Protein-carbohydrate alternation for girls. Protein-carbohydrate alternation diet (PCA) with a detailed description. day - carbohydrate

A diet with protein-carbohydrate alternation is gaining more and more popularity among athletes and just people who want to lose weight without harm to their health and always stay in shape. The BEACH diet takes into account the characteristics of a person’s metabolism and allows you to get rid of excess fat, while maintaining muscle tone. Alternating meals rich in proteins or carbohydrates allows the body not to experience stress during the diet, so the risk of breaking down and not completing the cycle is reduced to zero.

How protein-carbohydrate alternation promotes weight loss

A diet based on protein-carbohydrate alternation is one of the most effective, since it takes into account the metabolic processes occurring in the body. The basis of the diet is alternating days during which you can eat only protein foods or only foods with high content carbohydrates. The result will be noticeable within a few days.

During protein days, the level of carbohydrate consumption decreases significantly, and the body begins to consume glycogen contained in the muscles and liver. This leads to the breakdown of adipose tissue and weight loss.

Cardio exercises for burning fat at home:

To prevent the body from experiencing stress, the level of carbohydrates does not drop to a critically low level, the destruction of muscle tissue does not begin, carbohydrate days are created. They help obtain additional energy, including from the breakdown of adipose tissue.

Approximate schedule protein-carbohydrate alternation looks like this:

• 2 protein days, during which the body begins to actively consume glycogen from the liver and break down fats to maintain energy;
• a carbohydrate day, during which the glycogen supply is partially replenished, this prevents the body from falling into a state of stress and starting to destroy muscles;
• protein-carbohydrate day, during which all processes in the body return to normal;
• repetition of the course.

Nutritionists advise following a protein-carbohydrate diet for 4 weeks. If necessary, the course can be extended or repeated.

In addition to the classic one, there are other popular protein-carbohydrate alternation schemes:

• 2 protein + 2 carbohydrate;
• 2 protein + 1 carbohydrate;
• 3 protein + 1 carbohydrate + 1 protein-carbohydrate;
• 2 protein + 2 carbohydrate + 2 protein-carbohydrate.

Significant caloric restriction of foods consumed during the day is not required on this diet. Women are advised not to exceed 1200 calories, men - 1400. It is important not to reduce physical activity and constantly perform sports exercises.

Approximate scheme of a protein-carbohydrate diet

During a protein-carbohydrate diet, you must follow the rules of fractional nutrition - at least 5 small meals a day. This helps speed up metabolic processes in the body.

If you follow the classic scheme of protein-carbohydrate alternation, the menu for 4 days will look like this:

• day 1: consumption of a certain amount of protein at the rate of 3–4 g of protein per 1 kg of desired weight; consumption of no more than 25 g of carbohydrates and 30 g of fat per day;
• day 2: repeat day 1;
• day 3: consumption of 1 g of protein and 6 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of desired weight; fat consumption is also limited to 30 g;
• day 4: consumption of 3 g of protein and 3 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of desired weight; fat consumption remains at the same level.

From the fifth day the cycle repeats. During two protein days, it is recommended to carry out the most active workouts: strength exercises, . Individual deviations from the regimen, if the main one is ineffective, are discussed with a nutritionist.

What foods are allowed to be consumed on the BUC diet?

When following a protein-carbohydrate diet, you should give preference to boiled, baked and stews, as well as steamed food. Eating fried foods is not recommended. You should limit the amount of salt and hot spices you consume, although you should not completely exclude them from your diet.

For use in protein days The following products are allowed:

• beef;
• chicken fillet;
• turkey;
• lean fish;
• low-fat milk - kefir, cottage cheese, natural yogurt;
• boiled eggs (but no more than 2 yolks per day);
• cucumbers (no more than 2 pieces) and greens;
• a handful of nuts.

Allowed foods on protein days - gallery

Nuts have a high energy value Cucumber is the most dietary product, since it is 95% water Fermented milk products improve metabolic processes Meat contains a large amount of proteins Fish is an excellent source of complete animal protein and Omega-3 fatty acids Eggs are rich in proteins, amino acids, and vitamins , micro- and macroelements

On carbohydrate days you are allowed to consume the following foods:

• oatmeal;
• buckwheat;
• fresh vegetables;
• apples;
• whole wheat bread;
• dark chocolate and honey in small quantities.

Allowed foods on carbohydrate days - gallery

Oatmeal helps cleanse the intestines Rice binds and removes salt from the body, promoting weight loss Buckwheat satisfies well and relieves hunger for a long time Fresh vegetables improve metabolism, remove waste and toxins from the body Caffeine in chocolate speeds up metabolism Whole grain bread is an excellent source of coarse fiber Apples contain glucose and fructose, so they are consumed as a figure-safe treat.

Products that are prohibited on the BUTCH diet:

• sugar and sweeteners;
• sweet fruits;
• wheat flour;
• fatty meat and fish;
• alcohol;
• fast food.

Prohibited foods when dieting - gallery

Sugar is a very high-calorie product that has very few useful substances. The calorie content of a banana is 100 kcal per 100 g, which can interfere with weight loss. White wheat flour contributes to excess weight gain. Alcohol always negatively affects the body, not only during a diet. Fast food increases the amount of body fat. Fatty. meat disrupts metabolism and leads to obesity

Sample menu for four days BUCH

Since the four-day protein-carbohydrate alternation scheme is considered classic and the most effective, the diet menu is calculated specifically for 4 days.

The cycle should be repeated for a month. If you prefer other BUTCH diet plans, simply adapt the menu to them. For example, you can follow a diet for 21 days. In this case, the cycle “2 protein days + 1 carbohydrate day” must be repeated 7 times.

Days No. 1–2 (protein)

The menu for the first two days will look like this:

• breakfast: steamed omelette of 4 whites and 2 yolks, cucumber and herb salad, dressed lemon juice, unsweetened tea or coffee;
• lunch: protein shake with low-fat milk or 100 g of low-fat cottage cheese;
• lunch: baked chicken fillet with grapefruit slices;
• afternoon snack: 100 g beef stewed with green beans;
• dinner: lean fish and steamed broccoli, seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice;
• at night: protein shake.

Day No. 3 (carbohydrate)

On a carbohydrate day, the diet includes the following list of products:

• breakfast: 200 g oatmeal with milk and dried fruits;
• second breakfast: an apple or a handful of nuts;
• dinner: brown rice with chicken fillet;
• afternoon snack: buckwheat with vegetable sauce;
• dinner: a piece of steamed fish with whole grain bread.

Day No. 4 (mixed)

On the fourth day, it is allowed to consume both protein and carbohydrate foods:

• breakfast: oatmeal on water with honey, steamed omelette, unsweetened tea or coffee;
• second breakfast: toasted bread with honey, a glass of kefir;
• lunch: chicken fillet with steamed green beans, fresh vegetable salad;
• afternoon snack: fresh vegetable salad with a slice of whole grain bread, cottage cheese or cheese;
• dinner: cottage cheese with chopped herbs or a protein shake.

Beans block excess calories entering the body

Detailed recipes for the BUC diet

The menu for the BUTCH diet is simple, so any woman can handle cooking.

Oatmeal in a jar

Pour 3-4 tbsp into a jar with a lid. l. oatmeal and fill them with twice as much low-fat kefir. Add frozen berries or dried fruit if desired. Close the jar tightly and shake. Leave in the refrigerator overnight.

The dish is suitable for breakfast on a carbohydrate day.

Protein omelet with green beans

Place a handful of frozen beans in a heated frying pan without oil. Fry until half cooked. Then pour in a mixture of eggs and low-fat milk. Fry over low heat with a lid. Sprinkle with herbs if desired.

The dish is suitable for consumption on protein and mixed days.

Pros and cons of the BUTCH diet

The BUTCH diet was developed specifically for athletes, but later it began to be used for weight loss due to its ease and effectiveness.

Alternating proteins and carbohydrates on certain days allows you to reduce the layer of subcutaneous fat without losing muscle mass (and with the right selection of training, increase its volume).

The main advantages of the BEACH diet are:

• a balanced diet provides health benefits;
• the body does not lack carbohydrates and proteins;
• there is no obsessive feeling of hunger, as with many other diets;
• The diet is simple - during it you do not need to eat exotic foods or prepare complex recipes;
• metabolism accelerates;
• energy is produced from glycogen located in the muscles and liver, which gives strength to exercise;
• a large percentage of body fat (not water) is lost already at the beginning of the diet;
• Thanks to alternate consumption, proteins and carbohydrates are well absorbed, allowing the intestines to be cleansed.

The disadvantages of the diet include the slow loss of extra pounds, as well as restriction in the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

This method weight loss is contraindicated for people with diseases of the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and those who are obese.

Rules for protein-carbohydrate alternation

The most common version of the BEACH diet is alternating protein and carbohydrate days, consisting of three cycles:

• Protein or low carb- lasts 2 or 3 days, during which you can consume 3-4 grams of protein per 1 kilogram of body weight, and carbohydrates - no more than one and a half grams per kilogram. During the first cycle of the diet, you should also consume unsaturated fats (there are many of them in seeds and nuts).
• High carb- lasts 1 day, during which you are allowed to eat from 5 to 6 grams of carbohydrates and up to one and a half grams of proteins per kilogram of weight. The consumption of fats should be limited, as they interfere with the absorption of carbohydrates. Thanks to the intake of a large number of carbohydrates into the body, muscle mass is not lost, but, on the contrary, increases due to the intake of glycogens.
• Mixed– for one day per kilogram of weight you should consume 2-3 grams of proteins and 2-2.5 grams of carbohydrates. On the third day the cycle ends and the diet can be started again.

Don't be surprised by weight fluctuations while dieting. This occurs due to the fact that at the beginning of the cycle from internal organs A lot of water is released, but in the end, on the contrary, it is retained in the body. By the beginning of the next cycle, the weight will become stable.

Detailed menu of the BUC diet for 4 days

You can create a BUTCH diet menu yourself, based on the examples below.

Approximate menu protein days

Breakfast: 180 g cottage cheese (low-fat), a cup of coffee (unsweetened).

Lunch: 2 hard-boiled eggs.

Dinner: 190 g of boiled chicken breast, 210 g of cucumber, tomato and parsley salad, seasoned with a teaspoon of olive oil.

Afternoon snack: 190 g baked sea fish.

Dinner: 180 g cottage cheese.

Approximate low carb day menu

Breakfast: 130 g of oatmeal in water with a teaspoon of honey and raisins.

Lunch: one small banana.

Dinner: 240 g baked potatoes, 160 g sauerkraut seasoned with a teaspoon of linseed oil.

Afternoon snack: 2 large apples.

Dinner: boiled pasta from rye flour With tomato paste(180 g), a cup of dried fruit compote.

Mixed day menu

Breakfast: 130 g oatmeal with milk, hard-boiled egg.

Lunch: medium sized apple.

Dinner: 180 g boiled chicken fillet, 180 g baked potatoes, 210 g cucumber, cabbage and tomato salad, seasoned with a teaspoon of corn oil.

Afternoon snack: 180 g of cottage cheese with kefir and dill.

Dinner: 190 g of baked sea fish, 210 g of sauerkraut.

Remember to drink up to two liters of water between meals every day. Avoid sugar and replace salt with spices. A couple of hours before bedtime, you are allowed to snack on a vegetable or fruit.

Workouts during the BUTCH diet

To lose weight faster, a carbohydrate alternation diet involves sports training 3 times a week (best on low-carb and mixed days, during which the body produces more energy). On the first protein day it is better to do aerobic training, and on the second - strength training.

Approximate sports schedule for 4 days cycle:

• day 1:– 10 minutes – cardio, 40 – strength training, 30 – cardio training; during such training, muscle tissue is renewed and fats are burned;
• day 2: 5 minutes – cardio training, 50 – strength training (4 sets), 20 minutes – cardio; This workout burns fat and strengthens muscles;
• day 3: since you will have a lot of strength, you can perform more difficult exercises (about an hour);
• day 4: You can work on muscle relief - 4 sets of strength exercises for 8 repetitions.

What does "BUCH" mean? It's about about nutrition based on alternating protein and carbohydrate foods. The diet allows you to burn your own fat reserves and does not affect muscle tissue. Initially, such diets were developed for athletes and bodybuilders.

For example, the BUTCH Powell cycle. This diet was developed by American trainers, husband and wife Chris and Heidi Powell, for athletes and people leading an active lifestyle.

But time has shown that BUTCH can help those who want to gain slim shape. This diet is very popular among girls and not only: in a week on such a diet a woman can lose up to 5 kilograms. Wikipedia does not yet contain information about this diet, but many groups on VK will not only tell you about it, but also offer a detailed description of the menu in grams.

BUTCH diet: advantages and disadvantages

What is protein-carbohydrate alternation? The diet involves a change in protein and carbohydrate foods, that is, BCHU - proteins alternate with carbohydrates. But the products alternate in accordance with a certain pattern. The classic version of BUCH consists of such days.

• Protein (B). On this day, the main emphasis in food is on protein foods. The recommended amount of protein is calculated from the ratio: per 1 kg of weight - 3-4 g of protein.
• High carbohydrate (U). Foods rich in carbohydrates are preferred. The daily dose is 5-6 g per 1 kg of body weight.
• Mixed (C) . This is the day when it is recommended to consume both proteins (2-2.5 g/1 kg) and carbohydrates (2-3 g/1 kg).

Power plans

The diet consists of identical cycles, including all types of days: B, U, S. Moreover, there are several options for alternating them. Depending on your personal preferences, you can use one of the following nutrition plans.

• Four-day cycle (BBUS). This scheme is considered classic. Initially there are two protein days. They are replaced by a carbohydrate day and the mixed day completes the cycle. Then, without a break, two protein days follow again.
• Five-day (BBBUS). If in the evening of the second protein day you do not feel tired or fatigued, then you can practice an enhanced cycle.
• Six-day (BBUUSS). This cycle allows you not only to effectively burn fat, but also to fully restore the body, preventing the development of undesirable consequences.
• Seven-day (BUBSBUS). This cycle is most successful for a working person. After all, it allows you to treat yourself to delicious food on the weekend.

American Jason Hunter, a nutritionist, while developing a BEACH diet menu for a month, proposed the following scheme: UNB. According to this diet, you start with carbohydrates; on the second day (low-carbohydrate), some carbohydrates are allowed. And the third day is protein. The nutritionist claims that such a diet is easier to tolerate by the body.

How it works

What ensures this alternation? And what causes weight loss? The answers should be sought in anatomical structure person. The diet is based on the following mechanism.

• Intensive weight loss. In the first days of protein, the body, which lacks energy (after all, there are no carbohydrates), finds them in glycogen. Initially, it uses up the entire liver reserve, and then begins to break down fatty tissue. These days there is rapid weight loss - from 0.5 to 1 kg.
• Energy restoration. Since energy is not replenished, but consumed, the body decides to dramatically change tactics. He is sure that difficult days have come, which means that fats need to be saved for later. And he decides to throw muscles into the firebox, the most unnecessary structures, in his opinion. To protect the muscles and “confuse” the smart guy, a carbohydrate day is introduced. Having received energy from carbohydrates, the body “relaxes”, leaving muscle tissue intact. On this day, a return of previously lost kilograms may be observed. But this is no longer a mass of fat, but a volume of water that will quickly disappear at the beginning of the next cycle.
• Liver restoration. This day always comes before the start of the next cycle. It restores depleted glycogen in the liver.

As reviews and results of the BUC diet show, weight loss occurs unevenly. The lost kilograms will periodically return. Don't be afraid of it. The returned weight will be lost at the beginning of each subsequent cycle.

Pros

A properly organized diet has a number of advantages compared to other diets. It does not provide instant results, but it does not harm health. The main benefits of the diet include the following factors.

• Balance. The diet is as close to balanced as possible, thereby eliminating harm. Metabolic processes proceed faster and more efficiently.
• Saturation. During the diet, there is no feeling of “wolfish” hunger.
• Economical. A simple diet does not require the purchase of overseas products and does not involve complex recipes.
• Weight loss. Losing weight is based precisely on the breakdown of fats, and not on the removal of water. There is no “plateau effect” (body weight stops decreasing because the body is accustomed to the restrictions).
• Optimal time. You can sit on BUC for four to nine weeks without harming your health. A cyclic nutritional scheme allows you to saturate the body with the nutritional supplements necessary for the proper functioning of all systems.
• Combination with sports. Diet can and even should be combined with sports.
• Psychological comfort. Periodic “days of relaxation” (when you are allowed to treat yourself even to a chocolate bar) provide a comfortable psychological state and do not provoke the onset of depressive disorders.

BEACH helps cleanse the body. Alternating diets allows food to be absorbed much more efficiently and not linger in the intestines. And this is immediately reflected in the appearance. The skin tone is evened out, the dermis becomes smooth, the condition of the hair improves, acne goes away, and inflammation disappears.

Cons

Like any diet, BUTCH is not without its flaws. Before you start losing weight, be sure to study them or go for a consultation with a competent nutritionist. Experts indicate the following three disadvantages of the BUCH system.

1. Difficulty of calculations. A proper diet is based on strict control of calories eaten. Therefore, those losing weight have to constantly calculate the norm and strictly control their menu.
2. Slow weight loss. Losing weight can be compared to the pendulum effect. Losing weight constantly alternates with weight gain. This can be frustrating for those who are trying to get thin quickly.
3. Lack of energy. Sometimes those losing weight point to such side effects, like the appearance of fatigue, fatigue during protein days. In some cases, dizziness may occur.

This diet is not suitable for obese people. Such a diet can provoke the development of serious complications in obese patients.

Contraindications

Be very careful about the presence of contraindications. BUCH implies periodic loads on the liver, gastrointestinal tract, and kidneys. And this can aggravate existing diseases. BUCH is prohibited when:

• kidney diseases;
• pregnancy;
• liver pathologies;
• pancreas disorders;
• lactation;
• pathologies of the digestive system;
• diabetes mellitus;
• high cholesterol.

To eliminate the risk of complications, get tested before starting BCH and enlist the support of an experienced nutritionist.

How will we eat?

The most important advantage of this diet, as reviews from those who have lost weight show, is its effectiveness. BEACH, despite the slow pace, really works and helps to reset overweight. An approximate menu and nutritional recommendations will help you understand what your diet should be.

The choice of dishes, their calorie content, and the degree of physical activity are determined individually. The BUC diet depends on age, personal circumstances, health status and taste preferences.

5 diet rules

Having decided to find a slim figure with the help of BEACH, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the basic rules. Compliance with them will protect you from unpleasant consequences and failure. When dieting, be sure to consider these five points.

1. Diet miscalculation. It is not difficult to calculate the daily protein requirement for a protein day - you need to multiply your weight by 3. For a carbohydrate day, you don’t have to calculate the norm (although this is not difficult to do, by analogy, only a factor of 4). On this day, food includes high-carbohydrate foods, but with a low GI, which are digested long time, for example, porridge, vegetables.
2. Portion volume. To ensure fat burning, you need to monitor the energy value of your diet. Nutritionists recommend sticking to 1200-1500 kcal. With high physical activity, calorie content can increase to 2500 kcal.
3. Choice of dishes. When thinking over a menu for a week, 14 days or a month, include a wide variety of foods in your diet. The body must receive vitamins and minerals. He also needs fats.
4. Physical activity. Sports will help you gain weight much faster. Therefore, nutritionists advise be sure to combine BEACH with training. If the choice fell on the classic nutritional scheme with a four-day cycle, then it is recommended to exercise three times a week. On Monday and Friday (the first protein days of the cycle), prefer aerobic exercise. On Wednesday (carbohydrate day) you are full of energy, so do strength exercises, heavy sports loads and work on muscle relief are possible.
5. Diet duration. Doctors believe that the diet is not able to work for a long time. Therefore, it is recommended to adhere to BCH for no more than one month. Reviews from doctors show that the body can get used to even such a confusing diet.

It is almost impossible to completely eliminate the consumption of carbohydrates on a protein day. After all, many products contain all nutrients (BJU). Therefore, nothing bad will happen if you treat yourself to a piece of apple on a protein day. A table helps you navigate when planning your diet.

Table - Content of proteins and carbohydrates in food products

Name	Protein per 100 g	Carbohydrates per 100 g
Beef	18,9	-
Mutton	16,3	-
Veal	19,7	-
Pork	16,4	-
Chicken	20,8	-
Rabbit	20,7	-
Chicken egg	12,7	0,7
Hake	2,2	-
Flounder	2,6	0
Sturgeon	10,9	0
Shrimps	0,8	0
Squid	18	0
Milk	2,8	4,7
Ryazhenka	3	4,1
Sour cream (20% fat)	2,8	3,2
Brynza	17,9	-
Cottage cheese	14	1,3
Black bread	6,8	40,7
Rice	7	77
Oatmeal	11,0	49,94
Buckwheat	13	68
Barley	1,3	71,7
Millet	2,9	69,3
Pasta	10,4	74,9
Sugar	-	100
Apple	0,4	11,3
Banana	1,5	22,4
Potato	2	19,7
Cabbage	1,8	5,4
Carrot	1,3	7

Products that you can

During the diet, it is permissible to eat a wide variety of foods. Therefore, it is impossible to call this diet strict. The following table will help you determine what you can eat on a BEACH diet.

Products that are not allowed

Despite the wide variety of acceptable foods, some dishes will have to be abandoned. During BUCH you should not consume:

• fatty meat;
• pineapples, persimmons, grapes;
• fast food;
• fatty fish;
• sweets, baked goods;
• alcohol, soda;
• semi-finished products, smoked meats.

And if possible, reduce the amount of salt you consume.

Sample menu

When designing your menu, include four to six meals. Don't lose sight of your drinking regime. You need to drink 1.5-2 liters of clean water per day. An approximate menu is presented in the table.

Table - Approximate menu of the BUTCH diet for every day

Day	Eating	Diet
Monday (B)	Breakfast	- Hard-boiled egg; - vegetable salad with the addition of linseed oil; - tea
	Lunch	- Cottage cheese with a pinch of cinnamon
	Dinner	- Stewed vegetables; - steam chicken breast
	Dinner	- Baked pike perch
Tuesday (B)	Breakfast	- Steamed omelette; - black tea
	Lunch	- Ryazhenka
	Dinner	- Stew of zucchini, cabbage, carrots; - boiled pollock
	Dinner	- Baked chicken with vegetables
Wednesday (U)	Breakfast	- Oatmeal; - a glass of tea
	Lunch	- One banana
	Dinner	- A portion of pasta
	Dinner	- Steamed rice porridge with vegetables
Thursday (WITH)	Breakfast	- Portion of “Hercules”
	Lunch	- Rye bread; - a piece of hard cheese
	Dinner	- Buckwheat porridge; - baked beef
	Dinner	- Baked fish with vegetables; - dried fruits (several pieces)
Friday (B)	Breakfast	- Cottage cheese (allowed to add raisins)
	Lunch	- Kefir
	Dinner	- Vegetable and olive salad; - boiled fish
	Dinner	- Steamed chicken breast

This example is provided for informational purposes. An effective menu for every day of the BEACH diet should be developed individually, taking into account age, gender, and excess weight.

Exit the program

When the diet has come to an end, it is necessary to complete it correctly. Only the correct exit from the BUCH will allow you to maintain the achieved result. Therefore, set yourself up for another one to two weeks, allowing for a smooth return to your normal diet. Exiting the BEACH diet consists of the following steps:

• Days 1-5 - a mixed day diet is used;
• Days 6-9 - the diet is gradually enriched with new dishes, but without fast food, sweets, and fats.

If you really want something sweet, you can allow a small piece, but only in the first half of the day.

Recipes

Studying sample menu You can make sure that cooking does not cause any particular difficulties. The diet contains simple dishes, which do not imply “overseas” components. The following recipes will help you verify this.

Summer salad

Compound:

• bell pepper- two pieces;
• green salad - one fork;
• cucumber - two;
• onion - one;
• parsley - three sprigs;
• lemon juice - a tablespoon;
• olive oil - a tablespoon;
• ground black pepper - a pinch.

Preparation

1. Vegetables are cut into small pieces.
2. The ingredients are placed in a salad bowl and topped with olive and juice squeezed from lemon.
3. Add greens and pepper.
4. Everything is mixed.

Baked fish

Compound:

• lean fish - one carcass;
• lemon juice - two tablespoons;
• black pepper

Preparation

1. The fish is thoroughly gutted and washed. Divided into fillets.
2. Shallow transverse cuts are made throughout the carcass. Thanks to them, the fish will be better soaked and will not be dry.

Each of us has probably heard at least once about such a concept as a protein-carbohydrate alternating diet. In recent years, it has been rapidly gaining popularity among athletes, especially bodybuilders. And it is already surpassing others in popularity.

And this is not surprising: both low-carb and low calorie diet there are serious shortcomings. If you overdo it with the first one, you can “get lost” during the drying process. muscle mass. Besides, appearance muscles (even if you managed to maintain them) will leave much to be desired. And this is not counting the depressed mood - the eternal companion of any low-carb diet.

As for a low-calorie diet, it can also lead to serious health problems. Dry skin, bad hair, brittle nails, slow metabolism, erection problems in the stronger sex - this is just a small list of “side effects”.

This is why most bodybuilders have recently opted for a different diet - carbohydrate alternation. In this article we will tell you everything about the BUTCH diet that we know ourselves. Make yourself comfortable - there will be a lot of interesting things!

First, let's figure out why it's called that. The bottom line is that the leading role in the BEACH diet is played by cunning manipulations with the amount of carbohydrates you consume. Now let’s explain what is called “on the fingers”.

For example, you need to lose weight in sixty days. This period must be divided into cycles - each of four days. The first and second days of each cycle should be low-carb: you need to eat about 3-4 grams of protein per kilogram of your weight, and only 1-1.5 grams of carbohydrates. On the third day, everything changes: the amount of carbohydrates consumed increases - already 5-6 grams per kilogram of weight, and proteins, on the contrary, are reduced to 1-1.5 grams. The fourth day is the golden mean: approximately 2-3 grams of protein and carbohydrates per kilogram of your weight.

What does this alternation of protein and carbohydrate days give? During the first two days, the body's glycogen reserves almost completely run out. In parallel with this, fat begins to melt - since there is no glycogen, it is the “fuel” for energy. By the end of the second day, the use of fats in this capacity reaches its peak. But you cannot continue carbohydrate rotation for weight loss for more than two days - otherwise the body may go into “emergency” mode and, on the contrary, will begin to accumulate fat just in case of emergency, and the muscles we need and love will be used for energy consumption.

To prevent this from happening, you need a third day - a high-carbohydrate one. The amount of carbohydrates on this day increases sharply, while the previous calorie intake remains the same. The body begins to get confused, continuing to use fats for energy, while storing glycogen in the liver and muscles. To completely replenish glycogen reserves, you also need a fourth day, on which carbohydrates are also consumed, but in moderation. The cycle then repeats over and over again.

According to reviews from those who have already tried this nutrition system, weight is lost in the following way. In the first two days, up to 1 kilogram is lost, by the evening of the fourth day almost all of this weight returns. But wait to panic - it's the carbohydrates you ate that are holding extra water in your body. By the second day of the new cycle, the weight will return to normal. That is, you will finish the new circle with a kilogram plumb line.

What are the benefits of alternating protein and carbohydrate days for weight loss?

Before moving on to the BUTCH diet menu for every day, let’s say just a few words about the advantages of such a nutrition system:

• Such a diet “boosts” your metabolism in the shortest possible time, without requiring time to adapt.
• Physical tone is maintained at a decent level; on “carbohydrate” days (the third and fourth) you can conduct high-intensity training (as opposed to the same low-calorie diet).
• Muscles are not used as “fuel” - a definite plus for athletes.
• The mood and general mental tone do not suffer as much - it’s quite easy to survive 2-3 days of the diet, and then you can allow yourself some tasty treats - however, within reason.

And the main advantage of this diet is that it really works! Moreover, it is suitable for both beginners in the world of sports and experienced bodybuilders. Perhaps, at the end of the diet, the numbers on the scales will be different for both, but there is no doubt that there will be an effect!

BUTCH diet: detailed menu description

So, what and how to eat on the BUTCH diet? Remember the main rule: the more contrasting your carbohydrate and protein days are, the better the result will be in the end. On days when proteins “lead”, reduce fats and carbohydrates to a minimum: cottage cheese - only low-fat (18 grams of protein), tuna - without oil (21 grams), you can have seafood, chicken breast (23 grams), from eggs - whites ( 2 grams). In addition, two yolks and a couple of cucumbers are allowed per day. The same nuts or cheese - which, it would seem, are also protein products - are undesirable; fat will be broken down worse.

Important: in protein days, there is no need to calculate the amount of fats and carbohydrates consumed, especially not to try to “get” them to the desired level. Count only the proteins. It's very easy - in a couple of days you will hone this skill to automaticity. IN carbohydrate During the day, eat exclusively healthy carbohydrates: cereals, pasta, a variety of vegetables, a couple of fruits before lunch, animal products at lunch. IN mixed stick to the day proper nutrition- carbohydrates in the morning, at lunch and as snacks - both, protein - in the evening.

And now - to the specifics. So, the BUTCH diet, a menu for every day.

Days 1 and 2: six meals

1. Vegetable salad with a teaspoon of olive oil, five whites, three yolks. Important: vegetables must be exclusively non-starchy.
2. Protein shake with low-fat milk.
3. Grapefruit, boiled chicken breast.
4. Boiled veal/beef, beans.
5. Another vegetable salad, two pieces of boiled fish.
6. Low-fat milkshake again.

Third day - five meals

1. A cup of oatmeal with raisins, three boiled egg whites.
2. A plate of boiled rice (regular or brown, optional), half a chicken breast, a piece of coarse bread.
3. A serving of pasta made from durum wheat.
4. Another plate of rice and half a breast.
5. Three slices of the same bread, a small piece of lean fish.

Day four - five meals

1. Oatmeal, raisins, boiled proteins - as on the third day.
2. Low-fat milkshake, three slices of coarse bread.
3. A plate of plain or brown rice, a whole chicken breast, a salad of non-starchy vegetables.
4. Three slices of the same bread, a salad made from vegetables and lean fish.
5. Low fat milk shake.

We have provided a detailed description of the BUTCH diet, and we are waiting for your feedback with photos. Try it and share your results in the comments!

Protein-carbohydrate alternation (butch) for weight loss is one of the most popular diets among women and men of all ages. This popularity of the diet is explained by the wide list of permitted products, the ease of preparation of dishes and its high efficiency. Butch is suitable for those who do not want to exhaust the body with hunger strikes and prefer to eat as healthy as possible.

A detailed description of the butch diet will help you understand why the body loses extra pounds. Together with food we receive proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Proteins serve as the material necessary for muscle function and maintenance of bone tissue, and the body receives energy from fats and carbohydrates.

If you sharply reduce the amount of carbohydrates and fats you eat, glycogen, which is found in muscle tissue and the liver, is used as a consumable resource. But these reserves quickly come to an end, and then the process of breaking down subcutaneous fat begins. These processes occur in the body on protein days.

If they drag on, your metabolism will be affected and your metabolism will slow down. To prevent this from happening, you need to load the body with useful ones, i.e. slow carbohydrates with low, and then reintroduce protein into the diet.

This is the principle of butch, schematically it looks like this:

• The cycle consists of 1 protein, 1 carbohydrate, and 1 mixed day - in sequential order. Thus, the full cycle of a classic butch will take three days;
• After completing one boot cycle, a new one starts immediately.

Alternation must be continued until the desired effect is achieved.

Pros and cons of the diet

Protein-carbohydrate alternation has many positive aspects:

• The body does not suffer from an acute lack of proteins, fats and carbohydrates; these substances are present in the diet;
• The diet assumes that it eliminates the feeling of hunger. This allows you to avoid breakdowns and stick to the regime for several weeks without any problems;
• There is no need to prepare complex dishes. All recipes are very easy to prepare;
• Metabolism is not slowed down, as happens with strict express diets. Butch acts on the body as a kind of shake-up and, with the right approach, can even speed up metabolism.

In addition, after finishing the diet, the habit of eating simple and healthy dishes will remain.

The disadvantages include the following:

• Loss of adipose tissue occurs smoothly. If you need to lose 4-5 kg ​​for the maximum short time, it’s worth looking for other ways;
• On protein days, fatigue and lack of energy may occur;
• The diet is not suitable for people whose weight exceeds 100 kg. Large amounts of protein will negatively affect their kidney function. With such a high weight, it is best to start losing weight with balanced nutrition with a slight calorie deficit.

Before deciding to butch, you need to carefully weigh all the pros and cons and think through the menu in advance.

Sample menu for the week

Below is a butch menu diet for a week. The protein day starts on Monday, Tuesday will be a carbohydrate day, and Wednesday will be a mixed day. Thus, the seven-day menu includes two full cycles of butch, and another protein day. If you follow these rules, the next week will begin with a carbohydrate day.

Day	Eating	Sample menu
Monday	Breakfast	Omelet of 3 whites, 1 yolk and skim milk, cooked in the oven without oil
	Lunch	2 boiled squid carcasses
	Dinner	Chicken fillet fried in a dry frying pan, cucumber and tomato salad with wine vinegar and lemon juice
	Afternoon snack	Cottage cheese sprinkled with vanilla
	Dinner	Baked cod, fresh herbs
Tuesday	Breakfast	Steamed oat flakes with raisins and honey
	Lunch	Grapefruit
	Dinner	Whole grain pasta, a mix of Chinese cabbage and carrots, seasoned with lime juice
	Afternoon snack	Banana
	Dinner	Low-fat cottage cheese
Wednesday	Breakfast	Oatmeal with water, 1 hard-boiled chicken protein
	Lunch	Steam omelette with 2 whites
	Dinner	Jacket potatoes, baked turkey fillet, vegetable salad
	Afternoon snack	green apple
	Dinner	Steamed navaga cutlets with stewed vegetables
Thursday	Breakfast	Egg white and tomato omelette
	Lunch	Kefir 1% fat
	Dinner	Chicken breast cooked with tomatoes in the oven or on the grill, boiled Brussels sprouts, cucumber
	Afternoon snack	Cabbage salad with 1 tsp. olive oil
	Dinner	Steamed turkey fillet and zucchini cutlets
Friday	Breakfast	Loose buckwheat with skim milk
	Lunch	2 whole grain breads with low-fat cheese
	Dinner	Brown rice, pollock fillet cutlets, cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs
	Afternoon snack	Banana
	Dinner	Pumpkin stewed in milk and cottage cheese casserole
Saturday	Breakfast	Barley porridge on water, rye bread sandwich with feta cheese
	Lunch	2 egg white omelette with green beans
	Dinner	Potatoes stewed with turkey and green beans
	Afternoon snack	Cottage cheese 5% fat with cinnamon
	Dinner	Squid carcasses in sour cream
Sunday	Breakfast	Boiled buckwheat without salt with milk
	Lunch	Orange and pear
	Dinner	Stewed blue whiting fillet, bulgur, bell pepper, cucumber and spinach salad with spices without oil
	Afternoon snack	Ayran
	Dinner	Whole grain pasta with seafood in low-fat cream.

It is a four-day cycle. There should be two protein days in a row, and only then come carbohydrate and mixed days. This scheme is a more stringent and extreme version of the diet, but weight loss is faster. Which of these two options to choose, everyone must decide for themselves, based on their own well-being. It is very important to feel as comfortable as possible.

There is also a butch diet according to the method of Chris Powell, an American fitness trainer. IN in this case the cycle consists of 7 days. Days 1, 3 and 5 are protein days, 2, 4 and 6 are carbohydrate days and 7 is a mixed day.

Whatever method is preferred, two principles must be observed:

• The total calorie content of the daily diet should be in the range of 1300-1500 calories;
• The volume of each dish should not exceed 200-250 grams, for example: 200 grams of chicken breast and 250 grams of vegetable salad.

It is very important what will be spent during the day. Losing weight will go faster if you combine a diet with moderate exercise. On the day of the training, you need to eat protein for dinner.

How to prepare dishes?

All dishes should be prepared as simply as possible. Fry food in a frying pan large quantities oil is not allowed. Meat and fish dishes can be baked in the oven in foil without oil, or cooked on the grill. Frying is allowed only in a dry, hot frying pan; for this it is convenient to use dishes with a non-stick coating.

An important element of vegetables is fiber; it helps the intestines function, so when preparing salads, they do not need to be peeled, just washed well.

When cooking pasta you need to carefully monitor the time. Slightly undercooked pasta does not increase insulin levels as much, which helps maintain a feeling of fullness, and takes longer to digest.

What you can and can’t eat at BUCH

Here's what you can eat on protein days:

• Meat: chicken breast, turkey fillet, veal, rabbit, lean beef;
• Fish and seafood: cod, haddock, navaga, pollock, blue whiting, mullet, shrimp, squid carcasses, octopus tentacles;
• Low-fat kefir, cottage cheese, cheese, milk.

You can also eat chicken eggs and vegetables that do not contain starch: cabbage and Chinese cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, sorrel, spinach.

What to eat on carbohydrate days:

• Cereals: buckwheat, barley, couscous, bulgur, oatmeal, brown rice, millet;
• Pasta made from durum wheat, whole grain pasta;
• Fruits: green apples, unsweetened pears, limited quantities of bananas, citrus fruits, kiwi;
• Black, Borodino bread and whole grain bread.

On mixed days, you need to combine products from both lists.

In order for the body to function normally, especially with regard to maintaining a regular menstrual cycle in women, it needs a certain amount of fat. Although butch presupposes their significant reduction, the diet should contain vegetable oil, olive oil is best. They can be used to season vegetable salads.

What products are prohibited:

• Bakery products made from wheat flour;
• Confectionery: cookies, preserves, jam, cakes, chocolate, pastries, marshmallows, marshmallows, and all other sweets;
• Dairy products: sweet yoghurts and curds, heavy cream;
• Meat and fish products: sausages of any kind, lard, fatty pork and fatty parts of beef, duck, goose, semi-finished products, fatty fish, smoked fish, canned fish.

Also prohibited are alcoholic beverages, sweet compotes and packaged juices.

Recipes

When using a butch menu for every day, thought out in advance, it greatly simplifies life. The more varied the diet, the easier the diet will be. Here are some tasty and healthy recipes allowed dishes.

Rabbit meat stewed with vegetables

Rabbit meat is a dietary meat. It strengthens the walls of blood vessels and saturates the body with B vitamins. The recipe is suitable for a carbohydrate or mixed day.

To prepare the dish you will need 0.5 kg of meat, lemon, 1 carrot, bell pepper, onions and olive oil.

The baking dish should be greased from the inside with a thin layer of oil. Place the cut carcass in it and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Then pour 200 ml of hot water with lemon juice and add spices to taste. Rosemary, allspice, and bay leaves go well with rabbit. Chop the onions, carrots and peppers and add to the meat. Leave in the oven to simmer until done, another 40-50 minutes. Sprinkle with herbs before serving.

Sea salad

A high protein salad is great to start your butch cycle. To prepare it, you need to take equal parts of squid and shrimp carcasses, 2 chicken eggs, 1 fresh cucumber.

Boil the cleaned squid in boiling water for 2 minutes, cook the shrimp for 3-4 minutes, and hard-boil the eggs. For the salad you only need protein.

Cut the squid carcasses into rings, combine with shrimp, add chopped shrimp and cucumber, add a little salt, and dress the salad with a mixture of wine vinegar and lemon juice.

Vegetable soup with chicken

This is the first dish, suitable for any day of the cycle. You will need chicken breast, onions, broccoli, spinach, bell pepper.

Cut the breast into pieces and boil in salted water. Chop the vegetables, sauté in a small amount of olive oil, and add to the broth. Add spices to taste, cook for a few more minutes.

Steamed fish cutlets

To prepare, you need to take any lean fish fillet, 1 chicken egg, onion, zucchini, salt, and spices. The fillet must be twisted in a meat grinder, the onion and zucchini finely chopped, or also passed through a meat grinder. Mix everything well, beat into the minced meat raw egg, add salt and spices to taste. If the minced meat is too dense, you can pour a little milk into it.

Form cutlets, place them in a steamer, cooking time – 20-25 minutes. These cutlets can also be baked in the oven by greasing the baking dish with vegetable or olive oil.

Curd casserole

This is a good breakfast option on a mixed day. To prepare the casserole, you need to take low-fat cottage cheese or 5% fat and 2 chicken eggs.

Grind the cottage cheese well, break the eggs, separate the whites from the yolks. All you need is whites. Mix with cottage cheese, the mass should be of a homogeneous consistency. Place in a greased baking dish and place in the oven for 25 minutes. The casserole can be eaten either hot or cooled. If desired, you can add 1 tsp to it. sweetener, or raisins. The raisins must first be soaked in boiling water.

All butch recipes take a little time. After completing the diet, you can diversify them a little and include them in your daily menu.

Contraindications

Any diet has its own list of contraindications. It is not recommended to adhere to protein-carbohydrate alternation:

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women;
• Teenagers and older people;
• In the presence of disorders of the cardiovascular system;
• For: pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, renal failure;
• For liver diseases: cirrhosis, hepatitis;
• If you have the following diseases gastrointestinal tract: cholecystitis, gastritis, stomach ulcer or duodenum, biliary dyskinesia;
• For benign or malignant tumors.

The extensive list of contraindications is explained by the fact that with a sudden change in diet, chronic diseases can worsen.

During protein-carbohydrate alternation, the following side effects may occur:

• Digestive problems, constipation. Intestinal function is naturally slowed down due to the large volume of protein. To prevent this, you need to eat more non-starchy vegetables that are high in fiber, and drink at least 1 liter of clean water per day;
• Increased fatigue, headaches. This is a common occurrence with carbohydrate deficiency. Walking can help you cope with headaches. fresh air. It is necessary to give the body more oxygen. If you can’t go for a walk, you need to ventilate the room well.

The diet is especially difficult for those who are used to eating a lot of sweets. When cutting fast carbohydrates, a person’s mood can easily deteriorate and irritability increase. However, sweets are prohibited even on carbohydrate days. The maximum permissible dose of glucose is contained in 1 tsp. honey - you can add it to oatmeal.