
A protein diet is a common nutritional system that helps manage excess weight.As the name suggests, this diet is protein-based.At the same time, the amount of fats and carbohydrates is reduced.This changes metabolic processes in the body.He is forced to spend a lot of fat for energy.
Principles of a protein diet
Protein is of great importance for the proper functioning of the body.Muscle tissue, organs, blood cells and immune bodies are formed from this substance.It is also involved in the structure of skin, hair and nails.
The main functions of proteins include the following:
- Structurally.Proteins are considered the basis for building the body.They are part of bones, hair, skin and muscles.
- Metabolic and enzymatic.The basis of hormones and enzymes is pure protein or its combination with other elements.
- Transport.Proteins transport important elements to organs and cells.These include molecules, ions and useful substances.Hemoglobin therefore transports oxygen to the body's cells.
Proteins are important for the proper functioning of the immune system.They offer reliable protection against infections.In addition, these substances support beauty and youth.This happens through the renewal of elastin and collagen fibers.
Proteins enter the human body through animal food.It contains many valuable amino acids that the body needs.
Vegetable proteins do not provide the body with enough amino acids.At the same time they are able to combine with other substances.This will give you complete protein.
If there is a lack of proteins in the body, metabolic disorders occur.The basic principle of a protein diet is to provide the body with important substances necessary for its normal functioning.In a typical diet, protein is usually 12%.During the diet, this value increases significantly due to a decrease in the amount of fat and carbohydrates.

Features of a protein diet
Following a protein diet is very easy.This is due to the ability to customize it to suit a person's personal preferences and taste preferences.
To achieve good results, you must adhere to the following features of a protein diet:
- Write down the menu. To do this, you need to start keeping a food diary.This can be done manually or using a special program.
- Determine your protein intake. You should concentrate on your body weight.
- Maintain a balanced protein balance.The menu may include foods containing essential amino acids.
- Control the lower limit of the protein norm.Even outside of the diet, the body must be supplied with the required amount of proteins.The average is 30g.
- Monitor the biological value of proteins.It is best to give preference to fresh meat, eggs and dairy products.At the same time, it is better to avoid processed foods in the form of bacon, sausage and ham.
- Combine proteins with herbs and vegetables.The diet should contain a sufficient amount of vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Benefits of a protein diet
The advantage of a protein diet is that it helps not only get rid of excess weight, but also achieve the following results:
- Increase muscle mass. The combination of proteins with strength exercises is considered particularly effective.
- Reduce age-related muscle loss. Over the years, many people lose muscle mass.If you include protein shakes in your diet, you can prevent such losses.
- Strengthen bones.A diet rich in protein helps prevent the development of osteoporosis, which often occurs in women.This nutritional system helps minimize risks by 69%.
- Accelerate wound healing. Eating protein-containing foods normalizes the recovery processes after injuries or operations.
Harm of a protein diet
The harm of a protein diet is that meat foods can contain a lot of calories.Therefore, uncontrolled use of proteins can lead to weight gain.It is recommended to count calories carefully and avoid exceeding the daily amount.
Severe restriction of carbohydrate intake can place a serious burden on the body.Sugar keeps the brain active.If you avoid it altogether, you run the risk of worsening mood and reduced concentration.
A lack of fiber in the diet and increased digestion of proteins lead to constipation.To minimize the strain on your kidneys, you need to drink plenty of fluids.The diet should also include vegetables and herbs.
Other disadvantages of a protein diet include:
- Increased strain on the kidneys.When consuming large amounts of protein, the oxidation of its elements - amino acids - leads to increased stress on the kidneys.In addition, such a nutritional system can lead to the appearance of stones.
- Risk of metabolic disorders. Processing amino acids creates byproducts that interfere with the oxidation of fatty acids.When there is a high fat content in the diet, under-oxidized substrates accumulate in the body.They lead to a disruption in insulin action and increase the risk of metabolic disorders.
- Lack of vitamins and microelements. This risk is only relevant with a strict, protein-rich diet.Therefore, nutritionists do not recommend completely excluding fruits, vegetables and grains from your diet.If this is not possible, you should also take vitamins.

Allowed and forbidden foods on a protein diet
To ensure that a protein diet for weight loss does not harm the body, you should follow these recommendations:
- drink enough fluids – at least 2 liters;
- take multivitamins;
- Consume at least 1200 kcal per day.
The list of permitted foods on a protein diet includes:
- lean fish;
- Offal;
- Poultry meat without skin – it is best to give preference to chicken, turkey;
- low-fat dairy products;
- Seafood;
- veal and beef;
- apples and citrus fruits;
- cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage;
- Grain;
- Protein;
- Mineral water, tea and coffee without added sugar.
Products prohibited on a protein diet are:
- Bakery;
- Sweets;
- canned goods;
- fatty dairy products;
- semi-finished products;
- sweet fruits;
- fruit juices, sweet carbonated drinks;
- starchy vegetables;
- compotes;
- Sugar and its analogues.
The way the food is prepared is of no small importance.It should be steamed, boiled and baked.Do not fry food in oil or pour fatty sauces over it.To improve the taste of dishes, it is allowed to use herbs, salt, soy sauce and pepper.You can also use lemon juice and balsamic vinegar.

Protein diet for pregnant women
During pregnancy, the need for protein-containing foods increases significantly.The majority of amino acids are spent on the development of the child.Many people are sure that such a nutritional system only entails serious restrictions.However, a protein diet for pregnant women requires regulation of these substances in the diet.
During pregnancy, it is recommended to consume up to 2-2.5 g of protein-containing foods per 1 kg of body weight.This means that the daily consumption amount should be around 100-120 g.
At the same time, other products must necessarily be present in the diet.Fats and carbohydrates are a must.They are necessary for the full development of the child.At the same time, you should avoid sugar, bread and pastries.
Each meal should contain only 1 serving of protein-containing foods.If there is an excess of these substances, there is a risk that the body will be overloaded with their breakdown products.This significantly increases the strain on the liver and kidneys.

Contraindications to a protein diet
A protein diet has contraindications in the following situations:
- age over 45 years;
- tendency to form blood clots;
- kidney disease;
- Pregnancy;
- lactation.
Protein diet for weight loss: menu for the week
The protein diet for weight loss includes the following menu for the week.
Day 1
- Breakfast:can consist of cottage cheese or brown rice with chicken, you can also drink tea or coffee.
- Lunch:You can eat an apple.
- Dinner:You can eat boiled breast with a piece of whole grain bread.
- Afternoon snack:some natural yogurt.
- Dinner:may contain poultry or fish with vegetable salad.
Day 2
- Breakfast: You should eat yogurt and drink tea.
- Lunch:Eat some sugar-free cheesecake or an orange.
- Dinner: You can eat beef or turkey.Steamed vegetables are suitable as a side dish.
- Afternoon snack: You can drink kefir.
- Dinner:Eat baked fish with vegetables.
Day 3
- Breakfast:It is worth eating 3 squirrels or cottage cheese.Drinks include tea or coffee.
- Lunch: You can use any fruit except banana.
- Dinner:I have to cook meat soup.Turkey with cooked brown rice is also suitable.
- Afternoon snack:eat an apple.
- Dinner:It's worth eating coleslaw and beef.
Day 4
- Breakfast:can consist of milk-buckwheat porridge.
- Lunch:may contain grapefruit.
- Dinner:It is worth eating asparagus and chicken fillet.
- Afternoon snack:You should drink a glass of fermented baked milk.
- Dinner:may contain vegetables and cooked fish.
Day 5
- Breakfast:You should eat boiled chicken with cabbage and cucumber salad.
- Lunch:can consist of an apple and an orange.
- Dinner:You should eat steamed fish or vegetable soup.
- Afternoon snack: may contain natural yogurt.
- Dinner:Beef and vegetable salad will do.
Day 6
- Breakfast:You should eat a protein omelet and drink tea or coffee.
- Lunch: Any citrus fruit will do.
- Dinner:You can eat veal or chicken steak and vegetables.
- Afternoon snack:It's worth drinking a glass of kefir.
- Dinner:can consist of baked fish and salad.
Day 7
- Breakfast: It's worth eating cottage cheese.It is also acceptable to drink tea or coffee.
- Lunch:You can eat an apple.
- Dinner:You can eat boiled beef and vegetable soup.
- Afternoon snack:Quark.
- Dinner:can consist of chicken and vegetable salad.
If you follow this nutritional system, you should eat 4-6 meals per day.The first meal should be eaten half an hour after getting up.You need to eat dinner 3 hours before bedtime.You should drink 1.5 liters of water during the day.

Protein diet for 14 days: menu
If you are planning a protein diet for weight loss for 14 days, you should focus on the following menu:
- The food should be consumed 5-6 times a day.It is recommended to do this for the first time half an hour after getting up, the last time – 3 hours before bedtime.Carbohydrates can be consumed before 2 p.m.
- Breakfast can consist of a portion of complex carbohydrates.To do this, you need 4 tablespoons of cooked cereals – oatmeal, buckwheat, brown rice.It is also acceptable to eat a piece of whole wheat bread.Also eat some protein – 100 g boiled beef, 30 g nuts, 1 egg, yogurt.
- In the first half of the day, you should eat fruit as a snack.An excellent option would be apples, tangerines or oranges.
- In the afternoon, protein foods should be combined with non-starchy vegetables.These include tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage.
- It is recommended to season salads with 30 g of vegetable fats.The remaining products are prepared without oil.
Protein diet recipes
In order for such a nutritional system to be useful, recipes for a protein diet must be tasty and varied.

Egg cream soup
For this dish you will need:
- 300 g spinach;
- 400 g chicken fillet;
- 2 eggs;
- 150 ml milk;
- Spices, salt, parsley.
Preparation:
- First boil the meat in 2 liters of water.
- Then take it out and cut it into cubes.
- Add chopped spinach to the broth and cook until tender.
- Pour the soup into a blender, add milk, meat and eggs and blend until creamy.
- To serve, garnish the egg cream soup with parsley and a boiled egg.
Protein salad
To prepare you need:
- 3 eggs;
- 400 g Chinese cabbage;
- 1 chicken fillet;
- 1 cucumber.
To refuel:
- Salt;
- natural yogurt;
- Mustard.
Preparation:
- Grind all ingredients.
- Mix the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add the mixture to the salad and mix well.
- Before serving, the protein salad can be drizzled with lemon juice.
Protein ice cream
To prepare you need:
- 1 pack of low-fat cottage cheese;
- half an orange;
- 1 apple;
- Vanilla.
Preparation:
- Slice the orange and apple.
- Mix fruits with cottage cheese.
- Add some vanilla and stir until smooth.
- Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.The finished dessert tastes like popsicles.

Getting off the protein diet
In order to record the results achieved, it is necessary to correctly finish the protein diet.
To do this, it is recommended to observe the following rules:
- Within 2 weeks of stopping the diet, you should avoid sweets and heavy foods.In this case, preference should be given to light dishes.If it is difficult to give up sweets, you can add a spoonful of honey to your oatmeal.
- Drink unsweetened tea.You need to eat grains and low-fat dairy products.
- For lunch it is recommended to eat vegetables and lean meat.Excellent options would be fish, beef and chicken.You can also eat various stews.It is also useful to eat fruit.As drinks you can choose between green tea and herbal tea.Eggs are great.
- Dinner can be quite light.A good option would be a vegetable salad with a boiled egg or a piece of meat.If you feel very hungry before bed, you should drink 250 ml of low-fat kefir.
- When it comes to sweets, you should give preference to honey and fruits.It is also acceptable to eat yogurt.In any case, such products should be consumed in the first half of the day.

Protein diet: reviews of nutritionists
Reviews of nutritionists about the protein diet for weight loss are positive:
- "The main advantage of such a diet is the feeling of satiety it gives. At the same time, protein-containing foods quickly reduce excess weight. The disadvantages include the risk of loss of skin elasticity and impaired kidney function."
- "All dietary restrictions must be approached very responsibly. The diet should not completely exclude vegetables and fruits. Only in this case is weight loss possible without harm to health."
The protein diet is a popular nutritional system that helps lose excess weight and fill the body with vital energy.To achieve good results and avoid negative consequences, you must strictly follow the recommendations of nutritionists.Before starting the diet, be sure to read the list of contraindications.