Metabolic diet: menus, pros and cons
The metabolic diet allows you to lose weight by accelerating metabolic processes in the body. This method of losing weight is very effective and efficient.
Despite the fact that the diet lasts for a long time, the result will certainly delight a losing weight person. The weight goes off smoothly. In a week, you can lose from 0.5 to 1.5 kg of weight. As a result, the monthly plumb line is equal to 2-6 kg. Such a slow disposal of fat reserves in the body makes it possible not to harm health. In addition, the result is stable.
Content:
- The essence of the metabolic diet
- Metabolic syndrome
- Principles of the metabolic diet
- Diet stages
- Metabolic Diet Food Table
- Fully or partially limited products
- How to calculate points correctly?
- Metabolic Diet Menu
- Recipes for the metabolic diet
- Pros and cons of a metabolic diet
- Contraindications
- Reviews and results
- Conclusion
The essence of the metabolic diet
The essence of the diet boils down to the fact that metabolic processes in the body return to normal, hormonal levels stabilize. The menu is designed in such a way that the production of some hormones will be inhibited, while the production of other hormones, on the contrary, will be accelerated. Insulin and estrogen will be synthesized more slowly in the body. It is known that they contribute to the accumulation of fat reserves. More adrenaline and testosterone will be produced, as their action is aimed at burning excess fat. This will not only allow you to lose weight, but also prevent its re-accumulation.
It is important during the metabolic diet to properly distribute meals throughout the day. At breakfast, be sure to eat foods that are sources of complex carbohydrates. Calorie content is calculated by points. So in the morning hours you should gain more points. For lunch and dinner, the calorie content of the dishes gradually decreases. During the last meal, only vegetables and protein products are allowed.
Metabolic syndrome
The metabolic diet can be followed by those people who do not have health problems. It can be practiced for metabolic syndrome. It is a complex of symptoms that occur against the background of obesity with disorders of carbohydrate metabolism.
Metabolic syndrome is not a medical diagnosis, but according to available statistics, it affects about 2.5 million people worldwide. The metabolic syndrome is expressed mainly in obesity.
Its other manifestations are the following signs:
- The person is constantly feeling thirsty.
- The emergence of a feeling of hunger is accompanied by increased aggression, or apathy.
- During the night's rest, there is increased sweating.
- If it is not possible to take food on time, a person develops weakness.
- The desire to eat something sweet is constantly present. Often haunted by attacks of rapid heartbeat.
- After eating protein foods, drowsiness increases.
The main rule of the metabolic diet is the correct distribution of foods throughout the day, which allows you to stabilize metabolic processes. The food scheme is simple and understandable to every person. It is based on scoring. They are assigned to all foods and depend on their calorie content.
Principles of the metabolic diet
The principles of the metabolic diet are as follows:
- Each product has its own score, which depends on its calorie content. The higher it is, the higher the score will be. Accordingly, the faster this product is processed by the body into fat reserves. To create a menu, you need to add points and not allow them to be exceeded at different meals.
- The permissible level of points cannot be exceeded, but you can eat less.
- If a meal has been skipped, points cannot be added up at lunch, dinner or breakfast.
- The maximum time between meals is 3 hours.
- At one time, you need to consume a portion of no more than 250 g.
- On an empty stomach, you need to drink a glass of water.
- You can't eat before bed. The last meal should take place no later than 3 hours before the night's rest.
- Every day you need to drink at least 2 liters of clean water.
- During the diet, vitamin and mineral complexes should be taken.
- Acceptable methods of cooking food are boiling and steam cooking. You cannot fry food.
- The salt on the menu should be limited. The same applies to semi-finished products.
- Emphasis should be placed on plant foods (cereals, vegetables, fruits), cottage cheese and other fermented milk products and drinks.
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Meat can be eaten only of dietary varieties and no more than 1 time per day. During the rest of the meals, it is allowed to replace it with fish and chicken eggs.
- You can only eat bread that is made from whole grain flour or with the addition of bran.
Diet stages
The diet involves going through three consecutive stages:
- Burning fat is the first step. Its duration is 10-14 days.
- Normalization is the second step. Its duration is 14-90 days.
- Anchoring is the third stage. Its duration is unlimited.
The first stage is fat burning. During the fat burning stage, weight will go away quickly. In this case, the menu will have to be very strict, since it sharply restricts carbohydrate food and fats (no more than a tablespoon of olive oil per day). This stage cannot last more than two weeks. If a person begins to suffer from a deterioration in well-being, then the time frame should be shortened. Specific terms are discussed with a nutritionist and depend on the individual characteristics of the organism.
During this period, only those dishes that have 0 points are eaten. The menu is based on protein products, namely, dietary meat and low-fat dairy drinks. Supplement the diet with fresh vegetables.
The second stage is normalizing. The normalizing stage is the longest in time. It lasts until the person reaches the weight he needs. Fats are burned slowly but steadily, which helps prevent health problems.
The third stage is fixing. The fixing phase is the last phase of the diet and aims to stabilize the results. It is very easily tolerated by people who lose weight. By this time, the body had fully adapted to the new menu. Refusal of harmful products has already become a habit, therefore, it does not cause either psychological or physiological discomfort.
One point is added to each meal (except for dinner, it equates to 0 points). The break between approaches to the table is also equivalent to 3 hours.
Metabolic Diet Food Table
| 0 points | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points |
|
Rabbit meat; Low-fat fish varieties; Chicken and quail eggs; Mushrooms; All fresh vegetables; All fresh herbs; Fermented milk and milk drinks, the fat content of which does not exceed 2%; Green pea; Spice; Lemons; Sour apples; Garlic and onions. |
All fresh berries; Fresh vegetable based juices. |
Boiled beets and carrots; Hen; Mutton; Veal; Buckwheat, rice, oatmeal; Olives; Avocado; Feta; All fresh nuts; Fermented milk and milk drinks, the fat content of which is 4%. |
Hard cheeses; Druzhba cheese; Wheat groats; Fruit juices; Natural yoghurts. |
Goose and duck; Game; Dairy and fermented milk products with a fat content of more than 4%; Semolina; Mayonnaise; Packaged juices; Beer; Sweets; Fresh bread and all baked goods; Alcoholic drinks; Carbonated drinks. |
Fully or partially limited products
In general, the diet does not imply absolute prohibitions. However, if you eat only those foods that have 4 points, then the weight will not go away.
To continue to lose weight, you need to limit yourself in the consumption of the following components:
- Sources of fast carbohydrates: condensed milk, all baked goods, all sweets, sugar, chocolate, candy, ice cream.
- Potatoes and wheat flour bread.
- Store juices and dried fruits.
- All fatty meats and all fatty fish.
- Any fatty dairy products.
- Sausage, bacon, canned oil, sausages, etc.
- Semolina and pasta.
- Fried foods, hot spices, mayonnaise.
How to calculate points correctly?
For example, during the next meal you need to score 4 points.
This can be achieved in the following ways:
- They eat a product from the “4 points” list and supplement the diet with a product from the “0 points” list.
- They eat a product from the “3 points” list, supplement the menu with a product from the “1 point” list. If you want, you can eat another product from the "0 points" list.
- Eat 2 products from the "2 points" list.
- The average portion should not exceed 250 ml.
- It is best to create a menu with products with lower scores, combining them with each other.
Metabolic Diet Menu
Stage 1 menu
| Approaches to the table | First menu option | Second menu option |
| First meal | Chicken fillet in the oven, green peas and a glass of tea. | Omelet with milk (2 eggs) and salad (tomatoes + cucumber + olive oil). |
| Snack No. 1 | Bran flour bread, low-fat milk (glass). | Cottage cheese with 0% fat, tea with lemon, but no sugar. |
| Main meal | Minestrone soup, rabbit stew, salad (tomatoes + cucumbers). | Fish broth, stewed mushrooms, cucumber. |
| Snack number 2 | Steamed cod, green peas. | Seaweed, salad (garlic + carrot + lemon juice). |
| Last meal | Turkey, steamed broccoli. | Chicken fillet, vegetable salad (bell pepper + tomatoes). |
Stage 2 menu
| Breakfast | Snack | Dinner | Snack | Dinner | |
| Salad (egg + sour cream + greens), tea and bread | Yogurt | Boiled turkey with buckwheat, cucumber, lemon water | Nuts (100 g), tea | Vegetable salad, stewed mushrooms, 2% fat milk | |
| Hercules with berries, milk | Fermented baked milk, nuts (50 g), fruits | Baked rabbit meat | Fruit and tea | Stewed seafood with sour cream, boiled egg | |
| Bread and cheese, fruit, tea | Yogurt, fresh berries | Chicken fillet, beans (100 g) | Vegetable salad | Baked fish, ½ tomato, ½ cucumber | |
| Muesli with milk | Yogurt and fruit | Turkey meat, salad (arugula + feta) | Vegetable salad, fermented baked milk | Boiled egg, green peas, greens | |
| five | Hercules with berries | Bread and cheese, a glass of milk | Stewed mushrooms, salad (dill + goat cheese) | Low-fat fermented baked milk ½ cup | Baked tuna, green peas |
| Salad (egg + parsley), tea and fruit of your choice | Cottage cheese with raisins | Soup with vegetables and seafood | Ryazhenka and berries | Seafood with sour cream and dill | |
| Omelet and feta cheese, a glass of tea | Cottage cheese, nuts (50 g) | Boiled chicken breast, salad (garlic + beets) | Vegetable salad, glass of yogurt | Boiled egg, tomato, green peas |
3 stage menu
| Approach to the table | Product points |
| First meal | five |
| Snack No. 1 | |
| Main meal | |
| Snack number 2 | |
| Last meal |
Recipes for the metabolic diet
Dishes for 0 points
Eggs with mushrooms
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Champignons - 0.1 kg;
- Green peas and asparagus - 50 g;
- Egg - 2 pcs;
- Olive oil;
- Greens;
- Garlic - 2 cloves.
The mushrooms are chopped and fried, and asparagus and green peas are introduced into the same pan. After 5 minutes, add eggs and garlic to the vegetables. Sprinkle chopped herbs on the dish before serving.
Tuna with peas
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Small fish;
- 150 g green peas;
- Lemon;
- Seasonings.
The tuna is peeled from the scales, all the insides are removed from it, laid out on foil along with frozen green peas and lemon. Sprinkle the fish with seasonings. The foil is wrapped and put into the oven. Bake at 180 ° C for 60 minutes.
Chicken soup
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- 0.2 kg of chicken breast;
- Half a can of green peas;
- Green beans - 0.1 kg;
- Celery root;
- Egg;
- Seasonings;
- 1500 ml of water.
The meat is cooked separately, the egg is separately. Peas, celery and green beans are poured into boiling water, boiled for 15 minutes. Then add chicken fillet to the soup. The dish is served with a chicken egg.
"One-point" dishes
Chicken and Bean Salad
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Tomatoes.
- Chicken fillet.
- Red beans.
- Lettuce leaves.
- Seasonings.
- Lemon juice.
- Onion.
Boiled chicken breast, onions and tomatoes are cut, beans are added to them. Season with lemon juice and mix. Salad ready.
Stewed eggplants with tomatoes and beans
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Eggplant.
- Tomatoes.
- Green beans.
- Dill.
- Garlic.
- Salt.
- Pepper.
Eggplants are cut, salted and left for a while so that they get rid of the bitterness. Tomatoes are peeled, cut into cubes. Beans with eggplants are fried in a saucepan, then tomatoes, garlic and dill are added there, salt and pepper the dish. Before the end of stewing, you can season the dish with lemon juice.
Mousse with cottage cheese and berries
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- 0.4 kg of cottage cheese;
- 0.2 kg of plums;
- 0.4 kg cherries;
- 4 chicken eggs;
- Honey - 2 tablespoons.
Using a blender, cottage cheese, honey, eggs, and boneless cherries are mixed. The finished mass is poured into molds and cooled. Before serving, add plum pulp to the mousse.
"Two-point" dishes
Greek salad
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Tomatoes.
- Cucumbers.
- Red onion.
- Feta.
- Olives.
- Olive oil.
- Lemon juice.
- Basil.
- Pepper.
Sauce: mix lemon juice, spices and oil. The remaining ingredients are coarsely chopped and mixed, olives and basil are added, seasoned with sauce.
Casserole with beans and herbs
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Green beans.
- Egg.
- Vegetable oil.
- Spinach.
- Greens of onions and parsley.
- Salt and spices.
The beans are boiled and mixed with chopped spinach and herbs. Season all the ingredients with oil, add seasonings and salt. Spread out in a heat-resistant form, pour over with eggs and bake in the oven.
Salad with green peas and sauerkraut
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- 0.65 kg of sauerkraut;
- 0.27 kg of canned peas;
- Onion;
- Vegetable oil.
Squeeze cabbage, mix with peas, add chopped onions to them, season with vegetable oil and mix again. Salad ready.
Three-point dishes
Turkey cutlets
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To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Boneless turkey.
- Salt and spices.
- Dill.
- Cheese.
The meat is twisted in a meat grinder, chopped greens are added to it, and salted. Then diced cheese is introduced into the minced meat, kneaded thoroughly. Cutlets are baked in the oven.
Crab stick salad
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Crab sticks.
- Frozen corn.
- Cucumber.
- Greens.
- Sour cream.
- Salt.
All products are cut, corn is added, the dish is seasoned with sour cream and salted. Salad ready.
"Four-point" dishes
Casserole with potatoes and mushrooms
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Champignons.
- Potatoes.
- Olive oil.
- Onion head.
- Pepper, salt.
- Cheese.
- Seasonings.
Potatoes are boiled in a peel, peeled, cut into slices. Onions are fried with mushrooms, salt and pepper. Spread a layer of potatoes, sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper. Then spread the mixture of mushrooms and onions, then potatoes again. Bake the dish. When it is almost ready, sprinkle it with grated cheese and wait for it to melt.
Oatmeal with berries
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- Cereals.
- Berries.
Oatmeal is boiled, salted. Serve porridge to the table, decorating with berries.
Okroshka with chicken fillet
To prepare the dish, you will need the following products:
- 0.4 kg chicken fillet.
- 5 boiled eggs.
- 4 jacket potatoes.
- 2 cucumbers.
- 1.5 liters of kefir.
- A liter of whey.
- 30 g dill.
- Lemon juice and salt.
Chicken fillet is boiled, cut into cubes, cucumbers, potatoes and eggs are chopped in a similar way, greens are chopped. All products are mixed, poured with kefir. The required density is achieved with the help of serum. Okroshka is salted, lemon juice is poured in, put into the refrigerator for 3 hours.
Pros and cons of a metabolic diet
Diet Pros:
- The diet is easily tolerated.
- The diet menu is balanced.
- During the diet, hormones and metabolic processes are stabilized.
- The work of the organs of the digestive system improves.
- The skin becomes smoother and more elastic.
Cons of the diet:
- The first stage of the diet can be difficult, since the menu involves a sharp restriction of carbohydrate foods.
- Increased gassing is possible.
Contraindications
Contraindications to diet:
- Carrying a baby and breastfeeding.
- Diseases of the digestive system.
- Children's and old age.
- Endocrine system pathologies.
- Oncological diseases.
Reviews and results
Tatiana, 30 years old: “When I first heard about the metabolic diet, it seemed to me doubtful that you can eat so varied and lose weight. I decided to try it on myself. The first stage was very difficult, but during this time I managed to lose 10 kg. The second phase lasted 4 months. When I reached 60 kg, I stopped losing weight. Now for me the metabolic diet is a way of life."
Svetlana: “For 4 weeks of the diet, I lost 8 kg. I couldn’t stick to the metabolic diet any longer because I started having kidney problems. It turns out that the protein menu is contraindicated for me. Therefore, the first phase lasted only 4 days, after which I immediately proceeded to the second phase. The diet is not hungry, I do not want to eat on it at all. The stomach and intestines began to work properly. I advise only those people who are 100% healthy to stick to this diet. The result suits me perfectly, but I will not experiment again”.
Marina: “The second birth, apart from the child, gave me 23 kilograms of fat reserves. At that time I weighed 76 kg with a height of 1 m 63 cm. I decided to try the metabolic diet on myself. It was difficult to give up such tasty "bad things" as candy or fried potatoes. During the first month of the diet, I managed to get rid of 6 kg of excess weight, then I lost 3 kg each subsequent month. For 5 months of the diet I managed to get in shape."
Conclusion
The metabolic diet is a nutritional system, not a weight loss technique. The diet is quite balanced, it contains all the nutrients the body needs. The menu is well organized. Therefore, such a diet can be followed throughout life, which will avoid many health problems.
The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
