Watermelon diet

It’s quite possible to lose weight simply, quickly and deliciously if you discover the watermelon diet.Watermelon is rich in vitamins, and, it would seem, only benefits the body.But whether this is really so remains to be seen.Such a diet has its advantages and pitfalls, and in order not to run into them, you need to approach the issue responsibly, then you won’t 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 how positive it will be depends on several factors:

  • The diet is carried out during the watermelon season - in August-September.If you get carried away with it at other times, you can “feed” yourself with nitrates and end up in the hospital.
  • When choosing a berry, give preference to fruits of small or medium size, without dents or 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 meat, fish, low-fat dairy products.
  • The exit from the diet is gradual, with the daily addition of other foods, according to the principle: from lighter to heavier.It is important to monitor calories and the amount of food.A sudden load on the body will bring all efforts to naught, and the body will be glad to stock up on additional reserves for the future.This will immediately affect the rapid return of lost kilograms.
  • Before cutting the watermelon, wash it well; this will help avoid contracting an intestinal infection.

By following the rules, you can lose 3 kg in a few days on a watermelon diet.But you should understand that initially this will not be a loss of fat deposits.In the first days of the diet, excess water that has stagnated in the cells leaves the body, and with it toxic substances.Often, such stagnation provokes 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 mild ones.The sweetness of the berry and the high water content in it 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 the ability not only to lose extra pounds in a short period.During the diet, excess fluid, waste and toxins are removed from the body, and the concentration of bad cholesterol decreases.Metabolic processes are restarted, the functioning of the digestive system and kidneys is improved.

Pay attention!If during the diet you feel unwell or an exacerbation of chronic diseases, it is better to abandon the diet and visit a doctor.

To effectively lose weight, 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 intake 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 upset.
  3. It is better if you prepare for 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 heavier ones, 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 repeat course is needed, 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 flow of bile, normalizes the functioning of the excretory system, thereby eliminating swelling.
  2. Fructose – gives energy and tones, helps relieve fatigue.
  3. Vitamins and minerals – watermelon contains vitamin A, C, E, PP, B vitamins, mineral salts, iron, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.This composition allows you to normalize sleep, fight chronic fatigue, help stabilize blood pressure, and relieve muscle cramps and numbness in them.
  4. Pectins – cleanse 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 help not only fight excess weight, but also improve your health.

Also important is the fact that watermelon is low in calories - just30–40 Kcalper 100 g of pulp.

Contraindications for 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 gall 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 feel pain from the strict regime, it is better to immediately refuse 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 may outweigh 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 better to diet during vacation.The diuretic effect will create significant inconvenience during work.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 the deposition of calories into fat reserves.
  4. The calorie content of watermelon is low, but it is easy to be deceived by it.If you count on 1 kg of watermelon per 10 kg of body weight, then you can even exceed the calorie requirement in 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 of 30 years old, height 170 and weight 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 diseases hospital with severe poisoning.
  6. Ailments.On a strict mono-diet, it is possible that malaise 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 provoke problems with the gastrointestinal tract in the form of upset, constipation, bloating and exacerbation of diseases.
Watermelon diet for weight loss

Watermelon diet options

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

Mono-diet on watermelons

A mono-diet on watermelons is a diet on one product, that is, in this case, for a certain period, only watermelon is prescribed on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.Additional water and green tea without sugar are allowed.

Despite the usefulness of watermelon, a mono-diet based on it is considered a strict diet that limits the supply of all the nutrients a person needs.It is used more as a fasting meal for no more than one to three days.Sometimes it is extended to five days.It is not recommended to keep it for longer, since due to a lack of essential microelements, health can be seriously affected.

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

Minus: 2–3 kg will be lost, but this will not be a loss of body fat.The weight will decrease due to the same excess water that is removed from the body; after a few days everything will return.

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

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 very different from the previous one.The only thing that makes it different is that the feeling of fullness that the bread gives will help you stretch it out for a week.This is where the advantages end: during such a watermelon detox, the body still does not receive enough vitamins.

In principle, on 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 of watermelon, calculated for one dietary day, and the same bread, then this amount will significantly exceed the recommended calorie intake for weight loss.

Light diet for 7–10 days

Light diet for 7–10 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 for each dish are strictly calculated, and that the serving size does not exceed the recommended one, and that there are no additives.The diet is designed for 10 days and is easy to maintain.

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 something like this.

Monday

  1. Breakfast:oatmeal with milk, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
  2. Dinner:salad – watermelon + feta + basil, dressed 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 + greens.Season with lemon juice and olive oil.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

Thursday

  1. Breakfast:brown rice with boiled beef, a glass of juice.
  2. Dinner:boiled beef and berry cocktail.
  3. Dinner:watermelon.

Friday

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

Exit from the watermelon diet

Quitting 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;
  • adding other dishes occurs according to the principle: from simple to complex.

After the diet, it is advisable to switch to a proper nutrition regimen, then the result achieved in a week will not only be consolidated, but will also last for a long time.

Watermelon diet: reviews from nutritionists

Let's take a closer look at reviews from 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 without consultation.The specialist will select a diet that suits each individual individually.Moreover, modern research has shown that starvation diets do not give the desired effect at all, and a properly formed diet is much healthier.”

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