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 it is August and the first half of September.It is at this time that juicy, sweet and delicious berries with a 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 see what disadvantages and contraindications this method of losing extra pounds has.After all, our goal is not to harm the body, but only to bring benefit.
Composition of watermelon
Although watermelon consists mainly of water, it still contains a number of substances that are valuable for the body.
Berries contain:
- 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 from cholesterol deposits, improves heart function.
- Fiber - improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, cleans it of toxins, accelerates metabolism and promotes weight loss.
- Fructose - stimulates brain function, removes 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 regeneration.
- Minerals (magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, sodium, zinc) - all these substances are needed by 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, because the red berry has a number of useful properties.
What effect does the watermelon diet have?
- Removes toxins and waste from the body.
- Cleanses the kidneys and liver.
- Lowers cholesterol level, reduces cholesterol plaques in blood vessels.
- Normalizes bowel function.
- It stimulates the metabolism.
- Burns fat deposits.
- It reduces the risk of cancer and other diseases.
- Increases the level of immunity.
- Improves general well-being.
Watermelon has a powerful diuretic effect.This is exactly the main effect of the diet.Already in the first 2-3 days, he removes all excess fluid from the body.Swelling goes away, tenderness appears in the body and the condition improves.
The red berry is very beneficial for the kidneys, liver and gall bladder.The diet is recommended for diseases such as arthritis, gout, hepatitis, heart disease, hypertension, anemia, etc.Watermelon diet is very effective for dermatitis and psoriasis.The product is also recommended for men and women with problems in the genitourinary system.It is believed that the berry helps you lose a significant amount 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 diets, when other products are included in the diet in addition to watermelon.But monoration is considered very strict and is not suitable for everyone.
Despite the many beneficial effects, the mono-diet with watermelon is prohibited for inflammatory and some other diseases of the kidneys and urinary system (cystitis, urethritis) during periods of irritation.Diuretic products should be used with great care for 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 happen very quickly.Not every body can adapt immediately, so a deterioration in general health and an aggravation of any disease is possible.People who are slightly overweight should be especially careful.
Even if a person feels healthy and has no chronic diseases, it is advisable to consult a doctor before starting a diet.Nutritionists recommend eating watermelon for weight loss, carefully listening to your feelings.If you have concerns and your health deteriorates, you should stop the diet immediately.
The benefits and harms of a watermelon diet depend mainly on the quality of the berry.
How to choose a good watermelon?
The natural time for ripening watermelons is late summer, early fall.Nowadays, "green stripes" can be found on store shelves much earlier.But such berries are almost always grown artificially with the addition of large amounts of salt.They have much less benefit and, moreover, you can get poisoned by chemical-filled watermelons.
So, let's see how to choose the right quality product:
- A ripe watermelon has a richly colored skin that is shiny and smooth.
- There should be no visible damage, stains or cracks in the crust.A large light dot (usually yellow) does not count.This is where the watermelon lay, in contact with the ground.The sun does not hit it, so it remains light.
- You need to choose berries that are not too big.The optimal weight is 3-4 kg.
- When tapped, the grain should make a ringing sound.
- A ripe watermelon has a shrunken, dark tail.
It is not recommended to buy watermelons in trays near the 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: the initial weight, the state of health and the chosen nutrition option.A strict mono-diet with watermelon should not exceed 5 days.If a person tries 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 meet the entire daily requirement of nutrients needed by the body.If you adhere to such diets for a long time, you can have a vitamin deficiency and seriously damage your health.It is also necessary to make the correct entry and exit from a strict watermelon diet.
How to properly prepare for the watermelon diet and get out of it?
Under no circumstances should you make sudden transitions from a "party" 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 soft foods and as natural as possible.You should eat porridge, vegetables, steamed or baked dishes and fermented milk products.Smoked meat, pickles, fast food, baked food, food 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 its larger volume.It is recommended to drink water, green tea, you can include rose infusions and herbal teas.Coffee and strong tea are allowed in minimal quantities.
Once the watermelon mono-diet is over, the same soft exit is required.You should eat low-calorie foods for another week.The diet should be dominated by fruits, vegetables and greens.
Different options for watermelon diets
There are various options for watermelon diets, everyone can choose the most suitable for themselves.
strict diet (mono)
Such a strict diet with watermelon guarantees minus 10 kg per week.But it is very difficult to stay in it.It is designed for 5 days, but another 2-3 days after leaving it, the body undergoes intensive fat burning and cleansing.You can start such a diet only after examination and consultation with a doctor.
For the first two days, only watermelon is eaten.To maintain hydrobalance, 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.The GI of watermelon is 70-80 units.For every 10 kg of weight, it is quite acceptable to eat 1 kilogram of liquid pulp.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 berries every 2-3 hours.In the periods between meals, you should drink water or tea, but not too much, so as not to burden the kidneys.
If hunger is intolerable, you can eat some crackers, fresh bread or eat a portion of black bread pulp.
If you feel well, you can extend the diet for a week, the result will be even more effective.But it is important not to overdo it here.
Watermelon-melon cleansing diet
This type of food also helps you lose weight quickly and at the same time clean your intestines well.Melon contains more fiber and is an excellent anti-parasite remedy.
Take the same amount of melon and watermelon, you should eat them in turn.Melon is more caloric and nutritious, satiates hunger better.It is advisable to start having 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 for watermelon and fermented milk products
This type of food is designed for 7-10 days.In addition to watermelon, the diet includes: kefir, cottage cheese, baked fermented milk and cottage cheese.
Watermelon is consumed in the first half of the day (before 14:00), in the second half foods are made from fermented milk products.Watermelon and curd cannot be eaten together.It is necessary that at least 2 hours pass between meals.It is acceptable to eat berries with rye, bran or whole grain bread in small quantities.The watermelon-kefir (curd) diet will help you lose 3 to 5 kg per week.Its only disadvantage is that increased gas formation may occur.
Watermelon diet for weight loss for 14 days
This is a milder program for those who do not need to lose as much 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 are just berries.
Sample menu for the day:
- Breakfast - buckwheat porridge and 2 slices of watermelon.
- Snack – 2-3 slices of watermelon.
- Lunch - grilled chicken cutlet, 100 g of vegetable salad.
- Snack - 2-3 slices of berries.
- Dinner - 150 g of cottage cheese, some fresh bread.
- The last snack is 2 slices of watermelon.
For breakfast, you can use any porridge: oats, millet, wheat, rice, cooked in water.For lunch, it is advisable to combine proteins and fibers.It can be any lean meat with vegetables, beans, lentils, asparagus, vegetable soup.
For dinner it is better to eat only protein.
Satisfying Watermelon Protein Diet
This method of losing weight is suitable for those who cannot tolerate hunger.You can keep this food program for up to 10 days.2-3 meals a day should be rich in protein.For breakfast you can eat watermelon with cheese or low-fat eggs, for lunch and dinner, dietary meat (up to 200 g at a time).Snacks consist only of slices of red berries.
Other types of watermelon diets
There are also watermelon-apple, watermelon-cucumber, watermelon-banana diets.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 keep it during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, a woman's body needs an increased supply of vitamins.Any diet during pregnancy can be prescribed by a doctor only if there is a reason for it.Sometimes expectant mothers experience an insatiable appetite and gain a lot of excess weight.In 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 follow 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.
The pros and cons of the watermelon diet
Every diet has advantages and disadvantages.The diet with berries and watermelons is not free of them.
The pros:
- Delicious.
- Available.
- Produces effective body cleansing.
- It makes you healthier.
- Removes excess fluid.
- Fast results.
Disadvantages:
- Only suitable at 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 remove useful substances from the body and put a heavy burden on 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 phase.
- Stomach ulcer, gastritis.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Kidney or gall bladder stones.
- Pancreatitis.
- Infectious diseases.
Watermelon diet has contraindications for pregnant and lactating women, as well as for those suffering 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 thought;for some people it is strictly contraindicated.And if done incorrectly, it can cause harm.
- Watermelon contains enough nutrients.The red berry does not contain even half of the elements that the body needs every day.
- Watermelon is good for the kidneys.Only if they are healthy and can easily process large amounts of juice.
- You can quickly lose up to 20 kg in a week using berries.It all depends on a person's metabolic rate.But such drastic weight loss is not highly recommended.Optimal weight loss is up to 10 kg per month.
The best and safest option for a mono-diet fasting with watermelon berries is 1 day per week.But on all other days the diet should 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 stick to the right food.