protein diet for weight loss

protein foods for weight loss

The protein diet is very popular among world show business stars, athletes and ordinary people. This is an effective weight loss technique that allows you to lose weight quickly without harming or stressing the body. But you need to lose weight according to the rules so that instead of a beautiful figure you do not have health problems.

The main features of the protein diet

You have to start a diet by studying its main principles. These include:

  1. The basis of nutrition is protein. It must represent at least 60% of the daily diet.
  2. The amount of fats and carbohydrates is reduced to a minimum. Ideally, they should not represent more than 15% of the daily diet.
  3. The menu is allowed to include vegetables and fruits, which makes the diet more varied and balanced.
  4. Physical activity is required.
  5. Meals should be split up to 6 times a day, the portion size does not exceed 200 gr.

This nutrition system allows you to lose weight in a week by 4-5 kg without feeling hungry. Proteins saturate the body with important substances, but it is impossible to eat according to this system for a long time. The maximum period is 21 days. The optimal period for the diet is 14 days.

Who is the protein diet for?

The protein diet is ideal for those who want to lose weight quickly and without stressing the body. Thanks to a varied diet, you will not have to eat only one type of product, and the high nutritional value of meat relieves hunger for a long time.

Athletes and people leading an active lifestyle, the protein diet helps to lose weight and gain muscle mass. Weight is lost by eliminating fat, not muscle. This helps to form a beautiful relief figure.

Contraindications to the protein diet

Ideally, before starting a diet, you should consult a doctor to identify contraindications. This is a pretty serious power system that cannot be used by people:

  • minors and the elderly;
  • pregnant and lactating women;
  • diabetics;
  • with diseases of the kidneys and liver;
  • with oncological diseases;
  • with an increased level of blood clotting;
  • with high physical and emotional stress.

You should not start a diet during illness and when you are not feeling well.

Adhering to a protein diet, you need to take vitamin complexes. This is necessary to prevent hair loss, deterioration of nails and teeth.

protein norm

dietary protein intake

An ordinary person needs 0. 8 gr. protein per kilogram of body weight. For weight loss, this rate is doubled. If you are on a protein diet, you should consume 1. 2 to 1. 6 grams per day. protein per kilogram of body weight. Not the current weight, but the planned body weight is taken into account.

To calculate the amount of protein included in a cooked dish, you need to know its composition and the amount of protein in each ingredient.

For instance. The expected weight is 70 kg. On the day you need to use from 84 to 112 gr. squirrel. Based on the table below, the menu is compiled:

  • beef - 200 gr. (37. 8 grams of protein);
  • eggs - 2 pieces(12. 7 grams of protein);
  • cottage cheese - 200 gr. (33. 4 grams of protein).

It turns out 83. 9 gr. squirrel. In addition, other foods are taken into account, which increases the total amount of protein consumed.

For a correct calculation, buy a kitchen scale and weigh each fresh product.

Advantages and disadvantages of a protein diet

A protein diet, like any specialized nutrition system, has its pros and cons. When considering losing weight with protein, you need to take this into account.

Benefits include:

  1. Varied food. You don't have to eat just one food. The list of authorized dishes is quite wide.
  2. Lack of hunger. Protein relieves the feeling of hunger for a long time. This allows you to lose weight without suffering from the debilitating desire to eat something.
  3. Strengthening of the immune system. Protein increases body endurance, increases physical strength.
  4. Rapid weight loss. After completing the diet, if you do not return to the previous table, but eat healthy foods, the lost kilograms will not return.
  5. Weight loss due to body fat. The body gets its energy from fat, not muscle. Therefore, muscle mass does not suffer from this diet.
  6. Ideal for athletes. Due to the presence of a large amount of protein in the diet, there is an active buildup of muscle mass. As a bonus for losing weight, the athlete increases the endurance of the body and forms a beautiful relief on the body.

But there are also downsides to the protein diet. These include:

  1. It is possible to reduce mental abilities by limiting the amount of carbohydrates in the diet.
  2. There is a risk of blood clots due to an increase in blood density and coagulability.
  3. Calcium is washed away, problems with bones and teeth may appear.
  4. There is an unpleasant odor from the body and mouth due to an increase in ketone bodies in the body.

A protein diet should be approached competently, be sure to take vitamin complexes to compensate for the lack of nutrients. This method of losing weight is suitable only for completely healthy people who do not suffer from chronic and acute diseases.

Another conditional disadvantage of a protein diet is the complete rejection of sweet and fatty foods. And if you can't do without sweets and cakes, then such a nutrition system will cause nervous stress. It is worth choosing a different diet where carbohydrates are allowed in a small amount.

The rules of the protein diet to lose weight

protein diet rules for weight loss

For a protein diet to help you lose weight, follow some important rules:

  1. Focus on protein. These are meat and dairy products. It is allowed to add a side dish to the main dish 1 time per day.
  2. Limit the amount of fat you eat. Their daily amount should not exceed 30 grams.
  3. Cereals are allowed, but only in the morning, as an accompaniment. Choose low-calorie foods, excluding semolina, millet.
  4. Vegetables can also be used as a side dish, but potatoes and other starchy foods are completely prohibited. You can eat cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers.
  5. Fruit is ok, but not sweet. Give preference to oranges, green apples.
  6. The last meal should be 2-3 hours before bedtime.
  7. For the duration of the diet, you will have to give up alcohol and sweets.
  8. With a protein diet, a lot of fluid is excreted from the body, so the daily water intake should be increased by 1. 5 times. Drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day.
  9. Ideally, salt should be avoided. Dried herbs, garlic and soy sauce can be added to seasoning foods.

If dizziness appeared during the diet, health and sleep deteriorated sharply, more complex carbohydrates should be added to the diet.

Foods allowed for a protein diet

foods allowed as part of a protein diet

When compiling the menu, take into account the list of foods allowed in the protein diet. These include:

  • Meat. Lower fat cuts of beef, chicken, veal, rabbit and turkey are permitted. Fatty pork and lamb are totally prohibited.
  • Dairy products. The daily diet should include low-fat cottage cheese, natural yogurt and kefir.
  • Eggs. Be sure to eat chicken or quail eggs. They can be boiled scrambled eggs, boiled scrambled eggs, or scrambled eggs. It is recommended to consume 2 chicken eggs or 4 quail eggs per day.
  • Fish. Another source of protein is lean fish. Steam, bake, or simmer without adding oil.
  • Green vegetables. Fiber is necessary for the proper digestion of food, thus improving well-being. Give preference to tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and zucchini. Vegetables can be eaten fresh, cooked, baked or boiled.
  • Cereals. High protein diets involve the rejection of all types of cereals. But they are still needed as a carbohydrate source. You can cook buckwheat, peas or oatmeal.
  • Fruit. Nutritionists recommend consuming citrus fruits along with a protein diet. But be careful with them - high acidity has an irritating effect on the gastric mucosa and can cause gastritis.

Of the drinks, give preference to herbal decoctions, green tea. A small amount of coffee is allowed - no more than one cup per day. Most of the liquid should come with plain water.

Foods forbidden for a protein diet

The list of prohibited foods in a protein diet is much broader. This is because the nutrition system involves the rejection of most food groups. So this list includes:

  • Baked goods are completely excluded. A few times a week you can eat 1 slice of rye bread.
  • Pasta.
  • Sweet and floury dishes. This includes all foods containing sugar. You can't even sweeten the drinks.
  • Alcohol. Some protein diets allow drinking a glass of dry red wine a day. But it is always better to give up alcohol in any quantity.
  • Starchy vegetables. Avoid radishes and potatoes. Despite their nutritional value, they add weight.
  • Sweet fruit. Bananas, pears, melons are prohibited.
  • Fast food products. Fast foods should be excluded from the diet.
  • Soft drinks.

Giving up your favorite foods is only difficult for the first week. Then you get used to eating right and keep that habit after the diet ends.

How to organize protein nutrition

To ensure that the new nutrition system does not harm your health, stick to the plan:

  1. Diet preparation. Over 2-3 weeks, gradually start giving up sweets if you like them a lot. Replace sugar with dried fruits, reduce the amount of sweetener in drinks.
  2. Smooth entry into the diet. You need to smoothly switch to protein nutrition, refusing other products in 1-2 days.
  3. the regime itself. Be sure to monitor your well-being and control your weight.
  4. Get out of the diet. Complete the diet gently, gradually increasing the amount of food consumed.

It's good if the diet falls on vacation, which reduces the temptation to dine on sandwiches or refuse a full breakfast.

Buy food in advance by compiling a menu. When you go to the store, you run the risk of buying a product from the prohibited list.

Be sure to exercise. You can join a gym or focus on home aerobics. Yoga, running will do. Physical activity should be at least 3 times a week. But remember that if you have never played sports before, you cannot overload the body. Start with light exercises, gradually increasing the load.

The duration of the protein diet

The maximum duration of a protein diet is 14 days. During this time, it is possible to lose up to 15 kg. After a 3-month break, you can repeat to improve the result.

The optimal period is 10 days. During this time, you can lose up to 10 kg. The result depends on the individual characteristics of the organism. The more weight, the more actively there is a decrease in body weight.

The minimum period is 7 days. It allows you to lose up to 8 kg. This period is suitable for those who find it difficult to give up their favorite products.

Sample menu for a week to lose weight

A sample menu of a protein diet for weight loss for a week will help you decide on a diet. Take these dishes as a basis, but adjust them yourself, taking into account the lists of prohibited and allowed foods.

Day Breakfast Having dinner Having dinner
a Cheese omelette, green tea Braised beef with buckwheat boiled fish
2 Low-fat cottage cheese Boiled chicken breast, cucumber and tomato salad Fried eggs, green tea
3 Rolled oats on the water Veal stew with zucchini Baked salmon with lemon and herbs
four Cottage Cheese Pancakes Rabbit in sour cream sauce, brown rice Steamed ground turkey cutlets
5 Cheese toast Fish ear with rice Beef tenderloin cooked in soy sauce
6 Low-fat cottage cheese, apple Stew of veal, carrots, cabbage and zucchini Cesar salad"
seven Buckwheat Meatball Chicken Soup fish casserole

What can you eat as a snack:

  • boiled eggs;
  • kefir;
  • natural yogurt;
  • apples, grapefruit;
  • cheese;
  • pancakes and cottage cheese stew;
  • vegetable salad.

Every day you should have 3 full meals and 2-3 snacks. Before going to bed, 2-3 hours before bedtime, you can drink a glass of kefir, tea or eat plain yogurt. Food should be as light as possible so as not to feel bad from indigestion and a full stomach.

If you exercise, take protein shakes as well. Choose foods without sugar and various additives. Such a cocktail will relieve the feeling of hunger and will not cause weight gain.

Get off the protein diet

In order for the lost kilograms not to return after the end of the diet, you need to properly return to the usual chart. Add 1-2 foods a day to your diet, leaving sugar, pasta, and potatoes at the end. Start with vegetables and fruits and increase the amount of garnish. Be sure to introduce grains as a carbohydrate source.

Nutritionists say that the exit period from the diet is twice as long as the duration of the diet itself. If you have been following the protein nutrition system for 10 days, you must complete it for 20 days.

To maintain the achieved results, follow the rules of healthy eating. Avoid junk, fatty and fried foods. And then the weight will disappear, the figure will become slimmer, and as a pleasant bonus you will achieve good health and beautiful beauty.

High Protein Diet Mistakes

Mistakes, which are quite common, prevent many from achieving their goals. These include:

  1. Rapid rejection of carbohydrates and fats in favor of proteins. Do not forget that the protein diet is serious, so you can not "get into it" sharply, giving up the usual picture in one day.
  2. Complete rejection of carbohydrates. The diet should contain vegetables, fruits and cereals in small quantities. Otherwise, poor health and stress cannot be avoided.
  3. Lack of physical activity. Without sports, a beautiful figure cannot be achieved. But the appearance of stretch marks and sagging skin is worth the wait.
  4. Famine. Make your diet so that you don't feel hungry. Otherwise, the body will enter the extreme energy conservation phase and start storing fat.

Smoothly transition to the new system and monitor your well-being. And then in a week you will lose weight without stress for the body.

How to eat well during exercise

You can go to the gym to stay healthy, lose weight, or build muscle. But without a well-designed nutritional scheme, it will not be possible to achieve positive results. And in order for training in the gym or at home to please with changes in the figure, you need to knowhow to eat healthy while exercising.

how to eat healthy while exercising

How to eat before a workout to lose weight

To lose weight, you need to properly organize the diet. Don't fast, especially before a workout. The body must have enough strength to work in the gym or to do exercises at home.

Nutrition before training is organized taking into account several rules:

  1. Food should be light, mainly carbohydrates. For this, cereals are ideal.
  2. The last meal should be 2 hours before training.
  3. For 30 minutes you are allowed to drink kefir or eat an apple.

To start the fat burning process, it is recommended to drink a cup of coffee before training. The drink will give you an energy boost and help kick-start your metabolism.

pre-workout food for weight loss

What is suitable as a pre-workout meal for weight loss:

  • cereals on water or milk;
  • fruit and vegetable salads;
  • breads.

Be sure to count calories - they should not exceed 200 for women and 300 for men.

Before training, special supplements are taken - thermogenic fat burners. Their action is aimed at increasing body temperature, due to which fat burning mechanisms are triggered.

Weight loss supplements are not a mandatory attribute of weight loss. But with them the fat burning process will go much faster.

Post-workout nutrition to burn fat

After training, you cannot eat carbohydrates. This is due to the fact that during physical exertion and within 2 hours after it, the body triggers the mechanism of active fat burning, which is necessary to replenish lost energy. If you eat a carbohydrate product, glycogen production will begin due to carbohydrates and not fat stores.

Protein is needed after class. They help the muscles to work, preserve the beauty and tone of the muscles. Thanks to protein foods, it is possible to lose weight and get a relief figure.

What can you eat after training:

  • fat-free cottage cheese without additives;
  • lean beef;
  • Chicken breast;
  • Egg whites;
  • rabbit meat;
  • lean fish.

You can always have a protein bar on hand that will satisfy your hunger and help you fight fatigue.

Protein: how to choose and which is the best

how to choose a protein

Diet plays an important role in weight loss and muscle mass gain. A reliable assistant in this area is protein. It is a vegetable or animal based food protein supplement. Indispensable for sportsmen and sportsmen.

What it is

A protein is an organic compound whose structural unit is an amino acid. It is involved in the structure of body tissues, helps to accelerate the process of muscle growth.

The importance of proteins for full-fledged human activity cannot be underestimated. Thanks to it, the building, enzymatic, hormonal, protective, transport, energy functions take place.

In terms of fitness, the benefits of protein include:

  • Development of protective functions of the body.
  • Weightloss. Due to the high nutritional properties and vitamin complexes, the dietary supplement saturates the body for a long time. The high protein content helps burn deposits during and after exercise, even at night.
  • Creation of the necessary relief.

Sports nutrition is a good alternative to products, because it is difficult to create a complete diet yourself to achieve high fitness results.

Should I take protein

Protein intake is relevant for people who set the goal of increasing muscle volume, maintaining mass, maintaining normal water balance, restoring affected muscles and saturating the body with vitamins, elementsand energy needed during a diet.

By making a choice in favor of sports nutrition, a person saves time and money on the purchase of products and their preparation. A protein shake is able to saturate the body for a long time, providing it with everything that is important for proper functioning.

It is also convenient to take it with you. In addition to drinks, it is sold in the form of ice cream, soup or pudding.

A protein is a simple protein with a number of properties. The main thing is the building function, so there is tightness, elimination of damage and increase in muscle volume. It's a great solution for those who can't get enough protein through regular foods.

What are the side effects of protein

If you ignore generally accepted standards for protein intake, it can be harmful to your health. This is manifested in the violation of fat and protein metabolism, liver disease may occur.

In addition, the use of the supplement is not recommended for people with kidney pathologies. Reception is possible only after consultation with a specialist.

How to choose

There are many types of sports nutrition. Therefore, the choice must correspond to the objective that the person is facing: Preservation of muscle volume.

You should also take into account the duration of classes and when you plan to take protein. It is important to take into account the type and intensity of the load.

For the first time, it is advisable to purchase a small jar in order to find a suitable product that meets personal preferences in the future.

How much protein to take

To get the most out of a sports cocktail, you need to know how to prepare it correctly.

The most important thing is to control and know the exact weight while using the supplement. The optimal dose is 30 g of dry powder and 300 ml of liquid. It can be juice, water or milk. As a rule, 1. 2-2. 2 g of protein is taken per 1 kg of body weight.

It should be taken 1 to 1. 5 hours before sports and one hour after. Protein is allowed if there is a long break between meals.

To prepare, the liquid is poured into a special container, then proteins are added and shaken. Must be consumed within 3 hours.

Which protein is best for gaining lean mass?

For muscle gain, whey and egg protein are more suitable. They have a high rate of breakdown into end products, so they quickly saturate muscle tissue with important compounds.

They are effective to use in combination with slow proteins to continue muscle growth overnight.

When the goal is to gain muscle mass, proteins should be chosen with less fat. Suitable and complex hydrolyzed additives based thereon.

What protein is better for a girl to drink to lose weight

Whey shake and casein are considered the best sports protein option for weight loss. The reception scheme is calculated by the coach based on personal preferences. Both products are of animal origin and highly digestible. They effectively burn the fat layer and provide the body with the right amount of protein.

Whey protein is known for its high quality and affordable price. Includes the full list of amino acids that are important for muscle growth. The action manifests itself one hour after consumption.

Casein has a complex structure, is consumed slowly, in 5 to 7 hours. Ideal for professional athletes to continue muscle growth overnight. Also effective for burning calories.

When choosing a cocktail for weight loss, you should consider:

  • Natural and safe composition.
  • Type of protein digestion.

Should You Drink Protein When You're Not Working Out?

To maintain athletic performance, protein should be taken on free days, but in smaller amounts. Approximately the volume is reduced by 2 times, a cocktail is consumed 3 times a day or 1 time before bedtime.

Where to buy and how much protein costs

You can buy sports nutrition in specialized departments, online stores. The cost depends on the volume of the jar, the type of protein.

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