Do you love eggs? Then, the egg diet plan for weight loss may appeal to you. The truth is that this is one of the fad diets that will not lead to long-term changes that enhances your health. Curious to know how it works? Read on to learn how this diet plan works, and how to follow healthy weight loss tips safely. However, before you start following any diet or weight loss tips, consult with your doctor or a registered dietician, mainly if you have an underlying health condition.
The egg diet plan is a weight loss program in which you need to build at least one meal every day around the traditional breakfast essential. It is a low-carbohydrate, low-calorie, high-protein weight loss plan that will help you to reduce weight fast without losing muscle mass.
There are many versions of the egg diet, including an egg-only diet or a boiled egg diet. In all the variations, you must eat three meals in a day without any snacks, and only water or beverages that do not contain any calories. More flexible forms of the egg diet include foods like grilled fish, chicken, and steamed vegetables, but avoid sugar and starchy foods.
According to the experts, eggs are small nuggets of essential nutrients, offering choline, protein, lutein, vitamin D, and much more, but the egg diet is low in carbohydrates which can make you feel hungry. Also, eating the same food over and over can get monotonous for some, which can cause non-compliance.
What is the Egg Diet Plan for Weight Loss?
The boiled egg diet plan is a kind of diet that focuses on eggs, mainly hard-boiled eggs. You eat a minimum of 2 to 3 eggs a day, and there is no need to include them in every meal of yours. Thinking why would someone like to eat this way?
It has some celebrities behind it. According to some publications, Nicole Kidman ate just hard-boiled eggs before starring in Cold Mountain. Also, Charles Saatchi, the ex-husband of chef Nigella Lawson followed the egg diet plan for weight loss.
How does the Egg Diet Plan Work for Weight Loss?
There are various versions of the boiled egg diet plan. Let us have a look at the different options here.
Breakfast- At least 2 eggs and one piece of any fruit
Lunch- Eggs or lean protein and low-carbohydrate veggies
Dinner- Eggs or lean protein and low-carb veggies
A 14-day egg diet
If you plan to follow this version of the diet plan, you need to consume three meals every day. Snacks and drinks with calories are not permitted. Every day eat one meal with eggs, but other meals can be prepared around other sources of lean protein like fish or chicken.
To supplement the protein served on your plate, you can add low carbohydrate veggies like spinach or broccoli. You can have citrus fruits sometimes. This diet is sometimes known as the “Boiled Egg Diet.” In this diet, you need to eat your eggs hard-boiled, rather than fried, scrambled, or poached.
Grapefruit and Egg Diet
This is a modification of the 14-day egg diet and lasts for the same time. In this version of the diet, you can eat half a grapefruit at each meal along with your lean protein or egg. Remember, you cannot have any other fruit.
Only Egg Diet Plan for Weight Loss
This version of the weight loss plan is a mono diet. Mono diets are extreme and unhealthy weight loss plans in which you eat just a single food for an extended time. People following this diet plan eat only hard-boiled eggs and water for nearly 2 weeks. As you might imagine, exercise is not recommended in this plan due to the extreme fatigue that you may experience.
How to follow a “Medical” Egg Diet
This diet falls under one of the best weight loss tips in which you need to eat one piece of bread and an egg, three times every day. You can eat as many vegetables and fruits as you want. Beverages like black coffee, zero-calorie drinks, and water are allowed in this diet.
You can prepare the eggs any way you want if no extra calories are added. This means that you cannot use oil or butter to cook the eggs. Some dieters believe that this version of the egg diet plan is used in medical settings to reduce a patient’s weight before undergoing surgery, but there is no proof to support this statement.
While some doctors put their patients on diets before surgery, it is generally a liquid diet and the program is supervised by a doctor or a medical expert.
Keto Egg Diet
A ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, needs you to increase your intake of fat to put your body into a state of ketosis. If you are following this egg diet plan for weight loss, then you should eat eggs with cheese and butter so that your body produces ketones. The most popular ratio promoted online is one egg to one tablespoon of fat.
Side Effects of Egg Diet Plan
Just like every weight loss tip comes with certain drawbacks, egg diet plans also have few cons. This diet is low-calorie and restricts many high-fiber foods like beans and whole-grains. Due to this, you may miss the mark on fiber if you do not pay attention. It is suggested that men who are 50 years and younger get at least 38g of fiber and females get at least 25 g of fiber. If you go too low, you may suffer from constipation. The risk of constipation is especially high if you eat just eggs, as eggs have 0 grams of fiber.
Is it safe to follow a boiled-egg diet?
If you follow a boiled-egg diet plan for a short period, and you are healthy, it is unlikely to cause any issues. It is the best diet for those who want to see results quickly. Also, there is a confusion that whether eggs are healthy for you, as they contain dietary cholesterol. Egg contains 184 milligrams of cholesterol. Eggs are also labeled for their saturated fat content. Every large egg contains 1.5 g of saturated fat. The guidelines recommended limiting a regular intake of saturated fat to less than 10 percent of calories every day for ideal heart health.
So, are eggs good or bad for health? According to research, the saturated fat in food raises cholesterol, not essentially dietary cholesterol. What is more, “it is the simple sugars and carbohydrates in foods that increase triglycerides and cholesterol. If you are eating only hard-boiled eggs, then the saturated fat could increase.
What to eat and avoid while following an Egg Diet Plan for Weight Loss
According to various studies, the following foods are recommended on the boiled egg diet. As for what foods to avoid, this eating plan should be followed strictly.
- Eggs
- Fish
- Skinless poultry
- Lamb and pork
- Lean beef
- Low-carb veggies including greens like collard greens, spinach, kale, zucchini, and mustard greens
- Low-carb fruits like oranges, tomatoes, limes, strawberries, watermelon, peaches, and cantaloupe
- Calorie-free beverages like sparkling water or plain water
- Coconut oil
- Butter