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

protein foods for weight loss

The essence of the diet is that every day you should eat primarily protein foods - a lot of fish, meat and low-fat dairy products. All these products are very nutritious, soaked for a long time, so you will not be disturbed by the feeling of hunger. But the body's removal of carbohydrates and fats will begin to use its own fat reserves as extra energy.

The role of proteins in the body

proteins that are good for the body

Life without protein is impossible. The importance of proteins to 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 also lie in the fact that they are involved in protecting the body from infections, and also promote the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Our lifelong activity is associated with constant consumption and renewal of protein. To balance these processes, protein losses need to be replenished daily. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, it does not accumulate and is synthesized in the body from other nutrients, that is, you can only get protein with food.

Length of protein diet

Protein-type diets are usually prescribed in small amounts for a week or two. The menu is not very different: in the second week, if any, expert advice on eating the same menu as in the first, following the diet from the last day to the first.

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 later can you restart the course.

Advantages and disadvantages of a protein diet

pros and cons of a protein diet

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

  1. Improve skin condition. Protein is essential in the body. Thanks to it, your muscles are strong, and the skin does not sag. By increasing the protein content in your daily diet, you will ensure the beautiful appearance of your skin.
  2. Calorie content. Proteins contain almost 2 times fewer calories than fats. And due to 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 helps eliminate excess fluids from the body, and toxins.
  4. Lack of feeling hungry. Due to the characteristics of the body and prolonged assimilation of proteins, the feeling of hunger comes after a long period of time. And due to the fact that the protein diet consists of 4-6 meals, there is no feeling of hunger during the day.

There are few disadvantages to a protein diet. Most of them depend on contraindications for certain groups of people. But the disadvantages can not be completely attributed, because the diet has contraindications - there is no point sitting on it. And if, however, they sat down, 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 large quantities of water or kefir. If it does not help, then lead to the use of laxatives
  2. Rotting products are not removed. The solution to this problem, as in the previous case, is to use water in the required amounts.
  3. Bad breath
  4. Duration of diet. Due to its specificity, it is not recommended to sit on a protein diet for more than a month. If you use the diet only as a way to keep a figure in good shape and do not want to lose extra pounds, then this restriction does not apply to you.

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

protein diet rules

protein diet rules

Features of the protein diet meet the following rules:

  1. every meal contains protein along with other foods,
  2. all foods should be prepared without fats, your fat rate per day is 30 gr. , This is 1 - 2 tbsp. l. oils as salad dressing
  3. to 2 p. m. m. it is permissible to consume 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 have a minimal share) - cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage and lettuce,
  5. from fruit, give preference to citrus fruits 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, about every 3 hours,
  8. as a 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 in products,
  11. the duration of the diet does not exceed 2 weeks.

diet in protein diet

You need to eat at least 5 times a day, and the last time you can afford food is 3 hours before the lights go out, and breakfast can start just 30 minutes after you wake up. For the distribution of nutritional components, before lunch you should eat a small amount of carbohydrates in the form of buckwheat, brown rice or oatmeal. Also, before lunch, you can eat some fruit. You can eat up to 40 grams of fat a day, which is enough for your body.

How to cook meals with a protein diet

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

The first, second and third components are variable of breakfast, lunch and dinner. The only difference is in 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 banned due to their high carbohydrate content. The lack of pasta and potatoes in the soup will not reduce the taste of vegetable soup with protein broth. Any liquid food contributes to weight loss.

As for second courses, there is much more choice of products to satisfy hunger and at the same time lose weight. Any recipes for dishes consist of chicken, fish, meat, eggs, cottage cheese, as well as vegetables, herbs and spices.

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

Sugar, sweet syrup and some additives that are not recommended for use in the composition may be lost. Using a variety of foods in the diet does not cause a violation of nutrition and feeling hungry.

protein diet menu options

The daily menu consists of five meals, including a sufficient amount of protein foods so that the body does not become hungry. The diet is quite varied, although it consists of the simplest and easiest dishes to prepare.

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

Menu №1 protein diet for a week (7 days)

products for the protein diet menu

Make your diet in a way that does not exceed 1000 kcal daily calorie content. Divide them into 5 meals so that the last one is 3-4 hours before bedtime. For a week you can throw away 5-7 kg.

Day meal Menu for the day
1 day Breakfast Omelette from 3 proteins

1 cup kefir (low fat)

sugar-free 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 (you can tuna or sardinella),

100-150 gr. fresh cabbage and cucumber salad,

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 Whole grain bread and low fat cheese sandwich
Dinner 100 gr chicken breast,

1/3 cup brown rice

tomato and pepper salad - 100-150 gr.
afternoon tea 1 fruit, one, except bananas
Dinner 100 gr. steam fish,

1 cup boiled beans

1 cup kefir or yogurt
Day 4 Breakfast 150 gr fat-free cottage cheese,

Tae glas
Late breakfast a handful of nuts - no more than 30 gr.
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 red pepper.
Day 5 Breakfast Tomato and lettuce salad seasoned 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 pea salad.

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

Tea or coffee, all sugar free.
Late breakfast 1 fruit, one, except bananas
Dinner 100 gr. steam fish,

1/3 cup cooked rice. 1 tomato
afternoon tea 1 cup kefir or yogurt (no additives)
Dinner Stew from vegetables and meat - no more than 200 gr.

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

Tae glas
Late breakfast a handful of nuts - no more than 30 gr.
Dinner 1/3 cup buckwheat (preferably not boiled, just pour boiling water and leave overnight) and fish or meat of your choice
afternoon tea 1 orange
Dinner 150 g meat with lemon and herbs baked in the oven. Mix the juice of half a lemon and seasoning 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 of your choice. There are no hard and fast rules here. The option shown is just an example.

The amount of service is about 200-250 gr.

Day one: Morning, afternoon, afternoon meals, snacks

1 p. p. (breakfast) Sweetened coffee / tea + cottage cheese
2 p. m. p. (2nd breakfast) Apple
3 p. m. p. (lunch) Boiled chicken breast with baked vegetables
4 p. m. p. (snacks) Empty natural yogurt
5 p. m. p. (dinner) Steam fish + vegetable salad

Day two: Morning, afternoon, afternoon meals, snacks

1 p. p. (breakfast) Sweetened coffee / tea + yogurt
2 p. m. p. (2nd breakfast) Orange
3 p. m. p. (lunch) Vegetables (baked) + veal (beef)
4 p. m. p. (snacks) Kefir
5 p. m. p. (dinner) Fish (baked) and vegetables (natural, without heat treatment)

Day three: Morning, afternoon, afternoon meals, snacks

1 p. p. (breakfast) Sweetened coffee / tea + a few eggs
2 p. m. p. (2nd breakfast) Grapefruit
3 p. m. p. (lunch) Four baked turkey + -5 tbsp. brown rice
4 p. m. p. (snacks) house cheese
5 p. m. p. (dinner) Cabbage salad + cooked veal

Day four: Morning, afternoon, afternoon meals, snacks

1 p. p. (breakfast) Kefir + cookies (2 pcs. , Oatmeal, better at home)
2 p. m. p. (2nd breakfast) Kiwi (2 pcs)
3 p. m. p. (lunch) Chicken with asparagus
4 p. m. p. (snacks) Fresh juice
5 p. m. p. (dinner) Seafood and vegetables

Day five: Morning, afternoon, afternoon meals, snacks

1 p. p. (breakfast) Steamed 2 egg omelet + unsweetened tea or coffee
2 p. m. p. (2nd breakfast) Apple
3 p. m. p. (lunch) Fish with bread
4 p. m. p. (snacks) Ryazhenka
5 p. m. p. (dinner) Chicken + raw vegetables

Day six: Morning, afternoon, afternoon meals, snacks

1 p. p. (breakfast) Cottage cheese + unsweetened tea or coffee
2 p. m. p. (2nd breakfast) Orange
3 p. m. p. (lunch) Baked tofu with vegetables
4 p. m. p. (snacks) Yogurt without additives
5 p. m. p. (dinner) Shrimp with asparagus

Day seven: Morning, afternoon, afternoon meals, snacks

1 p. p. (breakfast) Cottage cheese + unsweetened tea or coffee
2 p. m. p. (2nd breakfast) Apple
3 p. m. p. (lunch) Vegetable soup + boiled beef
4 p. m. p. (snacks) Kefir + whole grain bread
5 p. m. p. (dinner) Steam fish + vegetable salad

protein diet menu for 14 days

Products on the menu can be safely replaced with equivalent products from the table of approved ones, and the proposed dishes can be replaced by 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 fluid a day, do not eat forbidden foods.

Breakfast
  • 2 egg omelet
  • 200 g fat free cottage cheese / cottage cheese casserole
  • oatmeal / millet on the water
second breakfast
  • apple or pear
  • fruit salad
  • vegetable salad
dinner
  • fish cutlets 2 pcs + 100 g boiled beans
  • 200 g boiled chicken + garnish of cereals
  • 200 g cooked rabbit meat + tomato salad
afternoon tea
  • 100 g fat-free yogurt
  • grapefruit or pomelo
  • a handful of pine nuts
dinner
  • 200 g baked / boiled fish + vegetable garnish
  • 200 g cooked veal + coleslaw
  • meatballs from poultry fillet + boiled lentils 200 g

The list of approved products is so varied that it's not difficult to develop a detailed protein diet menu for yourself, there's room for the imagination to "walk around". Adhering gradually to a protein diet will allow you to leave the diet gradually and effectively.

protein diet recipes

protein diet recipes

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

As you can see, the following recipes are more suitable for sparing and more varied in terms of approved products. They are based on protein products, but some ingredients can be added to enhance the taste, which is a bit off the nutritional principles of a strict protein diet.

First meal

egg cream soup

Ingredients:

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

Boil the meat in 2-2. 5 liters of water until tender with bay leaves, peppermint and Provence herbs. Take out the meat and cut into cubes. Put the chopped spinach into the broth and boil until tender. Pour the soup, milk into the blender bowl, add the chopped meat and eggs and beat until creamy. Serve immediately, garnished with a sprig of parsley and half a boiled egg.

Nutritious fish soup

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

Disassemble the cauliflower, peel, cut into small pieces. Cut the fish into large cubes. Cut the onion into thin half rings. Put everything in a saucepan, fill with water and cook until tender. 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 squirrels,
  • 1 tbspbran,
  • vegetable broth (from celery or cauliflower to onions),
  • 5 stems of green onions
  • 1 small onion
  • salt and spices.

Finely mix minced meat, squirrel, bran and onions, make meatballs the size of a small nut. Put the meatballs, bay leaf, 5 black peppermint into the boiling broth, boil until tender. Before serving, garnish the soup with chopped green onions.

Results and reviews after a protein diet

protein diet results

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

As for the reviews, they are both positive and negative. For many, the diet was not ideal - against a background of a lack of vitamins and trace elements, some of those who lost weight developed dizziness and weakness. Despite this, everyone 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 strictly prohibited:

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

Protein diet choices

protein diet choices

Many modern diets are based on the principle of protein nutrition. Consider the most common 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 hand you eat complex carbohydrates. This diet option is considered more balanced and can be followed for more than two weeks. Such a diet is usually resorted to following a single 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 mostly 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, which must be followed for the rest of your life. According to modern nutritionists, the best diet for weight loss is one that you can comfortably follow without suffering from hunger, without falling from weakness, and without being obsessed over calorie counting.

Protein diet recommendations

recommendations for a high protein diet

Given the disadvantages of this method of losing weight, we have compiled recommendations for you, after which you can minimize the negative consequences for your body and simply take advantage of the diet:

  1. First, do not overdo the diet. Remember that the measure is necessary in everything: do not completely exclude carbohydrates and fats from the diet. If after a week of dieting you decide to continue to lose weight, do not sit on such a diet for more than a month, and then take a break of 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 the 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 food quality is a very important condition for losing weight.
  8. If you include eggs in your diet, do not eat more than 4 eggs a day. This is especially true of egg yolk, which is composed mainly of fat and raises cholesterol levels.
  9. Proteins in duo are better absorbed by carbohydrates. When eating boiled chicken breast, add some steamed cauliflower to your plate. But it is better to introduce carbohydrates in the middle of the day, at lunchtime.
  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. To avoid nutrient deficiency, it is recommended to drink vitamins during weight loss.