The main question among people involved in sports is how to lose weight while maintaining muscle and without compromising the intensity of training? A nutrition system has been developed that is recommended by nutritionists and trainers - protein-carbohydrate alternation, or BUC for short. What's the secret? Let's figure it out together!
Increasingly, protein-carbohydrate alternation is used for weight loss among athletes and nutrition-conscious people. This technique eliminates subcutaneous fat by alternating foods rich in proteins and carbohydrates.
At the same time, the body’s daily need for energy and nutrients is fully satisfied, so the feeling of hunger does not appear on the diet. Excess weight slowly but surely disappears forever.
In this article you will learn:
- how the protein-carbohydrate alternation diet works and the presence of contraindications;
- classical approaches to constructing cycles on BEACH and the possible duration of the diet;
- how to create a menu for a protein-carbohydrate diet and examples of recipes.
Basic principles of protein-carbohydrate alternation
If there is more energy received from food than consumed per day, the body stores the excess as fat. An excessive calorie deficit, which those losing weight create in the early stages and enjoy rapid weight loss, leads to loss of water and muscle mass. This happens because nutrients from muscle fiber are more accessible than fat reserves.
As soon as the body realizes that there is nothing left to get from the muscles, only then the hated kilograms are used. This explains the phenomenon where a long and strict diet leaves a high percentage of subcutaneous fat in the body, despite a low overall body weight.
A diet based on the BEAM principle misleads the body:
- Protein days are stressful but provide enough nutrients to maintain muscle tissue. Energy consumption occurs due to “strategic reserves” of fat;
- prolonged stress is perceived by the body as a threat and activates the preservation of fat depots, but carbohydrate days come into play. As a result, there are no stress factors, metabolism does not slow down;
- return to protein days and further in a circle.
Using the method, you can deceive the body and not slow down your metabolism, burning extra pounds. Another advantage is the preservation and development of muscle mass, since the tissue is not consumed to nourish the body.
Alternating protein and carbohydrate days according to Malysheva’s scheme
You can quickly lose extra pounds by following the express BUTCH scheme from Elena Malysheva. This is a stressful but effective method, thanks to which you can get rid of 5 kg of fat in just 10 days. The essence of the diet is to alternate protein and low-carb days. The menu is extremely simple:
Mono-protein day
It is recommended to start the morning with a boiled egg and a glass of water. During the day you can only eat boiled chicken. On this day, the body receives a shock dose of protein, the processing of which uses energy from fat reserves.
Low carb day
Dish of the day: raw vegetable salad:
- Carrots – 500 gr.
- Cabbage – 500 gr.
- Beetroot – 500 gr.
- Flaxseed oil – 1 tbsp.
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice - to taste.
Grate the vegetables, season with lemon juice, add oil. Divide into equal portions. Eat during the day.
Vegetables are foods with the lowest GI (glycemic index), which means that eating such a salad causes a calorie deficit in the body. Accordingly, fat continues to be burned. Eating salad has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract, removing toxins and waste, purifying the blood and improving well-being.
Meals according to this Butch scheme should not exceed 10 days.
Effect on the body
A balanced and delicate protein-carbohydrate diet for weight loss with a rich menu gives a signal to the body to burn its own fat reserves without the feeling of hunger and exhaustion. What happens in the process:
- burning fat without using muscle fibers. The body becomes embossed;
- losing weight on protein days;
- carbohydrate days replenish energy reserves, provide strength and prevent depression, and maintain performance;
- the body receives important macroelements, so hair, nails, skin and health do not suffer;
- A variety of food enters the stomach, so there is no getting used to a certain set of foods.
The most important thing is the absence of stress for the central nervous system and a full menu with useful microelements, so a protein-carbohydrate diet maintains the health of those losing weight without affecting the quality of life.
Recommendations
To add your experience to the successful examples of weight loss on the BUTCH diet, follow these recommendations:
- During BUCH, you need to eat every 3 hours, dividing all food into 5-6 meals. Dinner must be protein-rich, even on a mixed and carbohydrate day.
- Don't forget to drink about 2 liters of water per day. This is especially important on protein days.
- Alcohol is prohibited during the diet.
- If you exercise, try not to workout on the second protein day, as you are most likely to feel weak during this time.
Disadvantages of the BUCH system
The system of alternating proteins and carbohydrates is used mainly by athletes, but even supporters of iron sports avoid training for a number of reasons:
- Difficulty of nutrition: even if you follow the principles of protein-carbohydrate alternation, the menu must be systematically adjusted to make weight loss easy. Before you decide on a nutritional scheme and plan in the percentage of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, you will need to try the method several times;
- psychological preparation: not many people can have the patience and time to prepare a diet specifically for a low-carb or high-carb day;
- change in indicators: weight loss occurs in two days, and weight gain occurs in one day. If you get carried away with carbohydrates during the loading phase, weight gain will show up on the scale.
Why does this work?
In order to understand the essence of the BEACH diet, you need to learn more about protein-carbohydrate alternation. So. By eating protein, you can get rid of fat reserves in the body and lose weight. But if you eat only protein foods, as happens, for example, on the Atkins diet, then at one point the body begins to look for other sources of energy. And muscles become such a source.
To prevent the loss of muscle tissue, carbohydrate days are provided, which replenish the body's carbohydrate reserves for a short period of time. Thus, it does not switch to muscle processing, but uses adipose tissue. If you increase the number of protein days, this can have the opposite effect of fat storage.
Detailed description of the BUTCH diet
Calculations are based on dry weight, that is, without fat. Consider the classic 2-1-1 protein-carbohydrate nutrition scheme:
- Day 1 – protein: protein is consumed at the rate of 3 g per 1 kg of weight. Carbohydrate products are not consumed. The exception is fiber contained in green vegetables in the amount of 50 g of carbohydrates (not product);
- Day 2 – protein: identical to the first day;
- Day 3 – carbohydrate: the amount of protein is reduced to 1.5 g per 1 kg of weight, and carbohydrates are calculated from the ratio of 4 g per 1 kg;
- Day 4 – mixed: a day of proper nutrition balanced in proteins and carbohydrates.
It is important that the calculated daily calorie intake for weight loss is not exceeded on high-carbohydrate days, so you should carefully monitor the food you eat.
Duration of the BUTCH diet and how to get out of it correctly
The duration of the diet ranges from 7 to 28 days. During this time you can lose weight:
- in 7 days – up to 5 kg;
- in 10 days – up to 7 kg;
- in 14 days – up to 10 kg;
- in 28 days – up to 15 kg.
The result directly depends on the weight. The higher it is, the more active the reduction in body weight. At the same time, the BCH system allows you to achieve your physiological weight, and not lose more weight than normal, as during hunger strikes.
To maintain the results, you need to exit the diet correctly. For the last week, change the system daily (protein, carbohydrate, mixed period and again). Then begin to gradually introduce foods from your usual table. Add 1-2 new dishes to your diet every day, including fats. And only a month after completing the diet you can return to your usual diet.
Authorized Products
The list below will make it easier to compile a grocery basket:
Squirrels
Lean protein ingredients do not contain many calories, which allows you to consume large portions of the finished dish:
- low-fat dairy products: kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt without additives, milk, fermented baked milk, hard cheese;
- fish: pollock, tuna, pink salmon, flounder;
- seafood: without exception;
- meat: beef, veal, rabbit;
- poultry: chicken and turkey fillet without skin;
- legumes: chickpeas, lentils, beans;
- chicken, quail egg;
- nuts.
Carbohydrates
During BEACH, only complex carbohydrates are used, and during the carbohydrate day, fruits are added:
- vegetables and greens (except potatoes, pumpkin);
- fruits (except banana, grapes);
- bread and pasta made from durum wheat;
- cereals: oatmeal, buckwheat, brown rice.
Fats
It is permissible to season salads with unrefined vegetable oils and additionally consume fish oil.
Cooking tips, allowed and prohibited foods
Due to the characteristics of most of the necessary products, it cannot be said that protein-carbohydrate alternation puts us in strict conditions .
The main products recommended for consumption during its observance contain all the elements - for example, dairy. It is impossible to completely give up carbohydrates .
On protein days, you need to carefully monitor your calorie intake, and all meals should be low in fat . It does not matter what origin these fats are – vegetable or animal.
Good foods on such days would be low-fat cottage cheese, fish, especially tuna, and “light” meat - chicken.
The diet needs to be planned carefully . The portion of protein on protein-free days must be controlled. There is no need to count the number of other elements: they are completely excluded at this time. It is enough to reduce their consumption to a minimum.
On days of taking carbohydrates, the diet should consist only of foods rich in carbohydrates - vegetables, cereals, cereals and premium wheat pasta are suitable. You can use the glycemic index table.
In all products, the tables take into account: the higher the index, the more harmful the product . The healthiest foods are those with the lowest glycemic index.
Prohibited Products
To create a menu, the diet contains a number of restrictions so that alternating protein and carbohydrate days brings maximum results:
- high fat dairy products;
- fatty meats: pork, lamb;
- sausages;
- margarine, spread, butter;
- fatty fish: herring, halibut, sturgeon, etc.;
- canned food;
- sugar and sugar-containing products;
- soda, packaged juices;
- chocolate, confectionery, baked goods;
- fast food.
Advantages and disadvantages of the method
The main advantages of the BUCH power system are:
- the ability to use all healthy products on the menu;
- simultaneous burning of fat and building muscle mass;
- two hormones enhance the effect of each other, namely: when carbohydrates are received, the hormone insulin is produced, which opens a kind of portal for entry into cells, where the necessary substances are subsequently used by the body as a source of energy. This supports motor activity, brain activity, good psychological state; The pancreatic hormone glucagon, produced when proteins are ingested, activates fat burning, while preventing muscle tissue degeneration.
- rapid weight loss, impossible with many other diets;
- the “plateau” effect, which has become the scourge of many losing weight, does not occur, who cannot lose a single gram of excess weight, sitting on monotonous and monotonous diets;
- Constipation does not appear, which is typical for the Dukan diet, since protein days there last 3-4 days in the first phase, and then a low-carbohydrate menu is used for about another month.
Now let’s look at the disadvantages of alternating protein and carbohydrate days:
- the need to always keep the necessary products on hand, take with you to work what you can eat today, so that there are no breakdowns;
- It’s easy to get confused in the alternation of days, so it’s better to write down everything you ate during the day;
- Some people have difficulty with protein days;
- you must have good health and no contraindications;
- many note the fact that with the promise of rapid weight loss, during carbohydrate days, the spent fat returns again, and the diet resembles a pendulum: - 2 kg on a protein day, +1.5 on carbohydrate days. To avoid this, you should not eat buns, sweets, or pastries on carbohydrate days.
Contraindications to the diet
- Contraindications to the BEACH diet mainly apply to those people who have kidney problems (see diet No. 7 for kidney disease). An abundance of only protein dishes will negatively affect their work.
- Also, those who are prone to constipation should not eat only protein. It is better to add non-starchy vegetables to the menu (see table of foods that do not contain starch); even on protein days, there are foods containing fiber.
The Heidi Powell Experiment
American trainer Heidi Powell has developed her own BUTCH nutrition system, which lasts 12 weeks and is suitable for those who actively train in the gym. With the support of researchers from the University of South Manchester, an experiment was conducted in which training women participated. They were divided into two groups:
- combined training with a Mediterranean diet.
- training was carried out while simultaneously eating according to the BUCH system. Three times a week they significantly reduced the intake of carbohydrates into the body.
According to the results of the experiment, participants in the first group lost up to 2.5 kg per month. The second group lost an average of 3-4.5 kg.
Thus, the “classic Powell cycle”, scheduled for a week, involves the use of the following nutrition plan:
- carbohydrates are present in the menu every day, but in a ratio of 30/70.
- On the first day, 2500 kcal is eaten, which helps start metabolism.
Then the following scheme is applied:
| Day number | Number of calories | ratio |
| 1 | 1200 | 30% carbohydrates, 70% protein |
| 2 | 1500 | 70% protein, 30% carbohydrates |
| 3 | 1200 | 30% carbohydrates, 70% protein |
| 4 | 1500 | 70% protein, 30% carbohydrates |
| 5 | 1200 | 30% carbohydrates, 70% protein |
| 6 | 1500 | 70% protein, 30% carbohydrates |
| 7 | 2000 | Free day without counting |
Physical exercise
- If you want faster results, be sure to exercise your body. Do any available sports: aerobics, running, cycling, swimming (see video training online). Leave maximum loads on carbohydrate and mixed days.
Duration
A diet with alternating protein and carbohydrate days can be long-term, but for this it is important not to have any deviations in health. To begin with, a cycle of 8 days is suitable to track your well-being and find out the body’s capabilities. And then alternate proteins and carbohydrates for 21 days or more. For a long period of time, it is imperative to control sufficient fat intake.
A balanced diet allows you to maintain BCH for up to 2-3 months, however, nutritionists recommend taking breaks between cycles for 1-2 months.
Omelette with green beans
Suitable for a protein day. Need to:
- 2 eggs;
- half a glass of milk;
- green beans (no matter, for one serving).
Preparation:
- The proteins are separated.
- Beat them with milk.
- Pour this mixture over lightly fried green beans in butter.
- Cook in the oven for 10 minutes.
You need to exit the BUTCH diet wisely. In no case should you increase the volume of portions and calorie intake immediately after it ends. During this entire time, you need to maintain the correct drinking regime - at least 2 liters of clean water per day.
Contraindications
Contraindications to the use of BCH are:
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- kidney disease, gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system;
- cholelithiasis;
- individual intolerance to the proposed products.
Nutrition organized according to the principle of alternation requires self-organization and control from those losing weight. At the slightest ailment or in case of illness, you should return to your normal diet and focus on health, not weight loss.
Recipes for carbohydrate days of the BEACH diet
Pancakes with mushrooms
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- Whole grain flour – 1 cup.
- Fried champignons – 1 cup.
- Low-fat kefir - 0.75 cups.
- Mineral water – 1/2 cup.
- Olive oil – a teaspoon.
- Half a teaspoon each of chopped parsley and onion.
- A clove of garlic.
- A little baking powder.
- Salt.
The greens are finely chopped, the garlic is passed through a press. Grease a frying pan with oil and fry herbs and mushrooms in it. Cook them with the lid closed for 20 minutes.
Preparation of the dough: sift the flour, add salt to it. Separately, beat eggs with kefir, water and oil, mix with flour. Pancakes are made from the prepared dough.
Mushroom filling is wrapped in pancakes and served hot.
Pasta casserole
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- Pasta.
- Greenery.
- Two chicken eggs.
- Low fat cheese.
- Pepper and salt.
Boil pasta until half cooked, add chopped herbs, salt and pepper. Season the pasta with beaten raw eggs and bake in the oven for half an hour. At the end of cooking, sprinkle the pasta with low-fat cheese.
Buckwheat cutlets with mushrooms
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- 1/2 cup buckwheat.
- Carrots – 1 piece.
- 0.1 kg champignons.
- A teaspoon of vegetable oil.
- A tablespoon of flour.
- 30 g vegetable oil for frying.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Buckwheat is boiled until fully cooked and passed through a blender. Mushrooms and onions are cut, carrots are grated. Fry onions with mushrooms, cool and mix with grated carrots and ground buckwheat, salt and pepper, add flour and vegetable oil. Form cutlets from minced meat, roll them in breadcrumbs, and fry in vegetable oil on both sides for no more than 3-5 minutes. You can serve these cutlets with adjika.
Creamy soup with pumpkin and lentils
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- 0.24 kg of onions.
- 0.28 kg carrots.
- 0.8 kg pumpkin.
- 2 liters of water.
- 0.2 kg lentils.
- 0.43 kg potatoes.
- Half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
- Ground black pepper.
- 140 ml cream 10% fat
- 140 g black bread.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Salt to taste.
Onions and carrots are cut into quarters and simmered in a saucepan for no more than 5 minutes with butter. Add the diced pumpkin to the onions and carrots and simmer for another 3 minutes. Pour water into the vegetables and bring to a boil. When the soup boils, add lentils to it, cook over low heat, do not cover with a lid. After 15 minutes of cooking, add diced potatoes, pepper, and nutmeg to the soup. Cook for another 10 minutes. At this time, brown bread, cut into cubes, is baked in an oven preheated to 180 °C. Cooking time for crackers is 5 minutes.
The soup is salted, passed through a blender, cream is added and boiled for another 3 minutes. The dish is served with herbs, croutons and pumpkin seeds.
Pizza with eggplant
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- 0.25 kg flour.
- 15 g yeast.
- A pinch of salt.
- A tablespoon of olive oil.
- Eggplant sauce - 5 tablespoons.
- Oregano
- Warm water.
Ingredients for making eggplant sauce: 1 onion, two cloves of garlic, 4 tomatoes, lemon juice, mint, two sprigs of parsley, a tablespoon of olive oil, two eggplants, salt and pepper. The recipe for its preparation: peel the eggplants, sprinkle with lemon juice, fry in a frying pan and place in a separate bowl. In the same frying pan, fry chopped onions and tomatoes. All components are mixed together and passed through a blender along with herbs, mint and olive oil. The mixture is brought to a boil again.
Preparation of pizza dough: mix flour, yeast, olive oil and warm water. Let the dough rest for half an hour. Then it is rolled out, placed on a baking sheet, brushed with eggplant sauce and sprinkled with chopped oregano. Cook the pizza in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.
Sample menu for the week
The diet helps you lose 0.5 to 3 kg per week, depending on your initial weight. Extra pounds do not go away as quickly, since muscles are heavier than fat. It is recommended to focus on body volumes and take measurements using a centimeter.
To adjust protein-carbohydrate alternation to individual needs, we offer a weekly menu designed for 2 alternation cycles. For a longer period, it is necessary to duplicate the days, maintaining the sequence.
| Mixed DAY: | |
| Breakfast | Cottage cheese with berries, coffee with cream |
| Lunch | Green or yellow apple |
| Dinner | Lentils, chicken broth and a piece of chicken fillet |
| Afternoon snack | Whole grain bread and a glass of tomato juice |
| Dinner | Boiled beef and stewed cabbage |
| Protein DAY: | |
| Breakfast | Protein omelet and herbal tea without sugar |
| Lunch | Any citrus |
| Dinner | Spinach soup and boiled eggs |
| Afternoon snack | Kefir |
| Dinner | Chicken cutlets with broccoli |
| Protein DAY: | |
| Breakfast | Cottage cheese casserole and unsweetened coffee with milk |
| Lunch | Kiwi |
| Dinner | Salmon in milk |
| Afternoon snack | Yogurt without additives |
| Dinner | Egg salad with avocado |
| Carbohydrate DAY: | |
| Breakfast | Oatmeal with pieces of fruit and honey, tea with honey |
| Lunch | Pears |
| Dinner | Sweet potato with yogurt |
| Afternoon snack | Dates |
| Dinner | Vegetable salad with quinoa |
| Mixed DAY: | |
| Breakfast | Cheesecakes with honey, coffee with cream |
| Lunch | Banana |
| Dinner | Seafood soup |
| Afternoon snack | Yogurt without additives |
| Dinner | Baked fish with vegetable salad |
| Protein DAY: | |
| Breakfast | Boiled egg whites, unsweetened herbal tea |
| Lunch | Citrus |
| Dinner | Egg soup with fish |
| Afternoon snack | Ryazhenka |
| Dinner | Turkey and grilled vegetables |
| Protein DAY: | |
| Breakfast | Omelet with shrimps, coffee without sugar with milk |
| Lunch | Green apple |
| Dinner | Cottage cheese with yogurt without additives |
| Afternoon snack | Curdled milk |
| Dinner | Green salad dressed with oil |
| Carbohydrate DAY: | |
| Breakfast | Rice porridge with raisins, coffee and bread |
| Lunch | Banana |
| Dinner | Noodles soup |
| Afternoon snack | Bakery product made from durum flour |
| Dinner | Potato dumplings |
Meals can be swapped. The main rule is to observe alternation.
Menu for 21 days
Products shown are exemplary. Each product on the menu is replaced every day with ingredients similar in macronutrient content.
| № | Type of days | Breakfast | Dinner | Dinner | Snacks |
| 1 | Protein | Low-fat cottage cheese | Fish baked with vegetables | Egg white omelette | Steamed fish or vegetables |
| 2 | Protein | Grilled veal, vegetables | Chicken with Chinese cabbage salad | Low-fat cottage cheese | Egg or seafood |
| 3 | Carbohydrate | Rice porridge with milk and raisins | The vinaigrette | Omelette in the oven with quinoa | Orange or pear |
| 4 | Mixed | Oatmeal with water and nuts | Seafood pilaf | Boiled chicken breast and green salad | Apple or steamed vegetables |
| 5 | Protein | Fried fish without oil | Chicken breast and green beans | Skim cheese | Eggs or grilled vegetables |
| 6 | Protein | Omelette | Fresh vegetable salad and seafood | Baked fish | Low-fat cottage cheese |
| 7 | Carbohydrate | Hard pasta with hard cheese | Buckwheat with mushrooms | Boiled chicken breast with vegetables | Grapes or berries |
| 8 | Mixed | Millet porridge, boiled eggs | Brown rice and boiled beef, vegetable salad | Omelette | Fruit or vegetable salad |
| 9 | Protein | Grilled fish, broccoli | Omelette with vegetables | Low-fat cottage cheese | Eggs or shrimp |
| 10 | Protein | Chicken breast in the oven with vegetables | Low-fat cottage cheese | Boiled beef with herbs, cucumbers | Egg whites or steamed fish |
| 11 | Carbohydrate | Buckwheat porridge with milk | Oatmeal with fruit | Low-fat cottage cheese | Banana or dried fruits |
| 12 | Mixed | Oatmeal with berries | Durum pasta, salad, chicken breast | Egg omelet | Citrus |
| 13 | Protein | Fried veal without oil | Steamed fish cutlets with cabbage | Boiled chicken breast, green beans | Eggs or vegetable salad with avocado |
| 14 | Protein | Omelette | Chicken with eggplant | Stewed cabbage with chicken breast | Low-fat cottage cheese |
| 15 | Carbohydrate | Rice porridge with apple and cinnamon | Vegetable soup, whole grain toast with cheese | Barley with fresh vegetable salad | Banana or citrus fruits |
| 16 | Mixed | Pilaf with seafood | Low-fat cottage cheese with berries | The vinaigrette | Pear or eggs |
| 17 | Protein | Steamed beef with herbs | Chicken breast baked with cauliflower | Omelette in the oven | Grilled vegetables or fish |
| 18 | Protein | Fish baked with carrots | Chicken with green beans | Low-fat cottage cheese | Eggs or hard cheese |
| 19 | Carbohydrate | Millet porridge with milk and pumpkin | Buckwheat with mushrooms | Vegetables with eggs | Low-fat cottage cheese |
| 20 | Mixed | Oatmeal porridge with dried fruits and nuts | Chicken with mixed vegetables | Fish soup | Low-fat cottage cheese or omelette |
| 21 | Protein | Omelette with seafood | Chicken broth with broccoli | Low-fat cottage cheese | Fish or stewed vegetables |
Learn more about the BUTCH diet in the video.
And let’s look at the important aspects of ending the period of protein-carbohydrate alternation and examples of recipes.
Reviews and results of losing weight
On many forums you can find reviews of people who have lost weight on the BUTCH diet. Here are the reviews and results about the BUTCH diet that come to our editorial office:
Alina B., 21 years old, student I learned about the diet at the gym and decided to try it. What can I say, the diet has become one of my favorites, but it can be difficult to give up some dishes on holidays, for example, everyone eats cake, but I have a protein day. But I lost 5 kg in just 1 month, and it was the fat that went away.
Victoria, 34 years old, mother of three children, housewife Thanks for this diet to the one who invented it, I was already desperate, it’s impossible to lose weight by eating just chicken and eggs. Moreover, I really love fruits and vegetables. This diet combines everything, so I don’t skip seasonal berries and fruits, as was the case before, for example, during the strawberry season. I managed to lose more than 20 extra kg in just half a year.
Maria Sergeevna, 56 years old, pensioner I have been using this nutrition system for a long time, I learned about it 10 years ago, then my weight stubbornly stood still, even though I ate only protein foods. I suffered from constipation and had no desire to even live. And now my weight is normal, my figure is toned, I didn’t look like this even in my youth. I recommend it to everyone, it's not difficult.
In this video, watch the real story of losing weight on the BUTCH diet with results and conclusions in the SUCHE show every day:
Quitting the diet
As soon as the desired result is achieved, there should be no “belly celebration”. In addition to the return of lost pounds, serious health problems may arise due to overload of the stomach and digestive system as a whole.
To avoid negative consequences, it is necessary to ensure a smooth exit from the BUCH. Nutritionists recommend:
- gradually increase the amount of fatty foods (fish, dairy products, meat);
- increase the portion of carbohydrates by 50 g daily;
- Continue to monitor your calorie intake.
After returning to a normal diet, it is recommended to adhere to proper nutrition and get the necessary macro and microelements for the body to function properly - this will allow you to keep your figure toned and sculpted for a long time.
Recipes for protein days BEACH diet
Curd omelette
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- Chicken egg white – 2 pcs.
- Cottage cheese with 0% fat content – 100 g.
- Water.
- Seasonings.
- Greenery.
Beat the eggs with a fork, mix with cottage cheese and add chopped herbs to the dish. Salt to taste. Grease a heat-resistant form with olive oil and place the curd-egg mixture into it. Bake the casserole in the oven with the lid closed at 180 °C. Cooking time is a quarter of an hour.
Chicken salad with egg and squid
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- 0.5 kg squid.
- Chicken egg – 3 pieces.
- 0.3 kg chicken fillet.
- Seasonings, salt and herbs are at the discretion of the cook.
Squid and chicken fillet are boiled and cut into long strips. Boiled eggs are cut into cubes, greens are chopped. All salad components are mixed, salted, and herbs are added.
Baked fish with cheese
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- 0.5 kg tilapia or pike perch.
- 50 g cheese.
- 2 tablespoons of sour cream.
- 1/4 part lemon.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
The cheese is grated, the fish is salted and peppered, and placed in a baking dish. Sprinkle the fish with a teaspoon of lemon zest on top, pour over lemon juice, and brush with sour cream. The last step is to cover the fish with grated cheese. Place the mold in a preheated oven and cook for a quarter of an hour at 180 °C.
Baked chicken with herbs
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- 0.25 kg chicken fillet.
- 50 g kefir.
- Green onions and dill.
- Salt and pepper.
Chicken fillet is beaten, sprinkled with pepper and salt, greased with kefir, and chopped herbs are placed on a layer. Roll the breast into a roll shape and place it in a baking sleeve. Cook the chicken at 180 °C for half an hour.
Cottage cheese and pumpkin casserole in the oven
To prepare the dish you will need the following products:
- 0.3 kg of cottage cheese.
- 0.4 kg pumpkin.
- 30 g butter.
- Two tablespoons of sour cream.
- Lemon juice.
- A pinch of salt.
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.
- Two eggs.
- Two tablespoons of semolina.
The pumpkin pulp is grated, the cottage cheese is kneaded with a fork along with butter. Add raw eggs, semolina, sugar, soda slaked with vinegar, and grated pumpkin into the cottage cheese. All components are thoroughly mixed. Grease a baking dish with butter, place the prepared curd-pumpkin mixture into it and put it in the oven. Cook the dish for 50 minutes at a temperature of 200 °C.
Recipes
The advantage of a protein-carbohydrate diet is the variety of products and possibilities in preparing dishes. A few recipes to note.
Pancakes with curd
carbohydrate and mixed day
Preparation method:
- Pancakes: mix all ingredients so that there are no lumps.
- Fry the pancakes on both sides for 2-3 minutes in a hot non-stick frying pan without adding oil.
- The cottage cheese should be soft. Grease the pancake and roll it into a roll.
*Can be served with berries or fruits.
Ingredients: - rice flour 100 g; — chicken egg – 2 pcs.; — milk 1.5% — 50 ml; – hot water – 50 ml; - for filling - cottage cheese 1.8% - 150 g.
Protein soup with spinach
protein day
Preparation method:
- Boil the turkey, remove and cool. Grind and place back into the broth.
- Chop the spinach, add to the meat and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Puree the finished soup in a blender with garlic, gradually adding milk. Sprinkle with spices.
* Served hot.
Ingredients: - turkey fillet - 400 g; — fresh or frozen spinach — 100 g; - garlic - 2 cloves; — milk 0.5% -100 ml; - seasonings to taste.
Chicken nuggets in bran
protein day
Preparation method:
- Rinse the chicken fillet and pat dry on a paper towel. Cut into small nuggets and beat.
- Beat eggs with bran and spices.
- Dip the nuggets in the batter and place in a baking dish.
- Pour the remaining batter over the meat and place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Ingredients: - chicken fillet - 500 g; — oat bran – 40 g; — chicken egg – 2 pcs.; - spices - to taste.
carrot cake
carbohydrate day
Preparation method:
- Cakes : grate the carrots on a fine grater, mash the banana with a fork.
- Beat the eggs into a light foam, add to the carrots, stir.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a spoon.
- Divide the dough into two parts, bake the cakes separately in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely.
- Cream : beat everything with a mixer, coat the cooled cakes and tops.
- Place in the refrigerator overnight.
Ingredients for two cakes: - chicken egg - 4 pcs.; – grated carrots – 200 g; — corn flour – 120 g; - oatmeal - 120 g; – banana – 150 g; - cinnamon - ½ tsp; - soda - 1 tsp. Cream: - cottage cheese 1.8% - 150 g; – lemon juice – 25 ml; - sweetener - to taste.
Following the periodization of protein-carbohydrate alternation will help achieve good results in losing weight while maintaining muscle mass. Careful study of the material, self-discipline and self-confidence are a serious requirement for success!
Diet recipes
Here you will find the easiest to prepare recipes for the BUTCH diet menu.
For protein days:
- Baked fish or meat. Clean fish, beef or chicken, remove skin from chicken, cut into pieces. Rub each piece with a mixture of spices: coriander, curry, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground garlic, marjoram. Place the meat or fish in a baking tray with a little water at the bottom. Cover the top with foil and crimp the edges. This way your dish will remain juicy. Place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees and bake until done.
- Mushrooms stuffed with cottage cheese. Wash large champignons, remove the stems, chop them and mix with low-fat cottage cheese. Add salt, garlic, herbs to the mixture. Stuff the mushroom caps and bake in the oven.
For carbohydrate days:
- Fruit salad. Select 4-5 available fruits: apples, oranges, tangerines, kiwis, peaches, apricots, pears, plums. Chop and add lemon or orange juice.
- Porridge with fruits. Pour the rice overnight, pour boiling water over it in the morning, add a pinch of salt and boil for 5 minutes. Then cover with a lid to steam and finish cooking. Add some cold low-fat milk and a handful of any fresh or frozen fruit.
For mixed days:
- Chicken with vegetables. Wash the chicken thighs, remove the skin, make deep transverse cuts into which place tomatoes, zucchini, and onions cut into semicircles. You can make three cuts on each thigh and insert different types of vegetables into them. Brush with the seasoning mixture, place on a baking sheet and place in the oven. The chicken will be juicier if you cover it with foil.
Pros and cons of the BUTCH diet
Pros of the diet:
- The results of the diet are stable.
- The muscles do not become flabby and maintain their tone.
- Muscle mass does not burn.
- The person feels great during the diet. He does not experience psycho-emotional stress.
Disadvantages of the diet:
- The weight comes off slowly.
- Disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract may occur.
- There is a need to calculate daily caloric intake.
- No effect in severe obesity.
General rules
Diets based on alternating protein and carbohydrate diets (BEACH diet) are designed for intensive weight loss due to fat deposits.
A protein-carbohydrate diet for weight loss in various versions is widely used by athletes involved in bodybuilding for the so-called “cutting”, aimed at reducing the subcutaneous fat layer, which allows not only to lose weight, but also to improve muscle definition and body expressiveness. Along with such specific goals, the BEACH diet is also used for weight loss (weight loss). At the same time, with such a nutritional system, the body uses primarily fats to obtain energy, avoiding loss of body weight due to the breakdown of proteins, that is, muscle mass is not used as metabolic fuel.
Detailed description of the BUTCH diet
The BUC diet consists of microcycles, the minimum duration of which is four days. The first two days - with a predominantly protein diet. During this period, the body receives an insufficient amount of carbohydrates and a reorientation of metabolic processes to gluconeogenesis occurs, in which the formation of energy occurs due to non-carbohydrate components - mainly glycerol , pyruvic and lactic acid , fatty acids, that is, active consumption of glycogen and the mobilization/oxidation process accelerates free fatty acids (burning fat deposits).
After a two-day protein diet, glycogen reserves in the body are exhausted and in order to prevent the use of amino acids (protein) as “metabolic fuel”, glycogen reserves in the body must be replenished, which is achieved by switching to a high-carbohydrate diet on the third day. But since it is impossible to completely replenish the required amount of glycogen in the body in one day, on the fourth day a mixed diet is prescribed, which provides a more moderate carbohydrate content in combination with a physiologically normal protein content. Next, the protein-carbohydrate cycle repeats.
Scheme of one cycle of the BEACH diet - two days diet with predominantly protein consumption + one day high carbohydrate diet + one day mixed diet:
- The first two days - the amount of protein in the diet at the rate of 3-3.5 grams/kilogram of your optimal (given) weight. That is, if your weight is 65 kg, and you want to lose weight to 60 kg, then you need to consume 3 * 60 g of protein (180 g). The total consumption of carbohydrates in these 2 days is at the level of 25-30 g / day and fat - up to 25-30 g.
- The third day - the protein content in the diet is reduced to 1-1.5 g/kg, and the carbohydrate content - to 6 g/kg of the desired weight. At the same time, the calorie content of the daily diet of the previous two days should be maintained.
- Fourth day - the diet should contain approximately equal proportions of proteins (up to 2.5 grams) and carbohydrates (up to 3 grams). Fat content at thirty grams/day.
Fundamentally important for the BEACH diet is the total calorie content of the daily diet, which, depending on the level of physical activity, should be at the level of 1200-1500 kcal.
The duration of such a diet should not exceed one month (7-8 cycles). This is due, on the one hand, to an unbalanced diet, and on the other hand, to the appearance of a “plateau” effect after this period of being on a BEACH diet (cessation/slowdown of weight loss), due to the body’s adaptation to this type of nutrition.
To speed up metabolism and improve metabolism, meals should be fractional (5-6 times/day). The amount of free fluid is 1.5 - 2.0 l/day. The amount of salt should be reduced and the consumption of salty foods limited.
It is recommended to prepare dishes using dietary methods of processing food - steaming, boiling, baking, stewing. Frying food is not allowed. An important condition for the effectiveness of this diet is the mandatory adequate physical activity, especially on protein days, when the glycogen in the body is low and the metabolic processes of intense fat burning are triggered. Particularly useful are strength loads and dynamic exercises (jumping rope, cycling), which stimulate metabolic processes.
Other BEACH diet schemes have been developed:
- 2 protein days + 2 carbohydrate days + 2 mixed days;
- 3 protein + 1 carbohydrate day + one mixed day;
- 5 protein days + 2 carbohydrate days.
Microcycles with a large number of protein days are also suitable for gaining weight, muscle mass, which will grow, but the fat layer will decrease. The most important condition for such a result is high power loads. However, the optimal option is a cycle with 2 protein days, since an increase in the number of days with a protein diet is more difficult for the body to tolerate. Getting out of the BUTCH diet is not difficult. To do this, after finishing the diet after the last mixed day, eat for another 5-7 days according to the mixed day diet and switch to your usual diet.
