Protein diet means weight loss due to high protein intake and minimal carbohydrate intake. There is a misconception that if you completely abandon carbohydrates and eat only protein foods, weight loss will occur faster and more efficiently, but this is a misconception. Complete exclusion of carbohydrates from the menu is dangerous to health.
Nowadays, the protein diet is especially popular and many were inspired by the example of movie stars and politicians who got rid of extra pounds thanks to this diet. That is why most people are interested and looking for new recipes for protein dishes that can diversify the menu of the protein diet. In order for your diet not to consist of an egg omelette, you can prepare the following recipes for the first and second course, as well as a variety of salads and desserts.
The essence of the diet
It is necessary to eat more protein foods during the diet, but it is not recommended to completely exclude carbohydrates, this can harm the whole body or exacerbate any chronic diseases. During the protein diet it is necessary to calculate the number of calories, you should not eat more than you expend. Calorie consumption can be increased due to physical activity, and calorie consumption can be reduced by replacing high-calorie foods with low-calorie ones, ie reducing the energy value of the food. If you monitor your calorie intake and adhere to basic dietary principles, weight loss will become unusually fast and effective.
Dietary principles
- You should eat six times a day every day. Try to eat the main carbohydrates in the morning, leave the low-calorie ones for dinner, and the last meal should be at least three hours before bedtime.
- Try to create a menu for the day in such a way that slow carbohydrates are consumed only for breakfast, and in the afternoon choose from a huge number of dishes those that contain more protein foods.
- When cooking, try to choose low-fat recipes and use vegetable oil for salad dressing, forget about mayonnaise.
- When cooking, try to choose recipes that use steam or grill - avoid fried foods.
- Refuse to use sweet drinks, they are harmful to the figure - remember this!
Top protein foods
As long as you stick to a protein diet, you need to know which foods are high in protein. Using this list, you can easily create a menu for the day, preparing a huge variety of dishes from these products.
- Low-fat cottage cheese - you can eat it for breakfast or prepare various dishes from it. From it, for example, you get a very tasty dessert - casserole. You can eat it a day no more than 250 grams.
- Skim milk - it is very healthy and also contains a large amount of protein. It is allowed to drink a maximum of a glass a day.
- Egg whites, during the day you can cook an omelet from them or they can serve as an additional ingredient in the preparation of the dish. You can eat no more than 6 of them in one day.
- Various seafood, they contain a huge mass of protein and practically fat-free, you can eat them during the day no more than 300 grams.
- Adhering to a protein diet, the main product on the menu should be lean meat, this is considered: chicken fillet, lean beef.
- Fish of low-fat varieties are allowed to eat no more than 200 grams per day. It is recommended to use it boiled or grilled.
- Nuts like peanuts or almonds are a storehouse of protein, but you can eat no more than 100 grams a day.
Recipes for the first year
Many people believe that following a protein diet should exclude soups from their menu, as most soups contain large amounts of vegetables, but this is not the case. You can diversify your menu, prepare a protein-based soup (poultry broth or fish broth), with a carbohydrate dressing. Protein diet does not mean that you should eat only egg omelette every day, liquid food is also needed, it contributes to weight loss. You can use the recipes below to make the soup.
Spinach soup - puree
For the soup you will need the following products:
- 200 grams of turkey fillet;
- spinach packaging;
- a few cloves of garlic;
- any greens of your choice;
- one third of a glass of milk (skimmed);
- salt;
- mixture of peppers.
Take a saucepan, pour water into it and boil the turkey fillet in it, you will get a rich broth. Remove the fillet from the broth, cool and then cut it. Then add chopped spinach to the broth and cook for 5 minutes, then add the chopped fillet to the broth and simmer for another 5 minutes. You should have a pulp, which should be pureed using a blender, while gradually adding milk. At the end of cooking, season with salt, pepper and add chopped herbs. It is recommended to serve the soup immediately after cooking, as it can change its consistency when reheated. You can change the recipe at your discretion by replacing the milk with skim cream or turkey fillet for chicken.
Milk salmon fish soup
You will need:
- 1 liter of water;
- 400 grams of salmon fillet;
- 4 medium-sized tomatoes;
- 1 medium onion;
- 500 milliliters of milk (skimmed);
- various greens;
- salt;
- pepper.
Peel the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them and then remove the skin, chop finely. Peel an onion and chop finely. Also peel the carrots and grate them. Then take a non-stick pan and fry onions and carrots on it without adding oil, then add sliced tomatoes to the vegetables. Then take a saucepan, transfer the contents of the pan to it and fill it with water, cook for 5 minutes and then add the chopped salmon fillet. After 2 minutes, add milk and boil for another 5 minutes, and finally add salt, pepper, chopped herbs. Turn off the heat and let the soup simmer for another 20 minutes. The recipe can be modified by replacing the salmon with another type of fish.
Chicken meatball soup
You will need:
- 1 liter of chicken broth;
- 400 grams of chicken fillet
- onion,
- sol,
- pepper,
- green,
- pepper;
- 200 grams of green beans.
Take the chicken fillet and turn it in a meat grinder, add the chopped onion to it, stir. Shape the minced meatballs. Then take a pot of chicken broth and put on fire, bring to a boil. As soon as the broth boils, toss the chicken meatballs in boiling water, along with the green beans and chopped peppers. Add a little salt to the broth, add the herbs and cook until soft.
Egg soup with noodles
For the soup you will need the following products:
- 3 eggs;
- 1 liter of broth (chicken);
- a variety of greens of your choice;
- mixture of peppers.
Beat 3 eggs with a mixer and cook a thin omelet of them in a pan, fry it on both sides in the form of a pancake. Take a saucepan, put the broth in it on the fire to boil. While the broth is boiling, take an omelet and cut it into thin noodles. Then add the noodles, chopped herbs, salt, pepper mixture to the boiling broth and simmer for two minutes, after which the soup is ready.
Recipes from the second dish
Many people mistakenly believe that when you follow a diet, you should make a menu for the day only from protein products, but this is a misconception that you can cook meals with the addition of vegetables. For example, tomatoes contain lycopene, which enhances the effect of a protein diet. Nutritionists recommend making a menu for the day, where the recipe includes tomatoes. For example, an omelet with tomatoes is perfect for breakfast. You can also choose one of the protein recipes below to diversify your menu.
Omelet with tomatoes and herbs
Composition:
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes;
- 5 eggs;
- salt;
- pepper and herbs.
Take 2 ripe medium-sized tomatoes, cut them into thin wedges and place them in a hot non-stick pan. Stew them for two minutes, during which time take the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Then cover the tomatoes with protein, salt and sprinkle with chopped herbs on the omelet. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the omelette for 7 minutes. You can make a delicious omelette for breakfast every day without much effort.
Fish meatballs with sauce
Necessary ingredients for fish balls:
- 1 onion;
- 400 grams of fish fillet;
- 2 eggs;
- 180 grams of low-fat yogurt;
- greens: parsley, dill, basil;
- salt;
- pepper.
Fish fillet should be minced, mixed with eggs, salt, pepper, chopped onion. From these ingredients it is necessary to knead the minced meat and form small balls of it, which must then be fried in a hot pan with the addition of olive oil. After frying, place the meatballs in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes, adding a little water. While the meatballs are simmering, take a cup, grind all the vegetables in it, add yogurt, pepper and beat with a blender until a homogeneous mass is formed. Ready-made meatballs should be served with yogurt sauce.
Omelet with squid
Ingredients needed for cooking:
- 200 grams of squid;
- 3 eggs;
- Greens;
- salt;
- pepper.
Soak the squid in boiling water for two minutes so that you can then easily peel them from the film. Cut the squid into half rings and place them in a hot pan after adding a little olive oil there. Place the chopped pepper on the squid and pour the pre-beaten eggs into the next layer. Salt the whole omelette, sprinkle with herbs, then cover and fry for 7 minutes. You can also make an omelette with other seafood such as shrimp or mussels, creating your own recipes for new dishes.
Salad with a blast of protein
For the salad you will need the following products:
- 2 eggs;
- 100 grams of chicken fillet;
- 100 grams of squid;
- low-fat yogurt.
Boil hard-boiled eggs, peel them, cut them into squares. Boil the chicken fillet until soft and then cut it. Boil the squid in boiling water until soft, then remove and cool, cut into half rings. Combine all ingredients in a glass of low-fat yogurt. Optionally, you can add a variety of chopped vegetables to the salad.