Judging from various diets, the eyes are almost running. It is difficult to assess all the advantages and disadvantages of a particular diet without in-depth study of the nature of a particular diet. For a long time, the protein diet has caused a sensation with its amazing effects. What is it and is it really effective? Will it harm your health?
Benefits of a protein diet
Most dietary restrictions for weight loss aim to drastically reduce the calorie 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 principles of a protein diet are as follows. The body needs energy expenditure (physical activity) and first starts to consume the last carbohydrates it accepts.
With normal physical activity, this is where the process of "burning" calories ends, without losing weight. Only when the body recently received is used up, it will start "fat reserve"
A protein diet provides a minimum intake of light carbohydrates from food. In this case, the stored calories will start to burn immediately. At the same time, other cells in the body will not be affected because there is enough protein to maintain their functions. Weight loss comes from adipose tissue, not muscle loss.
The advantages of a protein diet are as follows:
- Obtain excellent and stable results in a relatively short period of time. Most protein diets are designed for short periods-from 2 to 4 weeks. During this period, you can lose 5 to 15 kg or more, depending on your initial weight.
- No hunger. Through this diet, a constant blood sugar level is formed without a surge, and appetite is controlled.
- The results obtained have been established for a long time. Eating rules constitute the principles of healthy eating and have become a habit.
- Frequent and partial nutrition "speeds up" the metabolism, which helps to lose weight.
- Protein is extremely important to the body. The cell walls are made of them. They are the complex that maintains immunity. They are necessary for normal digestion, muscle growth and all tissue renewal. It is difficult to point out a body process in which protein is not involved. Therefore, adequate protein intake will not cause excessive stress on the body.
- Protein is essential for the absorption of vitamins. The traditional low-calorie diet is often accompanied by changes in the condition of the skin, hair, and nails, heart disease, and decreased memory and endurance. The protein diet does not have these negative effects.
- You can lose weight and build muscle at the same time. This cannot be done in the absence of protein. This is especially true for men.
- Many amino acids (proteins are made of) are essential to the human body. They can only be obtained through food. Lack of essential amino acids can cause various diseases in the body. There is no such thing as a protein diet.
- This set of products is very diverse, you can create a delicious and favorite diet, not just eating buckwheat or cabbage.
- The content of carbohydrates in a protein diet is low, but it is sufficient for the productive work of vital organs (such as the brain).
Disadvantage, nowhere to go without it
Diet is a stressful situation that needs adjustment. The disadvantages of a protein diet include:
- The load on the urinary organs increases. The kidneys filter all the blood in the body many times during the day. As the protein complex content increases, the tubules may be "blocked", which will subsequently lead to the interruption of organ work. Therefore, the contraindication of a protein diet is kidney disease.
- Increased blood clotting. Therefore, the risk of thrombosis and thromboembolism increases. This diet is not recommended for people who have had similar problems, and people with high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Despite the wide variety of foods, the protein diet is still one-way. This may result in a deficiency or excess of certain elements. For example, in this case, it is recommended to take extra calcium complex and vitamin D.
- The smallest amount of fiber can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract. In most cases, constipation and colitis will occur. If there is a tendency for this disease, it is best to choose another diet.
- Any prohibition on the body will eventually lead to mental breakdown and depression. Despite the variety of foods, so is the protein diet.
- In today's pace of life, frequent meals (up to six times a day) are sometimes difficult to maintain.
Dietary taboos
Any restrictions on food should be treated wisely. The main contraindications of a protein diet are as follows:
- Chronic diseases, especially kidney, heart, and intestinal diseases. If possible, it is best to consult a nutritionist or therapist. Only a doctor can fully evaluate the condition and possible dangers of this diet.
- Liver disease, because it is involved in the processing of all nitrogen-containing compounds in the form of proteins.
- It is dangerous to keep on a diet while carrying a baby and breastfeeding.
- When there is a tumor process, it is especially malignant.
Fast weight loss diet choices and their characteristics
For weight loss, you can use the classic protein diet and its varieties, supplemented by certain categories of products.
Just protein
Following a balanced diet of protein diet can not only reduce weight comfortably, but also maintain all physiological processes in the body to be 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 cheese);
- Beans
- Fish and other seafood (squid, mussels, etc. );
- You can add any form of buckwheat, oats and soybeans.
Protein-carbohydrate
The difference lies in adding a part of complex carbohydrates to protein. In addition to the main products, the diet also supplements the following:
- Flakes (oatmeal),
- Dried fruits,
- Nuts,
- Brown bread,
- Durum wheat pasta,
- Dear,
- Fruit.
Protein and vegetables
With a protein-vegetable diet, you can also eat vegetables and fruits-raw and cooked (but not fried), as well as mushrooms. This option is especially suitable for people with gastrointestinal diseases. A sufficient amount of crude fiber will stimulate intestinal peristalsis and absorb all toxins and metabolites.
Vitamins and protein
This protein diet includes a vitamin-rich diet. There are two possible options:
- Alternate days (2 + 2) only protein products, then vitamins. The latter includes fruits, vegetables, and berries.
- You can also simply supplement protein foods with vitamin supplements throughout the day.
The basic rules of a protein diet
In order to minimize the negative effects of diet, the following guidelines must be followed:
- Drink at least 1. 5-2 liters of clean water every day. This will help ensure the safety of your kidneys.
- If you must follow a protein diet for a long time, you should take a vitamin and mineral complex.
- Do not reduce the number of calories to less than 1200 calories per day. It is best to calculate requirements separately based on body weight.
- All dishes must be prepared in any way, but not deep-fried. Cooking, steaming, stewing and roasting are all healthy eating.
- It is best to minimize the amount of salt.
- All dishes can be seasoned in large quantities, using cinnamon and turmeric, but do not use ready-made seasonings with flavor enhancers, including mayonnaise.
Weekly menu
In any diet, the most difficult thing is to create an interesting menu that is both beautiful and delicious. It can be roughly expressed as follows:
Monday
- Breakfast: cheese, tea or coffee, no sugar.
- Snack: a glass of kefir.
- Lunch: Boiled chicken, steamed or grilled.
- Snack: half an apple.
- Dinner: Chicken with vegetables.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: low-fat, sugar-free yogurt with cinnamon.
- Snacks: grapefruit.
- Lunch: boiled beef with tomato or cucumber.
- Snacks: a glass of milk.
- Dinner: beef and cabbage.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: an egg (only protein is allowed, then two), tea or coffee.
- Snacks: oranges.
- Lunch: grilled fish with vegetables.
- Snacks: Yogurt.
- Dinner: fish.
Thursday
- Breakfast: cinnamon yogurt.
- Snacks: grapefruit.
- Lunch: chicken with asparagus.
- Snack: Kefir.
- Dinner: asparagus or chicken.
Friday
- Breakfast: an egg or only protein.
- Snacks: grapefruit.
- Lunch: Mushrooms with vegetables.
- Snack: tofu omelet.
- Dinner: stewed vegetables.
Saturday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with cinnamon.
- Snacks: Apples.
- Lunch: Chicken soup with boiled vegetables.
- Snack: a slice of any cooked meat and vegetables.
- Dinner: Kefir.
Sunday
- Breakfast: cinnamon curd cheesecake.
- Snacks: grapefruit.
- Lunch: Broth from any lean meat and vegetables.
- Snack: a slice of cheese.
- Dinner: yogurt.
Delicious and healthy recipes
Eating simple is healthy. Properly nutritious recipes are quick and easy to incorporate into your daily diet. Examples of the first course, second course, and dessert are as follows:
- Recipe 1. Curd cheesecake. You should take 200 grams of low-fat cheese and mix it with two egg yolks, 50 grams of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a blender. Beat an apple separately, and then beat five egg yolks. Mix all three ingredients. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes.
- Recipe 2. Tofu omelet. Beat the egg whites until frothy. In addition, treat cottage cheese in the same way, add chopped onion and dill, salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything, pour into molds, and bake in the oven until soft.
- Recipe 3. Meatball soup. Mix the chopped chicken with the chopped onion, add pepper, bran and egg white. To form meatballs, immerse them in boiling water in a pan. Add salt, a pinch of pepper and bay leaf to the broth. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Recipe 4. Beef. You should take a piece of meat, salt, pepper, and grease it with lemon juice. Put it in the refrigerator for an hour. Then wrap it in foil and bake at 200 degrees for 50 minutes.
- Recipe 5. Fish. Take the mackerel and peel it. Brush all sides with a mixture of pepper and salt. Stuff the onions and carrots in. 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 prioritize the following types:
- Hen,
- Beef,
- Rabbit meat,
- Turkey meat.
In addition, it should be raw meat and you need to prepare your own meals. Sausage delicacies, sausages, dry-cured and undercooked smoked products-all of these are useless. First, they are very high in fat. Second, additives and flavor enhancers stimulate appetite. This category also includes all semi-finished products.
Allowed and prohibited drinks
In the process of eating, not only should pay attention to the food, but also the influx of liquid. First, in most cases, it also contains calories. Second, additives and preservatives can interfere with digestion and other organs.
Even in addition to diet, it is useful to prioritize the following beverages:
- Ordinary drinking water (should account for 90% of all liquids);
- Non-carbonated minerals;
- Unsweetened tea and coffee (you can add a little milk);
- Infusion 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, flavored sweeteners. The benefits they bring are minimal and the calories are high.
How much diet you can follow
The protein diet is designed to average 10 to 12 days, but there are also extended options. For example, Dukan et al. They are also proteins, but they are based on special nutritional principles and have distinctive characteristics.
The safe duration of a protein diet also depends on health conditions. I believe that about two weeks a year is acceptable to everyone.
Rules for quitting a protein diet
In order to maintain the effect of dieting for as long as possible without causing excessive stress on the body, you should follow the advice on quitting smoking. They will look like this:
- You should eat 4-5 times a day in small portions.
- Breakfast is necessary and should include protein (cheese, yogurt, meat).
- The last meal is no later than three hours before bedtime.
- It is best to reject sweet, high-fat, starchy foods or just "taste".
- Try to cook properly and it is useful-boil, steam, stew.
80% of a slim figure depends on lifestyle and eating habits, rather than genetics as most people think. The protein diet is one of the most effective, safest and most diverse foods on the approved food list. It allows you to master the rules of a balanced diet and organize your diet intelligently. But this is not a panacea. If you don't change your habits and increase the amount of exercise, your excess weight will rebound again.