Healthy High-Protein Diet

High-protein diets are diets that are low in sweets and carbohydrates, especially potatoes, breads and pasta. These diets focus primarily on high-protein and high-fat foods such as meat, chicken, eggs, cheese, nuts and beans. The body uses fats and carbohydrates for energy. The general idea about high-protein diets is that when you limit that amount of carbs that your body takes in, you are forced to use stored fat for energy.

Diet Plan

A high-protein diet gives you around 100 grams of protein per day. A typical day on a high-protein diet would be: for breakfast--two eggs, one sausage link or two pieces of turkey bacon, two slices of whole wheat toast, 1/2 grapefruit and 1/2 cup of low-fat or skim milk. Lunch would consist of 3 oz. of chicken, two pieces of whole wheat bread and 1/2 cup of vegetables; and dinner would include 4 oz. of lean meat, fish or chicken and 1 cup of carrots or other vegetable. Snacks for the day might include peanut butter with celery, laughing cow cheese or nuts.

Advantages

Diets that are high in protein are easier to stick with because proteins tend to leave you feeling full longer; thus, you are less likely to cheat. Cheating is one of the most common failures of diets. A lot of high-protein foods, such as hamburgers or steak, can be eaten without guilt. Other foods that can be eaten are low-carb foods such as salads and other greens.

Popular High-Protein Diets

The most popular diet plans that are high protein are Atkins, the Zone Diet and Sugar Busters. With these diets, you consume very few carbs. The Atkins diet claims to teach you how to eat right for life and how to turn your body from a carb-burning machine to a fat-burning machine. The Atkins website also makes claims that you will lose up to 15 lbs. your first 2 weeks on the plan. These diets do promote quick weight loss, but a good deal of the weight lost in the first few weeks will be water weight. As with any plan, you should seek the advice of your physician first.