For some reason, it is generally accepted that in the summer, the fat that has accumulated during the winter evaporates on its own due to an active lifestyle. No matter what! Many of us who come out of lightweight shorts and loose sundresses at the end of the season realize that we have gained significant weight. Immediately you remember fun excursions for barbecue, and cozy togetherness in an ice cream bar and exotic delicacies tasted at a foreign resort.
But it's not time to lose heart, you have to act! August-September is watermelon time and the sugar mass of a 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, do not deal with the unbearable feeling of hunger that disturbs living and working. You just have to follow the diet and positive dynamics will not take long.
What is the effectiveness of watermelon diet
Watermelon pulp is a storehouse of valuable micro- and macro-elements, 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 system, hematopoietic and cardiovascular systems. Watermelon fiber helps 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, uncontrolled eating of juicy pulp, as with any product, can lead to catastrophic consequences - diarrhea, nausea and severe stomach pain.
The formula for calculating an individual unemployment benefit is simple: 1 kg of watermelon mass for every 10 kg of your weight. That is, if you weigh 60 kg, without risk to health, you can not eat more than 6 kg of watermelon, of course, not in one sitting, but divide it into equal portions.
Watermelon diet options
If you are afraid that you should only eat watermelon mass during the diet, then this is not the case. The striped miracle berries work well with other foods, allowing you to vary the menu. Choose the version of the watermelon diet that suits you:
- With melon: the famous aromatic relative - melon - comes to the aid of 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 only consume 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 replace watermelon slices with rye toast and become almost 1 kg lighter a 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 toast and a glass of zero yogurt.
- With rice: This option allows only watermelon and rice (parboiled, wild or brown). Daily norm for products: rice - 100 g, watermelon mass - 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 you taste 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 (maximum 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, low-fat kefir, 1% milk). The optimal course duration is 10 days.
When sitting on a watermelon diet, keep in mind that a weight loss course primarily means giving up starchy foods, candy, salt, carbonated and alcoholic beverages. Coffee lovers can replace the morning tea with a cup of your favorite drink.
Duration of watermelon diet
So the decision to lose weight is made. Now assess the extent of the problem (the number of extra kilos) and your own willpower. Now choose a course of appropriate duration:
- 1, 2 or 3 days is a hard but effective reading of the body, where only watermelon mass and fluid (water, green tea) are allowed.
- 5, 7, 10 or 14 days - milder programs where the watermelon "works in teams" with other products.
Try not to show excessive fanaticism, because only an absolutely healthy person can withstand a long course with a mono-diet (the watermelon diet is like that) without unpleasant consequences.
Menu
According to many who lose weight, the most successful of the watermelon diet courses is a five-day one, which allows you to use, in addition to watermelons, other low-calorie foods.
This is what your meal plan looks 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 lean fish;
- green tea.
Snack: sliced 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: one serving of watermelon.
Dinner:
- unsalted rice porridge in oil without oil;
- watermelon.
Snack:
- 50 g low-fat cottage cheese without sugar;
- 2 slices of watermelon.
Dinner: we do 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, cooked 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 + 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 omelet).
Dinner: "shock" portion of watermelon - 400 g.
If you eat this way during the course, you can lose up to 4-5 kg. If you need to lose weight more and you still have the strength to keep going, try to stick with this diet not 5 but 10 days. Consequently, the menu for the first day corresponds to the menu for the sixth day, and so on.
How to get out of the watermelon diet
The end of the diet course does not mean at all that you can eagerly throw yourself over previously banned smoked meats, pickles and confectionery, as the kilograms that fall with such difficulty can quickly return to their original places. Continue to eat light, healthy foods such as grains, fresh and stewed vegetables, fruits, cooked meats and lean fish. Portions of a rather dull watermelon can be reduced, but you should not completely exclude the striped berries 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 breastfeeding and in diabetes mellitus.
And remember! A watermelon diet will help you achieve the desired result, but to maintain it, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle, quit smoking and alcohol abuse and also say goodbye to the daily buns cheesecakes. You can do it! Good luck!