The protein diet is one of the most popular, especially among men. Unlike most diets, it helps to increase muscle mass and also allows you to have a varied menu for the week. The calorie content of the diet can easily change depending on the current energy costs. This allows for a flexible approach to nutrition and you don't feel hungry.
It is possible to lose weight on a protein diet
Many people wonder if it is possible to lose weight on a protein diet. It ranks among the best nutritional programs for weight loss, but the result can only be achieved with regular exercise.
The main principle of the diet is that proteins make up the bulk of the diet. They are a building material for the body, indispensable for muscle growth and a happy active life in general. Their deficiency leads to reduced performance, fatigue and depression.
The protein diet can help a person start their transformation. Sure, you'll have to say goodbye to sweet and fried, but isn't it worth it?
Don't forget: to lose weight, you need to do physical education.
What nutritional systems exist (Ducan, ketone, Atkins) and how effective are they
There are different nutritional programs for 7, 14 or more days based on the predominance of proteins in the diet. Let's talk about the most effective ones.
Ducan system
The significance of this system is that a lot of protein and carbohydrates are consumed - in limited quantities.
Ducan's power system consists of 4 phases, each of which has its own rules. However, there are general principles for everyone:
- drinks at least 1. 5 liters of water per day;
- every day there should be at least minimal physical activity - exercises and walking.
First pass
Meals in this phase are based on lean protein foods: skinless chicken and turkey, fish, eggs, fillet of beef and low-fat dairy products.Frying in oil is strictly prohibited, but you can use all other cooking methods, such as steaming.In addition, it is allowed to add spices and herbs to the diet. It is imperative to support the work of the intestines and take one and a half tablespoons of oat bran per day. It is forbidden to eat pork, sausages, rice and other grains, fruits, sweets, bread, flour, beans and sugar.
Second pass
This step will already be easier and will take more than two weeks. Combine protein and vegetable days. The vegetable-protein diet is varied and light, especially compared to the protein days. The estimated weight loss will be more than 4 kg. If it is necessary to lose no more than 10 kg, then the days alternate after one, and if more - 5 after 5. The duration of the phase is calculated according to a simple formula: 1 kilogram lost = 7 days.
Protein days completely repeat the menu from the first step. The only clarification is that it is allowed to add cucumbers. On vegetable days, you can eat any vegetables except beets, avocados, and potatoes. They cannot be seasoned with mayonnaise, but they can be boiled and baked. You also need to consume 2 tablespoons of bran per day. The prohibited foods are the same as before.
Third pass
At this stage, the result is fixed. For every kilogram dropped, 10 days of fixing are required. Yes, it looks like it's very long, but that's how you can deliver a good figure. It is forbidden to eat sugar, sweets, flour and semi-finished meat products.
It is allowed to use everything that was in the previous stages, but with additions: fruit is added per day (not just grapes, dates and bananas), 2 slices of wholemeal bread and 40 g of cheese. Foods rich in starch, such as potatoes, can be cooked twice a week. And even 2 times a week it is allowed to organize a vacation and eat whatever you want, but, of course, without fanaticism.
Fourth step
This step assumes that the food system has already become a habit and has become a way of eating in principle. Now there are no prohibited products, but it is recommended to arrange with protein one day a week. Of course, it is not worth attacking sweets and harmful and eating them in large quantities - no diet will save you from gaining weight and losing the result.
The ketonic diet
This diet allows you to eat meat, high-fat fish, eggs, vegetables (spinach, cabbage, cucumber or zucchini), tomatoes, avocados, raspberries, strawberries, mushrooms, vegetables and butter, hard and soft cheeses, low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream and yogurt, as well as all spices, almonds, peanuts, walnuts and pine nuts. Therefore, the menu can be very diverse.
The diet is definitely not suitable for those with kidney and cardiovascular problems, diabetes and eating disorders. Here are some of the side effects to follow when following the keto diet:
- negative effect on renal function;
- dehydration, constipation, risk of heart disease.
Keto has significant advantages and disadvantages, so it is worthwhile to carefully consider switching to this diet.
Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet is similar to the Ducan diet. There are also 4 steps here: introductory, main (aimed at weight loss), transition (result is fixed) and final. The first two steps last 14 days: during this period the body gets used to the new way of eating and rebuilds itself. In the future, the diet should become a way of life. The diet assumes a minimum of carbohydrates, a maximum of proteins and a complete rejection of alcohol.
Proteins are the basis of the diet, unsaturated fats and fibers are also allowed. The latter include avocados, nuts, salmon, and vegetable oils. The fiber will be provided from vegetables and herbs, and some carbohydrates can be obtained from unsweetened fruits, grains and berries. The diet is not suitable for pregnant women and people with kidney and liver problems.
Dangers of protein diets
Due to severe deficiencies, protein diets cannot be called healthy and safe. An excess of protein leads to the development of urolithiasis and adversely affects the functioning of the kidneys, brain and liver. There are some more significant drawbacks:
- The gastrointestinal tract can be damaged.
- Pet food contains cholesterol, although it is the most dietary poultry.
- Nutrition is generally unbalanced.
We do not recommend following a purely protein diet, as they cause health problems for a long period of time.
List of protein products
In order to compose the menu correctly, you should familiarize yourself with the list of protein products:
- Meat: chicken and turkey fillets and beef.
- Fish: especially tuna, which is practically fat-free, but has a record protein content among fish.
- Soy replaces meat and fish for vegetarians and people who abstain from meat for other reasons.
- Curd is an affordable high protein product.
- Cheese contains protein, but it also contains a lot of fat. It is not suitable for every diet.
- Beans. Most legumes are high in protein, but beans are especially important. Chickpeas and lentils are also good options.
- Buckwheat. Of all the cereals, buckwheat is the one that contains the most proteins and also contains many fibers useful for the intestine.
If you dedicate time to physical activity, you have a greater need for protein. It is advisable to pay attention to the blends of protein powders, protein bars.The proteins in these products are well absorbed and the compositions are balanced in amino acids, vitamins, micro and macro elements.
A detailed menu of a strict low calorie diet for the week
A low-calorie diet for a week will allow you to achieve fast results and in general adapt the body to a new way of eating. This easy-to-lose weight loss diet is based on one principle: eat 800 calories a day. Consider a menu for very fast weight loss.
Monday
You can eat low-fat yogurt and green tea for breakfast.
Snack - a handful of peanuts, lunch - steamed chicken.
Afternoon snack - 150 g fat-free cottage cheese. It is recommended to end the day with a glass of zero-fat kefir.
Tuesday
For breakfast, it is recommended to eat 150 g of low-fat cottage cheese and drink coffee without sugar. 
Snack - low-fat yogurt, for lunch - boiled beans, for an afternoon snack - a glass of zero-fat kefir. For dinner - friend's steak.
Wednesday
Start the day with 2 hard boiled eggs and a sugar-free coffee. For a snack: a glass of low-fat yogurt. For lunch - lean fish, such as steamed cod, for an afternoon snack - a glass of zero-fat kefir, and for dinner - a handful of peanuts.
Thursday
For breakfast, you can eat low-fat cottage cheese and drink green tea. For a snack - 2 boiled eggs, for lunch - a baked turkey fillet with mushrooms, and for an afternoon snack - a rocket salad. It is recommended to cook trout for dinner.
Friday
For breakfast, fat-free ricotta and sugar-free coffee. For a snack - a glass of low-fat kefir, for lunch - boiled beef with beans. For an afternoon snack, you can eat boiled cauliflower and dine on boiled or baked lean fish, such as cod.
Saturday
For breakfast you can boil oatmeal porridge in water and drink green tea. For a snack - a handful of peanuts, for lunch - boiled squid fillet, 
for an afternoon snack - a glass of low-fat yogurt. For dinner - 2 boiled eggs.
Sunday
This week's last breakfast - oatmeal porridge on sugar-free water and coffee. For a snack - a glass of low-fat kefir, for lunch - lean fish, for example, steamed cod. Afternoon snack - boiled bean salad with mushrooms, and for dinner - low-fat cottage cheese.
Protein and vegetable menu for 14 days
Protein and vegetable nutrition is a perfectly balanced menu that allows you to lose weight easily, quickly, tasty and without side effects.Nutrition is rich in vitamins, fiber and protein, all of which are so important to the body. For 14 days, the following ration is offered each day (a cup of green tea for breakfast each day is assumed):
| Day | Products |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1 hard-boiled egg with olives, 200 g of steamed chicken fillet with vegetables, 200 g of broccoli and low-fat yogurt |
| 2 | Porridge in water, a handful of dried fruit, 200 g of steamed fish with vegetables, 200 g of cottage cheese |
| 3 | Protein omelette with tomatoes and rocket, chicken fillet with carrot and cabbage salad, 1 hard-boiled egg with cheese and tomato |
| 4 | 150g low-fat cottage cheese with cucumber and buckwheat, steamed turkey fillet with vegetable salad, baked cod with olives and feta cheese |
| 5 | Porridge in water, boiled beef + vegetables, avocado salad, a glass of low-fat or 1% kefir. |
| 6 | Buckwheat with milk, boiled chicken salad, tomatoes and iceberg leaves, salmon with vegetables |
| 7 | Porridge with low-fat milk, vegetable salad and 1 hard-boiled egg, stewed pollock with wild rice for garnish |
| 8 | This day should be a fasting day, you can eat vegetables in unlimited quantities (but within reasonable limits) |
| 9 | 150g Greek yogurt, 2 boiled eggs, stewed cabbage with chicken, 200g steamed pollock with vegetables |
| 10 | Baked zucchini with cheese, boiled beef with vegetables, buckwheat with ricotta and milk |
| 11 | Low-fat yogurt, baked fish with olives and any salad, low-fat kefir or 1% |
| 12 | Porridge in water, cod with beans, vegetable salad with chicken |
| 13 | Buckwheat with ricotta and milk, steamed turkey fillet with vegetables, cabbage and carrot salad |
| 14 | Oatmeal in water with dried fruit, boiled beef with vegetables, a glass of low-fat yogurt. |
The vegetable-protein diet is balanced and can be recommended for long-term use.
Review of feedback on results
Usually people search the internet first how to lose weight on a protein diet, it's really easy to lose weight. Most people report both positive body changes and negative health effects. It is really possible to lose weight without losing muscle, improve relief and not stress the body. There is also a variety of menus for every day, the absence of hunger and a bad mood. Protein days for weight loss can be arranged without harm to health, but the total duration of such a diet should not exceed 14 days as recommended by doctors.
The protein diet is chosen by those who want not only to lose weight, but also to qualitatively change the body in general, to look not exhausted, but, on the contrary, a cheerful and fit person. In addition, this diet is suitable for those who love pure meat and can easily do without sausages and sausages. To not lose weight, those who have lost weight give some tips:
- Drink a glass of warm water in the morning on an empty stomach.
- Have breakfast half an hour after you wake up.
- Have dinner 3 hours before going to bed.
- Drink 2 liters of water a day.
- To avoid problems with stool, you need to drink 1% kefir.
- For those who cannot live without coffee, 1 cup without sugar is allowed.
Reviews from people are filled with joy that in 2 weeks people started noticing small changes in their bodies. While these steps are still quite small, they have already been done. From the negative, most get an unpleasant smell from the body, which nothing can stop. It is not recommended to follow this diet for more than 14 days.
Unfortunately, there are no magic pills for weight loss. Protein diets are often said to be effective for weight loss, but this is a misconception. Yes, you can quickly lose a couple of extra pounds, but this will happen if you significantly limit the amount of calories you eat. Protein alone is not suitable for weight loss.
Interesting recipes
On the one hand, it seems that there are very few products allowed and a person is in a painful monotony. However, this is not the case, you can easily diversify a protein diet, and simple and tasty recipes for a protein diet for weight loss will help you with this. Don't forget to include hiking, running, and other sports in your day. Otherwise, there will be no effect.
Protein shake
Protein Slimming Shake is a sports drink that will saturate your body all day long. To cook you will need:
- 200 ml of low-fat milk
- 1 chicken egg;
- 1 banana;
- 100 g of 9% cottage cheese;
- a teaspoon of sugar.
Prepare a blender or mixer from special equipment.
- Beat the peeled egg in a blender with the sugar
- Cut the peeled banana into small circles
- Add the banana to the egg bowl, pour in the milk and beat until smooth.
- Now add the curd and beat again.
Done! Enjoy your meal.
Chicken fillet with guacamole sauce
This is an easy-to-prepare diet meal. Despite the presence of avocado in the composition, the BJU of the dish is 57/25/18. To cook we need:
- 500 g of chicken fillet;
- 1 avocado;
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
- half a teaspoon of dried garlic;
- 1 teaspoon of ground red pepper;
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 100 g of low-fat cheese;
- coriander and pepper to taste.
First remove the avocado pulp and mash it with a fork, then add pepper, lemon juice, a little salt and seasoning. Now let's put this mass aside for a while. The remaining salt, seasonings and dried garlic should be smeared with fillets. Place the meat in a pan and fry on each side for 4 minutes over medium heat. After that, sprinkle it with cheese and close the lid to melt the cheese. After that, you need to wait a couple more minutes, after which you can put the fillet on a plate and put the previously prepared sauce on top.
Protein curd casserole
The protein casserole is great for breakfast. To prepare it you will need:
- 500 g of cottage cheese;
- 1 egg;
- 40 g of corn starch;
- 2 egg whites;
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- a spoonful of sugar;
- half a teaspoon of vanillin;
- 50 g of raisins.
First you need to mix the curd, egg and egg whites. Then add the cornstarch and the rest of the ingredients. Now put the mass in a baking dish and leave for 30 minutes. at 180 degrees. The crust will turn out crunchy, and the casserole itself will be tender and satisfying.
Salted trout salad
For this light salad you will need:
- lettuce leaves;
- 4 cherry tomatoes;
- 30 g of trout fillet;
- stem of leek;
- a tablespoon of olive oil for dressing;
- pepper.
You can also add a teaspoon of chia seeds to improve stomach function. The cherry must be cut in half, the trout must be cut into cubes, the onion stalk must be cut into slices. We wash the lettuce leaves, cut into pieces and put on a plate, put all the ingredients on top, season with oil and seasonings. So you need to mix everything thoroughly. Such a salad should be consumed immediately, in the refrigerator it will quickly lose its freshness.
Conclusion
Protein diets get you started on the road to losing weight by building a strong body and a beautiful shape. In combination with sporting loads, especially jogging, during the adherence period you will lose some weight, and it will be the fats, not the muscles, that disappear. The feeling of hunger won't torment you, but make sure you drink enough water, exercise, walk, and consume fiber.
Remember that a diet rich in animal products is not safe for your health due to their cholesterol content.
It is recommended to add vegetables to the protein diet, at least 400g per day, excluding potatoes. This will help keep your diet balanced.