From the variety of diets, the eyes run upwards. It is difficult to assess all the advantages and disadvantages without going into the essence of a particular diet. The protein diet has long been in full swing with its amazing results. What is it and is it really effective? Will it harm your health?
The benefits of a protein diet
Most of the dietary restrictions for weight loss are aimed at a sharp reduction in the caloric content of food, including at the expense of protein. In fact, they are only allowed to eat vegetables, some fruits and other low-calorie foods.
The principle of the protein diet is as follows. The body, with the need for energy expenditure (physical activity), first begins to consume carbohydrates, which were obtained last.
With normal physical activity, here the process of "burning" calories ends, there is no weight loss. Only when the recently obtained body is depleted does it begin to "accumulate fat"
A protein diet ensures minimal intake of light carbohydrates from food. Under such conditions, the burning of stored calories begins immediately. At the same time, other cells in the body do not suffer because there is enough protein for them to function. Weight loss will be followed by fat loss, not muscle loss.
The advantages of a protein diet are the following:
- Excellent and stable result in a relatively short period of time. Most protein diets are designed for a short period of time - from 2 to 4 weeks. During this time you can lose 5 to 15 kg or more, it all depends on the initial body weight.
- There is no feeling of hunger. With such a diet, a constant blood sugar level is formed, there are no jumps and the appetite is controlled.
- The result obtained lasts a long time. Dietary rules form the principles of healthy eating and they are already becoming a habit.
- Frequent and partial eating "speeds up" the metabolism, which contributes to weight loss.
- Protein is extremely important for the body. From them are built cell walls, complexes to maintain immunity, they are necessary for normal digestion, muscle growth and renewal of all tissues. It is difficult to pinpoint a process in the body in which proteins would not be involved. Therefore, sufficient protein intake does not provoke excessive stressful situations for the body.
- Protein is essential for the absorption of vitamins. Conventional low-calorie diets are often accompanied by changes in the condition of the skin, hair, nails, heart disorders appear, memory and endurance decrease. The protein diet is devoid of these negative aspects.
- You can lose weight and build muscle at the same time. This cannot be done without protein. Especially true for men.
- Many amino acids (proteins are made from them) are essential for the human body. They can only be obtained with food. The lack of essential amino acids leads to various disorders in the body. There is no such thing as a protein diet.
- The range of products is very diverse, you can create a delicious and favorite diet, not just eat buckwheat or cabbage.
- The amount of carbohydrates in the protein diet is minimal, but sufficient for the productive work of important organs, such as the brain.
Disadvantages without which nowhere
Diet is a stressful situation that requires correction. Disadvantages of a protein diet include the following:
- The load on the urinary organs increases. The kidneys filter all the blood in the body several times a day. With an increased content of protein complexes, the tubules can be "clogged", which will subsequently lead to organ dysfunction. Therefore, a contraindication to the protein diet is kidney disease.
- Blood clotting increases. Therefore, the risk of thrombosis and thromboembolism increases. This diet is not recommended for people who have ever had similar problems, as well as suffering from hypertension, diabetes.
- Despite the variety of foods, the protein diet is still one-way. This can provoke a shortage or excess of certain elements. For example, in this case, additional intake of calcium complexes and vitamin D is recommended.
- The minimal amount of fiber can provoke a violation of the gastrointestinal tract. Constipation and colitis are the most common. If there is a tendency to such diseases, it is better to choose other diets.
- Any prohibition of the body for something can eventually lead to collapse, depression. The same with the protein diet, despite the relative variety of foods.
- Eating frequent meals (up to six times a day) is sometimes difficult to maintain in today's pace of life.
Contraindications to diet
Any dietary restrictions should be treated judiciously. The main contraindications to a protein diet are the following:
- Chronic diseases, especially of the kidneys, heart, intestines. If there are any, it is best to consult a nutritionist or therapist. Only a doctor can fully assess the condition and the possible danger of such a diet.
- Liver disease because it is involved in the processing of all nitrogen compounds that come in the form of proteins.
- It is dangerous to stick to a diet while carrying a baby and breastfeeding.
- In the presence of tumor processes, especially of a malignant nature.
Diet options for fast weight loss and their characteristics
For weight loss you can use both the classic protein diet and its varieties, supplemented with certain categories of products.
Only protein
Adherence to a balanced diet with a protein diet leads not only to comfortable weight loss, but also to maintaining all physiological processes in the body, normal.
In this case, only pure protein products are allowed. These include the following:
- meat (lean pork, beef, rabbit, chicken, turkey, etc. );
- eggs and low-fat dairy products (mainly cottage cheese);
- legumes;
- fish and other seafood (squid, mussels, etc. );
- you can add buckwheat, oats and soybeans in any form.
Protein carbohydrates
It differs in that some complex carbohydrates are added to proteins. In addition to the main products, the diet is supplemented with the following:
- flakes (muesli),
- dried fruit,
- nuts,
- black bread,
- durum wheat paste,
- honey,
- fruits.
Protein and vegetables
With a protein-vegetable diet you can additionally eat vegetables and fruits - raw and cooked (but not fried), as well as mushrooms. This option is especially suitable for people suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Sufficient coarse fiber will stimulate intestinal motility, adsorb all toxins and metabolic products.
Vitamin and protein
This type of protein diet involves enriching the diet with vitamins. There are two possible options:
- Alternately in days (2 + 2) only protein products, and then vitamins. The latter include fruits, vegetables, berries.
- You can also just supplement protein foods with vitamin supplements throughout the day.
Basic rules of protein diet
To minimize the negative effects of the diet, the following guidelines should be followed:
- Drink at least 1, 5 - 2 liters of clean water a day. This will help keep your kidneys safe.
- If you need to follow a protein diet for a long time, you need to take vitamin and mineral complexes.
- Do not reduce the number of calories below 1200 per day. It is better to calculate the needs individually based on body weight.
- All dishes should be prepared in any way, but not fried. Cooking, stewing, stewing, baking is a healthy diet.
- It is desirable to minimize the amount of table salt.
- All dishes can be seasoned abundantly, use cinnamon, turmeric, but not ready-made spices with flavor enhancers, including mayonnaise.
Menu for the week by day
With any diet, the most difficult thing is to create an interesting menu so that it is both beautiful and delicious. It can be roughly presented as follows:
Monday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese, tea or coffee without sugar.
- Snack: a glass of kefir.
- Lunch: boiled chicken, stewed or roasted.
- Snack: half an apple.
- Dinner: chicken with vegetables.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: low-fat and unsweetened yogurt with cinnamon.
- Breakfast: grapefruit.
- Lunch: boiled beef with tomato or cucumber.
- Breakfast: a glass of milk.
- Dinner: beef with cabbage.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: egg (only protein allowed, then two), tea or coffee.
- Breakfast: orange.
- Lunch: fish baked with vegetables.
- Breakfast: yogurt.
- Dinner: fish.
Thursday
- Breakfast: cinnamon yogurt.
- Breakfast: grapefruit.
- Lunch: chicken with asparagus.
- Breakfast: kefir.
- Dinner: either asparagus or chicken.
Friday
- Breakfast: egg or just protein.
- Breakfast: grapefruit.
- Lunch: mushrooms with vegetables.
- Breakfast: omelet with cottage cheese.
- Dinner: stewed vegetables.
Saturday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with cinnamon.
- Breakfast: apple.
- Lunch: chicken broth with boiled vegetables.
- Breakfast: a slice of any cooked meat with vegetables.
- Dinner: kefir.
Sunday
- Breakfast: cheesecake with cinnamon curd.
- Breakfast: grapefruit.
- Lunch: broth from any lean meat with vegetables.
- Breakfast: a piece of cheese.
- Dinner: yogurt.
Delicious and healthy recipes
It is healthy to eat simply. Recipes for proper nutrition fit very quickly and easily into the daily diet. Examples of first course, second course and dessert can be as follows:
- Recipe 1. Cheesecake with cottage cheese. You need to take 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese and mix in a blender with two egg yolks, 50 g of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Beat one apple separately and then 5 egg yolks. Mix all three ingredients. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 180 degrees.
- Recipe 2. Omelet with cottage cheese. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Separately do the same with the cottage cheese, add the chopped onion and dill, salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything, pour into a mold and bake in the oven until soft.
- Recipe 3. Soup with meatballs. Mix the minced meat with chopped onions, add black pepper, bran and egg whites. Shape the meatballs, immerse them in boiling water in a saucepan. Add salt, a few grains of black pepper, bay leaf to the broth. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Recipe 4. Veal. You need to take a piece of meat, salt, pepper, smear a little lemon juice. Refrigerate for an hour. Then wrap in foil and bake for 50 minutes at 200 degrees.
- Recipe 5. Fish. Take mackerel, peel. Spread on all sides with a mixture of black pepper and salt. Fill the onions and carrots inside. Wrap in foil and bake in the oven at 160 degrees for 30 minutes.
How to choose meat
When choosing meat for a protein diet, you should give preference to the following types:
- hen,
- beef,
- rabbit meat,
- Turkey meat.
In addition, it should be raw meat, from which you need to prepare meals yourself. Sausages, treats, dried and dried smoked products - all this is not useful. First, they are high in fat. Second, additives and flavor enhancers stimulate the appetite. This category also includes all semi-finished products.
Allowed and forbidden drinks
During the diet should pay attention not only to food but also to the incoming fluid. First, it also contains calories in most cases. Second, additives and preservatives can interfere with digestion and other organs.
It is useful to give preference to the following drinks even outside the diet:
- ordinary drinking water (it should make up 90% of the total liquid);
- non-carbonated mineral;
- tea and coffee without sugar (you can add a little milk);
- infusions of herbs, dried fruits.
During a protein diet it is useful to consume tomato juice and celery. All other packaged beverages contain a lot of sugar, flavoring sweeteners. The benefits are minimal and the calories are many.
How much you can follow a diet
The protein diet is designed for an average of 10 to 12 days, but there are also advanced options. For example, Ducan et al. They also belong to proteins, but are based on special principles of nutrition and have significant characteristics.
The safe duration of protein diets also depends on health. It is believed that about two weeks a year are acceptable to all.
Rules for getting out of a protein diet
In order for the effect after the diet to be fixed for as long as possible and without excessive stress for the body, you must adhere to the recommendations for exiting such a diet. They will be as follows:
- You should eat 4-5 times a day in small portions.
- Breakfast is mandatory, must include protein (cottage cheese, yogurt, meat).
- Last meal no later than three hours before bedtime.
- It is better to refuse sweet, fatty, starchy foods or just "try".
- You are trying to cook properly and it is useful - boil, stew, stew.
A slim figure depends 80% on lifestyle, eating habits, not heredity, as most people believe. The protein diet is one of the most effective, safe and varied foods on the list of approved foods. It allows you to master the rules of a balanced diet, intelligently organize your diet. But this is not a panacea and the extra pounds will come back again if you do not change your habits and increase the level of physical activity.