A protein diet means weight loss due to a large intake of protein foods and a minimum intake of carbohydrates. 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. The complete exclusion of carbohydrates from the menu is dangerous to health.
These days, 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. Therefore, most people are interested in and looking for new recipes for protein dishes that can diversify the menu of a protein diet. So that your diet does not consist of one omelet of eggs, you can prepare the following recipes for the first and second courses, as well as a variety of salads and desserts.
The essence of the diet
During the diet, it is necessary to eat more protein foods, but it is not recommended to completely exclude carbohydrates, this can harm the whole body or exacerbate any chronic diseases. During the course of 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, that is, reducing the energy value of food. If you keep track of your calorie intake and adhere to basic dietary principles, your weight loss will become unusually fast and effective.
Diet principles
- You need to eat six times a day every day. Try to eat the main carbohydrates in the morning, leave the lower-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 preparing meals, try to choose recipes in which food is steamed or grilled - avoid fried foods.
- Refuse to use sugary drinks, they are harmful to the figure - remember this!
Top protein foods
While adhering to a protein diet, you should 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 - a casserole. It can be eaten in a day no more than 250 grams.
- Skimmed milk is very healthy and contains a lot of proteins. It is allowed to drink a maximum of a glass per day.
- Egg whites, during the day you can cook from them omelet or they can serve as an additional ingredient in the preparation of the dish. In one day, you can eat no more than 6 of them.
- Various seafood, they contain a huge mass of protein and practically no fat, 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, such as: chicken fillet, lean beef.
- Fish of low-fat varieties, it is allowed to eat it per day no more than 200 grams. It is recommended to use it boiled or grilled.
- Nuts such as peanuts or almonds are a treasure trove of proteins, but you can eat no more than 100 grams per day.
First course recipes
Many people think that adhering to a protein diet should exclude soups from their menu, since most soups contain a large amount of vegetables, but this is not the case. You can diversify your menu, prepare a soup from a protein base (meat broth from poultry or fish), with a dressing of carbohydrates. A protein diet does not mean that you only need to eat an omelet from eggs every day, liquid food is also necessary, 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 couple of cloves of garlic;
- any greens of your choice;
- a third of a glass of milk (skimmed);
- salt;
- a 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 chop it. Then add chopped spinach to the broth and boil it for 5 minutes, and then add the chopped fillet to the broth and boil for another 5 minutes. You should have a mushy mass, which must be turned into puree 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, at your discretion, modify the recipe by replacing the milk with skim cream or turkey fillet for chicken.
Fish soup "Milk salmon"
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 and chop finely. Peel the onion and chop it finely. Also, peel the carrots and grate them. Then take a non-stick frying pan and fry the onions and carrots on it without adding oil, then add chopped tomatoes to the vegetables. After that, take a saucepan, move the contents of the pan into 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 at the end add salt, pepper, chopped herbs. Turn off the heat and let the soup steep 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 head,
- salt,
- pepper,
- greens,
- bell pepper;
- 200 grams of green beans.
Take the chicken fillet and twist it in a meat grinder, add the chopped onion to it, mix. Form the minced meat into meatballs. After that, take a saucepan with chicken broth, and put on fire, bring to a boil. As soon as the broth boils, add the chicken meatballs and the green beans and chopped bell peppers to the boiling water. Salt the broth a little, add the herbs and cook until tender.
Egg noodle soup
For the soup, you will need the following products:
- 3 eggs;
- 1 liter of broth (chicken);
- a variety of greens of your choice;
- a mixture of peppers.
Beat 3 eggs with a mixer and cook a thin omelet from 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.
Second course recipes
Many people mistakenly think that when following a diet, you need to make a menu for the day only from protein products, but this is a misconception, you can cook dishes with the addition of vegetables. For example, tomatoes contain lycopene, which enhances the effects 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 any of the protein recipes below to diversify your menu.
Omelet with tomatoes and herbs
Ingredients:
- 2 medium-sized tomatoes;
- 5 eggs;
- salt;
- pepper and herbs.
Take 2 ripe, medium-sized tomatoes, cut them into thin wedges and place in a hot non-stick skillet. Simmer them for two minutes, during which time take the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Then pour over the tomatoes with proteins, salt and sprinkle the omelet with chopped herbs. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook the omelet for 7 minutes. You can make a delicious omelette for breakfast every day without much effort.
Fish meatballs with sauce
Required ingredients for fish balls:
- 1 head of onion;
- 400 grams of fish fillet;
- 2 eggs;
- 180 grams of low fat yogurt;
- greens: parsley, dill, basil;
- salt;
- pepper.
The fish fillet must be minced, mixed with eggs, salt, pepper, chopped onion must be added. From these ingredients, it is necessary to knead the minced meat and form small balls from it, which then need to be fried in a hot pan with the addition of olive oil. After frying, put the meatballs in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes, adding a little water. While the meatballs are stewing, take a cup, grind all the greens into 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
Required ingredients for cooking:
- 200 grams of squid;
- 3 eggs;
- Greens;
- salt;
- bell pepper.
Immerse the squids in boiling water for two minutes, in order to then easily peel them of the film. Cut the squid into half rings and place them in a hot skillet, after adding a little olive oil there. Put chopped bell pepper on top of the squid, and pour the pre-beaten eggs in the next layer. Salt the whole omelet, sprinkle with herbs, then cover and fry for 7 minutes. You can also make an omelet with other seafood such as shrimp or mussels, creating your own recipes for new dishes.
Protein Explosion Salad
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, chop them into squares. Boil the chicken fillet until tender and then chop it. Boil the squid in boiling water until tender, then remove and cool, cut into half rings. Combine all ingredients in a cup with low fat yogurt. Optionally, you can add a variety of chopped greens to the salad.