Protein or protein diets are extremely popular among those who want to lose weight, and bodybuilders often follow them before a competition. Finally, it helps to create a nice muscle relief, because it burns subcutaneous fat very effectively.
The main thing in this type of food
The essence of a protein diet is that it is suitable for people who cannot limit the amount of food they eat, as well as for those who cannot imagine their daily diet without meat or fish.
However, it has a number of disadvantages, due to which it is contraindicated for children, pregnant women, people suffering from chronic diseases and prone to blood clots, as well as for the elderly and overweight people. They prefer a diet based on dairy products.
The principle of a protein diet is that a person can eat any amount of protein food during the day, but significantly reducing carbohydrate intake and almost completely giving up fat. Because carbohydrates and fats are the main source of energy for the body, and proteins are a kind of “building material”. They are necessary for cell growth, but when they break down, the body receives little energy.
Therefore, the essence of a protein diet is that a person eats mostly protein foods and receives substances needed to maintain health, but at the same time does not cover the daily need for calories.
As a result, the body is forced to make up for the missing energy by breaking down fat deposits. Thus, a protein diet reduces body weight due to fat loss, not water or muscle mass. And weight loss doesn’t have to starve or eat monotonous foods, which often happens with other diets.
Protein Sources
The main sources of protein are: lean meat, lean fresh cheese, chicken fillet, squid, turkey meat, peeled fat, boiled eggs (without yolk), lean fish.
Most diets should be made up of a protein diet. And from sweets, pastries, potatoes, pasta, butter, fried foods and various sauces you will have to give up completely.
The need for carbohydrates is met by adding a limited amount of berries, fruits (except bananas and grapes) and vegetables (carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers) to the diet. Buckwheat and oatmeal are acceptable. All these products should be steamed, boiled or baked without oil and fat.
You can eat a lot of food raw or make a salad. Although the diet consists of avoiding fats, it is sometimes possible to add a small amount of olive oil to salads.
Eat small meals, four to six times a day.
In the morning and during the day you can eat protein foods along with carbohydrates, and in the evening only proteins are allowed.
At the same time you must drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water a day. It is recommended to follow this diet for four weeks to achieve visible results.
Two weeks may be enough to lose five to eight pounds.
But it is highly undesirable to stick to a protein diet for more than eight weeks - this can lead to health problems. This is due to the fact that the essence of a protein diet is contrary to the norms of a balanced diet, as a result of which the body begins to feel a lack of calcium, a lack of vitamins and minerals. This leads to fatigue and worsening of the condition of the skin and hair. Fortunately, this problem can be solved by taking vitamin-mineral complexes.
Also, a long-term protein diet increases the load on the kidneys and increases the level of cholesterol in the blood. Therefore, like the vast majority of diets, it is suitable for young, healthy and energetic people.