The steak and eggs diet is a dietary approach that focuses on consuming steak and eggs as the primary sources of nutrition. It is a simple and easy dietary approach aiming to maximize protein and fat and minimize carbohydrates to potentially help dieters melt fat and lose weight quickly. This diet is high-protein and low-carbohydrate, which is why it’s popular in fitness and bodybuilding communities. Here’s a detailed look at the potential benefits, risks, and side effects of the steak and eggs diet.
What Is the Steak and Eggs Diet?
As the name suggests, the steak and eggs diet emphasizes the consumption of steak and eggs as the main sources of nutrition. This diet values protein intake and is based on consuming steak and eggs to gain this protein, which is necessary for muscle growth, repair, and satiety. It means that this diet is high-protein and low-carbohydrate, which is why it’s popular in fitness and bodybuilding communities. This diet is limited to steak and eggs, so the food choice is limited, but it is because it’s a short-term diet for a specific purpose, not a long-term lifestyle.
Key Components
- High Protein Levels: The diet is designed to provide a considerable amount of protein, which helps maintain lean muscle mass, increase satiety, and improve metabolism.
- Low Carbohydrates: Starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, and sugary foods are restricted to keep carbohydrate intake as low as possible. This forces the body to burn fat for energy instead of carbs.
- Moderate to High Levels of Fat: Healthy fats from steak, eggs, and butter are encouraged to provide energy and longer satiety, which helps reduce calorie intake.
- No Processed Foods: Processed foods, such as refined sugars, processed meats, and packaged snacks, are excluded from the diet.
Vince Gironda and the Steak and Eggs Diet
Vince Gironda, born in 1917 and passed in 1997, was an influential figure in bodybuilding and fitness, and known as one of the main promoters of the Steak and Eggs diet among bodybuilding and fitness communities. He was famous for innovative training methods, nutritional approaches, and training and mentoring bodybuilders. He believed consuming low carbohydrates and high levels of protein helps muscle growth, fat loss, and overall health. His solution to reach these goals was to follow the Steak and Eggs diet.
Benefits of the Steak and Eggs Diet
The main advantages of the Steak and Eggs diet include high protein levels, healthy fats, hunger control, weight loss, muscle retention, and nutrients.
High Protein Intake
The Steak and Eggs diet is designed to provide a considerable amount of protein, which helps maintain lean muscle mass, increase satiety, and improve metabolism.
Read also: Keto Hamburger Steak with Creamy Gravy
Healthy Fats
Many people are concerned about the saturated animal fats in steak, as they think it can cause various health issues like cardiovascular diseases. However, different studies indicate that saturated animal fat is not significantly associated with heart disease, stroke, diabetes, death from heart attacks, and cancer. Even many studies reported that saturated fat in the form of fresh red meat is healthy, as it provides numerous highly bioavailable nutrients, is highly satiating, and is associated with numerous markers of health, fertility, and longevity.
Satiety and Hunger Control
High levels of protein and fat produced in the Steak and Eggs diet make you feel full for a longer period as it takes longer for them to be digested, which means reduced hunger and daily calorie intake.
Weight Loss
More protein and fat and lower carbohydrates and calories directly lead to weight loss. Also, this method results in ketosis, i.e., burning fat for energy instead of carbs, which results in more fat melting in a shorter time.
Muscle Retention
Eating enough protein due to following the Steak and Eggs diet can help muscle retention during weight loss, which means maintaining metabolic rate and overall body composition.
Nutrition
Steak and eggs are good sources of necessary vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and choline. Also, eggs can increase the HDL ("good") cholesterol.
Read also: The Healthy Way to Eat Steak
Potential Side Effects of the Steak and Eggs Diet
Here are the potential side effects of the Steak and Eggs diet. Remember that not all of them are to happen for everybody, but knowing the possible side effects helps you choose carefully and avoid potential problems.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Some say that the restrictive nature of the Steak and Eggs diet and excluding a wide range of foods may cause nutrient deficiencies in some individuals.
Digestive Issues
Excluding vegetables and eating only meat may cause digestive problems like constipation in sensitive people. The carnivore diet contains no fiber, which may lead to constipation as a side effect. Additionally, fiber is incredibly important for the proper balance of bacteria in your gut. In fact, suboptimal gut health can lead to a number of issues and may even be linked to colon cancer. In fact, one review found that a high-protein, low-carb diet may increase your risk for gut inflammation. When your body digests large amounts of protein, it creates potentially harmful byproducts in your gut. These byproducts may have a negative effect on the health of your bowels. Overall, following the carnivore diet may harm your gut health.
Sustainability
The Steak and Eggs diet is not long-term, and keeping it for a long period can be challenging.
Individual Variability
Some dieters may not be okay with eating the same ingredients at every meal for some time.
Read also: Easy Keto Casserole Recipe
Steak and Eggs vs. Carnivore vs. Lion Diet
The Steak and Eggs diet, the Carnivore diet, and the Lion diet are all meat-based dietary habits focusing on animal-based foods and limiting or removing carbohydrates and plant-based foods. However, these diets differ in details and principles, which we’ll go through here.
Is the Steak and Eggs Diet Good for Weight Loss?
Yes, the Steak and Eggs diet can be effective for weight loss, but remember that no diet or method works the same for everybody. You need to consider the following points about the Steak and Eggs diet.
Calorie Restriction
The Steak and Eggs diet aims to limit/ remove carbohydrates and increase the intake of protein and fat, which can reduce the overall calorie intake leading to weight loss.
Satiety
Protein and fat can make you feel full for a longer period; that’s why the Steak and Eggs diet can help control hunger and reduce calorie intake.
Muscle Retention
Consuming high levels of protein helps muscle retention during weight loss, which is an essential point to consider for maintaining metabolic rate and overall body composition.
Individual Variability
Various factors affect the success of a diet in an individual, such as metabolic rate, activity level, and overall calorie balance directly impact weight loss outcomes.
Sustainability and Nutritional Balance
The Steak and Eggs diet is a special way of losing weight in the short term, and considering it as a long-term diet can be challenging for its limited variety and potential nutrient deficiencies.
How Long Does It Take to Lose Weight?
As mentioned above, diets and weight loss do not follow a fixed pattern in everybody, and the time it takes to lose weight using the Steak and Eggs diet depends on your starting weight, calorie intake, activity level, metabolism, and body composition. Generally, a safe and sustainable rate of weight loss can be around 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kg) a week. But you may lose weight rapidly at first due to water weight reduction. Also, regular physical activity and exercise can promote weight loss results.
How Much Weight Can You Lose?
Again, the amount of weight you can lose on a Steak and Eggs diet is relative and dependent on your starting weight, individual metabolism, activity level, adherence to the diet, and overall calorie balance. As mentioned above, 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kg) per week can be a safe average, but you can increase or decrease it by consulting a registered dietitian or healthcare professional.
Steak and Eggs Diet Food List
Here are the lists of the foods allowed and not allowed on the Steak and Eggs diet.
Foods to Eat
It’s no secret that the Steak and Eggs diet prioritizes steak and eggs and focuses on them as the primary sources of nutrition. However, some individuals can make minor changes according to their needs and preferences, as mentioned below.
- Steak: Different cuts of beef, including ribeye, sirloin, filet mignon, or flank steak.
- Eggs: Choose whole eggs with the yolk. You can fry, boil, poach, or scramble them as you like.
- Other Animal Proteins: While not part of the traditional Steak and Eggs diet, some variations can include chicken, fish (salmon, tuna, etc.), pork, lamb, or turkey.
- Animal Fats: Butter, lard, tallow, etc.
- Water and salt
Foods to Avoid
Generally, everything other than steak and eggs must be avoided during the short time of the diet, but here’s a list of the foods to avoid on the Steak and Eggs diet to reach optimum results. Carbohydrates including the following must be avoided:
- Grains (wheat, rice, oats, barley, quinoa, etc.)
- Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.)
- Potatoes (white potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.)
- Bread and Pasta (all types of bread, rolls, wraps, tortillas, and pasta)
- Sugary Foods (candy, chocolate, and sugary snacks)
- Sugary Drinks (sodas, fruit juices, and sports drinks)
- Sweetened Desserts (pastries and ice cream)
- Fruits
- Processed Foods (packaged snacks and chips)
- Processed Meats (sausages, bacon, deli meats)
- Fast food and Fried Foods
- High-Carb Dairy Products (milk and yoghurt).
How Much to Eat Per Day?
The amount to eat per day on the Steak and Eggs diet depends on your individual preferences in addition to your age, gender, activity level, metabolism, and goals. However, two meals a day is okay. You need a professional to help you decide the optimized amount of meals per day but to get a general picture, you can remember the following points:
- Protein Intake: About 0.6-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight (or 1.3-2.2 grams per kilogram). Don’t consume in excess.
- Fat Intake: Moderate to high
- Caloric Intake: To lose weight, aim for a moderate calorie deficit, about 500-1000 calories below your maintenance level
Weekly Steak and Eggs Diet Meal Plan
Following a Steak and Eggs diet is simple, and you only need to:
- Contain 4-6 eggs and 0.75 to 1.5 lbs of steak in every meal
- Eat two meals a day at any time you like
- Re-feed carbohydrates every 6th day
Is the Steak and Eggs Diet Good for Females?
Whether the Steak and Eggs diet is suitable for females is related to individual health, preferences, and goals. But to see if this diet is good for women, we can consider the following important points.
Nutritional Needs
Females have different dietary needs from males. So they need to go on a diet that provides necessary nutrients, such as iron, calcium, and folate. The Steak and Eggs diet can be a good source of protein and iron but may not very well reciprocate calcium.
Hormonal Health
Hormones rule our health, but it’s more evident in females, so they need to keep a balance of hormones. Although protein and healthy fats in the Steak and Eggs diet boost hormone production, the lack of other sources may affect hormonal balance for some individuals.
How Long Should You Follow Steak And Eggs Diet?
The Steak and Eggs diet is generally a short-term diet. The duration of following the Steak and Eggs diet depends on your individual goals, health status, and preferences. If you consult a healthcare professional first, you can decide the exact duration and continue it as long as you reach your goals.
What Is the Cheat Day for the Steak and Eggs Diet?
The purpose of a cheat day in diets is to let the dieter take a break from dietary limitations and eat foods not allowed in the diet. However, since the Steak and Eggs diet is already a limited approach and excludes a wide range of foods, the concept of a "cheat day" does not apply to the Steak and Eggs diet. Having said that, we need to mention that following the Steak and Eggs diet, you need to refeed carbohydrates every six days.
Testosterone on a Steak and Eggs Diet
As mentioned above, protein and fat promote hormone production. Testosterone is an essential male hormone influencing muscle growth, bone density, and overall health. Some studies suggest that a higher intake of dietary fat, including saturated and monounsaturated fats found in steak and eggs, may positively influence testosterone levels. However, testosterone production is not only dependent on protein and results from a complex interplay of multiple factors, including genetic, hormonal, and lifestyle.
Constipation on a Steak and Eggs Diet
The Steak and Eggs diet doesn’t allow carbohydrates and fiber-rich foods, which can cause problems in bowel movements like constipation.
Other Considerations
High in Fat, Cholesterol, and Sodium
Given that the carnivore diet consists solely of animal foods, it can be high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Saturated fat may raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, which may increase your risk of heart disease. However, recent studies have shown that the link between saturated fat intake and heart disease risk may not be as strong as previously believed. Still, consuming high amounts of saturated fat on the carnivore diet may be of concern. No research has analyzed the health effects of eating animal foods exclusively. Therefore, the effects of consuming such high levels of fat and cholesterol are unknown.
Moreover, some processed meats, especially bacon and breakfast meats, also contain high amounts of sodium. Eating a lot of these foods on the carnivore diet can lead to excessive sodium intake, which has been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, kidney disease, and other negative health outcomes.
May Lack Certain Micronutrients and Beneficial Plant Compounds
The carnivore diet eliminates highly nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, all of which contain beneficial vitamins and minerals. While meat is nutritious and provides many micronutrients, it should not be the only part of your diet. Following a restrictive diet like the carnivore diet may lead to deficiencies in some nutrients and the overconsumption of others. What’s more, diets that are rich in plant-based foods have been associated with a lower risk of certain long-term conditions like heart disease, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s, and type 2 diabetes.
This is not only due to the high vitamin, fiber, and mineral contents of plant foods but also their beneficial plant compounds and antioxidants. The carnivore diet does not contain these compounds and has not been associated with any long-term health benefits.
May Not Be Suited for Some Populations
The carnivore diet may be especially problematic for certain populations. For example, those who need to limit their protein intake, including people with chronic kidney disease, should not follow the diet. Also, those who are more sensitive to the cholesterol in foods, or cholesterol hyper-responders, should be cautious about consuming so many high-cholesterol foods. Furthermore, certain populations with special nutrient needs would likely not meet them on the carnivore diet. This includes children and people who are pregnant or lactating. Lastly, those who have anxiety about food or a history of disordered eating should not try this diet.