How To Do The High Protein Diet

According to MayoClinic.com, a high-protein diet can help you lose weight effectively, especially at the beginning of your program. Over the long term, however, high-protein diets are not always a good choice, as they can cause kidney problems and high cholesterol, especially if the diet is also high in fat. If you have a medical condition or if you plan on following a high protein diet for a long time, talk to your doctor first.

Step 1

Choose what type of protein diet you want to follow before you get started. There are many options available, from low-fat to raw protein diets. Some diets focus on weight loss, while others are especially designed to control blood sugar or help you gain muscle. If you want to follow a specific high-protein diet, like Atkins or South Beach, get a copy of the related book or explore the diet's official website to get specific guidelines.

Step 2

Determine how much protein you're going to eat. If you're following a specific plan, like Atkins, you won't have to count grams of protein. If you're designing your own high-protein diet, pick the amount you'll eat in advance. The recommended amount of protein is the result of your body weight multiplied by 0.36. For example, if you weigh 170 lbs., you should be eating 61 g of protein. However, high-protein diets allow up to 1 g of protein per pound of body weight.

Step 3

Pick proteins based on how much carbohydrate you plan on eating. If you're not counting carbs, dairy and processed meats can be part of your eating plan. If you want to follow a low-carb diet, avoid these, as they contain sugars in the form of sucrose or added sweeteners.

Step 4

Build each meal around a protein item. For example, have an omelet for breakfast, a piece of grilled chicken for lunch and fish for dinner. Complement the meals by adding vegetable or whole grains as a small side dish. Protein should constitute the main part of the meal, however.

Step 5

Choose lean meat proteins such as fish and chicken over beef, pork and whole-fat dairy products. Take the skin off poultry before you eat it. Add beans, nuts, lentils and tofu for a low-fat alternative to meat.