Protein Diet For Weight Loss: What To Eat And In What Quantity

Is it true that you can lose weight by eating protein? And if so, what foods should you include in your diet? Let’s discover everything there is to know about the protein diet for weight loss, with many examples of meals to take inspiration from.

What Proteins Help You Lose Weight Quickly?

What proteins make you lose weight more quickly and effectively? Whoever carries out this type of diet should choose which foods. First, those that contain little fat despite an abundant quantity of proteins. Other recommended foods to combine with proteins are vegetables, especially green leafy ones) and dried fruit.

On the contrary, it is necessary to avoid all foods excessively rich in simple sugars  (baked products, sweets, fruit) and fats, in particular those that are characterized by an abundance of saturated lipids (fatty cheeses, butter, cream, lard), starchy vegetables ( such as potatoes). However, those who follow such a restrictive diet should seek advice from their nutritionist and remember that maintaining a high-protein diet for too long can negatively affect health.

How The Protein Diet Works To Lose Weight

A protein diet is a low-calorie diet characterized by a prevalence of protein intake compared to other macronutrients (more precisely, when the protein quota exceeds the RDA value of 0.8 g protein/kg body weight). Although calorie needs are always calculated based on the individual’s conditions (such as their basal metabolism or the amount of physical activity practiced during the Day), this diet favors foods rich in proteins and low in fats and carbohydrates.

Thinking that using proteins to lose weight is effective in all cases is a mistaken belief, as the body loses weight regardless of the macronutrient introduced if it enters into a condition of caloric deficit. However, many people take advantage of this diet because it helps to lose weight. Among the functional aspects of weight loss that characterize it, we find, above all, the process of building and maintaining muscle mass favored by the plastic function of proteins, particularly appreciated by athletes.

However, harmful elements cannot be forgotten, such as the production of ketone bodies, possible alterations of the intestinal bacterial flora, and a more intense gastric commitment. The overload causing damage to the kidneys and liver has not yet been officially demonstrated except in studies where the population is taken into consideration already involving patients suffering from the pathology.

It is also possible that by following this type of diet in a ”do it yourself” way, the amount of cholesterol introduced will increase, there will be a shortage of fiber, and too little sugar will be consumed compared to that necessary for the functioning of the body. ‘body. Suppose you want to increase the amount of protein introduced in your diet in pursuit of the goal of losing weight. Therefore, contacting a nutrition professional who can study an ad hoc diet that preserves the balance of macronutrients is advisable.

How To Lose Weight With Proteins

Numerous diets exploit the concept of eating proteins to lose weight, starting with the famous Dukan diet, the Paleolithic diet, the “zone” diet, and the Plank diet. The most common high-protein diets are based on a reduction in carbohydrates and an increase in fats and proteins, which can reach over 1.40 grams per kilo of the body, compared to a value recommended by the LARN of 0.8-1.1 grams per kg. 

We must always consider why, to lose weight, it is sufficient to introduce a caloric deficit starting from the daily energy requirement. The high-calorie diet distributes this deficit among the various macronutrients by raising the protein quota to the detriment of carbohydrates and lipids.

On average, the protein needs of an individual who intends to follow this type of diet can be raised to 1.5 grams per kilo body; fats can be estimated at approximately 0.7-1.5 grams per kilo body, while carbohydrates should occupy the remaining portion. If we take as an example a daily requirement of around 1550 calories, valuable for a sedentary person to lose weight effectively, a theoretical protein diet should be broken down like this:

1. 1.5 grams of protein per kg ;
2. Fats cover 25% of needs;
3. the remaining calories from carbohydrates  (out of 1550 calories per Day, approximately 800 calories).

Examples Of Protein Diets For Weight Loss

For those who want to try following a protein diet to lose weight, here is a menu structured over ten Days to try.

Day 1

1. Breakfast: Coffee or tea without sugar + a piece of fruit
2. Lunch: Beef steak + tomato and lettuce salad
3. Dinner: Vegetable soup without pasta + chicken strips with spinach

Day 2

1. Breakfast: Partially skimmed milk + whole grains
2. Lunch: Pasta with tomato + lettuce
3. Dinner : Grilled chicken breast + courgettes + fruit

Day 3

1. Breakfast: Partially skimmed milk + cornflakes
2. Lunch: Rice with radicchio + rocket + three walnuts
3. Dinner: Grilled tuna filet + wholemeal bread + carrots

Day 4

1. Breakfast : Bitter coffee + toasted slices + fruit
2. Lunch: Chickpea and broccoli salad + three walnuts
3. Dinner: Grilled turkey with tomato salad + a piece of fruit

Day 5

1. Breakfast: Sugar-free tea + wholemeal biscuits + grapefruit juice
2. Lunch: Beef burger with chard + a piece of fruit 
3. Dinner: Chicken rolls with radicchio + three walnuts

Day 6

1. Breakfast: Coffee or tea with low-fat Greek yogurt and fresh fruit
2. Lunch: Vegetable soup without pasta + chicken strips with spinach
3. Dinner: Omelette with peas and carrots

Day 7

1. Breakfast: Caffe latte + wholemeal biscuits + freshly squeezed orange juice
2. Lunch: Primo sale with grilled radicchio + a piece of fruit
3. Dinner: Vegetable puree + turkey morsels with courgettes and carrots

Day 8

1. Breakfast: Partially skimmed milk with whole grains
2. Lunch: Pasta with courgettes + three walnuts
3. Dinner: Sole meunière with vegetables + a piece of fruit

Day  9

1. Breakfast: Tea or coffee with wholemeal biscuits
2. Lunch: Cottage cheese with cherry tomatoes + wholemeal bread
3. Dinner: Pumpkin soup with wholemeal bread croutons + boiled potatoes + three walnuts

Day 10

1. Breakfast: Tea or coffee + wholemeal biscuits + fruit
2. Lunch: Pasta with vegetables + three nuts
3. Dinner: Boiled egg and red onion salad + a piece of fruit

To be had as needed mid-morning and mid-afternoon, snacks may include a jar of low-fat plain yogurt, a handful of dried fruit or fruit. Although no phantom weight-loss protein allows you to reduce weight, some people find it helpful to consume smoothies or bars characterized by the high percentage of this macro food. Inserted as part of a balanced diet or under the supervision of a nutritionist, these snacks can help increase protein intake while keeping excess fat at bay.

Examples Of Protein Meals

Given that proteins only make you lose weight in the presence of a calorie deficit, these high-protein meal ideas represent ideas to draw inspiration for anyone who wants to reduce carbohydrates and fats.

Lunch

1. pasta and lentils;
2. cold rice with eggs, tuna, and shrimp;
3. rice and chicken with boiled vegetables;
4. legume pasta with vegetable-based sauce.

Dinner

1. grilled chicken breast with steamed vegetables;
2. rice with cuttlefish;
3. egg white omelet;
4. all cuts of lean meat;
5. lean cold cuts, especially turkey and bresaola;
6. cottage cheese with vegetables;
7. low-fat ricotta.

Among the foods most decadent in proteins but  low in fats to opt for include:

1. Chicken breast (27 grams of protein per 100 grams)
2. Eggs  (13.9 grams of protein per 100 grams)
3. Tofu  (8 grams of protein per 100 grams)
4. Already cooked red beans (9 grams of protein per 100 grams)
5. Wild salmon (16.3 grams of protein per 100 grams)
6. Greek yogurt (10 grams of protein per 100 grams)
7. Already cooked lentils (7 grams of protein per 100 grams)
8. Turkey breast (29 grams of protein per 100 grams)
9. Cod  (17 grams of protein per 100 grams)

Vegetarian Protein Diet Or Weight Loss

The relationship between proteins and a vegetarian  (and even more so vegan) diet has always been complicated; in fact, many still need to be convinced that a high-protein diet, which, at the same time, does not use meat or fish, is strict. Among the primary protein sources suitable for vegetarians, we find:

1. legumes, in particular chickpeas, beans, broad beans, peas and lentils ;
2. soy and its derivatives, such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, as well as soy drinks and yogurt;
3. dried fruit, such as pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts;
4. Oil seeds, in particular flax, sunflower, pumpkin, and chia seeds, are to be used in moderation as they are very rich in fat;
5. Cereals, especially quinoa, oats, spelled and seitan (wheat derivative), which contain a good amount of proteins;
6. high-protein vegetables ;
7. low-fat dairy products ;
8. The eggs.

Finally, it should be specified that to lose weight, the objective is always to trigger a calorie deficit: the best way to do this is not to seek an extreme, high-protein, or high-lipid diet but to follow a healthy and balanced diet ( Mediterranean-style), being followed by a Nutrition professional (such as a Doctor or a Nutritional Biologist.

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