For some reason, it is generally accepted that in the summer the fat accumulated over the winter evaporates by itself due to an active lifestyle. No matter how it is! Many of us, getting out of light shorts and loose sundresses at the end of the season, realize that we have gained significant weight. Immediately, one recalls the cheerful outings to barbecues, and cozy gatherings in an ice cream parlor, and exotic delicacies tasted at a foreign resort.
But this is not the time to lose heart, you need to act! August-September is watermelon time, and the sugar pulp of the striped berry is not only tasty, but also useful for those who dream of losing weight. Nutritionists call the watermelon diet one of the most effective and gentle. During it, you will not have to deal with the excruciating feeling of hunger that interferes with living and working. You just need to follow the diet, and positive dynamics will not take long.
What is the effectiveness of the watermelon diet
Watermelon pulp is a storehouse of valuable micro- and macroelements, vitamins and organic acids. The salts of iron, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and sodium contained in it have a beneficial effect on the activity of the digestive, hematopoietic and cardiovascular systems. Watermelon fiber helps to cleanse the body of toxins and eliminate harmful cholesterol. The acid-base balance is regulated by the presence of alkaline compounds in the product, and pectin fibers normalize intestinal motility. In addition, regular consumption of watermelon is an excellent prevention of cancer.
How to calculate the portion
No matter how invaluable the benefits of watermelon are, uncontrolled eating of juicy pulp, as, indeed, of any product, can lead to disastrous consequences - diarrhea, nausea and severe stomach pains.
The formula for calculating an individual daily allowance is simple: 1 kg of watermelon pulp for every 10 kg of your weight. That is, if you weigh 60 kg, without risk to health, you can eat no more than 6 kg of watermelon, of course, not in one sitting, but dividing it into equal portions.
Watermelon diet options
If you are afraid that during the diet you will need to eat only watermelon pulp, then this is not the case. The striped miracle berry works well with other foods, thereby allowing you to diversify the menu. Choose the version of the watermelon diet that is right for you:
- With melon: the famous aromatic relative - melon - comes to the aid of the sugar "bun". During this diet, you eat light, low-calorie foods (low-fat cottage cheese, hard cheese, lean meats, vegetables), and melon slices serve you as a healthy snack.
- With kefir: very good in the summer heat. Within 3 days, you consume only the pulp of a striped berry and kefir-zero (you can take 1%). The interval between meals is 3 hours.
- With black bread: a good option for those who miss flour during a diet. You simply alternate watermelon slices with rye toast and become almost 1 kg lighter per day. The duration of the course is 10 days.
- With cucumber: for 2 weeks you eat only watermelons and cucumbers (1 kg per day). It is allowed to "dilute" the daily menu with 1-2 rye toasts and a glass of zero yogurt.
- With Rice: This option only allows watermelon and rice (parboiled, wild or brown). Daily norm of products: rice - 100 g, watermelon pulp - no more than 1 kg for every 20 kg of weight.
- With cottage cheese: the optimal weight loss program for dessert lovers. For breakfast and afternoon tea, you eat low-fat cottage cheese (150-200 g each), and for the rest of the meals, savor the pulp of a striped berry.
- With buckwheat porridge: an option that allows you to lose weight without feeling hungry. Allowed buckwheat (1 kg per day) in water without oil, watermelon (no more than 5 kg per day), fresh vegetable salads and non-alcoholic non-carbonated drinks (green and herbal tea, water with lemon) without sugar.
- Watermelon protein is the ideal diet for meat eaters. It is allowed to eat lean meat, low-fat fish, watermelon (2 kg per day) and dairy products (low-fat yogurt, zero-fat kefir, 1% milk). The optimal course duration is 10 days.
Sitting on a watermelon diet, keep in mind that, first of all, a weight loss course means giving up starchy foods, sweets, salt, carbonated and alcoholic beverages. Coffee lovers can replace morning tea with a cup of your favorite drink.
Duration of the watermelon diet
So, the decision to lose weight has been made. Now assess the scale of the problem (the number of extra pounds) and your own willpower. Now choose a course of suitable duration:
- 1, 2, or 3 days is a tough but effective unloading of the body, during which it is allowed to consume only watermelon pulp and liquid (water, green tea).
- 5, 7, 10 or 14 days - milder programs in which the watermelon "works in a team" with other products.
Try not to show excessive fanaticism, because only an absolutely healthy person can withstand a long course of a mono-diet (the watermelon diet is such) without unpleasant consequences.
Menu
According to many losing weight, the most successful of the courses of the watermelon diet is a five-day one, which allows you to use, in addition to watermelons, other low-calorie foods.
Here's what your meal plan will look like for this period:
Day 1
First breakfast:
- half a glass of tea (preferably green) or pure non-carbonated water;
- 1 soft-boiled chicken egg;
- a small portion of any porridge on the water.
Second breakfast: 2-3 slices of watermelon.
Dinner:
- salad (cucumbers + tomatoes) with olive oil;
- 200 g of lean fish;
- green tea.
Snack: slices of watermelon.
Dinner (3-4 hours before bedtime): watermelon.
Day 2
First breakfast:
- 200 g unsweetened fat-free cottage cheese;
- 2-3 watermelon slices;
- half a glass of tea or water (optional).
Second breakfast: a portion of watermelon.
Dinner:
- unsalted rice porridge in water without oil;
- watermelon.
Snack:
- 50 g of low-fat cottage cheese without sugar;
- 2 slices of watermelon.
Dinner: we cook the same as for lunch.
Day 3
First breakfast:
- unsweetened tea;
- 180 g fat-free cottage cheese;
- fruit salad (half a green apple + watermelon).
Second breakfast: watermelon - 2 small slices.
Dinner:
- 100 g boiled chicken breast;
- salad (fresh cucumber + herbs), seasoned with olive oil or lemon juice.
- tea or water.
Snack: watermelon.
Dinner: vegetables - stewed, boiled or steamed.
Day 4
First breakfast:
- a serving of oatmeal without oil. It can be boiled or steamed overnight in a thermos;
- a small slice of hard cheese;
- tea.
Second breakfast: watermelon - 2-3 slices.
Dinner:
- 250 g of any lean meat cooked in a double boiler or grill;
- vegetable salad (tomatoes + bell peppers + cucumbers) with olive oil;
- water.
Snack: a few slices of watermelon.
Dinner:
- low-fat cottage cheese - 100 g;
- 1 pear or green apple.
Day 5
First breakfast:
- fruit salad (watermelon + green apple + prunes);
- tea.
Second breakfast: watermelon.
Dinner:
- fresh vegetable soup;
- a slice of black bread;
- tea.
Snack: 1 chicken egg (hard boiled or omelette).
Dinner: "shock" portion of watermelon - 400 g.
Eating in this way, during the course, you can lose up to 4–5 kg. If you need to lose more and you still have strength to continue, try to hold out on this diet not 5, but 10 days. Accordingly, the menu of the first day is similar to the menu of the sixth day, etc.
How to get out of the watermelon diet
The end of the dietary course does not at all mean that you can predatory pounce on previously forbidden smoked meats, pickles and confectionery, since the kilograms dropped with such difficulty can quickly return to their original places. Continue eating light, healthy foods such as cereals, fresh and stewed vegetables, fruits, cooked meats, and lean fish. Portions of a pretty boring watermelon can be reduced, but you should not completely exclude the striped berry from the menu. The transition will take as long as the diet itself.
Contraindications
The benefits of watermelon are an indisputable fact, but not everyone can consume it in large quantities. At risk are people with pathologies of the kidneys, choleretic and genitourinary systems. The miracle berry is contraindicated in the last trimester of pregnancy, during lactation and in diabetes mellitus.
And remember! A watermelon diet will help you achieve the desired result, but in order to maintain it, you will have to lead a healthy lifestyle, quit smoking and alcohol abuse, and also say goodbye to the daily buns-cheesecakes. You can handle it! Good luck!