Watermelon diet

It is entirely possible to lose weight simply, quickly and deliciously if you discover the watermelon diet.Watermelon is rich in vitamins and, it seems, only benefits the body.But it remains to be seen whether this is really the case.Such a diet has its advantages and pitfalls, and in order not to encounter them, you need to approach the problem 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 its positive nature depends on several factors:

  • The diet is carried out during the watermelon season - in August-September.If you get carried away at other times, you can “feed” on nitrates and end up in the hospital.
  • When choosing a berry, give preference to fruits of small or medium size, without dents and 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 nutritious diet.
  • A long-term watermelon diet is necessarily accompanied by other foods: unsweetened fruits, vegetables, cereals, lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy products.
  • Exiting the diet is done gradually, with the daily addition of other foods, according to the principle: from the lightest to the heaviest.It is important to monitor calories and quantity of food.A sudden load on the body will bring all efforts to naught, and the body will be happy to build up 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 getting an intestinal infection.

By 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 about fat loss.From the first days of the diet, the excess water that has stagnated in the cells leaves the body, and with it the toxic substances.Often, such stagnation causes a slowdown in metabolism and weight gain.

Watermelon pieces on sticks

Features of the watermelon diet

The watermelon diet for weight loss is one of the relatively gentle diets.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 not only the ability to lose extra pounds in a short time.During the diet, excess fluid, waste and toxins are removed from the body and the concentration of bad cholesterol decreases.Metabolic processes restart, the functioning of the digestive system and kidneys is improved.

Be careful!If during the diet you do not feel well or notice an exacerbation of chronic diseases, it is better to abandon the diet and consult a doctor.

To lose weight effectively, you need to take into account 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 to avoid the simultaneous consumption of cheeses, dairy products and eggs with berries.This combination can cause fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract with all the ensuing consequences: bloating, flatulence (gas formation) and stool disorders.
  3. It is better to prepare the diet in advance: 3-4 days before the start, introduce watermelon into the menu, with a gradual increase in portions, remove other foods, starting with the heaviest, from the diet.
  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 repeated course is necessary, 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 tone, helps relieve fatigue.
  3. Vitamins and minerals – watermelon contains vitamins A, C, E, PP, B, mineral salts, iron, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.This composition helps normalize sleep, fight chronic fatigue, help stabilize blood pressure and relieve muscle cramps and numbness.
  4. Pectins – clean blood vessels, reduce cholesterol levels and normalize the functioning 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 and improve heart function.

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

It is also important that the watermelon is low in calories - just30 to 40 caloriesper 100 g of pulp.

Contraindications to 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: they may not be able to handle large amounts of fluid;
  • the presence of sand and stones in the bile 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 while dieting.If you feel unwell or experience pain from the strict diet, it is better to refuse immediately and consult a doctor for advice.

Watermelon slices

Disadvantages of the watermelon diet

Before starting a watermelon diet for weight loss, you should consider its disadvantages.In some cases, they can counteract 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 autumn.
  2. It is best to diet while on vacation.The diuretic effect will create significant inconvenience during labor.More serious deficiencies can lead to more serious consequences than problems with extra pounds.
  3. Watermelon has a high glycemic index (GI).Such foods lead to spikes in blood sugar and deposition of calories into fat stores.
  4. The calorie content of watermelon is low, but it is easy to be fooled by this.If you rely on 1 kg of watermelon per 10 kg of body weight, you can even exceed the calorie requirement for a day.For example, with a weight of 70 kg, the norm for eating berries 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 woman 30 years old, height 170 and weighing 70 kg, is considered to be 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. Diseases.With a strict mono-diet, it is possible that discomfort and fatigue may occur due to a lack of microelements that watermelon does not contain.
  7. Stomach problems. A sharp transition from a normal diet to eating a large amount of watermelons can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract in the form of disorders, constipation, bloating and exacerbation of diseases.
Watermelon diet for weight loss

Watermelon Diet Options

You can come up with many watermelon diets and somehow diversify them, but only three options are common.

Mono-diet based on watermelons

A watermelon mono-diet is a diet based on a single product, that is, in this case, for a certain period, only watermelon is prescribed in the breakfast, lunch and dinner menu.Additional water and unsweetened green tea are allowed.

Despite the usefulness of watermelon, a mono-diet based on it is considered a strict diet that limits the intake of all the nutrients a person needs.It is used more as a fasting meal for one to three days maximum.Sometimes this period is extended up to five days.It is not recommended to store it for longer, because due to a lack of essential microelements, health can be seriously affected.

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

Less: 2 to 3 kg will be lost, but it will not be a loss of body fat.Weight will decrease due to the same excess water being removed from the body;after a few days everything will come back.

It is better to use a mono-diet as a fasting day before switching to a long-term main diet or proper nutrition.It won't do any harm in a day and will help the body reboot.

Not just a watermelon

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

In principle, with such a diet you could lose up to 7 kg in a week, but there is one “BUT”.If you calculate the total number of calories from watermelon, calculated for one day of the diet, and the same bread, this amount will significantly exceed the recommended calorie intake for weight loss.

Light diet for 7 to 10 days

Light diet for 7 to 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 in each dish are strictly calculated, the portion does not exceed the recommended one, and there are no additives.The diet is designed for 10 days and is easy to follow.

The best option for natural weight loss: the body receives 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 opportunity to exercise physically, which will help burn fat and gradually develop the habit of eating right.

Watermelon diet menu

Watermelon diet menu for a week

A watermelon diet menu for a week might look like this.

Monday

  1. Breakfast:oatmeal with milk, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
  2. Dinner:salad – watermelon + feta + basil, seasoned 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 + green 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:cocktail of boiled beef and berries.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

Friday

  1. Breakfast:muesli with water, a glass of juice.
  2. Dinner:salad – watermelon + melon + unsweetened grapes + plums + nuts.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 + walnuts.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 bedtime.

Girl on a watermelon diet

Getting 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 for 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 advisable to switch to a proper diet, the result achieved in a week will not only be consolidated, but will also last a long time.

Watermelon diet: opinions of nutritionists

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

"I do not advise you to "prescribe" yourself 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 this without consultation. The specialist will select a diet that suits each individual individually. In addition, modern research has shown that starvation diets do not give the desired effect at all, and a diet welltrained is much healthier."

"I can't say anything good about a diet based only on watermelons: despite the benefits of vitamins, the amount of watermelon consumed, or rather the sugars contained in it, will negatively affect your health. Firstly, the kilograms of light carbohydrates will not go away, and secondly, due to the high glycemic index, you can provoke an increase in blood sugar."