What to do after an excess during the high-protein diet?

The high-protein diet has many advantages such as rapid and targeted weight loss on fat mass. This type of diet allows for permanent and comfortable slimming, but there are times when you are invited to a restaurant or you give in during the slimming diet.

We explain why you should avoid giving in during your high-protein diet and how to react if the urge to give in takes over.

During the high-protein diet to lose weight, your body is deprived of carbohydrates and enters the ketosis phase.

This key step in weight loss allows the transformation of your reserve fats into energy. If you want more information about the functioning of your metabolism in the ketosis phase, we invite you to consult our article.

Ketosis has several advantages: you lose weight without hunger or fatigue (anorexigenic and psychotonic effect of ketosis), you tap into your fat reserves and maintain your muscle mass thanks to a high protein intake provided by meal replacements…

Ketogenesis has many advantages, but your body remains in this phase only if you consume less than 30 grams of carbohydrates per day. If we do not exceed this threshold, the body uses fats as energy.

During your high-protein diet to lose weight quickly, you consume approximately 25 grams of carbohydrates per day in strict high-protein diet.
Indeed, a protein sachet contains approximately 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates, the vegetables you consume also contain some carbohydrates, and you will be on average at 25 grams of carbohydrates per day. This consumption will allow you to maintain the ketogenesis phase, that is, comfortable weight loss throughout the slimming program.

If we exceed 30 grams of carbohydrates per day, the metabolism breaks the ketosis phase and carbohydrates become the main source of energy again. This stops weight loss and makes you lose 48 to 72 hours of the diet, the time it takes for your body to empty its glycogen reserves again.

If we refer to the illustration from Clinique Reversa, we can observe what 20 grams of carbohydrates represent:

As you may notice, it is very easy to exceed the additional 20 grams of carbohydrates. In our daily diet, we are used to consuming a large number of products containing carbohydrates.

When you start a high-protein diet, it is important to be aware that your eating habits will be modified accordingly.

To achieve your weight loss goal, it is essential not to cheat. If you feel you might give in, we invite you to read our article: "How not to give in during a slimming diet?"

After an excess during the high-protein diet, you will need to act quickly to avoid regaining weight. Depending on your diet Stage, ketogenesis may be broken and you will need to find it again quickly.

If you are at Stage 1 or 2 (strict protein diet and mixed diet), ketogenesis is probably already broken. Your body has consumed too many carbohydrates to stay in ketosis, and you must resume the low-calorie diet directly after the excess.

If you are at Stage 3 or 4, you are no longer in ketosis, the impact of this excess will be less important than during Stages 1 and 2. After an excess in the transition and stabilization phase, you will need to do the day after the excess a Stage 1 day (and only 1!), that is to say 5 protein sachets for women and 6 for men, accompanied by authorized vegetables.

To recap, here is how to react to an excess:

• If you are in strict Diet or Mixed Diet stage (stage 1 or stage 2) : it is imperative to resume the low-calorie diet. You will have lost between 48 and 72 hours of diet because ketogenesis is broken.
• If you are in Transition or Stabilization (stage 3 or stage 4): follow stage 1 program for one day, that is to say 5 high-protein sachets for women and 6 high-protein sachets for men.

Thanks to this, we limit the impact of food excess during weight loss. Note that the more you avoid excesses during the high-protein diet, the faster you will reach your weight loss goals.

You might be invited to a restaurant or to friends' homes, but it's impossible to miss the occasion... Whether it's a birthday or a business meal, we explain how to enjoy it without compromising your weight loss diet, especially if you're following a high-protein diet.

To limit the negative effects on your weight loss, we prioritize allowed vegetables as well as meat and fish, characteristic of a high-protein diet, and we avoid at all costs sources of sugars and carbohydrates. So we avoid most desserts, rice, pasta, potatoes...

At the restaurant, you can opt for a Caesar salad without dressing, which aligns with the principles of a high-protein diet. During a barbecue, you can enjoy grilled chicken, an excellent source of protein, accompanied by green beans or bell peppers. This type of meal is ideal for avoiding breaking ketogenesis during strict or moderate protein dieting. Thus, you can enjoy the occasion while sticking to your high-protein diet.

We understand that it is difficult to restrict yourself, especially when you are with friends or family. This is also why we offer you a selection of high-protein snacks such as sausage, chips, and small biscuits. All these substitutes are designed to avoid carbohydrate consumption. This way, you can allow yourself a little treat during your protein diet without compromising your weight loss. High-protein snacks are allowed from the 3rd stage of the high-protein diet, the transition stage.

We hope this article will help you react correctly in case of a slip-up during your high-protein diet. Our Cétofine 21 advisors are here to support you in succeeding with your high-protein diet. Motivation is the key to success when you're on a high-protein diet. Start losing those extra pounds now!