How to lose weight in summer? The watermelon diet will help you do it quickly and cheaply

Almost all dietary restrictions prescribe the consumption of vegetables and fruits. At the same time, experts emphasize that fruits are seasonal because they are the healthiest. At the end of summer comes the time for the giant sweet berry on which the watermelon diet is based.

Watermelon - history and brief description

Long before the beginning of our era, people ate watermelons. Of course, where the climate allows their cultivation. Since this heat-loving culture does not tolerate long-term transport, for thousands of years watermelons were consumed only where they were grown. Nobody eats watermelon to lose weight; it was somewhat of a sacred food. The ancient Egyptians, for example, placed watermelons in the tomb, as the fruit was considered a worthy food for the afterlife.

As trade links developed, watermelons spread further, including to the Roman Empire, where they were used both as a sweet and as a pickle. Centuries later, the striped fruit reached China, where it was actively cultivated from the beginning of the 10th century.

In Europe, the watermelon appeared even later, only in the 17th century, and from there it was brought to our country as an overseas landmark. It was only in the 19th century that they began to cultivate watermelon in the southern regions of our country, especially on fertile black soil.

Mineral composition and pharmacological properties

Despite the fact that watermelon contains a lot of water, this fruit is very valuable for a healthy diet. After all, it contains almost all the trace elements and vitamins that humans need. Most of these substances for the normal functioning of the body must be supplied in milligrams and micrograms, but it cannot be done without them.

Ripe watermelon, ripened under the hot sun, has a rich set of not only vitamins, but also mineral elements, as well as the most important biochemical compounds. The table shows the approximate content of 100 grams of pulp. It's a very small piece, about half a slice. As a rule, no one is limited to this amount, especially on a watermelon diet, which means that the supply of nutrients will be significantly higher.

Table of macro and micronutrients in watermelon

Item name	Quantity, 100g	Daily norm	% of daily value
Vitamin A	17. 00 mcg	900 mcg	1. 9%
beta carotene	0. 1 mg	5 mg	2%
Vitamin B1, thiamin	0. 04 mg	1. 5 mg	2. 7%
Vitamin B2, riboflavin	0. 06 mg	1. 8 mg	3. 3%
Vitamin B4, choline	4. 1 mg	500 mg	0. 8%
Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid	0. 221 mg	5 mg	4. 4%
Vitamin B6, pyridoxine	0. 09 mg	2 mg	4. 5%
Vitamin B9, folates	8 mcg	400 mcg	2%
Vitamin C, ascorbic acid	7 mg	90 mg	7. 8%
Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol	0. 1 mg	15 mg	0. 7%
Vitamin K, phylloquinone	0. 1 mg	120 mg	0. 1%
Vitamin PP	0. 3 mg	20 mg	1. 5%
Kali, K	110 mg	2500 mg	4. 4%
Calcium, Ca	14 mg	1000 mg	1. 4%
Silicon, Si	12 mg	30 mg	40%
Magnesium, Mg	12 mg	400 mg	3%
Sodium, Na	16 mg	1300 mg	1. 2%
Sera, S	6. 1 mg	1000 mg	0. 6%
Phosphorus, P	7 mg	800 mg	0. 9%
Chlorine, Cl	24. 7 mg	2300 mg	1. 1%
Iron, Fe	1 mg	18 mg	5. 6%
Cobalt, Co	2 mcg	10 mcg	20%
Manganese, Mn	0. 038 mg	2 mg	1. 9%
Copper, Cu	42 mcg	1000 mcg	4. 2%
Molybdenum, Mo	1. 8 mcg	70 mcg	2. 6%
Selenium, Se	0. 4 mcg	50 mcg	0. 7%
Chromium, Cr	0. 23 mcg	50 mcg	0. 5%
Zinc, Zn	0. 1 mg	12 mg	0. 8%

As with any natural raw material, the data may vary slightly depending on the variety and place of growth.

Calorie and BZHU content

But the content of trace elements is not the most important. Many people focus on the sweet taste of watermelon, so they avoid it under any dietary restrictions. This is fundamentally wrong, watermelon absolutely will not harm those who lose weight. After all, its main component is water, which has no calories. And it contains 97% of the striped fruit.

So to the question, is it possible to eat watermelon on a diet, the answer is definitely positive. As for the nutritional composition, the pulp of a ripe watermelon will bring to the body.

KBZHU table

Nutrient name	Quantity for 100g
squirrels	0. 7 gr
fats	0. 1 gr
Carbohydrates	5. 8 g
Dietary fiber	0. 4g
water	93 gr
Calorie content	27 kcal

How to choose a ripe watermelon

The season for these fruits usually opens in mid-July, earlier watermelons will not be the tastiest and, most importantly, not so healthy. If the watermelon is local, then an unscrupulous grower can overfeed it with fertilizers and growth stimulants. If the fruit arrived from distant lands, then it could have been treated with chemicals to make it last the long journey. Such watermelons will not be beneficial either in the watermelon diet or in your normal daily diet. Rather, on the contrary, you can get a serious digestive disorder.

It is easy to choose a delicious and sweet watermelon, the main thing is to carefully examine the fruit and not be fooled by the seller's persuasion. Signs of watermelon ripeness:

• The fruit that has ripened on the ground always has a slightly flattened yellow side. It is hard like the entire bark and may be covered with a network of shallow cracks.
• In addition, the tail of a ripe watermelon dries up, it should become dry and hard. If it is green and limp, such a fruit may be sweet, but it may be completely unripe.
• If you tap your knuckles on a ripe watermelon, the sound should be ringing, as if there is an emptiness inside. A dull pumpkin, as if there is cotton wool in a large pumpkin, indicates that it is either an unripe specimen or one that has begun to spoil.

But, as a rule, at the height of the season, watermelons are sold everywhere and are already ripe, so if August is in full swing, you can safely take almost any, it will certainly turn out to be tasty and suitable for a watermelon diet.

General rules of the watermelon diet

The watermelon diet will show excellent results if certain regulations are followed. In order to lose 3-5 kilograms of excess weight that appeared after a summer barbecue and ice cream, you need to remember the basic rule - for every 10 kg of body weight, you need to eat 1 kg of watermelon porridge daily. That is, if you weigh 63 kg, you should eat 6. 3 kg of watermelon per day.

• The juice cannot be used to replace the pulp, it contains much less fiber, so it can cause intestinal disorders.
• Despite the large amount of liquid in the watermelon, additional drinking is necessary. The diuretic effect of striped fruit can cause the body to lose electrolytes.
• Before the mass sale of watermelons, it is better not to eat them, so as not to be poisoned by nitrates, with which farmers often "feed" their melons in order to get a harvest for sale as quickly as possible.

As you can see, the watermelon diet for weight loss is not at all complicated, it is easy and tasty to follow the required time.

Advantages and disadvantages of the watermelon diet

Before starting to practice restricted eating, it is advisable to study not only the positive but also the negative aspects. The watermelon diet is no exception in this respect. Despite its effectiveness, it has some drawbacks due to which it may not be suitable for a particular person.

Advantages of the diet

One of the reasons why the watermelon diet has many admirers is the excellent taste of the main component of the daily diet. Red porridge quenches both thirst and the desire to eat, so it is an excellent source of energy on a hot summer day. In addition, lovers of the watermelon diet note several more advantages:

• The watermelon diet really works and helps you get rid of a significant amount of body fat.
• No need to stand near the stove and count your daily calories.
• A large amount of watermelon pulp helps to eliminate swelling, even if it is chronic.
• If you finish the restriction period correctly, the result will last for a long time.

Cons of the diet

Of course, the watermelon diet does not consist only of advantages, there are also negative sides. First of all, it is a serious load on the kidneys due to the abundant fluid intake. So you should be sure of your health before experimenting with watermelons. Usually, the watermelon diet collects negative reviews for the following reasons:

• Insufficient saturation of the diet with the necessary nutrients - proteins and fats. Therefore, you cannot practice this method for a long time and it is better to repeat it rarely. Considering the seasonality of sweet fruits, unloading watermelons for a few days once a year would be a good solution. One day of fasting on watermelon will not give such obvious results, so after 2-3 weeks it can be repeated.
• Not everyone can follow such a diet, so before you find out if you can lose weight from watermelon, you should check your own health.
• If you "jump" off the diet and don't get off smoothly, the lost pounds may come back.

For whom is the watermelon diet contraindicated?

The abundant amount of liquid entering the body and decent doses of sugars make the watermelon diet an unsuitable option for some categories of people.

• First of all, these are those who experience any problems with the kidneys. There are many chronic inflammatory processes that require careful analysis and normalization of the incoming fluid.
• Chronic intestinal diseases can worsen with such amounts of fiber and moisture, you need to watch this aspect.
• Too young or too old age is a contraindication for any mono-diet, as it requires balanced and complete nutrition.
• People who are allergic to striped fruit should not follow this diet. In this case, it can be dangerous to health.

It is worth noting that a strict watermelon diet is not suitable for all of the above. If you eat one or two slices of fragrant sweet watermelon, it will bring only benefits and pleasure.

Is the watermelon diet allowed for pregnant women?

The watermelon diet deserves special attention for women in a delicate situation. The fact is that often, especially in the later stages, expectant mothers experience serious discomfort from swelling. In this case, your doctor may limit the amount of fluids you consume per day.

You can try a watermelon fasting day to remove excess water from the body. In addition, the pulp will contain a lot of vitamins and fiber, which is also useful during pregnancy.

You should not make such a decision on your own, the approval of a gynecologist is necessary, because a specialist can judge from research and examination whether such unloading will not harm.

Diet options

The diet to be followed during the watermelon diet depends primarily on its duration. If several days can easily pass only on mono nutrition, then longer options require additional intake of calories in the body. This is why it is necessary to focus on deadlines.

Watermelon fast day

If the watermelon diet lasts only 24 hours, the entire menu consists only of the pulp of the ripe fruit. You can add a few slices of wholemeal bread to this, and complementary drinks include water and unsweetened tea. The water can be taken mineral or slightly salted. Everything else is strictly prohibited.

Diet for 2 days

If within a day the numbers on the scales have become more pleasant to the watermelon and the day itself has passed smoothly, then you can continue the cleansing of the body and extend it for 24 hours with the same diet. Watermelon flesh at the rate of 1 kg per 10 kg of body weight, divided into 4 or 5 parts and consumed at approximately equal intervals.

At two meals you are allowed to eat a small piece of toast made from whole grain or rye bread.

For 3 days

More than 48 hours without protein and fat intake will no longer benefit the body, so the three-day marathon should be diversified with additional products.

The best option for this is cottage cheese. It contains a lot of protein and little milk fat. In addition, fermented milk products are easily digestible and help improve digestion.

For another three-day diet, you are allowed to eat a small amount of grains such as rice, to slightly strengthen the intestines. The menu for three days looks like this:

• Have breakfast - a glass of cottage cheese with a fat content of 1. 5-5%, no more than a few slices of watermelon;
• Snack – 2-3 slices of striped fruit;
• Lunch - a plate of steamed rice and a few pieces of watermelon;
• For an afternoon snack - 2-3 tablespoons of cottage cheese and 2 large slices of watermelon;
• Dinner: watery rice and watermelon.

After three days of such a diet, you can see a good weight - up to 3 kilograms.

For 5 days

If the motivation is strong enough and the body perceives all the restrictions completely normally, then you can increase 3 days by 5 days, with approximately the same diet. The only thing is that it can be slightly diversified with products from the same group.

For example, for those who do not like cottage cheese, boiled chicken breast will be a complete source of animal protein. If you are tired of rice, oatmeal with water will also work for you. Once a day you can afford a hard-boiled egg, this will provide the necessary fats necessary for the absorption of certain vitamins.

For 7 days

With a watermelon diet for a week, slightly different mechanisms begin to work. The red porridge itself works to remove the products of the breakdown of fat deposits, and weight loss is achieved by reducing the daily intake of calories. In this way, the body receives complete nutrition with a certain deficiency, which helps to lose weight without losing muscle mass. And everything unnecessary comes out of the body with the help of watermelon.

For a seven-day period, it is recommended to stick to approximately the following menu:

Breakfast: a cup of green tea and a portion of oatmeal steamed with boiling water, a hard-boiled egg;

Second option: Unsweetened tea or coffee, a bowl of cottage cheese, fresh fruit.

Lunch: Chopped fresh raw vegetables lightly seasoned with olive oil and a portion of steamed fish;

Second option: Vegetable soup with fennel and green onions, 200 grams of boiled chicken breast or beef, a few tomatoes.

Dinner: Strictly watermelon pulp, for 30 kilograms of body weight you need to eat 1000 grams of fruit. This should be done at least 3 hours before going to bed, so as not to interfere with the urge to urinate during the night's rest.

In 10 days

The watermelon diet for weight loss is very well tolerated in most cases. Because the season of these fruits falls in the hottest time of the year, during which the appetite is already muted. So many people tolerate several days of restrictions quite calmly and are ready to continue in the same spirit to get even more noticeable results and find out from their own experience whether it is possible to lose weight with watermelon.

The principles of the ten-day challenge are similar to what the weekly routine offers:

• Have breakfast - brown rice porridge or oatmeal stewed with boiling water, a few pieces of cheese;
• Have lunch - a portion of protein, it can be lean meat or fish, cooked with a double boiler, vegetable salad or slices are added to it;
• For dinner, you should eat watermelon porridge, based on the same calculation as for the seven-day diet.

If the endurance is enough to completely go through this period, then the numbers on the scale will be 6-8 kg less than before the start of the watermelon diet.

Variants of a mixed diet with watermelon

The watermelon diet is not limited to this crop of melons. There are other varieties where new ingredients are added to the watermelon. In some cases, these are additional vegetables or fruits that have approximately the same calorie content and similar effects.

For those who feel hungry on a mono-diet, the addition of a protein component is appropriate so that the body does not lose muscle mass and a person does not feel a loss of strength. Typically, ecto-fermented dairy products are cottage cheese or natural yogurt.

The third option is suitable for those for whom an overdose of watermelon causes problems with the gastrointestinal tract. A large amount of liquid can lead to disruption of its functions, and to avoid this, you can try to add carbohydrates to your diet, which will slightly strengthen the intestines.

Watermelon and cantaloupe

It's a popular combination of two southern guests that hit our shelves almost simultaneously. Melon is also quite low in calories, so you can successfully lose weight by consuming both types of melons.

Experts recommend sticking to the melon-watermelon diet for six or nine days. To do this, you need to repeat the three-day feeding cycle 2 or 3 times. The menu looks like this:

First day:

• Breakfast - 100 grams of cottage cheese, 200 grams of melon and a few slices of rye bread;
• Lunch - a portion of steamed fish with a salad of green vegetables, 200 grams of melon;
• Snack - half a kilogram of watermelon porridge;
• Dinner - a small cup of boiled rice, an apple, 150 grams of melon.

Second day:

• Breakfast - a few hard-boiled eggs, a cup of unsweetened tea, 150 grams of watermelon;
• Lunch - 400 grams of melon, 200 grams of stewed low-calorie vegetables;
• Snack - a glass of kefir;
• Dinner - a small portion of chicken breast, a few slices of toast and half a kilogram of watermelon.

Third day:

• Breakfast - 400 grams of watermelon and a glass of yogurt to drink;
• Lunch - a plate of brown rice, a portion of steamed chicken breast, 300 grams of melon;
• Snack - green tea without sugar and a few slices of rye bread;
• Dinner - chopped vegetables, one medium-sized baked potato, 400 grams of watermelon.

Watermelon and kefir

No less popular is the watermelon diet, which is combined with kefir. The fermented milk product is one of the easiest to digest, it will not disrupt your diet, but will only saturate the body with healthy proteins.

The watermelon-kefir combination does not have a specific menu or additional products. You can adhere to such a diet for only 72 hours, during which time the body will be significantly cleansed of various toxins and toxic compounds.

A day you should drink a liter of kefir and eat 2-3 kg of watermelon. To do this, drink a glass of drink and 400-500 grams of sweet porridge every three hours. Last time - three hours before going to bed.

Watermelon and cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is another product that is extremely respected by lovers of healthy eating. And it is deserved, because such a rich set of proteins and trace elements cannot be found in any product. The main rule of watermelon and cottage cheese is not to eat them together, but alternately. For example like this:

• Morning - 200 g cottage cheese;
• Lunch - 05 kg. watermelon;
• Afternoon snack - 100 grams of cottage cheese;
• Evening – 05 kg. watermelon

Three days of this diet will help you gain weight faster, especially in problem areas.

Watermelon and apples

Similar low-calorie relief is possible with a combination of watermelons and apples. It is especially good to practice this cleansing in the fall. You should eat 1. 5 kilograms of watermelon and 1 kilogram of baked apples per day. This makes it possible to completely cleanse the body in all directions.

The diuretic properties of watermelon pulp will help flush the kidneys and clear the body of excess fluid. This will renew the body, tone it and give it new strength. Baked apples contain a lot of pectin. It is capable not only of mechanically cleaning the intestines, but is also an excellent adsorbent, attracting, capturing and removing harmful compounds from the body.

Watermelon and buckwheat

The favorite cereal of all dieters contains a lot of protein, iron and vitamins. Therefore, the combination of watermelon with buckwheat porridge is optimal for those who want to lose weight significantly, but cannot tolerate the periodic feeling of hunger.

In the evening, you need to weigh 200 grams of dry buckwheat and infuse it with boiling water overnight. You will get about 800 grams of porridge, which is approximately 800 calories. Add to this 2-3 kilograms of watermelon pulp and some green vegetables - you get the allowed daily diet.

This way you can lose weight without starving your body. You can stick to the buckwheat and watermelon diet for a week. If you want more, you should add protein and fat by reducing the amount of grains.

Watermelon with black bread

Combining a portion of watermelon, calculated by weight, with a few slices of black bread allows you to silence the desire for hunger. This diet is not balanced, so it cannot be followed for a long time.

It is better to dry the bread beforehand in a dry pan or in the oven, such toasts keep you full for a longer time. Instead of black bread, you can take whole grain bread or crusty bread. It is good that baked products are yeast-free - this will avoid fermentation processes in the intestines.

How to properly exit a diet

The specificity of the watermelon diet is such that the correct result is important not only for maintaining the results, but also for normalizing digestive processes. When the amount of solid food is limited for several days and liquid food is supplied in abundance, the body gets used to it and a sudden transition to the usual diet can cause a painful reaction in the gastrointestinal tract.

To avoid unpleasant consequences, you should gradually add denser, but easily digestible food to each meal. These can be liquid porridges, cottage cheese with normal fat, starchy vegetables and bread. After a few days, you can introduce lean varieties of meat and fish.

It is better to refrain from excessively coarse, spicy, fatty foods. The same goes for refined sugars. If the fiber in watermelon helps the smooth absorption of carbohydrates, then sweets in their pure form actually immediately raise blood sugar levels and cause a spike in insulin. The system created using watermelon stops working.

You should adhere to such restrictions, gradually removing them over a period of 7-10 days, after which you can return to your normal lifestyle. But if you start eating uncontrollably again, then the chance of regaining the weight becomes very high.

The opinion of the experts

The very consumption of watermelons is welcomed by nutritionists, because the rich vitamin composition, a lot of liquid and fiber have the most beneficial effect on the body. Regarding monodiets and very strict options, experts feel some skepticism. Nutritionists point out that not all nutrients that the body needs can be obtained from watermelon, so such weight loss cannot be called healthy.

If we are talking about giving up fatty foods, sweets and high-calorie foods and replacing them with watermelon porridge, any practitioner would welcome such a diet.

Conclusion

The watermelon diet can be practiced only during the season, and it is not very long. This should be remembered when there are doubts whether watermelon is suitable for weight loss or it is better to choose another menu. It is better to try it to find out if this diet is really as good and tasty as people who have successfully lost weight write in the reviews.