Protein diet for weight loss: Menu for a week with recipes

Protein foods for weight loss

The essence of the diet is that you should eat mainly protein foods every day - lots of fish, meat and low-fat dairy products. All these products are very nutritious, saturate for a long time, so you will not be disturbed by hunger pangs. But the body, which is deprived of carbohydrates and fats, begins 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 material for 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 also lies in the fact that they are involved in protecting the body from infections, and also promote the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Our life activity is associated with the continuous consumption and renewal of protein. To balance these processes, protein loss must be replaced every day. It, unlike fats and carbohydrates, does not accumulate and is not synthesized in the body by other nutrients, which means you can get protein only with food.

The duration of the protein diet

Typically, protein diets are prescribed in detail for one or two weeks. The menu is not very diverse: in the second week, if at all, experts advise to eat the same menu as in the first, following the diet from the last day to the first.

Even nutritionists recommend following a protein diet for no more than 14 days, after which you should take a break for half a year. Only then can you start the course again.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Protein Diet

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Protein Diet

In addition to the usual goal of "reducing weight", a protein diet has other beneficial effects for the body. Namely:

  1. Improving the condition of the skin. Protein is fundamental in the body. Thanks to him, your muscles are strong and the skin does not sag. By increasing the protein content in your daily diet, you guarantee the beautiful appearance of your skin.
  2. Calorie content. Proteins contain almost 2 times less calories than fats. And with the fact that the body needs much more time and energy to process fats, the process of losing weight is simply inevitable.
  3. Removal of toxins. Protein contributes to the elimination of excess fluids from the body, and with them toxins.
  4. Lack of feeling of hunger. Due to the characteristics of the body and the long assimilation of proteins, the feeling of hunger comes after a long time. And with the fact that the protein diet consists of 4-6 meals, there is no feeling of hunger throughout the day.

There are few disadvantages to a protein diet. Most of them focus on contraindications for different groups of people. But they can not be fully attributed to the minuses, because there are contraindications to the diet - there is no point in sitting on it. And if they do sit down anyway, what's the point of complaining?

Thus, the disadvantages of diet include:

  1. Constipation. This is a common problem in people on a protein diet. The solution to this problem is the use of large quantities of water or kefir. If it does not help, then the use of a laxative
  2. Decay products are not removed. The solution to this problem, as in the previous case, is the use of water in the required quantities.
  3. Bad breath
  4. Diet duration. Due to its specificity, it is not recommended to sit on a protein diet for more than a month. If you are only using the diet as a means to keep a figure in good shape and not trying to lose extra pounds, then this restriction does not apply to you.

This is where the disadvantages of dieting end. Everything else already belongs to the category of contraindications and should be taken first even before going on a diet.

Protein diet rules

Protein diet rules

Features of the protein diet are in accordance with the following rules:

  1. each meal is protein combined with other foods,
  2. all meals should be prepared without fats, your fat content per day is 30 gr. , This is 1 - 2 El. l. Oils as a salad dressing
  3. until 14. 00 it is allowed complex carbohydrates in the form of cereals (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal) 4 - 6 tbsp. l. ,
  4. You can use vegetables that do not contain starch (or with a minimum proportion of it) - cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage and lettuce,
  5. of fruits, give preference to citrus fruits or unsweetened apples (1 - 2 per day),
  6. drink plenty of water (1-2 liters per day),
  7. You should eat 4 to 6 times a day, approximately every 3 hours,
  8. used as a spice herbs, lemon juice, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic,
  9. do not drink alcohol or sweets during the diet,
  10. follows the table of protein content and products,
  11. the duration of the diet is not more than 2 weeks.

Diet and a protein diet

You must eat at least 5 times a day, while the last time you can afford food is 3 hours before lights go out, and breakfast can only start 30 minutes after you wake 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 meals with a protein diet

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

The first, second and third are an integral part of breakfast, lunch and dinner. The difference is only in the preparation and timing of the meal.

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

Potatoes are banned because of their high carbohydrate content. The lack of pasta and potatoes in the soup will not reduce the taste of vegetable soup with protein broth. All liquid foods contribute to weight loss.

For second courses, there are many more choices of products to satisfy hunger and lose weight at the same time. All recipes for dishes consist of chicken, fish, meat, eggs, cottage cheese, with the addition of vegetables, herbs and spices.

The question is what to replace the supplements? Potatoes, pasta, cereals are saturated with carbohydrates and therefore are not suitable for any diet. Replace carbohydrate supplements with vegetable dishes. Bake, cook, stew, for every housewife. Just be careful with the spices.

Sugar, sweet syrup and some additives that are not recommended to use may be lost in the composition. With a variety of foods in a diet, violation of diet and a feeling of hunger are not noticeable.

Protein diet menu options

The daily menu consists of five meals, including a sufficient amount of protein foods, so that the body does not experience hunger. The diet is quite varied, while it consists of the simplest and easiest dishes.

The diet is designed for one week, with excess weight, the number of days can be increased to 14 days (2 weeks is the maximum at which you can go on a protein diet).

Menu №1 Protein diet for one week (7 days)

Products for the protein diet menu

Adjust your diet in such a way that its daily caloric content does not exceed 1000 kcal. Divide it into 5 meals so that the last 3-4 hours are before bedtime. For one week you can throw 5-7 kg.

day Food Menu for the day
1 day Breakfast Omelette made of 3 proteins

1 cup kefir (low fat)

Tea or coffee without sugar
Late breakfast 1 cup kefir or yoghurt (no additives)
Dinner 100 gr. cooked 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 heart slaughtered eggs

1 tomato

1 Wholemeal bread
Late breakfast 1 cup kefir or yoghurt (no additives)
Dinner 100 gr. steamed meat,

Tomato and Pepper Salad - 100 g.
Afternoon tea 1 apple or orange
Dinner 100 gr. Canned fish (you can use tuna or sardines),

100-150 gr. Salad of fresh cabbages and cucumbers,

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

Tea or coffee
Late breakfast Wholemeal bread and low-fat cheese sandwich
Dinner 100 gr Chicken Breast,

1/3 Coupe brong Rais

Tomato and Pepper Salad - 100-150 gr.
Afternoon tea 1 fruit, all, except bananas
Dinner 100 gr. steamed fish,

1 cup cooked beans

1 cup kefir or yogurt
Day 4 Breakfast 150 g of fat-free hard cheese,

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

1 Wholemeal bread
Afternoon tea 1 apple or orange
Dinner Fish or meat in the oven.

Salad of fresh vegetables - cabbage, tomatoes and red pepper.
Day 5 Breakfast Salad of tomatoes and salad seasoned with lemon juice
Late breakfast 1 cup kefir or yoghurt (no additives)
Dinner Broccoli cream soup with chicken breast pieces.

1 Wholemeal bread
Afternoon tea 5 pieces. all dried fruits
Dinner Cabbage and Green Pea Salad.

Breast baked with cheese and tomatoes (hard cheese)
Day 6 Breakfast Omelette of 2 eggs and low-fat ham.

Tea or coffee, all without sugar.
Late breakfast 1 fruit, all, except bananas
Dinner 100 gr. steamed fish,

1/3 cup cooked rice. 1 tomato
Afternoon tea 1 cup kefir or yoghurt (no additives)
Dinner Stew from vegetables and meat - not more than 200 gr.

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

Green tea
Late breakfast a handful of nuts - no more than 30 gr.
Dinner 1/3 cup buckwheat (it is better not to cook it, but pour it with boiling water and leave it 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. Mix the juice of half a lemon and spices for meat, marinate the meat for 1 to 4 hours. After baking in the oven for 25-30 minutes

Menu number 2 Protein diet for a week

Protein Diet Menu

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

The size is about 200-250 g.

Day one: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 p. p. (Breakfast) Coffee / tea without sweeteners + cottage cheese
2 p. p. (2nd breakfast) Apple
3 p. p. (Lunch) Cooked dog breast with baked vegetables
4 p. p. (Snack) Empty natural yogurt
5 p. p. (Dinner) Steamed fish + vegetable salad

Day two: morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 p. p. (Breakfast) Coffee / tea without sweeteners + yoghurt
2 p. p. (2nd breakfast) Orange
3 p. p. (Lunch) Vegetables (baked) + veal (beef)
4 p. p. (Snack) Kefir
5 p. p. (Dinner) Fish (baked) and vegetables (natural, without heat treatment)

Day three: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 p. p. (Breakfast) Coffee / tea without sweeteners + some eggs
2 p. p. (2nd breakfast) Grapefruit
3 p. p. (Lunch) Baked turkey thigh + -5 pcs. l. brong Rais
4 p. p. (Snack) Rural house
5 p. p. (Dinner) Cabbage salad + cooked veal

Day four: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 p. p. (Breakfast) Kefir + cookies (2 pieces, made from oatmeal, better homemade)
2 p. p. (2nd breakfast) Kiwi (2 pieces)
3 p. p. (Lunch) Chicken with asparagus
4 p. p. (Snack) Fresh juice
5 p. p. (Dinner) Seafood and vegetables

Day five: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 p. p. (Breakfast) Steamed 2 eggs omelette + tea or unsweetened coffee
2 p. p. (2nd breakfast) Apple
3 p. p. (Lunch) Fish with bread
4 p. p. (Snack) Ryazhenka
5 p. p. (Dinner) Chicken + raw vegetables

Day six: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 p. p. (Breakfast) Rural cottage cheese + tea or not sweet coffee
2 p. p. (2nd breakfast) Orange
3 p. p. (Lunch) Tofu baked with vegetables
4 p. p. (Snack) Yogurt without additives
5 p. p. (Dinner) Shrimp with asparagus

Day seven: Morning, afternoon, dinner, snacks

1 p. p. (Breakfast) Rural cottage cheese + tea or not sweet coffee
2 p. p. (2nd breakfast) Apple
3 p. p. (Lunch) Vegetable soup + boiled beef
4 p. p. (Snack) Kefir + Wholemeal bread
5 p. p. (Dinner) Steamed fish + vegetable salad

Protein diet menu for 14 days

Products on the menu can certainly be replaced by equivalent from the table of allowed, 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 fraction 5-6 times a day, drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day, do not eat forbidden foods.

Coffee table
  • 2 Eggs Omelette
  • 200 g fat-free cottage cheese / cottage cheese casserole
  • Oatmeal / millet in water
second coffee
  • Apples or pears
  • Fruit salad
  • Vegetable salad
Food
  • Fish cutlets 2 pieces + 100 g of cooked beans
  • 200 g cooked chicken + garnish with cereals
  • 200 g cooked rabbit meat + tomato salad
Afternoon tea
  • 100 g fat-free yogurt
  • Grapefruit or grapefruit
  • Handful of pine nuts
Food
  • 200 g baked / cooked fish + vegetable garnish
  • 200 g cooked veal + Coleslaw
  • Meatballs made from poultry fillet + cooked lentils 200 g

The list of allowed products is so diverse that it is not difficult to develop a detailed menu of a protein diet for yourself, there is room for imagination to rub "around". Gradual adherence to a protein diet allows you to gradually and effectively get out of the diet.

Protein diet recipes

Protein diet recipes

As you know, a protein diet is based on the complete or partial elimination of carbohydrates from your body. The basis of your diet should be white meat, fish, eggs, dairy products. In more economical versions of such a diet, vegetables and nuts are allowed. In a rigid system of weight loss you can not really clear. For a week, and sometimes more, every day you just have to eat boiled eggs, fish and chicken.

As you can see, the following recipes are more suitable for saving and more diverse in terms of permitted products. They are based on protein products, but some ingredients can be added to improve the taste, which are a bit off the dietary principles of a rigid protein diet.

First meal

A Cream Soup

Ingredients:

  • 400 g chicken or turkey breast
  • 300-400 g Spinach,
  • 2 slaughtered eggs,
  • 150 ml milk
  • Spices,
  • Salt,
  • sprig of parsley.

Cook the meat in 2-2, 5 liters of water until soft with bay leaves, peppercorns and Provence herbs. Remove the meat and cut into cubes. Add the chopped spinach to the broth and cook until soft. Add the soup, milk and mixing bowl, add the meat to the chopped eggs and beat until creamy. Serve immediately, garnished with a sprinkle of parsley and a half-boiled egg.

Nutritious fish soup

  • 400 g fillet of all white fish,
  • 1 red onion
  • 400 g Cauliflower,
  • Lemon juice,
  • Peffer,
  • Salt,
  • natural yoghurt (optional)

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

Soup with chicken meatballs

  • 300 g minced chicken,
  • 2 red squirrels,
  • 1 elbran,
  • Vegetable broth (from celery or cauliflower with onions),
  • 5 stalks of green onions
  • 1 small onion
  • Salt and spices.

Mix the minced meat, red squirrels, pine nuts and finely ground onions, the meatballs form the size of a small chestnut. Add the meatballs, bay leaf, 5 black peppercorns to the boiling broth, cook until soft. Before serving, garnish the soup with finely chopped green onions.

Results and assessments following 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 initial weight and activity. Because protein foods saturate the body well with energy, it is recommended to combine diet with exercise for maximum effect.

As for the reviews, they are 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 lose weight have developed dizziness and weakness. Nevertheless, every person who has been on this diet has lost weight.

Protein diet contraindications

Contraindications to protein diet

Before this diet, go through a mandatory medical examination, because the protein diet is not allowed for everyone and is completely forbidden:

  • with abnormalities of the work of the heart (with arrhythmias) and all of its diseases,
  • hepatitis and any liver disease,
  • during breastfeeding and during pregnancy,
  • with renal function
  • with joint pain or related diseases,
  • with colitis, dysbacteriosis, chronic pancreatitis and a number of other diseases of the digestive system,
  • Diet increases the risk of thrombosis and is therefore not recommended in the elderly,
  • with a duration of more than 4 weeks.

Protein diet options

Protein diet options

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

Protein-carbohydrate diet

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

Atkins Diet

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

Protein Diet by Dr. Pierre Dukan

The most popular protein diet is the Dukan diet. This is exactly the system of adequate nutrition that must be followed for the rest of your life. According to modern nutritionists, the best diet for weight loss is one that you can easily follow without starving, without falling weak and without obsessing over calorie intake.

Protein diet recommendations

Recommendations for a high protein diet

Because of the disadvantages of this method of losing weight, we have put together recommendations for you, then you can minimize the negative consequences for your body and only benefit from the diet:

  1. First and foremost, do not overdo the diet. Remember that the measure is used in everything: Carbohydrates and fats are not completely excluded from the diet. If after a week diet you decide to lose more weight, do not sit on such a diet for more than a month, and then take a 2-3 month break.
  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, observe the water regime - you need to drink at least 1, 5 liters of clean water per day.
  6. Do not exceed the daily caloric intake of 1500 kcal.
  7. Choose quality products! Remember that the quality of the food is a very important condition for losing weight.
  8. If you include eggs in your diet, do not eat more than 4 eggs per day. This is especially true for egg yolks, which consist mainly of fat and increase cholesterol levels.
  9. Proteins in a duet with carbohydrates are better absorbed. When eating cooked chicken breast, add some steamed cauliflower to your plate. But it is better to introduce carbohydrates in the middle of the day, at noon.
  10. If your goal is not only to lose weight, but also to gain muscle mass, remember that muscles grow precisely from a strength load.
  11. To avoid a lack of nutrients, it is recommended to drink vitamins during weight loss.