The egg diet is super effective, affordable and easy for those trying to lose weight. Plus, it's not just about eggs. Nutritionists give many recommendations for diversifying your daily diet so as not to suffer too much from hunger.
The essence of the diet
In principle, the egg diet is not a mono diet, it is a type of protein diet whose goal is to limit carbohydrates and fats as much as possible. It seems to many that only eggs contained in different preparations are allowed in such a diet. But in reality, 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 proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, amino acids and minerals. Used for weight loss, they contain minimal carbohydrates, but provide a lasting feeling of fullness.
The fatty acids contained in the composition prevent the deposition of fat reserves. Such protein nutrition never leads to a decrease in muscle mass due to its rich protein content. Any egg-based diet allows you to eat other healthy foods, fruits or vegetables, most often citrus fruits. Therefore, even the eggs and grapefruit mono-mode is easily tolerated physically and mentally. Experts say there is no reason to fear eggs as a harmful food.
Main rules
In order for the weight loss diet to produce maximum effect, you must follow simple rules:
- Maintain fluid balance. You should drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water per day. This will not only help you lose weight but also relieve digestive problems.
- Make sure you get enough fiber in your diet. Regardless of the number of meals per day, you must eat plenty of raw vegetables each time. Sufficient fiber can be provided by 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 even prohibited, because. . . Eggs and citrus fruits contain enough vitamins and minerals.
- If chicken eggs are not to your liking, you can easily eat quail eggs, in a ratio of three to one.
- Dinner. Evening meals are prohibited after 7-8 p. m.
- Dream. In this mode, you need to devote at least 8 hours a day to sleep. You must go to bed no later than 11 p. m.
- Cook. The boiled egg diet involves eating a cooked or hard-boiled product. From time to time, you can make an omelette by cooking it without fat. Additional products (vegetables or fruits) should be eaten raw, baked (baked, grilled), steamed or boiled. Fried foods can be prepared in a pan without fat.
- Spices. To improve the taste of products, you can season them with lemon juice and use spices. But if hunger persists, it's best to avoid gas stations.
- Eating raw eggs is dangerous, it is better not to do it.
- The egg diet can be practiced 1-2 times every 12 months, not more often.
- To avoid breaks with a long-term limited diet, it is sometimes allowed to replace the main product with substitutes in the form of lean cottage cheese or meat.
- Parallel physical activity will be very useful for losing weight as quickly as possible.
How does the egg diet work?
Regarding proteins, this weight loss course includes a standard list of products for them. The peculiarity 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 weight loss requires strict adherence to the rules. The advantage of this diet is that you will not be tormented by the feeling of hunger. A diet rich in protein guarantees a lasting feeling of satiety.
The egg diet has several variations that aim for 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.
Composition of chicken eggs
To understand the benefits or harms of eggs, you need to understand their composition. Physically, they consist of a white liquid with a dense yellow, surrounded by a shell. Protein is a pure, easily digestible protein that should be included in the diet of athletes. 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 only provide 150 kcal of energy. The amino acid choline regulates cholesterol levels, lecithin strengthens memory and serves as a preventive measure against vascular sclerosis. It makes no sense to list all the beneficial properties of eggs.
Cholesterol Horror Stories
Opponents of egg consumption argue their position due to the high cholesterol content of eggs, which is dangerous for the body. It forms plaques on the walls of blood vessels, which block the ducts and impede blood flow. The result of this process is various cardiovascular diseases. However, it has long been known that not all cholesterol is harmful. Harmful is the one found in excess in processed heavy fats - in sausages, chips, confectionery. In natural foods, even fried foods, cholesterol is not dangerous.
How many eggs can you safely eat?
Nutritionists do not give a clear answer to this question. Figures for the amount allowed per week vary. To some extent it depends on the size of the eggs, which can differ by 2 times. A large chicken yolk contains 150 to 180 mg of cholesterol. For one day, this amount is not enough to harm 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 were drawn without taking into account the lifestyle, age of the subjects and other important parameters. For example, bad habits, people's blood pressure, etc. were not taken into account. 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 capable of cooking an omelet or scrambled eggs on their own. But in conditions of industrial production, there is a high risk of eggs becoming infected with salmonellosis, a dangerous infectious disease. The longer raw materials are stored, the higher this risk. Only products from healthy chickens can be eaten raw, but only fresh, with the shell intact. It is best to consume on an empty stomach, 30 to 40 minutes before the main breakfast.
Advantages and disadvantages of the egg diet
This type of protein nutrition is easily tolerated thanks to the inclusion of fruits and vegetables. They provide the body with light carbohydrates, mainly fructose, which relieve weakness and dizziness - eternal companions of low-carbohydrate diets. At the same time, the body is saturated with a large amount of proteins, amino acids, microelements and vitamins thanks to eggs. But not everything is so simple and unambiguous: in this case there are pros and cons.
The benefits of the egg diet include:
- No feeling of hunger.
- A significant intake of fat-soluble vitamins from eggs, combined 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, restrictions are easily tolerated, the risk of breakdown is minimized thanks to a varied menu.
- Excess fluid is expelled from the body.
- The result of losing weight has long been fixed: 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 part of the diet of athletes. It is well known that they minimize the effects of stress, normalize erectile capacity 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 slimness and beauty, and well nourish the body of the future mother during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Thanks to egg white, the placenta is formed normally, the amino acid choline promotes the development of the fetal brain.
Defaults
For all its appeal, 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, frequent meals, three meals a day without snacks can be accompanied by hunger pangs.
- Digestive problems may occur.
Contraindications
It should be remembered that the egg diet has a number of contraindications:
- Pregnancy.
- Lactation.
- Allergy.
- High cholesterol level in a blood test.
- Confirmed vascular atherosclerosis.
- Sexual disorders.
- Kidney damage.
- Liver pathologies.
If you suffer from digestive diseases, 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 immediately stopped and replaced with a full diet.
Menu for weight loss
By its nature, the egg diet is not a mono-diet, as many people think. But this is still a strict policy in which substitution of prescribed products is unacceptable. But a phenomenal result is achieved quickly: it pays all costs. Below you will find a complete menu for courses of different lengths.
For 3 days
Depending on your initial weight, you can lose an additional 2 to 5 kg in just 3 days. Basics of the 3-day egg diet for weight loss:
- There should be no more than 3 meals per day.
- Breaks between meals are 4 hours.
- In 1 meal, you should eat 1 type of vegetables.
- If you are very hungry, drink green tea with lemon juice.
For 3 days, you must stick to the menu: 3 chicken eggs plus 1 grapefruit; as much as you like - vegetable salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, Chinese cabbage; any tea; clear water - unlimited; no more than 300 gr. diet drinks per day.
During 5 days
Eliminate 3 to 6 kg of unnecessary weight. Every day you need to 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 |
Morning |
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 |
Kefir 2. 5% – 200 ml, whole orange – 1. |
4 |
– |
hake – 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 Peking shrimp. |
cottage cheese 5% fat – 0. 1 kg. |
For 7 days
A stricter diet 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:
Attention! Here and below the abbreviations are used: 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 |
1G |
1A |
– |
2 |
HER |
2G |
– |
3 |
– |
1A |
– |
4 |
– |
– |
2A |
5 |
– |
HER |
– |
6 |
HER |
2A |
– |
7 |
1G |
1G |
Others products:
Day |
Morning |
Dinner |
Evening |
1 |
– |
chicken fillet – 0. 15 kg. |
200 ml glass of 2. 5% kefir, chicken - 0. 2 kg. |
2 |
– |
0. 15 kg of boiled chicken. |
200 gr. 1. 5% kefir. |
3 |
tea. |
0. 2 kg of veal. |
– |
4 |
greens, as many as you like. |
0. 2 kg of chicken breast, 0. 15 kg of vegetable salad (Beijing, tomatoes, cucumbers, 2 tablespoons of 10% sour cream). |
– |
5 |
0. 2 kg of vegetable salad (boiled carrots, greens, 2 tablespoons of 10% sour cream) |
two grated fresh carrots. |
0. 2 kg of cooked cod. |
6 |
0. 15kg. 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. 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 |
1G |
1G |
|
2, 9 |
1G |
1G |
|
3, 10 |
1G |
||
4, 11 |
1G |
||
5, 12 |
1G |
||
6, 13 |
1G |
||
7, 14 |
1G |
1G |
Rest of the diet
Day |
Dinner |
Evening |
18 |
herbal tea, 1 tomato or 0. 2 kg. juice of it. |
0. 2kg. vinaigrette without vinaigrette, herbal tea. |
2, 9 |
– |
300 gr. baked beef, 2 tomatoes and 2 cucumbers, without limitation - celery. |
3, 10 |
without limitation - spinach, green tea. |
100 5% cottage cheese, 50 gr. beets, 0. 1 kg. Beijing, herbal tea. |
4, 11 |
coffee, spinach without restrictions. |
0. 1kg. boiled hake, 0. 2 kg. dressing without salad dressing, tea or coffee. |
5, 12 |
coffee, spinach without limitation. |
0. 1kg. boiled hake, 0. 2 kg. vinaigrette, 0. 1 kg. Beijing, herbal tea. |
6, 13 |
0. 2kg. fruit salad (oranges, pears, apples, kiwi). |
0. 15 kg of veal steak, 2 tomatoes, celery as desired, coffee. |
7, 14 |
0. 2kg. boiled chicken, 2 tomatoes. |
0. 1kg. boiled chicken fillet, 0. 1 kg. Beijing, 1 carrot, 1 tomato, tea or coffee (not instant! ). |
The products listed below, with the exception of the obligatory morning egg with citrus, can be consumed during the day, as much and whenever you want. Menu of the day :
- Unsweetened fruits
- All vegetables, boiled or fresh.
- The same.
- Hake without restrictions, boiled vegetables 200g, Chinese cabbage 0. 2 kg.
- Chicken, boiled vegetables as desired.
- One type of fruit allowed is unlimited – all day. For example, all day - only apples or apricots.
- Even.
Stop the diet
Correct exit from the protein diet will help consolidate the achieved result. This will also allow you to lose weight for a while. A strict egg diet requires adherence to the fundamental principle to get by: consistency. For some time after stopping the course, you must definitely 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 foods for lunch and 200 g of salad dressing for dinner. This will relieve the body of severe stress and smoothly transition it to normal nutrition without shock overload of the pancreas, liver and kidneys. To do this, during the first week after completing the course, you need to eat 1 orange and 2 eggs every day.
It is advisable to eat at the same time as before.
Cooking means boiling, steaming, baking. You should refrain from eating fried foods for the first week. It is better to start consuming foods fried in oil no earlier than 3 weeks after the course. You should consume low-fat dairy products, lean meat, fish and poultry every day. The number of meals should be increased to 4-6 per day, i. e. practice fractional meals. You should not consume more than 300 grams at a time. food.
Instead of high-calorie confectionery products, choose jelly, marshmallows without chocolate, marshmallows and marmalade. Dark chocolate is allowed no more than 70 grams per day. Foods high in carbohydrates should not be eaten 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 with bran.
Alcohol is prohibited for the first few weeks. It stimulates the appetite and is itself rich in calories. In exceptional cases, you can consume no more than 1 glass of dry wine. Salads should be flavored with up to 15% sour cream, lemon juice or olive oil. You should continue to drink around 2 liters of plain water per day. Limit your intake of salt and sugar. Avoid seasonings containing monosodium glutamate, e. g. flavor enhancer.
Depending on the season, the daily diet should be replenished with fresh fruits and vegetables. For food to be better absorbed, you should extend the meal as long as possible, chewing each piece carefully. There is 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.
At the end of the course you should do some physical exercise, walk as much as possible and avoid elevators and escalators.
To support the skin and prevent sagging, do massages or wraps 1-2 times a week and use anti-cellulite creams. Consolidating healthy eating habits and exercising regularly will help you maintain the weight you have acquired for a long time.
Authorized products
So that the egg diet is easily tolerated without problems, it can be supplemented with the following products:
- Lean meats: beef, pork, skinless chicken, rabbit.
- The fish is white or red.
- Vegetables.
- Fruits.
- Dairy products: low-fat milk, cheese, fermented milk products.
- Tea coffee.
- Seasonings: all, but without monosodium glutamate.
Prohibited products
The global list of prohibited foods is the same as for other dietary restriction diets:
- alcoholic beverages,
- flour,
- sugar,
- cereals,
- potato,
- Pasta,
- chocolate,
- confectioner,
- anything fatty: meat products, sour cream, mayonnaise, cream, any fat,
- nuts,
- Honey,
- soft-paste cheese,
- from fruits: all grapes, bananas, dried fruits,
- salt, which retains fluids in the tissues.
Healthy recipes
The egg diet prescribes the consumption of mainly boiled eggs. But to diversify the menu, other dishes are not prohibited. This will slow down your weight loss a little, but the process will be easier to bear. You should make sure that all recipes are low in calories.
Vegetable omlette
Healthy and simple recipe. Finely chop a tomato, half a pepper, half a small onion, simmer for 5 minutes, then pour in a mixture of milk and two beaten eggs, then simmer over low heat under the lid until tender.
Mushroom omelette
Simmer several chopped mushrooms in a pan. Separately, fry the beaten mixture consisting of milk, two eggs, salt and pepper. Place the mushroom compote on the scrambled omelette and cover with the other half of the omelette. Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
To roll
Fry an egg pancake made from an egg beaten with milk, a spoonful of flour, chopped herbs and a pinch of salt. The dish is prepared under the lid. Then place the finely chopped onion, preferably red pepper, bell pepper and parsley on this pancake. You can put a little melted or cottage cheese. Distribute the minced meat evenly over the entire pancake, roll it up.
Pan
If you don't know what to do with a lot of spinach, make a healthy casserole with it. Finely chop 2 onions, a green onion, a large bunch of spinach, salt, pepper and leave to simmer. Divide the resulting mass into baking dishes. Pour the egg mixture on top and bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes. This is a great breakfast or dinner.
Healthy pizza
Mix 2 tablespoons of milk, 2 eggs, a spoonful of flour, salt and pepper in 1 bowl. Beat and pour into the pan. After 2 minutes, sprinkle with a mixture of crushed tomatoes, herbs, sweet peppers and olives. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes. The result is a tasty and healthy dish.
Stuffed eggs
If you do not use mayonnaise, fatty fish or meat, then this dish will turn out to be dietary. Instead of the usual stuffing products, use herbs, vegetables and seafood. And for dressing, if you are 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 yogurt, you will get an excellent tasty and low-calorie filling. For decoration, use green vegetables or shrimp meat.
Expert opinion
Nutritionists have not reached a unanimous opinion on the "egg" method of losing weight. Their comments, 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 considering a "protein cleanse, " consult a trusted doctor.
Reviews and results
Analyzing the reviews posted on the Internet about the egg diet, you will find that the most enthusiastic comments are left by slim young mothers who, with its help, managed to quickly return to normal after childbirth. The most negative comments are mainly left by ruthless critics of any restrictions and the eggs themselves, who have never personally confronted "this nonsense". But there are people who have tried it, but were not satisfied with the results. Understanding the situation, it becomes clear that this happened either because of a breakdown or because of an allergy.