One of the varieties of the protein method of weight loss is considered to be the astronaut diet. The effectiveness of this method of losing weight is based on eating protein-rich foods. It is this kind of food that accelerates weight loss.
There is no plant fiber on the menu of this diet, so those who are planning to get rid of hated kilos using this method should be prepared for problems with bowel movements. Therefore, before you start losing weight, consult your doctor.
If a qualified specialist allows you to lose weight in this way, then you will not encounter any negative effects from your body. And the harmony that you will gain in the future will only please you.
Pros and cons of the diet
Despite the amazing effect, nutritionists do not recommend sitting on it more than once or twice a year. Such strict requirements are due to the fact that the astronauts’ diet is quite strict and for the following reasons:
- The menu does not change throughout the entire period. The use of sugar, salt, seasonings and other food additives is not allowed.
- Daily calorie consumption is sharply reduced: if the daily calorie intake, on average, is about 2000 kcal, then with the astronaut diet this figure drops to 700.
- The diet of astronauts is a carbohydrate-free diet. This means that your temporary companions will be drowsiness, apathy and fatigue.
- A large amount of protein consumed does not have the best effect on health. There is a risk of ketoacidosis - poisoning by protein metabolism products.
- There is a possibility of a breakdown, and in the future such an unpleasant phenomenon as compulsive overeating.
On the other hand, like all protein diets, the astronaut diet has a number of advantages:
- Nutrients are absorbed slowly, so you are protected from the painful feeling of “sucking in the pit of your stomach.”
- The body gets rid of not only stagnant fluid, but also fat mass accumulated over many years.
- The skin is cleared of rashes, the condition of nails and hair improves.
- The size of your stomach shrinks, so you will eat smaller amounts of food in the future.
- There is no need to prepare any complex dishes from expensive ingredients: everything is extremely simple and cheap.
Before you get started, carefully evaluate the pros and cons. The main difficulty is the need to eat the same thing every day. Depending on your initial weight and morale, you can choose the 10-day or 20-day option.
Dish recipes
The advantage of a strict protein nutrition system is that you don’t have to work hard to invent new complex dishes. Any woman can prepare everything that is supposed to be on the menu in a matter of minutes: fry eggs in a dry frying pan, boil eggs “in a bag” or hard-boiled, beat a couple of whites until fluffy, bake in the oven without oil or fat. You can bake fish (without salt) in foil, cook chicken. Here are the simplest recipes for some “space” dishes - cocktail, chicken, omelet:
Ingredients:
- kefir – 200 ml;
- milk – 200 ml;
- fresh or frozen raspberries – 100 g.
Cooking method:
- Place the ingredients into a blender bowl and blend.
- Drink a healthy, unsweetened, high-protein shake when you feel hungry.
Ingredients:
- chicken carcass – 1800 -2000 g;
- water – 3 l.
Cooking method:
- Wash the chicken, remove the skin, remove fat.
- Cook for 40-45 minutes, removing the foam.
- Divide into portions.
Ingredients:
- egg whites – 2 pcs.;
- skim milk - half a glass.
Cooking method:
- Beat the whites separated from the yolks thoroughly, adding milk little by little.
- Bake the omelette in the oven, microwave, cook in a slow cooker or steam.
Recommendations
Of course, the results are amazing! But we should not forget about the negative consequences of the space diet. To avoid them, follow a few simple tips:
- Since weight loss occurs very abruptly, the skin loses its elasticity, which is why stretch marks and wrinkles appear. Keep your muscles active and take care of your skin with peelings, moisturizing and wraps.
- Do not plan to follow the astronaut diet during a session or vacation. After all, it can cause loss of strength, poor health and decreased mental activity. The maximum physical activity you can afford is swimming or breathing exercises.
- The diet is completely devoid of vitamins and minerals, so be sure to take vitamin-mineral complexes and dietary supplements.
- Drink as much water as possible to remove waste and toxins from the body.
- Strictly follow the procedure for properly exiting the diet.
Thus, go for a new slender body only after carefully assessing your strengths and capabilities and taking into account all contraindications.
What to do in case of a breakdown?
Breaking off the space diet can be quite simple. As a rule, most people make mistakes after a week of following this weight loss regimen. After a breakdown, continuing the diet does not make sense due to changes in metabolic processes. Therefore, it is recommended to stop at the achieved result or, after a month, resort to this method again. To avoid health problems, you should first get permission from your doctor to go through the diet again.
Menu for 10 days
In 10 days you can lose 10 kg of excess weight if you strictly adhere to the following diet:
- Breakfast - one boiled or fried egg without fat and one glass of kefir or a cup of coffee without milk and sugar.
- Lunch - half a medium-sized chicken carcass and half a liter of chicken broth in which it was boiled; kefir or black coffee.
- Afternoon snack - a glass of kefir or a cup of coffee.
- Dinner - a glass of kefir or 200 g of low-fat cottage cheese.
And so on throughout the astronauts’ diet. Any changes to the diet are prohibited; you must eat food strictly four times a day, at the same time, in small portions. Be sure to drink at least two liters of clean drinking water daily.
Product table
For convenience, all products are divided into separate categories. Each category is assessed by the number of points or conventional units (cu). Initially, you need to set your body up to lose weight and consume no more than 20 USD. in a day. After 1-2 weeks, this figure can be increased to 40 USD.
Important: In order to lose weight on the diet of American astronauts, you need to consume up to 40 USD per day. If you want to maintain weight, then you need to gain from 40 to 60 USD per day.
This complete table shows the foods required for the American astronaut diet and the amount of cu they contain per 100g.
For 20 days
In 20 days of such nutrition you can get rid of 20 kilograms of excess weight. The astronauts’ diet for this period is completely identical to the previous one.
Maintaining such a diet for almost three weeks is very difficult due to the low calorie content and minimal carbohydrate content in the menu, so adhere to the following recommendations:
- strictly observe the drinking regime - drink at least two liters of water per day;
- get a good night's sleep so that your body has time to recuperate;
- reduce physical activity to a minimum, for example, replace fitness classes with a quiet walk in the fresh air;
- Be sure to take complex vitamins throughout the event to support your body;
- try to protect yourself from stress and nervous stress;
- If you feel unwell, consult a doctor immediately.
Conclusion
Drawing conclusions, we can say that the astronaut diet or the Kremlin diet is an excellent option for meat eaters. People who love to eat meat and fish will definitely be satisfied with this food system. For those who love sweets, it will be more difficult to maintain this diet.
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Express menu for 3 days
Suitable for those who want to lose weight quickly and painlessly. The principle of nutrition is the same as in the traditional diet of astronauts, but is designed for only two days. Will allow you to lose 2-3 kg.
- Breakfast - dissolve one and a half tbsp. spoons of milk powder in a glass of warm water, tea or coffee and drink.
- Lunch - one boiled egg and a serving of white cabbage salad, dressed with olive oil or lemon juice.
- Dinner - grilled chicken or beef steak and chopped lettuce without dressing.
The essence of losing weight
The main principle of the diet of American astronauts is the consumption of protein foods. Carbohydrate foods are practically excluded from the diet during weight loss. Due to the fact that the body is accustomed to taking energy from carbohydrate foods, which become unavailable to it, it has to adapt. And he begins to use up accumulated fat reserves. And since you consume proteins all the time, you don’t have to worry about muscle mass, which, as a rule, is the first thing lost on strict diets.
Quitting the diet
“Return to earth” should be gradual, otherwise all the astronauts’ efforts will be in vain. It happens that after experiencing a lack of carbohydrates and fiber, a person literally pounces on unhealthy food, and then blames the kilograms that immediately return. Therefore, remain purposeful to the end: give up fatty, salty, sweet foods, alcohol and baked goods, and introduce other foods into your diet a little at a time:
- In the first days after the diet, you can introduce a little oatmeal, buckwheat or brown rice into your diet.
- After a few more days, add vegetables or fruits for lunch.
- After another two days, add a side dish for lunch. Preferably from different cereals daily.
- For dinner it is recommended to eat a vegetable or fruit salad.
With this regimen, the results of the diet will last for a long time, and you will learn to eat properly. Increase the calorie content of your daily diet by no more than 50-70 kcal per day, but the final calorie content should be less than what you had BEFORE the diet, otherwise there was simply no point in subjecting yourself to dietary restrictions.
Option from Leo Boqueria
It is known that the above system was originally developed for American astronauts conquering outer space. Later, data about it became known to Soviet officials, so one of the varieties of this diet was called the Kremlin diet. Nowadays, the diet is actively used by people from different countries and helps everyone who wants to lose weight.
Contraindications
Since this nutrition system has contraindications, carefully read the list of those who are strictly prohibited from eating astronauts:
- Elderly people, children and teenagers.
- Pregnant and lactating women.
- Athletes and heavy physical workers.
- Patients in the postoperative and rehabilitation periods.
- People with allergies to chicken, eggs and kefir.
- Suffering from endocrine system disorders.
- Patients with any chronic diseases: gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary and cardiovascular systems, kidneys, etc.
Impact on health and expert opinion
In 10 or 20 days of following the astronaut diet, you will not only lose weight significantly, but also learn to control your diet and develop willpower. However, nutritionists are not enthusiastic about this diet and do not always speak well of it, and here’s why:
- Lack of fiber in the diet can lead to constipation and indigestion.
- An abundance of protein foods can cause serious disruptions in the functioning of the kidneys and adrenal glands - the internal organs work under wear and tear when digesting proteins.
- The astronauts' menu, which is extremely poor in terms of energy, causes insomnia, dizziness, exhaustion, and irritability.
- Sudden weight loss is dangerous for metabolism - it slows down, which leads to sudden weight gain after the end of the diet.
- A meager and monotonous diet makes losing weight extremely difficult; many people fail 3-5 days after they start losing weight. Those who reach the end also do not always restrain themselves and pounce on food, quickly eating up the kilograms they had lost with difficulty.
In general, we can say that 20 days of such a diet will most likely lead to health problems. The best option is to resort to the express version of the astronaut diet once a month, and the rest of the time just stick to proper nutrition. This way you can get rid of extra pounds smoothly and without harm to your health.
Possible side effects
The diet of astronauts is distinguished by a strict menu with many restrictions, which can lead to a number of unpleasant consequences:
- due to the lack of fiber during weight loss, problems arise with bowel movements and the digestion process;
- due to large volumes of protein foods, disturbances in the functioning of the kidneys develop - the digestion of proteins requires excessive energy expenditure from the internal organs;
- low calorie content of the daily menu contributes to the formation of increased irritability, lack of sleep and headaches;
- sudden weight loss is fraught with danger for the body, since metabolic processes react inadequately - metabolism rapidly slows down, which ultimately ensures a rapid gain of extra pounds after completing the diet.
It is extremely difficult for the psyche to remain on such a weight loss regimen for a long time, which provokes frequent breakdowns and a depressive state.