

Breakfast

  • Omelet with vegetables and pieces of stewed turkey.
  • Buckwheat bread with feta cheese.
  • Coffee or tea.

Snack

Kefir with some unsweetened fruit. Sometimes I blend the ingredients in the blender and get a rich smoothie.

To have lunch

For lunch, make an already fashionable bowl: mix some cooked cereal (rice or lentils) in a plate, add lightly salted minced fish, your favorite vegetables, avocado, an egg in a bag, runny yolk will do to soak. The result is a nutritious dish that lasts well into the night.

To have lunch

  • Soup made with chicken thigh and green vegetables (broccoli, spinach, celery, onion, cabbage, zucchini).
  • Canned cucumber and tuna salad in its own juice.

As you can see, you will need the simplest recipes and quick meals.

What are people saying?

Girls I know said they turned to a protein diet when they needed to lose a few pounds quickly. According to them, this weight loss was one of the smoothest in their lives. There is no need to strictly limit yourself in food intake, on the contrary, you had to force yourself to eat regularly.

Here's what my friend says:

"I stayed on a protein diet for 7 days and lost 3 kilos. Without effort and hunger. In the first two days I really wanted sausages and sweets. It was strange to drink tea without sugar. But on the third day it became easier. The positive side is that I stopped of drinking hot and sweet drinks. "