BUCH diet

The BEACH diet – or protein-carbohydrate alternation – was originally developed for athletes. The diet was first proposed by American nutritionist James Hunter. The essence of the diet is the alternation of protein and carbohydrate days. This alternation allows you to burn fat, and the muscles acquire relief. The diet goes well with sports activities and physical activity and allows you to “dry out” in a short time.

The principle of the BEACH diet is simple: on protein days, the diet has a minimum of fats and carbohydrates.¹. As a result, the body begins to process glycogen stores, and then break down fats to get the necessary energy. On carbohydrate days, glycogen stores are partially restored, so the body is not stressed by glucose deficiency. The diet also includes mixed days, when the diet should include both proteins and complex carbohydrates.

On the BEACH diet, muscle mass is maintained thanks to protein days and regular physical activity. The optimal regimen is 3-4 strength training per week.

Pros of the BEACH diet

Protein-carbohydrate alternation has several advantages:

• weight is reduced due to the breakdown of fat reserves, and not only due to loss of water;
• body weight decreases gradually, which means there is less risk of quickly regaining lost kilograms;
• the condition of the muscle mass does not worsen.

Cons of the BEACH diet

The BEACH diet is not for everyone. The diet is contraindicated in people suffering from obesity, varicose veins, kidney disease, diabetes, pregnant and lactating.

The diet also includes regular exercise in the gym. Otherwise, the body will not be able to cope with excess carbohydrates and will begin to gain weight.².

With an insufficient amount of fiber in food, problems with the gastrointestinal tract can occur in the form of constipation and other digestive disorders.

What can you eat on the BEACH diet

The list of allowed foods on the BEACH diet is quite extensive. In the table below, we have listed the foods that are recommended to be consumed regularly.

What Not to Eat on the BEACH Diet

The main rule of the BEACH diet: exclude foods high in fat and carbohydrates from the diet.

Menu for the week for the BEACH diet

Keep in mind that the diet is designed only for those who are engaged in speed-strength types of training, taking into account maintaining the intensity of the loads:

Day 1. Protein

Breakfast: omelette of 3 eggs and 1 tbsp. l. milk, steamed or microwaved. Salad of cucumbers and tomatoes with 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Sugar free coffee. tofu cheese

Dinner: boiled chicken fillet with vegetables (broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower), salt and spices to taste

Afternoon snack: low-fat cottage cheese with vanilla

Dinner: lean fish or seafood, lemon, spices to taste, salt

Day 2. Carbohydrate

Breakfast: oatmeal in water. A glass of tomato juice.

Lunch: buckwheat soup with vegetables and herbs. Brown rice. Vegetable salad

Snack: buckwheat bread with bean pate.

Dinner: baked pumpkin. Quinoa porridge. Tea without sugar

Recipe for bean paste:

• Canned white beans – 1 can;
• Walnut – 100 g;
• Garlic – 3 cloves;
• Onions – 1 pcs.;
• Carrots – 1 pc.;
• Lemon juice – optional;
• Vegetable oil – optional;
• Salt, spices to taste.

Cooking:

1. Peel onions and carrots. Grind and fry until done.
2. Soak the walnuts for a few hours beforehand. Rinse and chop finely.
3. Put the beans in a blender (do not pour out the liquid, it may come in handy). Add onions and carrots, garlic, nuts, lemon juice and vegetable oil. Beat until smooth.
4. If the consistency is too thick, you can add liquid from the beans. Add salt and spices.

Day 3. Mixed

Breakfast: cheesecakes with raisins and date syrup. Low fat cheese. Tea with lemon.

Lunch: wheat porridge with mushrooms, baked vegetable salad.

Snack: baked apples with raisins and nuts

Dinner: baked turkey fillet and vegetable salad

Day 4. Protein

Breakfast: cottage cheese casserole with pumpkin. Salad with tomatoes and lemon juice. Tea or coffee without sugar. A glass of ryazhenka.

Lunch: ear from lean fish. Chicken fillet stewed in kefir. Fresh vegetables

Snack: cottage cheese with herbs and cucumber

Dinner: salad with seafood, bell peppers and leafy greens, seasoned with lemon juice.

Recipe for cottage cheese casserole with pumpkin:

• Cottage cheese – 300 g;
• Pumpkin – 400 g;
• Butter – 30 g;
• Sour cream – 2 tbsp. l .;
• Eggs – 2 pcs .;
• Coconut flour – 2 tbsp. L.;
• Lemon juice – 2 tsp;
• Soda – ¼ tsp;
• Salt is a pinch.

Cooking:

1. Peel the pumpkin and grate on a medium grater.
2. Grind cottage cheese together with butter.
3. To cottage cheese add soda slaked with lemon juice, coconut flour, eggs, pumpkin and salt. To stir thoroughly.
4. Grease a baking dish with a little oil and put the curd mixture on it.
5. Bake at 200 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Day 5. Carbohydrate

Breakfast: buckwheat porridge with olive oil. A glass of low-fat kefir. Whole grain breads.

Lunch: creamy zucchini soup. Durum wheat pasta. Tomato

Snack: pear, kiwi and banana smoothie

Dinner: risotto with tomatoes and basil. Salad with arugula, beans and bell peppers

Day 6. Mixed

Breakfast: toast with salmon, avocado and low-fat cheese. Coffee with milk.

Lunch: pasta casserole, vegetable slices, olives.

Snack: baked pears with cottage cheese and nuts.

Dinner: rabbit stew with vegetables, tomato juice, whole grain bread.

Pasta Casserole Recipe:

• Durum macaroni – 1 pack;
• Chicken egg – 2 pc .;
• Hard cheese – 150 g;
• Dill, parsley, cilantro – 1 bunch;
• Pepper and seasonings – to taste.

Cooking:

1. Boil pasta until half cooked.
2. Grate cheese on a coarse grater, combine with eggs and beat.
3. Add the egg mixture, chopped herbs and seasonings to the pasta as desired.
4. Transfer pasta to a baking dish. Cook in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes.

Day 7. Protein

Breakfast: 3 boiled egg whites. Arugula salad with shrimps and mozzarella. A glass of fermented baked milk

Lunch: chicken fillet soup with spinach and celery. Turkey fillet pastrami. Red cabbage salad with lemon juice and vegetable oil

Snack: greek yogurt

Dinner: vegetable stew with veal. Salad with squid and fresh cucumber.

The results

BUCH is not just another diet for weight loss, but a special principle of nutrition. The division of nutrition into protein, carbohydrate and mixed days was originally developed for athletes and bodybuilders who were preparing for competitions.

The diet cannot be followed for a long time, but only for a few days – a maximum of a week to achieve maximum results before the competition. Thanks to the diet, you can lose a few kilograms and acquire a more pronounced muscle relief.

The essence of the BEACH diet is that during carbohydrate-free days the body consumes glycogen stores. And as soon as its reserves are depleted, the body begins to burn its own fat. During carbohydrate days, the amount of glycogen is partially restored. If you do not make up for the lack of glycogen, muscle cells will begin to burn, which is very harmful.

During the BEA diet, the body experiences a significant load, as it has to use emergency energy sources – fats and glycogen. As a result, muscle mass remains and fat is burned.

Dietitian Reviews

Ultrasound diagnostics doctor, nutritionist, nutritionist, preventive medicine doctor Natalya Igoshina does not recommend sticking to this diet even for athletes.

– This is a high load on the excretory systems of the body, liver, kidneys. You need to be completely confident in your health, follow the tests and well-being. The diet must be carried out under the supervision of a doctor, and at the slightest sign of deterioration, exit from it. Also, the BEACH diet is contraindicated in the presence of chronic diseases, the expert notes.

Popular questions and answers

Also, nutritionist Natalya Igoshina answered who the BEACH diet can harm, whether it is necessary to calculate the daily amount of calories, and other popular questions.

Sources:

1. Shamina Yu. I., Solodilova E. S. Protein-carbohydrate alternation // Nauka-2020.2021 https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/belkovo-uglevodnoe-cheredovanie/viewer
2. Cherep Z. P., Andreenko T. A., Rogozhkina A. A. Proper nutrition in the formation of a healthy lifestyle // Science-2020.2019 https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/pravilnoe-pitanie-v-formirovanii-zdorovogo -obraza-zhizni/viewer
3. Tarasenko VV Way to reduce excess weight//Patent number: RU 2729355 C1. 2020. https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=43909202