The egg diet is super effective, affordable and easy for those trying to lose weight. Moreover, it does not consist only of eggs. Nutritionists give many recommendations on how to diversify your daily diet so that you do not suffer from hunger too much.
The essence of the diet
In principle, the egg diet is not a mono diet; it is a type of protein diet, the purpose of which is to limit carbohydrates and fats to the maximum extent possible. It seems to many that only eggs in various preparations are allowed in such a diet. But in fact, the diet is more balanced.
What are eggs rich in?
This is a product that contains everything necessary for the growth and development of an entire living organism; it is full of protein, unsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, amino acids and minerals. Used for weight loss, they contain a minimum of carbohydrates, but provide a feeling of satiety for a long time.
The fatty acids in the composition prevent the deposition of fat reserves. Such protein nutrition never leads to a decrease in muscle mass due to the rich protein content. Any egg diet allows you to eat other healthy foods, fruits or vegetables, most often citrus fruits. Therefore, even the mono-modality of eggs and grapefruit is easily tolerated physically and mentally. Experts say there is no reason to fear eggs as harmful foods.
The main rules
In order for the weight loss regime to give the maximum effect, you must follow simple rules:
- Maintaining water balance. You should drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water per day. This will not only help you lose weight, but it will also ease digestive problems.
- Make sure you have enough fiber in your diet. Regardless of the number of meals per day, you should consume plenty of raw vegetables each time. Sufficient fiber can be obtained from fruits, bran or a pharmaceutical version in its pure form. This requirement is common to all protein diets.
- Vitamins. The chicken egg diet is one of the few that does not require additional intake of vitamin and mineral complexes. On the contrary, it is forbidden, because. . . Eggs and citrus fruits contain more than enough vitamins and minerals.
- If chicken eggs are not to your taste, you can easily eat quail eggs, in a ratio of three to one.
- Dinner. Evening meals are prohibited after 19-20.
- Dream. In this way, you should allocate at least 8 hours a day for sleep. You should go to bed no later than 23: 00.
- Cooking food. The boiled egg diet involves eating a soft-boiled or hard-boiled product. Sometimes you can make an omelet by baking it without fat. By-products (vegetables or fruits) should be consumed raw, baked (baked, grilled), steamed or boiled. Fried foods can be made in a pan without fat.
- Spices. To improve the taste of the products, you can taste them with lemon juice and use any spices. But if hunger persists, it's best to avoid gas stations.
- Eating raw eggs is dangerous; it is better not to do this.
- Egg diet can be practiced 1-2 times every 12 months, not more often.
- To avoid spoilage in a long-term limited diet, the main product is sometimes allowed to be replaced with substitutes in the form of cottage cheese or lean meat.
- Parallel physical activity will be very useful to lose weight in the shortest possible time.
How does the egg diet work?
Regarding proteins, this weight loss course includes a standard list of products for them. The special thing is the high content of eggs and citrus fruits, most often grapefruit. The effect on the body is based on special biochemical reactions, so such a weight loss course requires strict adherence to the rules. The advantage of this diet is that you will not suffer from the feeling of hunger. A diet rich in protein provides a feeling of long-term satiety.
The egg diet has several variations aimed at different results. But they are all surprisingly effective. The choice of option depends on the goal: how quickly and how much excess weight you want to lose.
The composition of chicken eggs
To understand the benefits or harms of eggs, you need to understand their composition. Physically, they consist of a liquid white with a dense yellow, which are surrounded by a shell. Protein is a pure, easily digestible protein, which should be included in the diet of athletes. The yolk is a nutrient-rich cocktail of fatty acids (linoleic, oleic, stearic), fat-soluble vitamins and minerals. At the same time, 100 g of eggs provide only 150 kcal of energy. Amino acid choline regulates cholesterol levels, lecithin strengthens memory and serves as a preventive measure for vascular sclerosis. It makes no sense to list all the useful properties of eggs.
Horror stories about cholesterol
Opponents of eating eggs argue their position because of the high cholesterol content in eggs, which is dangerous for the body. It forms plaques on the walls of the blood vessels, which block the channels and impede blood circulation. The result of this process are various cardiovascular diseases. However, it has long been known that not all cholesterol is harmful. Harmful is the one found in excess in heavy processed fats - in sausages, chips, sweets. In natural foods, even fried ones, cholesterol is not dangerous.
How many eggs can you safely eat?
Nutritionists do not give a clear answer to this question. The figures for the amount allowed per week vary. To some extent, it depends on the size of the eggs, which can vary by 2 times. A large chicken yolk contains 150-180 mg of cholesterol. For one day, this amount is not enough to cause harm to the body, especially if the diet is balanced. Some doctors claim that eating 2 eggs a day increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases by 5 times. But again, all these statements are relative, since the conclusions are made without taking into account the lifestyle, age of the subjects and other important parameters. For example, bad habits, people's blood pressure, etc. Therefore, the harm of chicken eggs has not been proven.
The benefits and harms of raw chicken eggs
A common question is: is it possible to eat raw eggs, because many people do. The main argument of lovers of raw eggs is that they are a delicacy for many animals and birds, but they are not able to cook for themselves an omelet or scrambled eggs. But in the conditions of industrial production, there is a high risk of eggs being infected with salmonellosis, a dangerous infectious disease. The longer the raw materials are stored, the higher this risk is. Only the product obtained from healthy chickens can be consumed raw, but only fresh, with the shell intact. It is better to consume it on an empty stomach, 30-40 minutes before the main breakfast.
The pros and cons of the egg diet
This type of protein food is easily tolerated due to the inclusion of fruits and vegetables. They provide the body with light carbohydrates, mainly fructose, which relieves weakness and dizziness - lifelong companions of low-carb diets. At the same time, the body is saturated with a large amount of proteins, amino acids, microelements and vitamins due to eggs. But not everything is so simple and clear; in this case, there are advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages of the egg diet are as follows:
- No feeling of hunger.
- A large intake of fat-soluble vitamins from eggs in combination with water-soluble vitamins from citrus fruits strengthens and improves the condition of nails and hair.
- During the weight loss process, the skin does not sag.
- Psychologically, limitations are easily tolerated; the likelihood of a breakdown is minimized thanks to a varied menu.
- Excess fluid leaves the body.
- The result of weight loss is fixed for a long time; in one day you can get rid of a kilogram of excess weight.
The benefits of eggs for men
Chicken or quail eggs can be considered natural anabolic steroids, so they are an essential element of the athletes' diet. It is well known that they minimize the effects of stress, normalize erectile ability and increase libido.
The benefits of eggs for women
They also have a positive effect on the female body. They reduce the risk of breast cancer, eliminate iron deficiency, help maintain thinness and beauty, and nourish the future mother's body well during pregnancy or lactation. Due to the white of the egg, the placenta is formed normally, the amino acid choline promotes the development of the fetal brain.
Shortcomings
Despite its attractiveness, the egg diet has significant disadvantages:
- With a long-term diet, more than 7 days, dizziness and weakness are possible.
- For those who are used to eating small and frequent meals, three meals a day without snacks can be accompanied by periods of hunger.
- Digestive disorders may occur.
Contraindications
It should be remembered that the egg diet has a number of contraindications:
- Pregnancy.
- Lactation.
- Allergy.
- High cholesterol in a blood test.
- Confirmed vascular atherosclerosis.
- Sexual disorders.
- Kidney damage.
- Pathologies of the liver.
If you have any digestive disease, you will have to abandon this method of losing weight. If the course is accompanied by a feeling of discomfort, dizziness, nausea, it should be stopped immediately and switched to a full diet.
Menu to lose weight
By its nature, the egg diet is not a mono-diet, as many people think. But this is still a strict course in which substitution of prescribed products is unacceptable. But a phenomenal result is achieved quickly; he pays for all costs. Below is a complete menu for courses of various durations.
For 3 days
Depending on your initial body weight, you can lose an extra 2-5 kg in just 3 days. Basic principles of the 3-day egg diet for weight loss:
- There should be no more than 3 meals a day.
- Breaks between meals are 4 hours.
- In 1 meal you should eat 1 type of vegetables.
- If you are very hungry, you should drink green tea with lemon juice.
For 3 days you must adhere to the menu: 3 chicken eggs plus 1 grapefruit; as much as you want - vegetable salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, Chinese cabbage; any tea; plain water - unlimited; not more than 300 gr. diet drinks per day.
For 5 days
Eliminates 3-6 kg of unnecessary weight. Every day you should eat 2 eggs for breakfast. For breakfast in the morning on days 1, 3, 4 and in the evening on the 5th day - 1 grapefruit.
Number of eggs:
day |
BREAKFAST |
dinner |
dinner |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
The rest of the menu for the period:
day |
breakfast |
dinner |
Evening |
1 |
herbal tea |
orange - 1, chicken fillet - 0, 15 kg |
vegetable salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, pekinka - 0. 2 kg) |
2 |
green tea, apple - 1. |
lettuce - 5 leaves, boiled pollock 0, 13 kg. |
1, 5% kefir - 0, 2 kg |
3 |
tomato juice - 200 gr. |
turkey fillet - 0, 15 kg |
2. 5% kefir - 200 ml, whole orange - 1. |
4 |
- |
hake fish - 0, 15 kg. |
vegetable salad (Beijing, apple, carrot) – 0. 2 kg |
5 |
vegetable salad (Beijing, apple, carrot) – 0. 2 kg |
boiled shrimp - 0, 15 kg, 0, 1 kg Beijing shrimp. |
cottage cheese 5% fat - 0, 1 kg. |
For 7 days
A stricter regime for a week, it is possible to lose weight up to 8 kg.
Number of eggs:
day |
BREAKFAST |
dinner |
dinner |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
Number of citrus fruits:
Careful! Abbreviations are used here and below: G – grapefruit, A – orange (the number next to the letter is the number of pieces), CA – 200 gr. freshly squeezed orange juice.
day |
BREAKFAST |
dinner |
dinner |
1 |
1 G |
1A |
- |
2 |
how |
2G |
- |
3 |
- |
1A |
- |
4 |
- |
- |
2A |
5 |
- |
how |
- |
6 |
how |
2A |
- |
7 |
1 G |
1 G |
Other products:
day |
breakfast |
dinner |
Evening |
1 |
- |
chicken fillet - 0, 15 kg. |
200 ml glass of kefir 2, 5%, chicken - 0, 2 kg. |
2 |
- |
0, 15 kg of boiled chicken. |
200 gr. 1. 5% kefir. |
3 |
tea. |
0. 2 kg of beef. |
- |
4 |
greens, as much as you like. |
0. 2 kg of chicken breast, 0. 15 kg of vegetable salad (Beijing, tomatoes, cucumbers, 2 tbsp. sour cream 10%). |
- |
5 |
0. 2 kg of vegetable salad (boiled carrots, greens, 2 tablespoons of sour cream 10%) |
two fresh grated carrots. |
0. 2 kg of boiled cod. |
6 |
0, 15 kg. 7% cottage cheese. |
- |
green tea. |
7 |
- |
0. 2 kg of beef |
green tea. |
For 2 weeks
As a result of a more serious 2-week egg diet, they lose up to 15 kg of weight. All the time for breakfast you should eat, in addition to eggs, 1 grapefruit, a cup of green tea or coffee (not instant! ). Lunch and dinner are different.
Number of eggs:
day |
BREAKFAST |
dinner |
dinner |
18 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2, 9 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
3, 10 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
4, 11 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
5, 12 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
6, 13 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
7, 14 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
Number of citrus fruits:
day |
BREAKFAST |
dinner |
dinner |
18 |
1 G |
1 G |
|
2, 9 |
1 G |
1 G |
|
3, 10 |
1 G |
||
4, 11 |
1 G |
||
5, 12 |
1 G |
||
6, 13 |
1 G |
||
7, 14 |
1 G |
1 G |
The rest of the diet
day |
dinner |
Evening |
18 |
herbal tea, 1 tomato or 0. 2 kg. juice from it. |
0. 2 kg. vinaigrette without dressing, herbal tea. |
2, 9 |
- |
300 gr. roast beef, 2 tomatoes and 2 cucumbers, unlimited - celery. |
3, 10 |
unlimited - spinach, green tea. |
cottage cheese 100 5% 50 gr. beets, 0. 1 kg. Beijing, herbal tea. |
4, 11 |
unlimited coffee, spinach. |
0. 1 kg. Boiled cod, 0. 2 kg. vinaigrette without sauce, tea or coffee. |
5, 12 |
unlimited coffee, spinach. |
0. 1 kg. Boiled cod, 0. 2 kg. vinaigrette, 0. 1 kg. Beijing, herbal tea. |
6, 13 |
0. 2 kg. fruit salad (orange, pear, apple, kiwi). |
0, 15 kg beef steak, 2 tomatoes, unlimited celery, coffee. |
7, 14 |
0. 2 kg. boiled chicken, 2 tomatoes. |
0. 1 kg. boiled chicken fillet, 0. 1 kg. Beijing, 1 carrot, 1 tomato, tea or coffee (not instant! ). |
The products listed below, except for the mandatory breakfast egg with citrus fruits, are allowed to be eaten during the day, as much as and when you want. Daily menu:
- Fruit without sugar
- Any vegetable, boiled or fresh.
- The same.
- Cod fish without restrictions, boiled vegetables 200g, Chinese lacquer 0. 2 kg.
- Chicken, boiled vegetables without limit.
- One type of fruit allowed is unlimited - throughout the day. For example, throughout the day - only apples or apricots.
- The same.
Leaving the diet
The correct exit from the protein diet will help consolidate the achieved result. This will also allow you to lose weight for some time. A strict diet with eggs requires compliance with the principle of the foundation of its exit - sustainability. For some time after stopping the course, you must eat the same foods that were included in the diet during the course.
For example, you should eat no more than 0. 15 kg of protein food for lunch and 200 g of vinaigrette for dinner. This will free the body from severe stress and will smoothly transition to normal food without overloading the pancreas, liver and kidneys. To do this, in the first week after the end of the course, you should eat 1 orange plus 2 eggs every day.
It is advisable to eat food at the same time as before.
Cooking means boiling, steaming, baking. You should refrain from eating fried foods in the first week. It is better to start consuming foods fried in oil no earlier than 3 weeks after the course. You should include low-fat dairy products, lean meat, fish and poultry every day. The number of meals should be increased to 4-6 per day, d. m. th. practice partial meals. You should not consume more than 300 grams at a time. the food.
Instead of high-calorie confectionery products, choose jelly, chocolate-free marshmallows, marshmallows and marmalade. Dark chocolate is allowed no more than 70 grams per day. Carbohydrate foods should not be consumed after 2: 00 p. m. You should avoid eating flour for at least 28 days. Bread - no more than 70 g. per day, rye or bran.
Alcohol is prohibited in the first weeks. It stimulates the appetite and is itself high in calories. In exceptional cases, you can consume no more than 1 glass of dry wine. Salads should be flavored with sour cream up to 15%, lemon juice or olive oil. You should continue to drink about 2 liters of sparkling water per day. Limit salt and sugar intake. Avoid condiments with monosodium glutamate, e. g. sh. flavor enhancer.
According to the season, the daily diet should be supplemented with fresh fruits and vegetables. In order for the food to be absorbed better, the meal should be extended as long as possible, chewing each part well. No need to watch TV or read anything while eating. If you are distracted, you can easily overeat. During a meal, you should focus on it and eat slowly.
When you leave the course, you should engage in physical exercise, walk as much as possible and avoid elevators and escalators.
To support the skin and prevent it from sagging, do massages or body wraps 1-2 times a week and use anti-cellulite creams. Consolidating healthy eating habits plus regular exercise will help you maintain your lean gains for a long time.
Authorized Products
To make the egg diet easily tolerated without problems, it can be supplemented with the following products:
- Lean meat: beef, pork, skinless chicken, rabbit.
- The fish is white or red.
- Vegetables.
- Fruits.
- Dairy products: skim milk, cheese, fermented milk products.
- Coffee tea.
- Spices: any, but no monosodium glutamate.
Prohibited Products
The global list of prohibited foods is the same as for other food restriction regimes:
- alcoholic drink,
- flour,
- sugar,
- cereals,
- potatoes,
- pasta,
- chocolate,
- pastry chef,
- anything fatty: meat products, sour cream, mayonnaise, cream, any fat,
- nuts,
- honey,
- soft cheese,
- from fruits: any grapes, bananas, dried fruits,
- salt, which keeps fluid in the tissues.
Healthy recipes
The egg diet describes the consumption of mostly hard-boiled eggs. But to diversify the menu, other dishes from them are not prohibited. This will slow down the weight loss a little, but the process will be easier to endure. You should make sure that all recipes are low in calories.
Omelet with vegetables
Healthy, simple recipe. Finely chop a tomato, half a bell pepper, half a small onion, cook for 5 minutes, then pour in a mixture of milk and two beaten eggs, then cook on a low heat under the lid until soft.
Omelet with mushrooms
Boil some chopped champignons in a pan. Separately fry the beaten milk mixture, two eggs, salt and pepper. Place the cooked mushrooms in the scrambled omelet and cover with the other half of the omelet. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
twist
Fry an egg pancake consisting of an egg beaten with milk, a spoonful of flour, chopped herbs and a pinch of salt. The dish is prepared under the lid. Then put thinly sliced onions, preferably red pepper, bell pepper and parsley on top of this pancake. You can put some processed cheese or cottage cheese. Distribute the minced meat evenly throughout the pancake, roll it.
casserole
If you don't know what to do with a large amount of spinach, then prepare a healthy casserole from it. Finely chop 2 onions, a green onion, a large bunch of spinach, add salt, pepper and cook. Divide the resulting mixture into baking dishes. Pour over the egg mixture and place in a hot oven for 10 minutes. This is a great breakfast or dinner.
Healthy pizza
In 1 container, combine 2 spoons of milk, 2 eggs, a spoon of flour, salt and pepper. Beat and pour into the pan. After 2 minutes, sprinkle with a mixture of chopped tomatoes, herbs, sweet peppers and olives. Cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes. The result is a delicious, healthy dish.
Stuffed eggs
If you do not use mayonnaise, fatty fish or meat, then this dish will turn out to be diet. Instead of the usual stuffing products, use herbs, vegetables and seafood. And for the dressing, if you're on an egg kefir diet, use low-fat yogurt or sour cream. For example, by combining boiled shrimp, cheese, egg yolk, fresh cucumber and a small amount of sour cream, you will get an excellent and tasty filling with few calories. For decoration, use greens or shrimp meat.
Expert opinion
Nutritionists have not reached a unanimous opinion about the "egg" way to lose weight. Their reviews, as well as user reviews, are radically different. This is mainly due to personal experience or individual characteristics of patients. But the opinion of experts should not be neglected.
When planning to take a "protein course", consult a doctor you trust.
Opinions and results
Analyzing the comments about the egg diet posted on the Internet, you can see that the most enthusiastic comments are left by young, thin mothers, who with its help managed to quickly return to normal after childbirth. The most negative comments are mostly left by relentless critics of any restriction and the eggs themselves, who have never personally dealt with "this nonsense". But there are people who have tried it but are unhappy with the results. Understanding the situation, it becomes clear that this happened either because of an accident or because of an allergy.