The egg diet is super effective, affordable and easy for those trying to lose weight. Moreover, it does not consist of eggs alone. Nutritionists give many recommendations on how to diversify 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, the purpose of which is to limit carbohydrates and fats to the maximum extent possible. It seems to many that only eggs in different preparations are allowed on 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 proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, amino acids, and minerals. Used for weight loss, they contain a minimum of carbohydrates, but provide a feeling of fullness for a long time.
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-mode of eggs and grapefruit is easily tolerated physically and mentally. Experts say that there is no reason to fear eggs as harmful foods.
Main rules
In order for the weight loss regimen to give maximum effect, you should follow simple rules:
- Maintaining water balance. You need to drink at least 1. 5 liters of clean water per day. This will not only help you lose weight, but will relieve digestive problems.
- Make sure you have enough fiber in your food. Regardless of the number of meals per day, you need to consume a lot of raw vegetables each time. Fiber in sufficient quantities 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 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 7-8 pm.
- Dream. In this mode, you need to allocate at least 8 hours per day for sleep. You need to go to bed no later than 11 pm.
- Cooking food. The boiled egg diet involves eating a soft-boiled or hard-boiled product. From time to time you can make an omelet by baking it without fat. Additional products (vegetables or fruits) should be consumed raw, baked (oven, grilled), steamed or boiled. Fried foods can be made in a frying pan without fat.
- Spices. To improve the taste of products, you can season them with lemon juice and use any spices. But if hunger persists, it’s better to avoid gas stations.
- Eating raw eggs is dangerous; it is better not to do so.
- The egg diet can be practiced 1-2 times every 12 months, not more often.
- To avoid breakdowns on a long-term limited diet, the main product is sometimes allowed to be replaced with surrogates in the form of lean cottage cheese or meat.
- Parallel physical activity will be very useful for losing weight in the shortest possible time.
How does the egg diet work?
Relating to protein, 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 grapefruits. The effect on the body is based on special biochemical reactions, so a course of 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 protein-rich diet ensures a long-lasting feeling of fullness.
The egg diet has several variations that target 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 liquid white with a dense yolk, which are surrounded by a shell. Protein is an easily digestible, pure protein that must 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. The amino acid choline regulates cholesterol levels, lecithin strengthens memory, and serves as a preventive measure for vascular sclerosis. There is no point in listing all the beneficial properties of eggs.
Horror stories about cholesterol
Opponents of eating eggs argue their position due to the high content of cholesterol in eggs, which is dangerous for the body. It forms plaques on the walls of blood vessels, which clog the ducts and impede blood circulation. 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 that is found in excess in processed heavy fats - in sausages, chips, confectionery. 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, this depends on the size of the eggs, which can differ by 2 times. One 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 daily increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases by 5 times. But again, all these statements are relative, since the conclusions were made 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 so. The leading argument of lovers of raw eggs is that they are a delicacy for many animals and birds, but they are not able to cook an omelet or scrambled eggs for themselves. But in industrial production conditions, there is a high risk of eggs becoming infected with salmonellosis, a dangerous infectious disease. The longer the raw materials are stored, the higher this risk. Only product obtained from healthy chickens can be consumed raw, but only fresh, with the shell intact. It is better to consume on an empty stomach, 30-40 minutes before the main breakfast.
Pros and cons of the egg diet
This type of protein nutrition 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 - 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 due to eggs. But not everything is so simple and unambiguous; 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 process of losing weight, the skin does not sag.
- Psychologically, restrictions are easily tolerated; the likelihood of a breakdown is minimized thanks to a varied menu.
- Excess fluid is expelled from the body.
- The result of losing weight is fixed for a long time; in a 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 diet of athletes. 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 slimness and beauty, and well nourish the body of the expectant mother during pregnancy or lactation. Due to egg white, the placenta is formed normally, the amino acid choline promotes the development of the fetal brain.
Flaws
For all 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 accustomed to eating small and often meals, three meals a day without snacks may be accompanied by bouts 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.
- Liver pathologies.
If you have any 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 stopped immediately and switched to a full diet.
Menu for losing weight
By its nature, the egg diet is not 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; it pays for all costs. Below is a complete menu for courses of different durations.
For 3 days
Depending on your initial body weight, you can lose 2-5 extra kg in just 3 days. Basic principles of the 3-day egg diet for losing weight:
- There should be no more than 3 meals per day.
- Breaks between meals are 4 hours.
- In 1 meal you need to eat 1 type of vegetables.
- If you are very hungry, you should drink green tea with lemon juice.
For 3 days you need to stick to the menu: 3 chicken eggs plus 1 grapefruit; as much as you want - vegetable salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, Chinese cabbage; any tea; plain water - unlimited; no more than 300 gr. diet drinks per day.
For 5 days
Eliminates 3-6 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 |
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 Peking shrimp. |
cottage cheese 5% fat – 0. 1 kg. |
For 7 days
A more stringent 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:
Attention! Here and below, 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 |
SA |
2G |
– |
3 |
– |
1A |
– |
4 |
– |
– |
2A |
5 |
– |
SA |
– |
6 |
SA |
2A |
– |
7 |
1G |
1G |
Other 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 boiled chicken. |
200 gr. 1. 5% kefir. |
3 |
tea. |
0. 2 kg veal. |
– |
4 |
greens, as much as you like. |
0. 2 kg chicken breast, 0. 15 kg vegetable salad (Beijing, tomatoes, cucumbers, 2 tbsp. 10% sour cream). |
– |
5 |
0. 2 kg vegetable salad (boiled carrots, greens, 2 tbsp. 10% sour cream) |
two fresh grated carrots. |
0. 2 kg stewed cod. |
6 |
0. 15 kg. 7% cottage cheese. |
– |
green tea. |
7 |
– |
0. 2 kg beef |
green tea. |
For 2 week
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 |
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 from it. |
0. 2 kg. vinaigrette without dressing, 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. 1 kg. boiled hake, 0. 2 kg. vinaigrette without dressing, tea or coffee. |
5, 12 |
coffee, spinach without limitation. |
0. 1 kg. boiled hake, 0. 2 kg. vinaigrette, 0. 1 kg. Beijing, herbal tea. |
6, 13 |
0. 2 kg. fruit salad (oranges, pears, apples, kiwi). |
0. 15 kg veal 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 obligatory morning egg with citrus, are allowed to be eaten during the day, as much and whenever you want. Daily menu:
- Unsweetened fruits
- Any vegetables, boiled or fresh.
- The same.
- Hake fish without restrictions, boiled vegetables 200g, Chinese cabbage 0. 2 kg.
- Chicken, boiled vegetables unlimited.
- One type of permitted fruit is unlimited – all day long. For example, all day - only apples or apricots.
- Same.
Quitting the diet
The correct exit from the protein diet will help to consolidate the achieved result. This will also allow you to lose weight for some time. A strict egg diet requires adherence to the cornerstone principle of getting out of it - 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 need to eat no more than 0. 15 kg of protein food for lunch, and 200 g of vinaigrette for dinner. This will relieve the body from severe stress and smoothly switch it to normal nutrition without shock overload of the pancreas, liver, and kidneys. To do this, in the first week after completing the course, you need to 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 1st week. It is better to start consuming foods fried in oil no earlier than 3 weeks after the course. You need to include 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 one 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. Carbohydrate foods should not be consumed after 14: 00. 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 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 up to 15% sour cream, lemon juice or olive oil. You should continue to drink about 2 liters of still water per day. Limit your intake of salt and sugar. Avoid seasonings with monosodium glutamate, e. g. flavor enhancer.
According to the season, the daily diet needs to be replenished with fresh fruits and vegetables. In order for food to be better absorbed, the meal should be stretched out as long as possible, chewing each piece thoroughly. There is no need to watch TV or read anything while eating. If you're distracted, you can easily eat too much. During a meal, you need to concentrate on it and eat slowly.
When leaving the course, you should engage in physical exercise, walk as much as possible, and avoid the elevator 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 acquired slimness 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: lean milk, cheese, fermented milk products.
- Tea coffee.
- Seasonings: any, but without monosodium glutamate.
Prohibited Products
The global list of prohibited foods is the same as for other food restriction regimes:
- alcoholic drinks,
- flour,
- sugar,
- cereals,
- potato,
- pasta,
- chocolate,
- confectioner,
- everything fatty: meat products, sour cream, mayonnaise, cream, any fat,
- nuts,
- honey,
- soft cheese,
- from fruits: any grapes, bananas, dried fruits,
- salt, which retains fluid in tissues.
Healthy recipes
The egg diet prescribes the consumption of mainly boiled eggs. But to diversify the menu, other dishes from them are not prohibited. This will slow down your weight loss a little, but the process will be easier to endure. You need to make sure that all recipes are low-calorie.
Omelette with vegetables
Healthy, simple recipe. Finely chop a tomato, half a bell 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.
Omelette with mushrooms
Simmer several chopped champignons in a frying pan. Separately, fry the beaten mixture of milk, two eggs, salt and pepper. Place stewed mushrooms on the scrambled omelette and cover with the other half of the omelette. Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
Roll
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 place finely chopped onion, preferably red pepper, bell pepper, and parsley on this pancake. You can put a little processed or cottage cheese. Distribute the minced meat evenly throughout the pancake, roll it up.
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 simmer. Divide the resulting mass into baking dishes. Pour the egg mixture on top and place in a hot oven for 10 minutes. This is a great breakfast or dinner.
Healthy pizza
Combine 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 chopped tomatoes, herbs, sweet peppers, and olives. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes. The result is a tasty, 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 have an egg-kefir diet, use yogurt or low-fat 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 low-calorie filling. For decoration, use greens or shrimp meat.
Experts' opinion
Nutritionists have not come to a unanimous opinion about the "egg" way to lose 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 planning to take a "protein course", consult a doctor you trust.
Opinions and results
Analyzing the reviews 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 get back to normal after childbirth. The most negative comments are left mainly by merciless critics of any restrictions and the eggs themselves, who have never personally dealt with "this nonsense. "But there are people who tried it, but were unhappy with the results. Understanding the situation, it becomes clear that this happened either because of a breakdown or because of an allergy.