Easy High Protein Diet

High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets are well-known as an effective weight-loss tool. However, some dieters complain that they miss their favorite carbohydrate foods, or that high-protein diets are too complicated to follow. Nothing could be further from the truth. With just a little planning and strategy, high-protein diets can be a breeze.

Choosing Foods

High-protein diets work by eliminating most of the carbohydrates (which are a quick energy source) from a person's diet, thereby forcing the body to use fat for fuel. Therefore, when following a high-protein diet, choose only foods that contain little or no carbohydrates. Meat, fats, oils and eggs contain only trace amounts of carbohydrates, so they are ideal choices. Cheese, nuts and leafy green vegetables are also very low in carbohydrates and can be included in a healthy high-protein diet. Anything containing sugars or starches--such as fruit, potatoes, rice, pasta, flour, candy or processed food--should be avoided.

Planning Menus

Once you've figured out which foods are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, making meals should be easy. Any type of meat may be grilled, sauteed, baked, broiled or steamed and served along with vegetables. Cheese sauces, salad dressings, butter sauces and slivered nuts can be used to dress up your main dishes. Desserts are even possible on a high-protein diet--artificial sweetener can be used in place of real sugar to create decadent, high-protein desserts such as sugar-free cheesecake and pots de creme.

Keeping It Simple

Many long-term high-protein dieters create complicated recipes to add variety and complexity to their eating plans, but this is an individual decision and is not required to accurately follow a high-protein diet. Specialty high-protein products such as protein powder, soy flour, tofu noodles and sugar-free chocolate can add variety to your high-protein diet, but learning to cook with them is a complex science and an unnecessary step if you don't have the desire. Sticking to simply prepared meats, salads and sauteed vegetables will help you lose weight and feel great--so throw a steak on the grill and dig in!