Watermelon diet

It is quite possible to lose weight simply, quickly and deliciously if you discover the watermelon diet.Watermelon is rich in vitamins and seems to only benefit the body.But whether this is really the case remains to be seen.Such a diet has its advantages and pitfalls, and in order not to run into them, you need to approach the matter responsibly, then you will not have to save yourself from more serious health problems instead of extra pounds.

Principles of the watermelon diet

On the one hand, the principle of the watermelon diet is simple - exclude everything from the diet except watermelon and lose weight.By eating this one berry, you can really get results.

But how positive it will be depends on several factors:

  • The diet takes place during the watermelon season - August-September.If you get carried away on it another time, you can "feed" yourself with nitrates and end up in hospital.
  • When choosing a berry, give preference to fruits of small or medium size, without dents or cracks.
  • If a mono-diet is chosen, it lasts no more than 3-5 days.Watermelon is nutritious and contains vitamins, but not enough to completely replace a complete diet.
  • A long-term watermelon diet must be accompanied by other foods: unsweetened fruits, vegetables, cereals, lean meat, fish, low-fat dairy products.
  • Exiting the diet is gradual, with daily addition of other foods, on the principle: from lighter to heavier.It is important to keep track of calories and food intake.A sudden load on the body will bring all efforts to zero, and the body will be happy to stock up on additional reserves for the future.This will immediately affect the rapid return of lost pounds.
  • Before cutting the watermelon, wash it well;this will help avoid contracting an intestinal infection.

Following the rules, you can lose 3 kg in a few days on a watermelon diet.But you need to understand that initially it will not be a loss of fat deposits.In the first days of the diet, the excess water stagnant in the cells leaves the body, and with it the toxic substances.Often, such stagnation provokes a slowdown in metabolism and weight gain.

Pieces of watermelon on sticks

Features of the watermelon diet

The watermelon diet for weight loss is one of the relatively easy ones.The sweetness of the berry and its high water content will allow you not to feel hungry, even if there is only watermelon on the menu for all three days.

But the main feature is the ability not only to lose extra pounds in a short period of time.During the diet, excess fluids, waste and toxins are removed from the body, and the concentration of bad cholesterol decreases.Metabolic processes are restarted, the work of the digestive system and kidneys improves.

Pay attention!If during the diet you feel unwell or exacerbation of chronic diseases, it is better to abandon the diet and visit a doctor.

In order to lose weight effectively, you should consider some features of the watermelon diet:

  1. To begin with, exclude salty and sweet foods and snacks, do not eat fatty foods and give up alcohol.
  2. For a long-term watermelon diet, create a menu where you avoid the simultaneous intake of cheese, dairy products and eggs with berries.This combination can cause fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract with all the resulting consequences: bloating, flatulence (formation of gas) and disordered stools.
  3. It is better to prepare for the diet in advance: 3-4 days before the start, introduce watermelon into the menu, gradually increasing the portions, remove other foods from the diet, starting with heavier ones.
  4. The watermelon diet lasts no more than 10-14 days.This time, if all the rules are followed, is enough to lose up to 6 kg.If a repeat course is needed, it is recommended to do it no earlier than a month later.
Watermelon

The benefits of the watermelon diet

The main benefit of the watermelon diet lies in the properties of the watermelon itself, or rather in its composition:

  1. Water stimulates metabolic processes, improves the outflow of bile, normalizes the functioning of the excretory system, thereby eliminating swelling.
  2. Fructose - gives energy and tones, helps relieve fatigue.
  3. Vitamins and minerals - watermelon contains vitamin A, C, E, PP, B vitamins, mineral salts, iron, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.This composition allows you to normalize sleep, fight chronic fatigue, help stabilize blood pressure and relieve muscle cramps and numbness in them.
  4. Pectins - clean blood vessels, reduce cholesterol and normalize the work of the cardiovascular system.
  5. Antioxidants (lycopene, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin) - increase immunity, reduce the risk of developing cancer cells, have a positive effect on the hormonal system, improve heart activity.

This complex of nutrients will help you not only fight excess weight, but also improve your health.

The fact that watermelon is low-calorie is also important - simple30-40 Kcalper 100 g of pulp.

Contraindications for the watermelon diet

Despite the rich and healthy composition of the berry, the watermelon diet has a number of contraindications.

It is better to refuse it if:

  • kidney disease: may not be able to handle large amounts of fluids;
  • the presence of sand and stones in the gall bladder and kidneys;
  • diabetes mellitus;
  • cardiovascular diseases;
  • diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • for allergies.

Even if you are completely confident in your health, it is important to monitor how you feel during a diet.If you feel sick or feel pain from the strict regime, it is better to immediately refuse and consult a doctor for advice.

Watermelon slices

The disadvantages of the watermelon diet

Before starting a watermelon diet for weight loss, you should think about its disadvantages.In some cases, they can exceed the benefits of the beneficial properties of the berry.

Minor disadvantages include:

  1. Seasonality.Healthy and affordable watermelons are sold only in late summer and early fall.
  2. It is better to follow a diet while on vacation.The diuretic effect will create significant inconvenience during work.More serious deficiencies can lead to more serious consequences of excess weight problems.
  3. Watermelon has a high glycemic index (GI).Such foods lead to spikes in blood sugar and the deposition of calories in fat reserves.
  4. The caloric content of watermelon is low, but it is easy to be misled by it.If you rely on 1 kg of watermelon per 10 kg of body weight, then you can even exceed the calorie requirement for a day.For example, with a weight of 70 kg, the norm for eating fruit on a mono-diet will be 7 kg.It turns out: 7 x 10 x 35 = 2450 Kcal.At the same time, the norm with a sedentary lifestyle for a 30-year-old woman, height 170 and weight 70 kg is considered 2100 kcal per day.This puts you at risk of gaining even more weight.
  5. Reboot.There is a risk of overloading yourself with nitrates and ending up in an infectious disease hospital with severe poisoning.
  6. ailments.With a strict mono-diet, it is possible to feel unwell and tired due to a lack of trace elements, which watermelon does not contain.
  7. Stomach problems. A sudden transition from a normal diet to eating a large amount of watermelons can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract in the form of upset, constipation, bloating and exacerbation of diseases.
Watermelon diet for weight loss

Watermelon diet options

You can come up with many diets and diversify them in some way, but only three options are common.

Monodiet with watermelons

Monodiet with watermelons is a diet with one product, that is, in this case, only watermelon is prescribed from the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a certain period.Additional water and green tea without sugar are allowed.

Despite the usefulness of watermelon, a mono-diet based on it is considered a strict diet that limits the supply of all the nutrients that a person needs.It is used more as a lean meal for no more than one to three days.Sometimes it is extended up to five days.It is not recommended to store it longer, because due to a lack of essential trace elements, health can be seriously affected.

The advantage of the diet is the ability to cleanse the body and remove excess stagnant fluid in the body and relieve swelling.

Minus: You will lose 2–3 kg, but this will not be a loss of body fat.Weight will decrease due to the same excess water that is removed from the body;in a few days everything will return.

It is better to use a mono-diet as a fasting day before switching to a main long-term diet or proper nutrition.It won't hurt for a day and will help reset the body.

Not just watermelon

In this version, to the main dish - watermelon, 2 slices of rye bread are added to each breakfast.The diet is not much different from the previous one.The only thing that makes it different is that the feeling of satiety that the bread gives will help you stretch it for a week.This is where the benefits end: during such a watermelon detox, the body still does not receive enough vitamins.

In principle, on such a diet you can lose up to 7 kg in a week, but there is one "BUT".If you calculate the total number of calories per watermelon, calculated for one dietary day, and the same bread, then this amount will significantly exceed the recommended intake of calories for weight loss.

Light diet for 7-10 days

A light diet for 7-10 days with a balanced menu.In addition to watermelon, the diet contains vegetables, unsweetened fruits, a small amount of cereals and protein products.But it is important that the calories for each dish are strictly calculated, that the portion does not exceed the recommended one and that there are no additives.The diet is designed for 10 days and is easy to maintain.

The best option for natural weight loss: the body gets everything it needs, the diet is easily tolerated.

During this diet you can lose up to 6 kg.

The advantage of the diet will be the possibility of physical exercise, which will help burn fat and gradually develop the habit of eating properly.

Diet menu with watermelon

Diet menu for a week

A diet menu with watermelon for a week may look like this.

Monday

  1. Breakfast:oatmeal with milk, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
  2. Dinner:salad - watermelon + feta + basil, drizzled with olive oil.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

Tuesday

  1. Breakfast:rice porridge, tomato and a glass of juice.
  2. Dinner: salad - watermelon + boiled chicken fillet + low-fat cheese, season with olive oil, add pumpkin seeds if desired.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

Wednesday

  1. Breakfast: Buckwheat porridge with prunes, unsweetened tea.
  2. Dinner:salad - watermelon + tomato + cucumber + vegetables.Season with lemon juice and olive oil.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

Thursday

  1. Breakfast:brown rice with boiled beef, a glass of juice.
  2. Dinner:boiled beef and berry cocktail.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

Friday

  1. Breakfast:muesli with water, a glass of juice.
  2. Dinner:salad - watermelon + cantaloupe + unsweetened grapes + plums + walnuts.Season with lemon juice.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

Saturday

  1. Breakfast: buckwheat with boiled chicken, pomegranate juice.
  2. Dinner:watermelon and boiled chicken fillet.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

Sunday

  1. Breakfast: low-fat cottage cheese casserole, unsweetened tea.
  2. Dinner:salad - watermelon + chicken fillet + prunes + nuts.Season with vegetable oil.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

In addition to the main diet, it is recommended to consume low-fat kefir or yogurt with the addition of bran or flax seeds half an hour before going to bed.

Girl on a watermelon diet

Get off the watermelon diet

Stopping the watermelon diet should not be abrupt.

The basic rules will be for everyone:

  • do not overload the digestive system with fatty and fried foods, at least during the first 3-5 days;
  • Divide the daily diet into 5-6 meals and small portions;
  • the addition of other dishes is done according to the principle: from simple to complex.

After the diet, it is recommended to switch to a proper diet, then the result achieved in a week will not only be consolidated, but also last for a long time.

Watermelon diet: reviews from nutritionists

Let's take a closer look at nutritionists' reviews of the effectiveness of the watermelon diet.

"I do not advise you to "prescribe" not only the watermelon diet, but also other diets. Everyone's body has individual characteristics. And what helps one person can seriously harm another. Therefore, it is impossible to do without a consultation. The specialist will choose a diet that is suitable for each individual individually. Moreover, modern research shows that fasting diets do not give the desired effect at all, but a properly composed dietis much healthier."

"I can't say anything good about a diet based only on watermelons: despite the benefits of vitamins, the amount of eaten watermelon, or rather the sugars it contains, will have a negative effect on your health. Firstly, the kilos of light carbohydrates will not disappear, and secondly, due to the high glycemic index, you can provoke a rise in blood sugar."