There are hundreds of different diets for weight control and weight loss.Fasting diets based on fruits, berries and vegetables are very popular.The watermelon diet is seasonal.The best time for this is August and the first half of September.At this time, juicy, sweet and tasty fruits with green striped skin and red watery pulp ripen.A diet with only watermelon helps not only to lose weight, but also to improve the health of the body.But let's look at what disadvantages and contraindications this method has for losing extra pounds.After all, our goal is not to harm the body, but to bring only benefit.
Composition of watermelon
Although watermelon consists mainly of water, it still contains a number of substances that are valuable for the body.
The berry contains:
- Vitamins - A, C, B, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, PP.All of them are necessary for our body, without them metabolic processes are impossible.
- Pectin - cleans blood vessels of cholesterol deposits, improves heart activity.
- Fibers - improve the work of the gastrointestinal tract, clean it of toxins, speed up metabolism and help lose weight.
- Fructose - stimulates brain function, relieves fatigue, saturates the body with energy.
- Folic acid is necessary for the absorption of proteins, participates in the formation of hemoglobin, regulates cell division and promotes rejuvenation.
- Minerals (magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, sodium, zinc) - all these substances are necessary for our cells, nervous system, bone tissue, muscles, blood.
The berry has been cultivated for a very long time, so the watermelon diet has been around for decades.It is especially popular in hot countries.
benefit
A diet based on juicy watermelon will help not only to lose extra pounds, but also to cleanse your body and improve its health, since the berry has a number of useful properties.
What is the effect of the watermelon diet?
- Removes toxins and waste from the body.
- Cleanses the kidneys and liver.
- Reduces cholesterol levels, reduces cholesterol plaques in blood vessels.
- Normalizes bowel function.
- Stimulates metabolism.
- Burns fat deposits.
- It reduces the risk of cancer and other diseases.
- Increases the level of immunity.
- Improves overall well-being.
Watermelon has a powerful diuretic effect.This is the main effect of the diet.Already in the first 2-3 days, he throws out all the excess fluid from the body.The swelling disappears, lightness appears in the body and the condition improves.
The berry is very useful for the kidneys, liver and gall bladder.The diet is recommended for diseases such as arthritis, gout, hepatitis, heart disease, hypertension, anemia, etc.The watermelon diet is very effective for dermatitis and psoriasis.The product is also recommended for men and women with problems in the genitourinary system.The berry is believed to help you lose a lot of weight in just a few days.It is not surprising, because despite the sweetness of watermelon, it has very few calories - only 25 kcal per 100 g.At the same time, it perfectly quenches hunger and thirst.Its taste is very pleasant, so the diet does not cause hostility.
Is there any harm?
There are monodiets, which include only one berry, and combined, when, in addition to watermelon, the diet includes other products.But monoration is considered very strict and not suitable for everyone.
Despite the numerous beneficial effects, a mono-diet with watermelon is prohibited in inflammatory and some other diseases of the kidneys and excretory system (cystitis, urethritis) in periods of exacerbation.Diuretic products should be used with great care in kidney stones.You cannot follow such strict diets if you have gastrointestinal diseases and diabetes.
It is worth considering that with a watermelon diet, weight loss can occur very quickly.Not every body can immediately adapt, so deterioration of general health and exacerbation of any diseases are possible.People who are slightly overweight should be especially careful.
Even if a person feels healthy and has no chronic diseases, it is recommended to consult a doctor before starting a diet.Nutritionists recommend eating watermelon for weight loss, carefully listening to your feelings.If there is discomfort and your health deteriorates, you should immediately stop the diet.
The benefits and harms of a watermelon diet largely depend on the quality of the berry.
How to choose a good watermelon?
The natural time for watermelons to ripen is late summer, early fall.Today, "green stripes" can be found on store shelves much earlier.But such fruits are almost always grown artificially with the addition of large amounts of nitrate.They do much less good, and besides, you can get poisoned by chemical-filled watermelons.
So, let's look at how to choose the right product quality:
- A ripe watermelon has richly colored, shiny and smooth skin.
- There should be no visible damage, spots or cracks on the bark.A large light (usually yellow) spot does not count.This is where the watermelon lay, in contact with the soil.The sun doesn't hit it, so it stays bright.
- You need to choose not too big fruits.The optimal weight is 3-4 kg.
- When tapped, the berry should make a ringing sound.
- Ripe watermelon has a curled and dark tail.
It is not recommended to buy watermelons in trays near roads.Lying along highways for a long time, they absorb exhaust gases, dust and other pollutants.
How many days can you stay on a watermelon diet?
Many who want to try this method of losing weight for the first time are interested in how many days they can go on a watermelon diet without negative consequences.
The duration of the diet depends on a number of factors: initial weight, state of health and chosen type of nutrition.A strict mono-diet with watermelon should not exceed 5 days.If a person is trying this type of diet for the first time, then the optimal period would be 3 days.With a diet that includes other foods, you can extend the diet to 10-12 days.
Remember that one watermelon cannot fill all the daily need of nutrients needed by the body.If you stick to such diets for too long, you can become vitamin deficient and seriously harm your health.It is also necessary to do the right entry and exit from a strict watermelon diet.
How to properly prepare for the watermelon diet and get out of it?
In no case should you make sudden transitions from a "feast" to a hunger strike.So the body and especially the stomach will only be damaged.
3 days before the start of the diet, you should switch to gentle and maximally natural food.You should eat porridge, vegetables, steamed or baked dishes, fermented milk products.Smoked meats, pickles, fast food, baked goods, snacks and carbonated drinks are completely excluded from the diet.Food should be taken in small portions 5-6 times a day.
You should also increase your fluid intake so that the body gradually gets used to their larger volume.It is recommended to drink water, green tea, you can include rosehip infusions and herbal teas.Coffee and strong tea are allowed in minimal amounts.
After completing the watermelon mono-diet, the same soft exit is required.For another week, you should eat low-calorie foods.Fruits, vegetables and greens should prevail in the diet.
Different diet options
There are different options for a watermelon diet, everyone can choose the most suitable one for themselves.
strict diet (mono)
Such a strict watermelon diet guarantees minus 10 kg per week.But it is very difficult to stay on it.It is intended for 5 days, but another 2-3 days after leaving it, the body undergoes intense fat burning and cleansing.You can start such a diet only after an examination and consultation with a doctor.
The first two days eat only watermelon.To maintain hydration, you should drink extra water, green or herbal tea.
To correctly calculate the amount of watermelon per day, it is necessary to calculate the ratio of the glycemic index of the product to body weight.GI of watermelon is 70-80 units.For every 10 kg of weight, it is perfectly acceptable to eat 1 kg of juicy porridge.For example, if your weight is 70 kg, then you can consume up to 7 kg of watermelon per day, but not more.
Note!You can repeat the mono-diet with watermelon, designed for 3 days, 2-3 times a month.
This part should be divided into 5-7 doses.You should eat fruit every 2-3 hours.In the periods between meals, you should drink water or tea, but not a lot, so as not to strain the kidneys.
If the hunger is unbearable, you can eat a few biscuits, crusty bread or eat a portion of porridge with brown bread.
If you feel well, you can extend the diet by one week, the result will be even more effective.But here it is important not to overdo it.
Cleansing diet watermelon-melon
This type of diet also helps you lose weight quickly and at the same time clean your intestines well.Melon contains more fiber and is an excellent remedy against parasites.
Take the same amount of melon and watermelon, you must eat them in turn.Melon is more caloric and nutritious, it satisfies hunger better.It is recommended to start breakfast with it.Melon eaten on an empty stomach has an antiparasitic effect.
If the hunger is too unbearable, do not torture yourself.Add some protein to your diet.You can eat white meat, cottage cheese, lentils and low-fat cheeses.
Fasting days of watermelon and fermented milk products
This type of feeding is designed for 7-10 days.In addition to watermelon, the diet includes: kefir, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk and cottage cheese.
Melon is consumed in the first half of the day (before 2:00 p.m.), in the second half, snacks are prepared from fermented milk products.Watermelon and cottage cheese cannot be eaten together.At least 2 hours should pass between meals.It is acceptable to eat a berry with rye, bran or whole grain bread in small quantities.The watermelon-kefir (boiled) diet will help you lose 3 to 5 kg per week.Its only drawback is that increased gas formation can occur.
Watermelon diet for weight loss in 14 days
This is a gentler program for those who do not need to lose excess weight (up to 5 kg).
A low-calorie menu is prepared for each day.There are 6 meals a day, 3 of which contain additional products and 3 only berries.
Sample menu for the day:
- Breakfast - buckwheat porridge and 2 slices of watermelon.
- Snack – 2-3 slices of watermelon.
- Lunch - grilled chicken steak, 100 g of vegetable salad.
- Snack - 2-3 slices of berries.
- Dinner - 150 g of cottage cheese, a few crispy bread rolls.
- The last snack is 2 slices of watermelon.
For breakfast, you can use any porridge: oatmeal, millet, wheat, rice, boiled in water.For lunch, it is recommended to combine protein and fiber.It can be any lean meat with vegetables, beans, lentils, asparagus, vegetable soup.
For dinner, it is better to eat only proteins.
Watermelon-protein satiating diet
This method of losing weight is suitable for those who cannot stand hunger.You can maintain this nutritional program for up to 10 days.2-3 meals a day should be rich in protein.For breakfast you can eat watermelon with low-fat cheese or eggs, for lunch and dinner dietary meat (up to 200 g at a time).Breakfast consists only of slices of berries.
Other types of diets
There is also watermelon-apple, watermelon-cucumber, watermelon-banana.All of them should be aged no more than 3-5 days.These products can be consumed together or separately at intervals.On a banana diet, you are allowed to eat no more than 1 piece per day.Remember that bananas are high in calories and very nutritious.The results of such diets are approximately the same.
Watermelon diet - can you follow it during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, a woman's body needs an increased supply of vitamins.Any diets during pregnancy can only be prescribed by a doctor if there is a reason for it.Sometimes expectant mothers experience an insatiable appetite and excess weight.During the last trimester, this can have a very negative impact on a woman's health and well-being.In such cases, a few days of fasting under the supervision of a doctor may be helpful and even necessary.But you cannot subject yourself to a strictly restricted diet during pregnancy.
Note!Pregnant women often experience swelling, especially in the last months.They benefit from diuretic products, but in moderation.
Pros and cons of the watermelon diet
Every diet has advantages and disadvantages.The diet with berries and watermelon is not devoid of them.
Pros:
- Delicious.
- Available.
- Produces effective cleansing of the body.
- It makes you healthier.
- Removes excess fluid.
- Fast results.
Cons:
- Only suitable during certain times of the year.
- Hungry (if we are talking about a mono-diet).
- It can be stored for a short time.
- Over a long period of time, it can wash away useful substances from the body and seriously burden the kidneys.
Contraindications
People with the following diseases and health problems should not follow a watermelon diet:
- Kidney failure.
- Pyelonephritis, cystitis, urethritis in the acute stage.
- Stomach ulcer, gastritis.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Kidney or gall bladder stones.
- Pancreatitis.
- Infectious diseases.
The watermelon diet has contraindications for pregnant and lactating women, as well as for those who suffer from vitamin deficiency.
The opinion of nutritionists - myths and reality
Let's find out what the experts say about the berry diet for weight loss.
- The watermelon diet is absolutely safe.This is a wrong opinion;for some people it is strictly contraindicated.And if done incorrectly, it can cause harm.
- Watermelon contains enough nutrients.The berry does not contain even half of the elements that the body needs on a daily basis.
- Watermelon is good for the kidneys.Only if they are healthy and can easily handle large amounts of liquid.
- You can quickly lose up to 20 kg in one week using berries.It all depends on the person's metabolic rate.But such drastic weight loss is highly inadvisable.Optimal weight loss is up to 10 kg per month.
The best and safest option for a fasting monodiet on watermelon fruit is 1 day a week.But on all other days, the diet should also be dietary.In just one day, the berry will perfectly clean the intestines and remove excess fluid.Is it possible to lose weight if you eat this way only 1 day a week?Yes, it takes 1 to 3 kg per day.But keep in mind that most of it is liquid.To prevent its return, you need to eat less salt, move more and constantly adhere to proper nutrition.