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I went on a protein-heavy diet and here’s why I don’t recommend it

Too much protein has the power to turn its benefits into an absolute nightmare and affect your health adversely.
Protein is a boon for weight loss but too much of it can make things go horribly wrong. Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Nikita Bhardwaj Published: 27 Aug 2020, 13:30 pm IST
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I have always read and heard that it’s 70 per cent of your diet and 30 per cent of your physical exercise that determine your weight loss journey. I categorically remember the day when my trainer instructed me to add more proteins to my diet if I want to lose weight. Turns out, I misunderstood him because because what I thought he meant was that more protein means more weight loss but I was totally wrong.

Moderation is the key. However, by the time I understood this, it was too late for me. That’s why I want to share my experience so that none of you fall prey to what I did.

These are the five reasons that make me understood that eating too much protein can have adverse effects on the body:

1. I included too much protein in my diet and ended up gaining 4 more kilos
Yes, eating too much protein can lead to weight gain. I was in complete shock when I used the weighing machine and found out, that instead of losing, I’ve gained weight. The main culprits were eggs and chicken, the two things on which I was surviving. Excessive protein spiked up my cholesterol level, making me flabby instead of flat.

When I narrated this weight gain saga to my trainer, he told me that I need to bring moderation in consuming protein as it gets stored in our body in the form of fat. Too much amino acid released by it can lead to weight gain.

I was literally surviving on eggs. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

2. It made me dehydrated and bloated
I used to feel thirsty all the time when I was on the protein diet. When I spent time researching on it, I found that when there is too much protein in the body, the kidney has to work extra hard to flush it out. Due to this, important minerals like magnesium, potassium, and sodium are also flushed from the body which causes severe dehydration. This also added to my fatigue level and at times, I used to experience severe headaches. This also lead to bloating for me.

3. The smell of my breath suddenly became foul
My breath wasn’t that bad when I used to gulp garlic on an empty stomach but too much protein also gave me a bad breath. This happened due to the process called ketosis where stored fat was burned by my body to release energy since I was on a low-carbs diet.

My breath was horrible. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

4. I was unable to poop properly
A protein diet doesn’t have that much fibre in it which affected my gut and I ended up with constipation.

5. I had some major mood swings
Only carbs can bring joy to me, be it in the form of paratha, chhole bhature, or a good serving of pasta. Honestly, just thinking about these makes me feel good. All this happens because carbs are known to boost serotonin levels which keep the mood in check. When I was on a low-carb diet, I used to be so irritable and fussy.

So, this was my story. Too much protein turned my life upside down instead of nurturing my body. That’s why, if you’ll ask me my views on protein, I’d straight up tell you moderation is key.

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Nikita Bhardwaj

Six-pack abs are all that Nikita needs, along with her daily dose of green tea. At Health Shots, she produces videos, podcasts, stories, and other kick-ass content. ...Read More

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