In the world today there are at least three popular systems that suggest a complete transition to protein nutrition for weight loss. Such diets are considered very effective and safe for the body. Moreover, they are credited with the wonderful properties of cleansing and healing the body, as well as the lack of weight gain after completing the course. Is this really so, we will try to find out with you. Where does the idea of losing weight on protein food come from ? Firstly, the authors of the methods refer to our prehistoric ancestors, who most often used meat, and secondly, the cost of processing protein often exceeds the energy value that the product has. But there is also a lot of pitfalls. Protein nutrition for weight loss is not a panacea, any restriction is very difficult for the body to carry, because for optimal performance it needs proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals.
What is protein and why is it needed
It is a high molecular weight compound that is composed of amino acids. It is a building material for the body. With a lack of protein, muscles atrophy, that is, it is necessary to maintain a normal volume of muscle mass, restore injured tissues, and produce red blood cells. Do not forget that the heart is also a muscle, and its health also depends on the normal amount of protein. A number of hormones are based on protein compounds. Protein nutrition for weight loss is based on the fact that, consuming protein, a person provides himself with the most necessary material for life, but at the same time, the calorie content of the diet remains quite low. Accordingly, the body must expend fat reserves.
This is true, but only in part. Firstly, without sufficient physical activity, protein nutrition for weight loss is not effective, and secondly, a deficiency of all other substances will still affect the state of health.
Who is the protein diet suitable for?
These are mainly people who prefer to see meat and animal products on their table daily. A good result is given by protein nutrition for weight loss during training, since the diet involves the complete elimination of carbohydrates. But even with a sedentary lifestyle, you can achieve some success if you limit the calorie intake of foods. For example, fried beef contains a good portion of fat, and boiled chicken breast is pure protein. This system attracts people with its lightness. Indeed, keeping a week on apples or rice is very difficult, and when you can eat meat and eggs, hunger will not persecute. At the same time, health deterioration usually does not occur, unless, of course, one overdoes it.
The diet is based on a deficiency of carbohydrates. As a result of a prolonged shortage of these important substances, the metabolism is rebuilt, and the body begins to process fat reserves into energy, which should have been obtained from cereals and vegetables. At the same time, protein nutrition for weight loss during training is most effective, because the more energy is spent, the more subcutaneous stores will melt.
Basic Rules
Despite the apparent simplicity and ease, it is rather difficult to adhere to such a system for a long time. If you are just going to try protein nutrition for weight loss, the menu will seem solid and even redundant to you. But without the usual side dish and bread, meat, eggs and other permitted foods quickly get bored, and since the body insists on carbohydrates, the test of your willpower begins. In order not to break loose and get a result, you must definitely adhere to a fractional diet, eat 3 hours before bedtime and no earlier than an hour after waking up.
A small amount of carbohydrates should still be in the diet, as they are very important for the body. It is desirable that these were cereals, for example brown rice, but not more than 40 g per day, and they should be consumed in the morning. Vegetables included in the menu should not contain starch. In addition, the products must be consumed in boiled form. You need to drink at least 2 liters of water per day, as well as limit the use of sweet fruits. But grapefruits and green apples can be eaten without restrictions.
Allowed Products
What do those who choose protein nutrition for weight loss eat? Reviews say that a unique course allows you to eat fatty fish, sausages and even mayonnaise. This is true, but you need to make a reservation right away. Meat is mostly protein, while sausage is almost pure fat. It not only does not give the body the protein necessary for muscle, but also provides it with a good portion of indigestible fat. The process of losing weight is definitely broken. The same applies to mayonnaise. If we talk about lard, then this product is, of course, fat, but how much can you eat without bread and cereals? Probably not, but it will give a long feeling of satiety. Well, the basis of the diet should still be chicken (without skin), eggs, low-fat cottage cheese and fish.
Prohibited Products
We continue to consider protein nutrition for weight loss. The foods that you can eat, we have already presented to you, now moving on to those that need to be deleted from your diet. Bread and any flour products, sweets, including carbonated drinks, sugar and its substitutes are excluded. Vegetable and butter should be removed from the diet, use lemon juice as a dressing. Any alcohol is strictly prohibited.
Advantages and disadvantages of a diet
Let's look further at what constitutes protein nutrition for weight loss. We will give a detailed menu a little later, but for now we will consider the opinion of nutritionists. They are mostly against the use of radical diets, which include protein. In their opinion, such a diet may lead to the development of dietary ketosis, that is, a lack of carbohydrates. A protein diet requires additional intake of vitamins, since for a long time many vegetables and fruits remain banned. This program is effective only in combination with physical activity, but a reasonable reduction in caloric intake and sports give the results no worse.
However, some advantages should be noted. You do not have to give up the usual foods and suffer from hunger. In this case, the result will appear very quickly, literally within a month. Such a system allows you to lose a record number of kilograms, 10 or more in 3 months. In addition, not everyone fits the table that this diet suggests. For example, vegetarians will definitely refuse it.
There is another reason dietitians oppose such a diet. Animal food is very difficult for the body and puts a strain on many organs and systems. The stomach and liver, pancreas and intestines suffer. In addition, such a diet has many contraindications. Among them, gout and kidney failure, gastritis and ulcer, heart failure, stroke and heart attack. Any disease of the kidneys and liver is an excuse to refuse a protein diet. The maximum course is three months, but if, against the background of a change in diet, you feel heaviness in the stomach, pain, nausea and bloating, then you should at least soften the diet. Boiled chicken, a salad of fresh vegetables and cereals from whole grains, along with cottage cheese and fruits, is a complete diet that helps to reduce weight, but is absolutely normal to the body.
Next, we will consider protein nutrition for weight loss for a month. Be sure to consult your doctor before proceeding with the course. If there are contraindications, it is better to consult a nutritionist, he will choose a milder system for you.
Monthly course, day one
You probably know varieties of protein diets. These are “Kremlin” and “Egg”, “Maggie” and many others. Today we will consider a universal system that can be followed. The course is approximately a month, you can either reduce it or increase it, depending on the goal and well-being. The menu is repeated every seven days, so we offer you a ration for a week. Four meals are expected per day: 200 g fat-free cottage cheese for breakfast, 2 chicken breasts with broccoli for a side dish for dinner and a jar of yogurt for dinner and afternoon snack. During the day you need to drink at least a liter of mineral water.
Second day
In the morning you can indulge in yogurt and a green apple. For an afternoon snack, 100 g of any meat with tomatoes, cheese and sweet pepper is suitable. As you can see, not such a hungry protein diet for weight loss. Recipes can be selected according to your preference. This can be a chicken in tomato sauce with pepper salad, vegetable stew, beef stewed in tomatoes or tomato soup with meat. At lunch, you will find 200 g of fish with celery. Dinner is two boiled eggs and a coleslaw.
The third day
Morning begins with yogurt and a glass of strawberries. For lunch, you will again have 2 chicken breasts. At about 4 o’clock, treat yourself to a portion of granular cottage cheese, in which you can add greens. For dinner that day put meat stewed with vegetables. The best choice would be chicken with zucchini and tomatoes. Do not forget that you need to cook foods without oil, so frying the ingredients is highly undesirable.
Fourth day
Breakfast will be 200 g of cottage cheese. This is a good portion of protein and calcium, which means a charge of vigor for the whole day. As a lunch, stew in the amount of 200 g acts. Garnish will be one carrot. For lunch, a delicious yogurt is allowed from a glass of yogurt and fresh raspberries. For dinner, cook 2 eggs for yourself and prepare a cabbage salad, seasoning it with lemon juice. Do not forget to drink water.
Fifth day
For breakfast, you can eat a glass of yogurt and 2 tangerines or a large orange. Today there will be a fish lunch, you can afford 200 g of any sea fish and vegetable salad. Do not be discouraged if you like first courses. It is very easy to rebuild the entire protein diet menu for weight loss with soup for lunch. To do this, simply prepare yourself the first of the ingredients allowed at lunchtime and do not put a lot of salt in it. For dinner, a package of cottage cheese and a green apple is suitable.
Sixth day
Weekends are coming, and so I want to please myself with something tasty. Do not forget about the ultimate goal of your marathon. Morning begins with 100 g of skimmed cottage cheese and half a glass of skim milk. For lunch, two chicken breasts with boiled beans are waiting for you. Snack today is a glass of kefir, and dinner will delight you with a new ingredient. These are two slices of ham with broccoli and one boiled egg. Two tablespoons of corn are allowed, so you can make yourself a salad.
Seventh day
Sunday morning begins with a glass of kefir and any berries. For dinner, cook stewed liver with a salad of leafy vegetables. For a mid-afternoon snack you should get 200 g of granular cottage cheese. Today you can add two slices of ham to it. But dinner will be only yogurt and a glass of apple juice. The first week is over, now you can evaluate the results and decide whether to continue the diet further. If the weight stands still, although you followed all the rules, you need to evaluate physical activity. After all, without training, a protein diet will not give the results that you aspire to. Sign up for a gym and during the next week you will notice significant weight loss.