7-Day Protein Shake Diet: Lose Weight & Tone Muscles Fast

Protein shakes have come a long way since their inception in the early 1950s. Originally used exclusively by bodybuilders, they provided a boost of protein to support the growth of lean muscle and improve recovery.

Fast forward 60 years and high-protein food popularity has risen exponentially. What was once exclusively found in supplement stores has now made its way to supermarket shelves in the form of ready-made shakes, powders, and protein-infused foods which not only help people improve their recovery and increase mass but also improve fullness.

During this time, even the broader population has come to understand how essential and powerful protein intake is to function and nutrition.

This led to the movement of the 7-day protein shake diet. A diet aimed to prioritize protein to preserve muscle, improve satiety, and help many lose weight alongside a balanced diet.

In this article, we explore the 7-protein shake diet. We cover how it works, the benefits, mistakes to avoid, tips, and a 7-day protein shake diet to help you safely and effectively.

What Is the 7-Day Protein Shake Diet?

The 7-day protein shake diet is an eating plan that focuses on consuming one or two meals each day as protein shakes to improve fullness and preserve muscle mass. Alongside this is dinner, and two snacks consisting of nutrient-dense whole foods.

The protein shake diet helps many kick start their weight loss by overhauling their diet with nutrient-dense, high protein whole food sources while forming a calorie deficit which is essential for weight loss.

How It Works for Weight Loss and Muscle Maintenance

Dietary protein is vital for human function. Two major areas of life it can support are muscle maintenance and weight loss. Sources reveal that dietary protein can help maintain a positive muscle-protein balance, where muscle protein synthesis exceeds muscle protein breakdown.

Studies also highlight protein intake's ability to improve satiety and increase thermogenesis, which literature shows is the process of the body burning energy to digest and absorb food after a meal.

The 7-day protein shake diet plan aims to take advantage of these benefits, reducing food intake and increasing energy expenditure for a powerful calorie-burning effect. Furthermore, protein supplements are lower-calorie sources of protein compared to many foods.

Consuming two shakes each day ensures protein requirements are met, for fewer calories, which can help maintain a calorie deficit required to lose weight and burn fat.

Below is the format for one day of the 7-day protein shake diet:

• Breakfast: Green protein shake (30 grams protein = 300 kcal)
• Snack: Protein Yogurt, fruit and nuts
• Lunch: Green protein shake (30 grams protein = 300 kcal)
• Snack: Fruit or veggie sticks
• Dinner: Grilled salmon, quinoa and mixed vegetables

Sources recommend a daily protein intake of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for healthy individuals. This increases to 1.4–1.6 g/kg/day for active individuals and 2.3–3.1 g/kg/day for individuals in a calorie deficit to maintain muscle mass.

Here is an example of the daily protein requirements for a 75 kg woman for general health and active levels:

• Healthy Individual — 0.8 g x 75 kg = 60 g
• Active Individual — 1.4 g x 75 kg = 105 g
• Calorie Deficit — 2.3 g x 75 kg = 172.5 g

To meet this requirement, it is recommended that each meal contains 25–30 grams of protein.

Who Should and Shouldn’t Try This Diet?

The 7-day protein shake diet while incredibly safe is not always for everyone. Individuals who reasonably good health with a little excess body fat can comfortably consume multiple shakes a day.

Meanwhile, people with nutrient deficiencies, digestive issues, and kidney disease, should not try this diet. Protein shakes are healthy, however, they do not provide all vital nutrients, which can lead to a great deficit.

Some protein powders can cause digestive distress, such as bloating and discomfort, ruling the diet out for anyone with digestive issues.

Lastly, the protein shake diet is not suitable for people with kidney disease. Protein powder is safe for healthy kidneys. However, people with kidney disease may struggle to remove all waste products of protein when it's broken down.

How many Shakes per Day?

The 7-day protein shake diet can be done by consuming one or two shakes per day. As mentioned, protein shakes can be filling and a great way to increase protein intake for fewer calories. However, if you feel that shakes are not maintaining satiety or unsettling for your digestive system, then consider reducing to one shake per day.

There is no one-size-fits-all scenario with the protein shake diet. We recommend applying a format that meets your needs. This will make it more sustainable, leading to greater results.

Benefits of a High-Protein Diet

High-protein diets come with incredible benefits that can help support our health. Below is a list of benefits and reasons you should try the 7-day protein shake diet.

Preserve and Build Muscle

Protein is essential for preserving and building muscle mass. As mentioned, protein intake can help maintain a positive muscle-protein balance essential for muscle growth. Sources show that when combined with resistance training can increase strength and support function.

Improve Fullness and Maintain a Calorie Deficit

Protein is a powerful macronutrient for improving fullness. Studies show that a calorie deficit is the most effective way to reduce body fat. This is when we consume fewer calories than our resting energy expenditure.

Research shows that protein is the most effective macronutrient in providing satiety, elevating satiety hormone secretion into the gut while decreasing hunger hormone ghrelin levels.

Adding protein to meals or consuming shakes improves satiety, reducing the feeding between meals, and making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit.

Increase Metabolism

Dietary protein can increase metabolism which can be invaluable for weight loss. As mentioned, protein can increase thermogenesis, where the body burns energy to process and absorb food.

Studies show that this makes up approximately 10% of daily energy expenditure. While this may not sound like much, think about it this way — your body burns more calories when eating high-protein food!

Consuming protein with each meal therefore can increase energy expenditure, helping maintain a calorie deficit.

Bone Health

High protein diets and elevated protein intake are associated with greater bone health. The research found an association between total animal protein intake with higher bone mineral density.

Meanwhile, additional studies highlight the benefits of regular exercise and protein intake for bone health. These factors are helpful for women during menopause who are at greater risk of osteoporosis.

Supports Recovery

Just like protein can support the preservation and growth of muscle tissue, it can help aid in recovery. Studies show that protein facilitates muscle repair and regeneration during recovery from exercise.

This highlights post-workout protein consumption and meeting dietary requirements vital for optimal growth and recovery.

7-Day Protein Shake Diet Plan

Now that we have established how the 7-day protein shake diet plan works, who it’s suitable for, and the benefits, it's time to discuss your diet plan. Below is our recommended 7-day protein shake diet plan, including shakes, dinner, and snacks to help you start today.

There are many different recipes for each meal, however, we are conscious that having a different protein shake and meals each night can be difficult. Because of this, we have repeated many meals and chosen recipes with similar ingredients to streamline your shopping process.

Day 1:

• Breakfast: Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Protein Shake
  • 6 ice cubes, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• Snack: Protein Yogurt, Fruit and Nuts
  • Protein yogurt, ½ cup blueberries, 1 tablespoon crushed almonds
• Lunch: Green Protein Smoothie
  • 1 cup ice, 1 frozen banana, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, ¾ cup frozen spinach, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 teaspoon chia seed, 1 cup almond milk
• Snack: Veggie sticks
  • Carrot, cucumber, edamame
• Dinner: Mediterranean Salmon and Veggie Quinoa
  • Mediterranean Salmon: 5 oz salmon fillet, 2 lemon wedges, ¼ cup chopped parsley, ½ teaspoon, 1 teaspoon cumin, black pepper, salt
  • Veggies Quinoa: ½ cup cooked quinoa, ½ cup diced English cucumber, ½ cup sliced cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup diced red onion, 1 basil leaf, thinly sliced, lemon zest

Day 2:

• Breakfast: Mixed Berry Protein Smoothie
  • 1 cup mixed frozen berries, ½ medium banana, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• Snack: Protein Balls
  • 1 ½ cup rolled oats, 1 cup natural peanut butter, ¼ cup honey, 2 scoop chocolate protein powder, 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
• Lunch: Blueberry Mango Shake
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen chopped mango, ¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• Snack: Dried Apricot and walnuts
  • 40 grams dried apricot, ¼ cup walnuts
• Dinner: Honey and Garlic Baked Chicken and Vegetables
  • 150 grams chicken breast, ½ teaspoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Day 3:

• Breakfast: Spinach, Kiwi Protein Shake
  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup frozen spinach, 1 peeled, chopped kiwi, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, ½ cup ice cubes
• Snack: Cinnamon Raisin Cookie Protein Balls
  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats, 1 cup cashew butter, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, 2 tablespoons raisins, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Lunch: Banana Honey Protein Shake
  • 1 ½ cups water, 1 frozen banana, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 teaspoon honey
• Snack: Air Fryer Crunchy Chili-Spiced Chickpeas
  • 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons chili powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
• Dinner: Peri-Peri Chicken Salad with Charred Corn
  • Chicken: 4 skinless chicken breast, 2 tablespoons per–peri sauce,½ lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons honey, salt, pepper
  • Salad: 2 ears of corn, mixed salad leaves, avocado, olives, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, olive oil, ½ lemon juice, salt, pepper

Day 4:

• Breakfast: Mango and Almond Smoothie
  • ½ cup frozen mango, ½ cup no-fat Greek Yogurt, ½ cup frozen banana. ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk, 2 tablespoons unsalted almonds, ¼ cup raspberries, ½ teaspoon honey
• Snack: Protein Yogurt, Mixed Berries, Walnuts
  • Protein yogurt, ½ cup mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries), ¼ cup walnuts
• Lunch: Spinach-Avocado Protein Smoothie
  • 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt, 1 cup frozen spinach, 1 frozen banana, ¼ avocado, 1 cup water, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 teaspoon honey
• Snack: Almond and Dark Chocolate Clusters
  • 1 cup whole almonds, 4 oz 60% chopped dark chocolate, sea salt
• Dinner: Whole wheat Grilled BBQ Chicken Wrap
  • Chicken: 1 skinless chicken breast, ½ teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, ⅛ dried cayenne pepper
  • 1 large whole wheat tortilla, ¼ cup non-fat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup low sugar BBQ sauce, 1 cup mixed salad, sliced red onion, ½ slice avocado, ½ slice tomato

Day 5:

• Breakfast: Strawberry and Banana Protein Smoothie
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries, 1 medium banana, ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 tablespoon flaxseeds, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup ice cubes
• Snack: Protein Balls
  • 1 ½ cup rolled oats, 1 cup natural peanut butter, ¼ cup honey, 2 scoop chocolate protein powder, 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
• Lunch: Green Protein Smoothie
  • 1 cup ice, 1 frozen banana, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, ¾ cup frozen spinach, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 teaspoon chia seed, 1 cup almond milk
• Snack: Veggie sticks
  • Carrot, cucumber, edamame
• Dinner: Baked Chicken and Quinoa Salad
  • Chicken: 1 skinless chicken breasts, ½ tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon oregano, ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • Quinoa Salad: ½ cup cooked quinoa, ½ can chickpeas drained and rinsed, ½ medium cucumber, ½ medium chopped red pepper, ¼ cup red onion, ½ cup chopped parsley, ¼ cup olive oil, ⅛ cup lemon juice, ½ tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 clove garlic, salt, pepper,

Day 6:

• Breakfast: Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Protein Shake
  • 6 ice cubes, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, 1 scoop protein powder, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• Snack: Cinnamon Raisin Cookie Protein Balls
  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats, 1 cup cashew butter, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, 2 tablespoons raisins, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Lunch: Blueberry Mango Shake
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen chopped mango, ¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• Snack: Air Fryer Crunchy Chili-Spiced Chickpeas
  • 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons chili powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
• Dinner: Honey and Garlic Baked Chicken and Vegetables
  • 150 grams chicken breast, ½ teaspoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Day 7:

• Breakfast: Blueberry Mango Shake
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen chopped mango, ¼ cup fresh or frozen blueberries, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• Snack: Protein Yogurt, Fruit and Nuts
  • Protein yogurt, ½ cup blueberries, 1 tablespoon crushed almonds
• Lunch: Spinach-Avocado Protein Smoothie
  • 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt, 1 cup frozen spinach, 1 frozen banana, ¼ avocado, 1 cup water, 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 1 teaspoon honey
• Snack: Almond and Dark Chocolate Clusters
  • 1 cup whole almonds, 4 oz 60% chopped dark chocolate, sea salt
• Dinner: Honey and Garlic Baked Chicken and Vegetables
  • 150 grams chicken breast, ½ teaspoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Common Mistakes to Avoid on a Protein Shake Diet

The 7-day protein shake diet is healthy, however, there are mistakes that you should avoid to increase your chances of success. Below, we discuss the common mistakes to avoid to help you get the most out of your protein shake diet.

Not Getting Enough Fiber and Micronutrients

During the the 7-day protein shake diet it can be easy to get hyper-fixated and lose weight. Sadly, this can lead to overlooking other vital nutrients, including dietary fiber.

Research shows that fiber has powerful benefits including improved gut health, regularity, improved satiety, and reduced bad cholesterol. When there is a deficit, it can lead to negative health outcomes.

We recommend adding nutrient-dense whole foods to your dinner and protein shakes to maintain increased fiber and nutrient intake. Sources suggests the recommended daily fiber intake is 25 grams per day. This can be reached by consuming foods such as berries broccoli, apples, dried fruit, spinach, oats, quinoa, lentils, corn, and beans.

Relying on Low-Quality Protein Powders

A common mistake that many make before even starting the 7-day protein diet is selecting a low-quality protein powder. This is completely understandable, as there are hundreds on the market promising amazing results. However, like many things, not all are created equal.

Low-quality protein powders tend to come at a lower price, mix poorly, digest poorly, and most importantly, aren’t a complete protein.

Complete protein refers to food sources that contain all nine essential amino acids, which research indicates cannot be synthesized by the human body. The essential amino acids include:

• Histidine
• Isoleucine
• Leucine
• Lysine
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine
• Threonine
• Tryptophan
• Valine

If you are in the middle of purchasing protein and forget which ones to look for, don’t worry — top-quality protein powders will have ‘complete protein’ or a list of the essential amino acids on the label.

Ignoring Hydration and Electrolyte Needs

The ingestion of liquid meals during the protein shake diet can fool individuals into thinking they are adequately hydrated. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. While shakes can be upward of half a liter in volume, they simply do not provide enough water to be the sole means of hydration.

Research shows the recommended daily water intake is 2,200 ml of water per day for women to maintain adequate hydration.

Alongside this, electrolytes must be maintained which studies show support basic life functions. These include sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, calcium, phosphate, and bicarbonates which can be consumed from foods and foods.

Low electrolytes can lead to feelings of headaches, confusion, nausea, fatigue, weakness, and diarrhea. To avoid this, we recommend consuming a balanced diet, regular water intake, and topping up with electrolyte drinks.

Tips for Transitioning Back to a Regular Diet

After your 7-day protein shake diet, things are going to go one of two ways. You are either gonna be glad to stop the shake intake, or you are going to miss it.

Simply put, drinking only shakes is not sustainable long-term, and you will need to stop or reduce the shake intake. Below we provide our tips to transition back to normal eating patterns while keeping the weight off.

How to Reintroduce Solid Foods Without Gaining Weight

Reintroducing larger solid meals can challenging, especially if you have become accustomed to your liquid meals. To avoid slipping back into old habits, we recommend building your breakfast and lunches around a source of protein and complex carbohydrates.

These two macronutrients are nutrient-dense and keep you fuller for longer. Because of this, you will not need large quantities to keep your satiated.

For example, consider adding eggs, chicken, quinoa, or brown rice to your meals. These will provide the bulk of your calories. Then add plenty of fresh vegetables and leafy greens. These provide food volume for very few calories, helping to improve satiety.

Don’t worry — if you love the shake diet, you can still have a breakfast shake to start your day. Of course, this can changed out for solid meals, but if you are struggling for time in the morning a delicious, nutrient-dense protein shake is better than skipping breakfast.

Maintaining a High-Protein Diet for Long-Term Success

Many who complete the 7-day protein shake diet struggle to keep their protein intake up. Consuming 25 g of protein in liquid form can feel effortless, however, when it is converted to a solid, the prep and chewing can be a little more difficult.

To avoid the steep drop-off, we recommend adding high-protein foods where you can. Mornings can be challenging to eat large amounts of solid protein.

To work around this, try eating easy-to-consume protein sources like eggs, oats, nuts, seeds, and yogurt. These may not replace the 25 g boost like a protein shake, but they will give you enough to keep you full till your mid-morning snack.

From here, you can consume your protein through snacks, lunch, and dinner, allowing you to hit your daily protein target.

Creating a Sustainable Meal Plan After the 7 Days

A challenge many face following the 7-day protein diet is creating a sustainable meal plan. Those initial weeks can be met with excitement, as you will feel great after seeing improvement in your health, this can slowly change as coming up with new and exciting, nutritious meal ideas can become challenging.

Here are some tips to help you create a sustainable meal plan:

Select Easy-To-Make, High-Protein Meals

‍Not every meal or snack needs to be perfect! Sometimes we just need a quick boost in protein intake to kill the cravings and fuel us for our next meal. We recommend selecting low-prep, go-to meals that can be slotted into your diet. These may include:‍

• Protein balls
• Tuna, rice, beans, corn
• Protein yogurt, fruit, and nuts

Make Meals With Similar Ingredients

‍Let’s face it, making and planning meals is one of the biggest challenges of making a diet sustainable. To remedy this, plan your meals with similar ingredients to reduce the stress while shopping. This will stop you from buying many different ingredients and reduce food wastage.

‍Prepare Similar Meals

‍Not every meal needs to be different! Like choosing similar ingredients, making similar meals can make meal times and prep a little easier. We suggest choosing four to five different dishes for the week and repeating one or two of them once or twice. This can streamline the mealtime process and reduce decision fatigue.

Recap of the 7-Day Protein Shake Diet

The 7-day protein shake diet is an effective way to overhaul your nutrition and can infuse your diet with protein. Shakes streamline the meal prep process, making it easier than ever to hit daily protein requirements.

Consuming them in regular intervals will also improve satiety, reducing feeding between meals, and helping you maintain your calorie deficit.

If you are trying the 7-day protein shake diet be sure to:

• Choose complete protein (9 essential amino acids) powder
• Maintain hydrated
• Eat a nutrient-dense diet for dinner and snacks
• Consume 25–30 grams per meal

This diet can teach you a lot about nutrition and healthy eating practices. Follow these steps and you will begin to form sustainable habits for long-term optimal health.

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