Protein diet for weight loss: a weekly menu with recipes

protein foods for weight loss

The essence of the diet is that every day you need to eat mainly protein foods - a lot of fish, meat and low-fat dairy products. All these products are highly nutritious, keep you full for a long time, so you will not be bothered by the feeling of hunger. However, the body, which is deprived of carbohydrates and fats, will begin to use its own fat reserves as additional energy.

The role of proteins in the body

proteins are good for the body

Life without protein is impossible. The importance of proteins for the body lies in the fact that they serve as a material for the construction of cells, tissues and organs, the formation of enzymes, most hormones, hemoglobin and other substances that perform the most important functions in the body. Proteins and their role in the body lie in the fact that they are involved in protecting the body from infections, and also increase the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Our life activity is connected with the constant consumption and replenishment of protein. Protein losses must be replenished daily to balance these processes. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, it does not accumulate in the body and is not synthesized from other nutrients, that is, you can get protein only with food.

The duration of the protein diet

Typically, protein-type diets are prescribed in detail for a week or two. The menu is not very diverse: in the second week, experts recommend eating the same menu as in the first, following the diet from the last day to the first, if any.

Also, nutritionists recommend following a protein diet for no more than 14 days, after which you need to take a break for half a year. Only after that you can continue the course.

Pros and cons of a protein diet

pros and cons of protein diet

In addition to the general purpose of "reducing weight", a protein diet has other beneficial effects for the body. Well:

  1. Improving the condition of the skin. Protein is essential in the body. Thanks to him, your muscles are strong and the skin does not sag. You can make your skin look beautiful by increasing the protein content in your daily diet.
  2. calorie content. Proteins contain almost 2 times fewer calories than fats. And given the fact that the body needs much more time and energy to process fat, the process of losing weight is inevitable.
  3. Removal of toxins. Protein contributes to the removal of excess fluids and toxins from the body.
  4. Lack of hunger. Due to the peculiarities of the body and the long assimilation of proteins, the feeling of hunger comes after a long time. And given that the protein diet consists of 4-6 meals, there is no feeling of hunger during the day.

The protein diet has several disadvantages. Most are based on contraindications for certain groups of people. But they can not be fully attributed to the minuses, because having contraindications to the diet - there is no point in sitting on it. And if they still sat down, then what's the point of complaining?

So, the disadvantages of the diet include:

  1. Constipation. This is a common problem in people on a protein diet. The solution to this problem is to use a large amount of water or kefir. If it doesn't help, use laxatives
  2. Decay products are not removed. The solution to this problem is to use water in required quantities, as in the previous case.
  3. bad breath
  4. Diet time. Due to its specificity, it is not recommended to sit on a protein diet for more than a month. This restriction does not apply to you if you only use the diet as a way to stay in good shape and are not trying to lose extra pounds.

The cons of the diet end here. Everything else already belongs to the category of contraindications and must be taken, first of all, before dieting.

Protein diet rules

protein diet rules

Features of the protein diet comply with the following rules:

  1. every meal is protein combined with other foods,
  2. All foods should be prepared without oil, your daily fat rate is 30 gr. , This is 1 - 2 tbsp. I. oils as salad dressing
  3. until 2 pm it is allowed to eat complex carbohydrates in the form of cereals (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal) 4 - 6 tbsp. I. ,
  4. you can use non-starchy (or minimal) vegetables - cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage and lettuce,
  5. from fruits, give preference to citrus or unsweetened apples (1 - 2 per day),
  6. Drink plenty of water (1-2 liters per day),
  7. you need to eat 4 to 6 times a day, approximately every 3 hours,
  8. as seasoning use herbs, lemon juice, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic,
  9. do not drink alcohol and sweets during the diet,
  10. follow the table of protein content in products,
  11. The duration of the diet is not more than 2 weeks.

Diet on a protein diet

You should eat at least 5 times a day, the last time you can eat is 3 hours before the lights go out, and breakfast can only begin 30 minutes after waking up. As for the distribution of nutritional components, before lunch you should consume a small amount of carbohydrates in the form of buckwheat, brown rice or oatmeal. You can also eat some fruit before lunch. You can consume up to 40 grams of fat per day, which is enough for your body.

How to cook with a protein diet

The menu for 7 days, 14 or a month is not much different with the protein diet and the number of grams per serving.

The first, second and third breakfast is an invariable component of lunch and dinner. The difference is only in food preparation and eating time.

Soup is the first item on the menu. The basis of the soup is a protein broth: fish, meat, poultry. Vegetable supplement of your choice, cabbage, eggplant, sweet pepper, beans, eggs.

Potatoes are prohibited due to their high carbohydrate content. The absence of pasta and potatoes in the soup does not reduce the taste of protein vegetable soup. Any liquid food contributes to weight loss.

For second courses, there is much more choice of products to satisfy hunger and at the same time lose weight. Recipes consist of chicken, fish, meat, eggs, cottage cheese with the addition of vegetables, herbs and spices.

The real question is, what will replace the garnishes? Potatoes, pasta, cereals are saturated with carbohydrates and therefore are not suitable for any diet. Replace carbohydrate side dishes with vegetable dishes. Cook, bake, stew for every housewife. Just be careful with the seasonings.

Sugar, sweet syrup and some additives that are not recommended for use may be lost in the composition. The use of various foods in the diet, violations in nutrition and a feeling of hunger do not go unnoticed.

Protein diet menu options

The menu for each day consists of five meals with a sufficient amount of protein food so that the body does not starve. The diet is quite diverse, but the preparation of dishes is the simplest and easiest.

The diet is designed for an overweight week, the number of days can be increased to 14 days (the maximum week you can be on a protein diet is 2 weeks).

Menu №1 week protein diet (7 days)

products for protein diet menu

Build your diet so that the daily calorie content does not exceed 1000 kcal. Divide into 5 meals, the last of which is 3-4 hours before bedtime. For a week you can throw 5-7 kg.

Day food menu of the day
1 day Breakfast 3 protein omelet

1 cup kefir (low-fat)

unsweetened tea or coffee
Late breakfast 1 cup kefir or yogurt (no additives)
Dinner 100 gr. boiled chicken with spices and herbs
afternoon tea 1 apple or orange
Dinner 100-150 gr. Baked fish with herbs and spices.

1 cup fat-free kefir
2 days Breakfast 2 hard boiled eggs

1 tomato

1 whole grain bread
Late breakfast 1 cup kefir or yogurt (no additives)
Dinner 100 gr. steamed meat,

tomato and pepper salad - 100 gr.
afternoon tea 1 apple or orange
Dinner 100 gr. canned fish (can be tuna or sardines),

100-150 gr. fresh cabbage and cucumber salad,

1 cup of kefir (up to 5% fat content)
3 days Breakfast Oatmeal with a handful of nuts or dried fruit.

tea or coffee
Late breakfast Sandwich with whole grain bread and low-fat cheese
Dinner 100 g chicken breast,

1/3 cup brown rice

tomato and pepper salad - 100-150 gr.
afternoon tea 1 fruit, any, excluding banana
Dinner 100 gr. fish steamed,

1 cup of boiled beans

1 cup of kefir or yogurt
4 days Breakfast 150 g fat-free cottage cheese,

Green tea
Late breakfast a handful of hazelnuts - no more than 30 g.
Dinner Chicken broth with vegetables and chicken breast.

1 whole grain bread
afternoon tea 1 apple or orange
Dinner Oven-baked fish or meat.

Fresh vegetable salad - cabbage, tomatoes and paprika.
5 days Breakfast Lettuce and tomato salad flavored with lemon juice
Late breakfast 1 cup kefir or yogurt (no additives)
Dinner Broccoli cream soup with chicken breast pieces.

1 whole grain bread
afternoon tea 5 pieces. any dried fruit
Dinner Cabbage and green peas salad.

Baked breast (hard cheese) with cheese and tomatoes
6 days Breakfast Omelet with 2 eggs and low-fat ham.

Tea or coffee, all without sugar.
Late breakfast 1 fruit, any, excluding banana
Dinner 100 gr. fish steamed,

1/3 cup of boiled rice. 1 tomato
afternoon tea 1 cup kefir or yogurt (no additives)
Dinner Vegetable and meat stew - no more than 200 gr.

Kefir or yogurt
7 days Breakfast 150 gr. fat-free cottage cheese with dried apricots,

Green tea
Late breakfast a handful of hazelnuts - no more than 30 g.
Dinner 1/3 cup of buckwheat (it is better not to boil, but pour boiling water and leave overnight) and fish or meat of your choice
afternoon tea 1 orange
Dinner 150 g of meat with lemon and herbs, baked in the oven. For meat, mix the juice of half a lemon and spices, marinate the meat for 1-4 hours. After baking in the oven for 25-30 minutes

Number 2 protein diet menu for a week

protein diet menu

Another advantage of the protein diet for very fast weight loss is that you can create a menu at your discretion. There are no strict rules here. The option shown is just an example.

Serving size is about 200-250 gr.

First day: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 person (breakfast) Unsweetened coffee / tea + cottage cheese
2 people (2nd breakfast) Apple
3 people (lunch) Baked chicken breast with vegetables in the oven
4 people (junk food) Empty natural yogurt
5 people (dinner) Steamed fish + vegetable salad

Second day: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 person (breakfast) Unsweetened coffee / tea + yogurt
2 people (2nd breakfast) Orange
3 people (lunch) Vegetables (cooked) + veal (veal)
4 people (junk food) Kefir
5 people (dinner) Fish (cooked) and vegetables (natural, not heat treated)

Third day: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 person (breakfast) Unsweetened coffee / tea + a few eggs
2 people (2nd breakfast) Grapefruit
3 people (lunch) Baked turkey thigh + -5 tbsp. brown rice
4 people (junk food) cottage cheese
5 people (dinner) Coleslaw + boiled beef

Day four: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 person (breakfast) Kefir + cookies (2 pieces, from oatmeal, better homemade)
2 people (2nd breakfast) Kiwi (2 pcs)
3 people (lunch) asparagus chicken
4 people (junk food) fresh juice
5 people (dinner) Seafood and vegetables

Fifth day: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 person (breakfast) Steamed 2-egg omelet + tea or unsweetened coffee
2 people (2nd breakfast) Apple
3 people (lunch) fish with bread
4 people (junk food) Ryazhenka
5 people (dinner) Chicken + raw vegetables

Day six: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 person (breakfast) Cottage cheese + tea or unsweetened coffee
2 people (2nd breakfast) Orange
3 people (lunch) Baked tofu with vegetables
4 people (junk food) Additive-free yogurt
5 people (dinner) shrimp with asparagus

Seventh day: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 person (breakfast) Cottage cheese + tea or unsweetened coffee
2 people (2nd breakfast) Apple
3 people (lunch) Vegetable soup + boiled beef
4 people (junk food) Kefir + whole grain bread
5 people (dinner) Steamed fish + vegetable salad

14 day protein diet menu

Products on the menu can be safely replaced with their equivalents from the table of permitted, and the proposed dishes can be replaced with similar ones in terms of calorie content and composition. The main thing is to follow the rules: eat fractionally 5-6 times a day, drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day, do not eat forbidden foods.

breakfasts
  • 2 egg omelet
  • 200 g fat-free cottage cheese / cottage cheese casserole
  • oatmeal / millet on water
second breakfasts
  • apple or pear
  • fruit salad
  • vegetable salad
dinners
  • fish cutlet 2 pcs + 100 g boiled beans
  • 200 g boiled chicken + side dish cereal
  • 200 g boiled rabbit meat + tomato salad
afternoon tea
  • 100 g fat-free yogurt
  • grapefruit or grapefruit
  • a handful of pine nuts
dinners
  • 200 g cooked/boiled fish + vegetable side dish
  • 200 g boiled beef + coleslaw
  • Meatballs from chicken fillet + boiled lentils 200 g

The list of allowed products is so diverse that it is not difficult to come up with a detailed protein diet menu for yourself, there is room for "wandering" the imagination. Gradual adherence to a protein diet will allow you to gradually and effectively exit the diet.

Protein Diet Recipes

protein diet recipes

As you know, a protein diet is based on the complete or partial removal of carbohydrates from your body. The basis of your diet should be white meat, fish, eggs, dairy products. In more sparing versions of such a diet, vegetables and nuts are allowed. In a solid weight loss system, you can't really clean up. Every day for a week, and sometimes more, you need to eat only boiled eggs, fish and chicken meat.

As you understand, the following recipes are economical and more diverse in terms of allowed products. They are based on protein products, but some ingredients that are slightly outside the nutritional principles of a strict protein diet can be added to improve the taste.

first meal

Egg cream soup

Contents:

  • 400 g chicken or turkey breast
  • 300-400 g of spinach,
  • 2 boiled eggs,
  • 150 ml of milk
  • spice,
  • salt,
  • parsley sprig.

Boil the meat in 2-2. 5 liters of water with bay leaves, black pepper and Provencal herbs until tender. Remove the meat and cut it into cubes. Put the chopped spinach in the soup and boil until soft. Pour the soup, milk into the blender bowl, add the meat and chopped eggs and whisk until creamy. Serve immediately, garnished with a pinch of parsley and a half-boiled egg.

Nutritious fish soup

  • 400 g white fish fillet,
  • 1 red onion
  • 400 g cauliflower,
  • lemon juice,
  • pepper,
  • salt,
  • natural yogurt (optional)

Disassemble the cauliflower, peel it, cut into small pieces. Cut the fish into large cubes. Chop the onion into thin half rings. Put everything in a saucepan, fill with water and cook until soft. Add salt, pepper, lemon juice if desired, and a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt before serving.

Chicken Meatball Soup

  • 300 g diced chicken,
  • 2 squirrels,
  • 1 tablespoon of bran,
  • vegetable broth (from celery or cauliflower with onions),
  • 5 stalks of green onions
  • 1 small onion
  • salt and spices.

Mix ground beef, squirrel, bran and finely chopped onion to make small chestnut-sized meatballs. Put the meatballs, bay leaf, 5 black peppercorns in the boiling soup, cook until soft. Before serving, garnish the soup with finely chopped green onions.

Results and reviews after a protein diet

protein diet results

The results before and after the diet are impressive - in just one week you can lose up to 5 kilograms, depending on your starting weight and activity. Since protein foods well saturate the body with energy, it is recommended to combine diet with training for maximum effect.

As for the reviews, both positive and negative. For many, the diet did not fit - against the background of a lack of vitamins and trace elements, some of those who lost weight developed dizziness and weakness. Despite this, everyone who did this diet lost weight.

Protein diet contraindications

Contraindications for a protein diet

Before this diet, undergo a mandatory medical examination, because protein diet is not permissible and completely prohibited for everyone:

  • with deviations in the work of the heart (with arrhythmias) and any of its diseases,
  • hepatitis and any liver disease,
  • during breastfeeding and pregnancy,
  • with kidney dysfunction
  • joint pain or related diseases,
  • with colitis, dysbacteriosis, chronic pancreatitis and a number of other diseases of the digestive tract,
  • diet increases the risk of thrombosis and is therefore not recommended in the elderly,
  • for more than 4 weeks.

Protein Diet Options

protein diet options

Many modern diets are based on the principle of protein nutrition. Consider the most popular options.

Protein-carbohydrate diet

Its essence is that protein days alternate with carbohydrate days, that is, one day you eat only protein foods, and the other you eat complex carbohydrates. This dietary option is considered more balanced and can be followed for more than two weeks. Usually, such a diet is resorted to after a purely protein diet to consolidate the result.

Atkins diet

It is also known as the Hollywood diet, which has become a favorite of many Hollywood stars. Dr. The basis of nutrition compiled by Atkins is the use of predominantly protein foods, even high-calorie fatty foods are allowed, but carbohydrates are excluded.

Dr. Pierre Dukan's protein diet

The most popular protein diet is the Dukan diet. This is exactly the proper nutrition system that should be followed for the rest of your life. According to modern nutritionists, the best diet for losing weight is one that you can follow comfortably without hunger, weakness and excessive calorie counting.

Protein Diet Recommendations

protein-rich diet recommendations

Given the disadvantages of this method of losing weight, we have compiled for you recommendations with which you can minimize the negative consequences for your body and benefit from diet alone:

  1. First of all, do not overdo the diet. Remember that in everything, precaution is necessary: do not completely exclude carbohydrates and fats from the diet. If you decide to continue losing weight after a week of dieting, do not sit on such a diet for more than a month, and then take a break for 2-3 months.
  2. Since the protein diet for weight loss for 7 days puts a lot of stress on the kidneys, eat more vegetables.
  3. Eat at least 4 small meals a day.
  4. The last meal should be no later than 2 hours before bedtime.
  5. To avoid problems with stool, adhere to the water regime - you should drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water per day.
  6. Do not exceed the daily calorie intake of 1500 kcal.
  7. Choose quality products! Remember that food quality is a very important condition for weight loss.
  8. If you include eggs in your diet, do not eat more than 4 eggs a day. This is especially true of the yolk, which consists of fat and increases cholesterol levels.
  9. Proteins in a duet with carbohydrates are better absorbed. When eating boiled chicken breast, add some steamed cauliflower to your plate. But it is better to give carbohydrates in the middle of the day, at lunch.
  10. If your goal is not only to lose weight, but also to gain muscle mass, remember that muscles grow precisely from a power load.
  11. It is recommended to drink vitamins during weight loss to prevent nutrient deficiencies.