blog-cooking Weight LossHigh Protein Diet Plan with Free Sample Menu

High Protein Diet Plan with Free Sample Menu

10 mins read

Mariia Roza is a weight loss and fitness writer at Unimeal. She is an expert in nutrition, wellness, longevity, and sports.

on January 28, 2022

Medically reviewed by Dr. Olena Avdiievska, MD, RDN

Dr. Olena Avdiievska is a nutritional and medical expert at Unimeal. She is an MD and RDN in Dietology and nutrition and a university professor with 76 scientific publications.

Unimeal provides articles with trustworthy and experts-proved information. Our health content is reviewed by professional nutritionists and trainers to extract for users the most verified and medically checked data.

Protein is one of the most satiating macronutrients. Eating high-protein meals will help you stay full all day long, control your appetite, and build muscle.

High protein diets have proven¹Leidy H. J., Clifton P. M., Astrup A., et al. (2015, June). The Role of Protein in Weight Loss and Maintenance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI:10.3945/ajcn.114.084038 their efficiency for weight loss. What’s more, the concept itself has given rise to multiple high-protein and low-carb diet variations like the Atkins diet, South Beach, the Zone, Dukan diet, the caveman, the paleo, and the high-protein keto diet.

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It seems like the magic eating system for weight loss has been found! If you’re about to try it, have a look at our high-protein diet guideline and print the meal plan composed by our nutritionists.

What is a high protein diet?

Overall, you should have at least 25% of your daily calories from protein on a high-protein diet.

If you consume 2000 calories, that would be 125 grams of pure protein a day or more.
If you eat 1400 calories, like in our sample meal plan, that would be 87 grams of protein a day and more.

Remember, though, that to absorb the maximum of amino acids and have only positive effects from your diet, you need to spread²Layman D. K., Anthony T. G., Rasmussen B. B., et al. (2015, June). Defining Meal Requirements for Protein to Optimize Metabolic Roles of Amino Acids. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI:10.3945/ajcn.114.084053 your protein through the meals and have more or less equal parts of protein during the day.

What is protein, and why is it important?

Protein is one of three major macronutrients. One gram of protein contains four calories. Protein is not the first source of energy your body will use, but it is essential for multiple functions in your body.

For example, proteins work as carriages for vitamins and minerals.

Protein is also a source of amino acids that our body needs to build muscle, bone, skin, and hair cells. If you don’t eat enough protein, your skin can become loose and dry; your bone density can decrease, which can lead to osteoporosis. Without protein, it’s impossible to build muscle mass.

How does the high-protein diet work?

One of the best things about this diet is that its efficiency has been proven³Wycherley T. P., Moran L. J., Clifton P. M., et al. (2012, December). Effects of Energy-restricted High-protein, Low-fat Compared with Standard-protein, Low-fat Diets: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI:10.3945/ajcn.112.044321 with multiple⁴Astrup A., Raben A., Geiker N. (2015, May). The Role of Higher Protein Diets in Weight Control and Obesity-related Comorbidities. International Journal of Obesity. DOI:10.1038/ijo.2014.216 studies⁵Skov A. R., Toubro S., Ronne B., et al. (1999, May). Randomized Trial on Protein vs Carbohydrate in Ad Libitum Fat Reduced Diet for the Treatment of Obesity. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders. DOI:10.1038/sj.ijo.0800867, and its working mechanisms are clear and obvious.

Firstly, protein is highly⁶Lejeune M. P. G., Westerterp K. R., Adam T. C. M., et al. (2006, January). Ghrelin and Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Concentrations, 24-h Satiety, and Energy and Substrate Metabolism during a High-protein Diet and Measured in a Respiration Chamber. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI:10.1093/ajcn/83.1.89 satiating⁷Blom W. A. M., Lluch A., Stafleu A., et al. (2006, February). Effect of a High-protein Breakfast on the Postprandial Ghrelin Response. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI:10.1093/ajcn/83.2.211, which means you don’t have that many hunger urges even if you’re cutting your calories for weight loss.
Protein has proven its efficiency in reducing appetite⁸Weigle D. S., Breen P. A., Matthys C. C., et al. (2005, July). A High-protein Diet Induces Sustained Reductions in Appetite, Ad Libitum Caloric Intake, and Body Weight Despite Compensatory Changes in Diurnal Plasma Leptin and Ghrelin Concentrations. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI:10.1093/ajcn.82.1.41.
It increases metabolic rate⁹Johnston C. S., Day C. S., Swan P. D. (2002, February). Postprandial Thermogenesis Is Increased 100% on a High-protein, Low-fat Diet Versus a High-carbohydrate, Low-fat Diet in Healthy, Young Women. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. DOI:10.1080/07315724.2002.10719194 and can boost metabolism¹⁰Halton T. L., Hu F. B. (2004, October). The Effects of High Protein Diets on Thermogenesis, Satiety and Weight Loss: A Critical Review. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. DOI:10.1080/07315724.2004.10719381 due to the thermic effect of food. In other words, your body needs more energy to digest protein than carbs or fats.
And, like a cherry on top, when you cut your carbs to eat more protein, you can expect a fast loss in water weight.

A high-protein diet has four efficient working mechanisms and a bunch of solid papers proving its efficiency!

Pros and cons of high protein consumption

Of course, you should always consult your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet. Only your medical provider knows your history and can help you decide whether you should try a high-protein diet for weight loss or not.

However, a high-protein diet is relatively safe in most cases and can even make you healthier.

The largest pool of dangers on a high-protein diet is connected with the sources of protein you choose.

For example, some studies¹¹Hernandez-Alonso P., Salas-Salvado J., Ruiz-Canela M., et al. (2016, April). High Dietary Protein Intake Is Associated with an Increased Body Weight and Total Death Risk. Clinical Nutrition. DOI:10.1016/j.clnu.2015.03.016 show that high-protein diets can lead to weight gain and the development of other health conditions. This might happen if you choose protein sources that are too rich in saturated and trans fats (usually, fatty types of red meat). A profound analysis¹²Pan A., Sun Q., Bernstein A. M., et al. (2012, April 9). Red Meat Consumption and Mortality: Results from 2 Prospective Cohort Studies. Archives of Internal Medicine. DOI:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.2287 of two cohort studies on red meat and lean protein sources just proves that the source of protein you choose is a critical element of your diet healthiness.
Another health issue that can happen on high-protein diets is constipation. The reason for this condition is a diet that is high in protein but too low in fiber. And here we need to emphasize that the high in protein diet doesn’t and shouldn’t be lacking fiber!

However, even If you choose your high-protein meals wisely, some precautions still should be made to guarantee your safety.

Studies show that high-protein diets can be harmful¹³Pesta D. H., Samuel V. T. (2014, November 19). A High-protein Diet for Reducing Body Fat: Mechanisms and Possible Caveats. Nutrition and Metabolism. DOI:10.1186/1743-7075-11-53 for your kidneys if you have chronic kidney diseases or kidney stones¹⁴Ferraro P. M., Mandel E. I., Curhan G. C., et al. (2016, October 7). Dietary Protein and Potassium, Diet–Dependent Net Acid Load, and Risk of Incident Kidney Stones. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. DOI:10.2215/CJN.01520216. There should be no problems¹⁵Zhang M-M., Zhao Y., Zhu Y-L. (2015, August). Effect of Individualized Low-protein Diet Intervention on Renal Function of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease. Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao. DOI:10.3881/j.issn.1000-503x.2015.04.003 for people with healthy kidneys, but you should be careful if your predisposition to this kind of health condition is high.

To conclude, we should mention that there is no scientific data on the long-term effect of high-protein diets on your health.

Products and meals that are highest in protein

One counter-argument for a high-protein diet is that it’s often more expensive than an average diet rich in carbs. This is partly true as high-quality protein sources, like grass-fed meat, organic poultry, wild fish, and seafood are not that cheap.

However, there is also a lot of affordable high-protein products

These are:

Canned tuna
Tofu
Eggs
Chicken breasts
Protein powder

There are also multiple protein sources in vegetables, grains, and legumes. We highly recommend you to add them to your diet as they will make your meals more balanced, help you fill your body with vitamins and minerals, and keep you safe from side effects of a high-protein but low-carb diet (like constipation and bad breath).

These are just some examples of plants rich in protein

Beans, chickpeas, lentils, soy, edamame, and peas
Brussel sprouts and broccoli
Tofu, tempeh, and seitan
Buckwheat and wild rice
Hummus
Quinoa
Artichoke and asparagus
Corn and potatoes
Mushrooms
Nuts and seeds

If your goal is to lose weight, be careful with nuts and seeds. Even though their protein content is quite high (almost six grams per ounce), they are also very high in fats and calories.

Don’t neglect fish and seafood

Both fatty salmon and lean white fish are a source of omegas and high-quality protein. Along with fish, add some shrimps, mussels, and seaweed to your meal plan.

Foods to exclude from your plate

A high-protein diet should not necessarily be low in carbs. However, if you add something to your plate and want to maintain or lose weight, you have to take something off your plate to stay in a calorie deficit. These are the products that are usually excluded from a high-protein diet:

Sugar and sugar-containing sweets and beverages
Highly-refined carbohydrates, like cereals, bread, and pasta
Saturated fats and trans fats from highly-processed sausages and fatty red meat

Free sample of 1400-calorie high-protein meal plan

Still don’t know how to make your meals more protein-dense and keep your diet well-balanced and filled with vitamins? Have a look at our 1400-calorie high-protein meal plan! We’ve counted all the calories and macros for you and written short preparation guides.

Monday

Breakfast: Peanut butter and cottage cheese toast

426 calories, 24 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 22.6 / 30.1 / 47.2

Ingredients:

2 thin slices (60 g) of Ezekiel bread
1 large tablespoon (20 g) of peanut butter
90 g of fat-free cottage cheese
1 banana
Cinnamon to taste

How to make peanut butter and cottage cheese toast?

Put the bread into a toaster.
Mix peanut butter, cottage cheese, add cinnamon.
Spread the mixture on the bread.
Cut a banana into circles and put it on top. Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.

Lunch: Baked vegetables with chicken

483 calories, 45 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 37.6 / 34.9 / 27.4

Ingredients:

160 g of chicken breast
130 g of potatoes
80 g of bell peppers
2 tsp of olive oil
80 g of cauliflower
2 tsp of sesame seeds
Balsamic vinegar, garlic, black pepper, dried basil, paprika, and other spices to taste

How to make baked vegetables with chicken?

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 392°F.
Cut the chicken into medium cubes.
Peel the potatoes and cut them with the bell pepper into medium cubes.
Divide the cauliflower into small florets.
Place vegetables and meat into the dish. Season them with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add chopped garlic, sesame seeds, salt, and spices to taste, mix thoroughly.
Place the dish in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Transfer the ready meal to a plate and serve.

Dinner: Fishburger

560 calories, 47 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 33.2 / 41.9 / 24.7

Ingredients:

170 g of white fish
One medium egg
2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
100 g of Iceberg lettuce
100 g of tomato
3 teaspoons of Caesar sauce
Half a teaspoon of vegetable oil
80 g of pickled cucumber
Spices to taste

How to make a fishburger?

Process white fish fillets in a blender. Add egg, salt, and pepper to taste, stir and form a burger patty.
Now, roll the patty in breadcrumbs.
Preheat a frying pan with vegetable oil, place the fish patty and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side over medium heat.
At this time, cut the tomato and pickled cucumber into thin slices.
Take 2 large Iceberg lettuce leaves (you will use this instead of a burger bun). Spread half of the Caesar sauce on one leaf, top with the cooked patty, and place chopped tomato and cucumber on top.
Pour the remaining sauce on top, cover with the second leaf of lettuce (overlap the edges of the bottom and top sheets so that they completely cover the entire "filling"). Your fish protein burger is ready! Bon appétit!

Total calories for the day: 1468

Total protein for the day: 116 g

Tuesday

Breakfast: Baked shrimp stuffed avocados

404 calories, 21 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 21.1 / 49.2 / 29.5

Ingredients:

1 medium avocado
50 g of shrimp
25 g of Feta cheese
1 slice of Ezekiel bread
20 g of low-fat yogurt
Half a medium tomato
1 tsp of dill
1 tsp of parsley
Spices to taste

How to make baked shrimp stuffed avocados?

Preheat the oven to 220°C / 428°F.
Finely chop cheese and herbs.
Peel and boil the shrimp.
Rinse avocado and cut it in half (lengthwise). Carefully remove the contents with a teaspoon (do not throw the peel away).
Finely chop avocado pulp and combine it with cheese and herbs.
Dice a tomato, cut the shrimp with a knife, mix all the ingredients, add salt, pepper, and yogurt.
Fill the empty avocado peels with the filling and put them in the oven for 15 minutes.
We recommend serving them hot with a slice of Ezekiel bread.

Lunch: Honey-glazed salmon with vegetables

339 calories, 30 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 34.9 / 31.1 / 33.8

Ingredients:

90 g of sweet potatoes
130 g of salmon
1 tsp of honey
100 g of celery root
100 g of pumpkin
Half a teaspoon of olive oil
Dried rosemary and other spices to taste

How to make honey-glazed salmon with vegetables?

Preheat oven to 220°C / 428°F.
Peel sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and celery.
Dice vegetables and fish into medium cubes.
Mix olive oil with honey, brush it over fish and vegetables. Add salt and spices to taste, stir.
Place vegetables with fish in a baking dish in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes
Transfer finished dish to plate. Enjoy your meal!

Dinner: Stewed mushrooms with fish steak

623 calories, 50 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 32.3 / 43.7 / 23.8

Ingredients:

250 g of mushrooms
2 tablespoons of 10% cream
Herbs, oregano, garlic, and other spices to taste
Half a teaspoon of vegetable oil
170 g of white fish
2 tablespoons of whole-wheat flour
One medium egg

How to make stewed mushrooms with fish steak?

Put 2 pans on the stove (one with oil, the other without).
Process the white fish fillet in a blender; add egg, flour, salt, pepper, and dried oregano to taste. Mix well and form a patty 1-1.5 cm thick.
Fry it in a pan with some oil (3-4 minutes on each side).
Cut the mushrooms in half and place in a second pan (without oil); add cream, chopped garlic (optional), salt, and pepper to taste.
Cook over medium heat, stirring for 5-7 minutes. After cooking, add chopped fresh herbs to the mushrooms.
Serve ready-made mushrooms and fish patty on a plate.

Total calories for the day: 1366

Total protein for the day: 101 g

Wednesday

Breakfast: High protein oat pancakes

474 calories, 28 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 23.3 / 29.6 / 46.9

Ingredients:

50 g of flattened oatmeal
10 g of protein powder
One medium egg
60 ml of skim milk
50 g of low-fat yogurt
3 tsp of honey
Half a cup of fresh berries
1 tsp of almond flakes

How to make High protein oat pancakes?

Prepare oat flour from oatmeal flakes using a blender (or use ready oat flour). Mix oat flour, egg, protein powder, and milk (you can also use any vegetable milk with no sugar), add cinnamon or your other favorite spices, mix with a beater.
Preheat a non-stick pan over medium heat, grease the surface with oil, and pour in a small amount of batter, about 2 tablespoons per pancake.
Fry pancakes for 1-2 minutes on each side.
Put yogurt and honey on your pancakes and decorate them with berries and almond flakes.

Lunch: Trout salad

523 calories, 34 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 25.8 / 42.9 / 31.2

Ingredients:

100 g of potatoes
100 g of carrots
100 g of apple
70 g of pickled cucumber
2 teaspoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of dill
Black pepper and other spices to taste
150 g of trout fillet
4 teaspoons of tahini

How to make trout salad?

Wash the vegetables (you do not need to peel them), place them in a pot, cover with cold water (the water should cover the vegetables), and cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes.
Peel the fish and separate it from bones. Place it in a pot, cover with cold water and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
Peel the cooked vegetables and an apple, cut them into small cubes.
Mash the cooked fish with a fork.
Cut the cucumber into slices.
Assemble the salad: combine potatoes, carrots, apple, cucumber, chopped dill, and trout in a deep bowl—season with olive oil and tahini. Add salt and spices to taste, stir.

Dinner: Broccoli and mozzarella frittata

456 calories, 32 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 28.5 / 45.1 / 26.2

Ingredients:

2 medium eggs
80 g of broccoli
80 g of tomato
Half an onion
Black pepper, Italian herbs mix, and other spices to taste
25 g of Mozzarella cheese
Half a teaspoon of vegetable oil
50 ml of coconut milk
1 slice of Ezekiel bread
50 g of egg white

How to make broccoli and mozzarella frittata?

Wash and finely chop onion and tomato.
Grate mozzarella using a coarse grater.
In a bowl, combine milk, eggs, egg whites, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs to taste.
Put the pan on the stove and add oil.
Add broccoli, onion, tomato, and fry for 3-5 minutes.
Pour eggs over vegetables and sprinkle with mozzarella on top; cover and cook over low heat until tender (about 4 minutes).
Serve the frittata warm with a slice of bread.

Total calories for the day: 1453

Total protein for the day: 94 g

Thursday

Breakfast: Fried eggs with hummus toast

540 calories, 27 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 19.9 / 35.4 / 44.5

Ingredients:

2 medium eggs
150 g of tomato
Half an onion
Half a teaspoon of olive oil
2 slices of Ezekiel bread
2 tablespoons of Hummus

How to make fried eggs with hummus toast?

Preheat a frying pan with vegetable oil
Chop the onion. Cut the tomatoes into cubes. Put them all in the pan.
Fry vegetables over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Then, break the eggs and fry them for 3 minutes. Add seasoning to taste.
Cut a slice of whole-grain bread and spread with hummus.
Serve cooked scrambled eggs and hummus toast on one plate and enjoy your breakfast!

Tip: When buying ready-made hummus, pay attention to its total calories (it should be no more than 300 kcal per 100 g).

Lunch: Chicken casserole

545 calories, 35 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 25.8 / 30.9 / 43.1

Ingredients:

60 g of chicken breast
300 g of potatoes
2 tablespoons of sour cream 10%
1 medium egg
20 g of Cheddar cheese
200 g of tomato
Paprika, oregano, and other spices to taste

How to make a chicken casserole?

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F.
Cut the chicken fillet into medium cubes, add salt and other spices to taste, mix well and let it marinate a little.
Prepare the filling: mix the egg and sour cream, add a little salt.
Cut the tomato into rings and grate the cheese. Wash potatoes; peel and cut them into thin slices.
Put the ingredients in layers in a baking dish. Spread out a layer of chicken, then potatoes, and then tomatoes, pour the sour cream mixture and sprinkle with grated cheese on top.
Put in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
Put the finished dish on a plate.

Dinner: Cabbage salad and baked chicken

252 calories, 26 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 41.1 / 33.9 / 24.9

Ingredients:

100 g of cabbage
70 g of carrots
Half an onion
1 ½ tsp of olive oil
100 g of chicken breast
Wine vinegar, black pepper, dried rosemary, and other spices to taste

How to make cabbage salad and baked chicken?

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 392°F.
Wrap the chicken in foil add salt and spices to taste.
Send the chicken to the oven for 20-30 minutes.
Prepare the salad: finely chop the cabbage, peel the carrots and grate, peel the onion and cut into small cubes. Combine the cabbage, carrots, and onions in a deep bowl. Season with olive oil and wine vinegar. Add salt to taste and stir.
Serve the cooked chicken and salad on one plate.

Total calories for the day: 1336

Total protein for the day: 88 g

Friday

Breakfast: Omelet with ham and veggies

524 calories, 30 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 22.6 / 34.7 / 42.5

Ingredients:

25 g of ham
2 medium eggs
2 slices of Ezekiel bread
70 g of zucchini
70 g of eggplant
Half a small onion
Half a teaspoon of vegetable oil
Black pepper, herbs, and other spices to taste

How to make an omelet with ham and veggies?

Preheat a pan with oil. Slice eggplant and zucchini. Dice an onion and put it in the pan with the vegetables.
Fry for 3-5 minutes on medium heat until golden.
Add eggs and sliced ham, stir, reduce heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the pan and fry for 3-5 minutes; add herbs. Enjoy your dish with Ezekiel bread

Lunch: Beans salad

435 calories, 28 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 26.2 / 46.5 / 27.1

Ingredients:

80 g of canned beans
2 medium eggs
50 g of potatoes
Half a red onion
50 ml of Greek yogurt
Spices to taste
80 g of cucumber
25 g of Cheddar cheese

How to make beans salad?

Boil the jacket potatoes (put the potatoes in a pot of cold water and cook until tender for about 30 minutes).
Hard-boil the eggs.
Cut cucumbers, cooked eggs, and potatoes into small cubes, add canned beans, chopped red onions, and grated cheese
Season the salad with yogurt, salt, and pepper to taste, stir.

Dinner: Cauliflower pizza

415 calories, 40 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 38.2 / 41.4 / 20.3

Ingredients:

150 g of cauliflower
50 g of Mozzarella cheese
One medium egg
100 g of shrimp
One large tablespoon of tomato paste
25 g of mushrooms
50 g of bell peppers
Oregano and other spices to taste

How to make cauliflower pizza?

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F.
Boil the cauliflower and puree it with a blender.
Grate mozzarella.
Combine two-thirds of the mozzarella with cauliflower and egg, salt to taste, and mix well.
Put the mass on a baking dish covered with parchment.
Place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
After baking, brush the pizza base with tomato paste mixed with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the chilled shrimp on top.
Thinly chop the mushrooms, peppers, and onions, spread evenly on the pizza base next to the shrimp, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and oregano on top.
Place in the oven for another 10 minutes.

Total calories for the day: 1373

Total protein for the day: 98 g

Saturday

Breakfast: English fried eggs with bacon

675 calories, 33 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 19.7 / 33.8 / 46.3

Ingredients:

2 medium eggs
60 g of canned beans
10 g of bacon
40 g of tomato paste
Half a teaspoon of olive oil
3 thin slices of Ezekiel bread
Black pepper, and other spices to taste

How to make English fried eggs with bacon?

Preheat a frying pan with vegetable oil. Add tomato paste, a little water, beans, salt, and pepper to taste; stir and simmer these ingredients for 2-3 minutes.
Use a spatula to move the beans a little to the side and break the eggs into the same pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with bacon slices. Fry over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
Serve cooked bacon, eggs, and beans with toasted bread.

Lunch: Tongue salad

462 calories, 26 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 22.8 / 27.4 / 49.7

Ingredients:

200 g of potatoes
70 g of carrots
70 g of asparagus
4-5 olives
50 g of canned beans
150 g of cucumber
One large tablespoon of sour cream
Half a teaspoon of mustard
40 g of spinach
Black pepper, and other spices to taste
Half a teaspoon of vegetable oil
80 g of veal or beef tongue

How to make beef tongue salad?

Cut tongue into slices 0.5-1 cm thick, place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and cook over medium heat for 25 minutes.
While the meat is cooking, wash potatoes (you do not need to peel them). Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and cook under a lid for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat a frying pan with vegetable oil.
Meanwhile, dice asparagus and carrots into small cubes.
Place carrots and asparagus in the skillet and cook covered for 10 minutes over medium heat.
When the tongue is ready, drain the water and dice it into small cubes.
Peel and dice cucumber.
Chop spinach.
Peel and dice potatoes into small cubes.
Assemble the salad: combine the tongue, potatoes, asparagus, carrots, beans, cucumber, spinach, and olives in a deep bowl. Season with sour cream and mustard, and add salt and spices to taste.

Dinner: Cauliflower porridge with mussels

257 calories, 23 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 35.4 / 28.7 / 35.8

Ingredients:

200 g of cauliflower
75 ml of almond milk
Half a teaspoon of olive oil
Half a teaspoon of whole butter
150 g of mussels
100 g of cherry tomatoes
Herbs, oregano, garlic, and other spices to taste

How to make cauliflower porridge with mussels?

In a food processor, blender, or using a grater, grind the cauliflower florets so that they become pieces the size of a grain of rice.
Transfer the mass to a medium saucepan; add almond milk, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer on low, stirring for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is soft, smooth, and porridge-like.
Remove from heat; add oregano to taste. Cover and keep warm.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter, put the mussels and chopped garlic into it, stir.
Fry for 3-4 minutes while occasionally stirring. Remove from heat.
Divide the cauliflower porridge into bowls. Top with mussels, and next to it, serve chopped cocktail tomatoes.

Total calories for the day: 1394

Total protein for the day: 82 g

Sunday

Breakfast: Avocado toast with mozzarella

530 calories, 24 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 17.8 / 33.0 / 49.1

Ingredients:

4 thin slices of Ezekiel bread
Half a small avocado
Lemon juice and dried basil to taste
1 medium egg
100 g of tomato
20 g of Mozzarella cheese

How to make an avocado toast with mozzarella?

Cook egg in any convenient way: fry in a pan without oil, make an omelet, or a scrambled egg.
Toast the bread.
Spread cream cheese on bread. Peel and cut the avocado into slices and put it on the cheese. Then lay the egg and sliced tomato on top.
Sprinkle with dried herbs (for example, basil or mint) and lemon juice to taste.

Lunch: Cauliflower and turkey casserole

513 calories, 37 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 29.2 / 45.1 / 25.5

Ingredients:

100 g of cauliflower
2 medium eggs
90 g of turkey
Dill, black pepper, and other spices to taste
150 g of potatoes
40 ml of low-fat sour cream

How to make cauliflower and turkey casserole?

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 392°F.
While the oven is heating, prepare all the necessary ingredients: peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices, divide the cauliflower into small florets, cut the turkey into small cubes.
Prepare the filling: combine eggs, sour cream, and chopped dill in a deep bowl. Add salt and spices to taste.
Place vegetables and meat in a baking dish, cover with sour cream and egg mixture.
Place the dish in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Transfer the ready meal to a plate and serve!

Dinner: American egg salad on lettuce

300 calories, 22 g of protein

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 28.9 / 42.2 / 28.8

Ingredients:

2 medium eggs
80 g of celery
80 g of radish
100 g of green peas
30 ml of Greek yogurt
30 g of lettuce
Green onions, mustard, and other spices to taste

How to make American egg salad on lettuce?

Boil the eggs and cut them into cubes.
Mix them with yogurt, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste.
Finely chop the green onion and celery, grate the radish, and add them to the eggs together with the peas.
Spread the egg salad over lettuce and enjoy!

Total calories for the day: 1341

Total protein for the day: 83 g

FAQ

Are there foods that help burn belly fat?

As a matter of fact, a high-protein diet can make your tummy a bit flatter. The thing is, when you lower your carbs intake, you don’t have that much bloating, and your belly can look leaner. However, if we’re talking about the magical burning effect of specific foods on specific parts of your body… We’re sorry, but there is no such thing.

Every certified personal trainer or nutritionist will tell you just that: You cannot burn fat on a particular part of your body; you simply lose weight overall and hope that some part of it will come from parts of your body you don’t like. And there are also no fat-burning products that work automatically when you eat them; the calorie deficit makes you lose weight.

What is the recommended amount of protein per day?

There is still no unanimous position on how much protein a person should eat a day. According to the new dietary reference intakes¹⁶Ryan-Harshman M., Aldoori W. (2006, February). New Dietary Reference Intakes for Macronutrients and Fibre. Canadian Family Physician. PMID:16529389, both men and women should consume 0,8 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight a day. However, some researchers¹⁷Arentson-Lantz E., Clairmont S., Paddon-Jones D., et al. (2015, August). Protein: A Nutrient in Focus. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism. DOI:10.1139/apnm-2014-0530 state that this recommendation is too low.

Some scientists²Layman D. K., Anthony T. G., Rasmussen B. B., et al. (2015, June). Defining Meal Requirements for Protein to Optimize Metabolic Roles of Amino Acids. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI:10.3945/ajcn.114.084053 state that older people and pregnant women should eat at least one gram of protein per kilo of body weight. If you want to maintain or build muscle, you should increase this amount even further and have about 1.6 grams of protein per kilo¹Leidy H. J., Clifton P. M., Astrup A., et al. (2015, June). The Role of Protein in Weight Loss and Maintenance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. DOI:10.3945/ajcn.114.084038 every day.

A diet is considered high in protein if you get more than 25% of your calories from protein.

Is it true that too much protein can harm your health?

Too much of anything can harm your health!

If you eat too many calories from protein, you can gain weight. If you have a predisposition to kidney diseases, you increase your chances of discovering them.

If you get most of your protein from highly-processed sources rich in saturated fats (like sausages and red meat), you can also provoke some health issues.

In which cases should I opt for protein powder?

One of the reasons people buy protein powder is that it is an affordable source of high-quality protein. It is also easy to consume in shakes and drink on the go.

How much protein per meal should you eat?

More doesn’t always mean better. The thing is, the body can absorb just a part of the protein you eat, and the excess will be flushed in the toilet or stored as fat if you eat too many calories. The standard recommendation is to spread your protein needs throughout the day and have around 30 grams of protein in every meal.

Is protein necessary for muscle growth?

Yes, there is no way your body will build new cells of muscles without essential amino acids it doesn’t produce itself. The only way to give your body the building blocks to grow muscles is to eat protein.