For some reason, it is generally accepted that in summer the fat that accumulates in winter evaporates on its own due to an active lifestyle. Anyway! Most of us have a laid back attitude when it comes to painting a picture about ourselves. One immediately remembers funny barbecue outings, hospitable gatherings in an ice cream parlor and exotic delicacies in a foreign resort.
But this is not the time to lose your heart, you must act! August-September is the time of watermelon and the sugar pulp of a striped berry is not only delicious, 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 torturous feeling of hunger that hinders life and work. You just have to follow the diet and the positive dynamics will not be long in coming.
What is the effectiveness of the watermelon diet
Watermelon pulp is a storehouse of valuable micro- and macronutrients, 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 cleanse the body of toxins and eliminate harmful cholesterol. 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 cancer prevention.
How to calculate the portion
No matter how invaluable the benefits of watermelon are, uncontrolled consumption of juicy pulp, like any product, can lead to catastrophic consequences - diarrhea, nausea and severe stomach pain.
The formula for calculating an individual daily dose 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 at once, but by dividing it into equal portions.
Diet options with watermelon
If you are afraid that during the diet you will need to eat only watermelon pulp, then this is not true. The striped miracle berry works well with other foods, allowing you to diversify the menu. Choose the version of the watermelon diet that suits you:
- With melon: the famous aromatic relative - melon - comes to help the sweet "bun". During this diet, eat light low-calorie foods (low-fat cottage cheese, hard cheese, lean meats, vegetables) and melon slices serve as a healthy snack.
- With kefir: very good in the heat of summer. Within 3 days, consume only the pulp of a striped berry and kefir-zero (you can get 1%). The interval between meals is 3 hours.
- With brown bread: a good choice for those who lack flour during a diet. Just alternate watermelon slices with rye toast and you become almost 1 kg lighter per day. The duration of the course is 10 days.
- With cucumber: for 2 weeks 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 (boiled, wild or brown). Daily product rule: rice - 100 g, watermelon pulp - no more than 1 kg for every 20 kg of weight.
- With cottage cheese: the best weight loss program for dessert lovers. For breakfast and afternoon tea, eat low-fat cottage cheese (150-200 g each) and for the rest of the meal, enjoy the pulp of a striped berry.
- With buckwheat porridge: an option that allows you to lose weight without feeling hungry. Buckwheat (1 kg per day) is allowed in water without oil, watermelon (not 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 those who eat meat. It is allowed to consume lean meat, low fat fish, watermelon (2 kg per day) and dairy products (low fat yogurt, zero fat kefir, 1% milk). The optimal duration of the course is 10 days.
When making 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 their morning tea with a cup of your favorite beverage.
Duration of the watermelon diet
So, the decision to lose weight has been made. Now evaluate the scale of the problem (the number of extra pounds) and your own willpower. Now choose a course of appropriate duration:
- 1, 2 or 3 days is a hard but effective discharge of the body, during which only pulp and liquid watermelon (water, green tea) are allowed to be consumed.
- 5, 7, 10 or 14 days - milder programs in which watermelon "works in groups" with other products.
Try not to show too much fanaticism, because only a perfectly healthy person can endure a long course of mono-diet (watermelon diet is such) without unpleasant consequences.
Menu
According to many for weight loss, the most successful of the watermelon diet courses is a five-day, which allows you to use, in addition to watermelons, other low-calorie foods.
See how your eating plan will be for this period:
Day 1
First breakfast:
- half a glass of tea (preferably green) or pure non-carbonated water.
- 1 soft 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: watermelon slices.
Dinner (3-4 hours before bedtime): watermelon.
Day 2
First breakfast:
- 200 grams of fat-free cottage cheese without sugar.
- 2-3 slices of watermelon;
- half a glass of tea or water (optional).
Second breakfast: a portion of watermelon.
Dinner:
- unsalted rice porridge in water without oil.
- watermelon.
Junk food:
- 50 grams of low-fat cottage cheese without sugar.
- 2 slices of watermelon.
Dinner: cook the same as lunch.
Day 3
First breakfast:
- sugar-free tea;
- 180 grams of 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 - boiled, 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 + 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 + plums).
- tea.
Second breakfast: watermelon.
Dinner:
- fresh vegetable soup;
- a slice of brown bread;
- tea.
Snack: 1 chicken egg (boiled or scrambled eggs).
Dinner: portion of "shock" watermelon - 400 gr.
By eating this way, during the course, you can lose up to 4-5 pounds. If you need to lose more and still have the strength to keep going, try to endure this diet for not 5 but 10 days. Respectively, 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 nutrition course does not mean at all that you can drop predatory smoked meats, pickles and pastries that were previously banned, as the pounds that fall with so much difficulty can quickly return to their original positions. Continue to eat light, healthy foods such as cereals, fresh and cooked vegetables, fruits, cooked meats and lean fish. Portions of a rather dull watermelon can be reduced, but you should not completely exclude the striped berry from the menu. The transition will last as long as the diet itself.
Contraindications
The benefits of watermelon are undeniable, but not everyone can consume it in large quantities. At risk are people with pathologies of the kidneys, choleretic and urogenital system. The miracle berry is contraindicated in the last trimester of pregnancy, during lactation and in diabetes.
And remember! The watermelon diet will help you achieve the desired result, but to maintain it, you should follow a healthy lifestyle, quit smoking and alcohol abuse and also say goodbye to daily cheesecakes. You can handle it! Good luck!