Each of us strives to look beautiful, young and slim. A variety of methods are used for this, including extreme ones. All kinds of diets and grueling workouts without the necessary preparation do not always give the desired result, and if they do, it is very difficult to maintain it, to “fix” it. The best option is fasting days, which allow you to get rid of unnecessary pounds, cleanse yourself quickly and without unnecessary stress.
There are many options for fasting, but in the summer, the most popular fasting day is watermelon. This amazing berry is simply created to help the body fight excess weight and harmful substances - it consists of 90% water and contains only 28 kilocalories. An ideal solution for those with a sweet tooth and people with little willpower, isn’t it?
The benefits of watermelon for weight loss
Many diets and weight loss programs include seasonal vegetables and fruits in their diet.
With their help, fasting days are often carried out to consolidate the results of training and cleanse the body of excess fluid and toxins. In summer, watermelons are most often used for this. Its pulp is rich in fiber and dietary fiber, which are necessary for intestinal function.
Vitamin composition
This berry is a source of useful microelements:
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- gland;
- iodine;
- phosphorus;
- zinc
It also contains vitamins A, C, PP, B1, B2, lycopene and folic acid.
Calorie content of berries
Watermelon is 91.5% water and contains only 27 kcal per 100 g of pulp. If you eat 2 kg of this berry, only 540 kcal will enter the body.
Pros of watermelon unloading
Slags and toxins are removed from the body, increased stimulation of intestinal motility occurs, during which it is cleared of undigested food residues.
Due to the diuretic effect of this melon crop, kidney function improves, metabolism accelerates, and waste and toxins are eliminated.
Watermelon weight loss day does not require special preparation or calorie counting. Due to the high water content, you can quickly feel full and not feel hungry for a long time.
Description of a fasting day on watermelon
Within a day you can lose weight and cleanse your body well. So, during this period the estimated loss is 1-2 kg, but the result is achieved due to the removal of fluid, not fat. The main essence is cleansing the body and accelerating metabolic processes, which helps to reduce body weight as part of other low-calorie diets combined with physical activity.
A fasting day on watermelon has a number of advantages:
- It is easily tolerated by a person losing weight - if the rules and recommendations are followed, the feeling of hunger is virtually absent.
- There is no lengthy or complicated preparation for unloading.
- Availability of the product in season - it is better to lose weight on watermelon from August to the end of September.
- Cleansing the body does not cause discomfort and is easy - thanks to the large volume of water contained in the berry.
- The pulp normalizes metabolic processes and works as a sorbent, absorbing and removing harmful compounds from the body.
- Watermelon contains a lot of glucose, which stabilizes the function of the nervous system and activates brain activity.
- The fruit contains many vitamins and other compounds necessary for the body to function normally.
- The bile and diuretic properties of watermelon help cleanse the liver, intestines, lymphatic system and kidneys
- A watermelon diet is beneficial for those with anemia, as the berry contains a high concentration of iron.
- There are minimal restrictions on the use of this fasting day option, as well as contraindications to its use.
There are also certain disadvantages that make it not the best choice for some people. So, the following disadvantages can be identified:
- It is not recommended to carry out a watermelon fasting day more than once a week.
- It is forbidden to “sit” on a watermelon, especially the hard version, for longer than 2-3 days in a row, as this can cause health problems.
- It is not recommended to choose this fruit for cleansing the body and losing weight out of season. Greenhouse berries will not contain as many useful compounds and such unloading will most likely cause harm, while the price of watermelons is high outside of their ripening period.
- If the fruit is of poor quality and has an excessive concentration of nitrates, then it can provoke intoxication and anemia.
- If the rules of the watermelon day are not followed, side effects may develop - flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, dizziness and the like.
Most likely, if you “sit” on watermelon for more than 1 day, as in the case of other mono-diets, general weakness will develop, and irritability will also increase. Watermelon fasting day shows high efficiency. However, this fast method of losing weight also has some peculiarities - the results will be short-lived if it is not consolidated. That is, you cannot immediately eat fried foods and other “harmful” foods after losing pounds. If you avoid this mistake, the result will be consolidated, which is confirmed by the reviews of those people who have already experienced the effect of a watermelon fasting day.
Anna, 41 years old, was skeptical about this idea - she understood that only water was leaving. That’s what happened, there was a result, but I had to try hard to secure it. I advise those who immediately after switching to their usual healthy diet to see an increase in weight do not be alarmed - this is normal; if you don’t quit, you will be able to lose weight faster. That's the purpose of watermelon days.
Vlad, 25 years old I can’t follow a diet for a long time - I break down. A day at the watermelon became a way out for me. It's fast, less annoying, tasty and doesn't get boring. Just right during the season. The result, of course, needs to be consolidated, so I don’t recommend watermelon weight loss to those who are not ready to work on their body physically afterwards.
Basic recommendations and rules
In order for a fasting day on watermelon to be useful and bring the expected result, you need to prepare a little for it.
First of all, such a detox should be carried out during the ripening season of the fruits, when they grew in natural conditions and contain the maximum of useful substances. Greenhouse berries do not have such qualities and are often saturated with harmful chemical additives, which are used to speed up the ripening of watermelon.
A few days before cleansing, it is better to reduce the consumption of salty, fried and smoked foods, as well as sweet pastries and soda, and add more vegetables and fruits to the menu.
This will help the body cope with the diet without stress.
To unload, it is better to choose a day off to spend it at home. The diuretic effect of watermelon will require frequent visits to the toilet. Drink enough water throughout the day (at least 1.5 liters). You cannot drink alcoholic beverages or coffee. Nutritionists recommend cleansing the body with this berry for no longer than 72 hours. The best option is a day, followed by replacing dinner with watermelon slices for 3-5 days.
Softened unloading
A detox day doesn't have to be hard. Therefore, if you cannot survive on one watermelon, you can lighten your diet by combining several ingredients. Combination with berries and fruits, fermented milk products is allowed.
Hard day
With this cleaning option, you need to eat only watermelon pulp. Green tea without sugar, drinking water and mineral water are allowed. The duration of such a detox diet is 1-3 days. If you eat watermelons alone for a longer period of time, there is a risk of leaching essential microelements from the body - magnesium and potassium.
You can eat watermelon pulp alone for no more than three days.
During pregnancy
Doctors do not recommend such weight loss for women while they are expecting a child.
During pregnancy, the load on the kidneys increases, which can increase if you eat only watermelon. Experiments with nutrition can negatively affect the development and health of the unborn child. This sweet berry can be consumed by pregnant women as a light snack in small quantities.
But in the 3rd trimester, watermelon should be excluded from the expectant mother’s menu, so as not to provoke false contractions or premature birth.
Preparing for the diet
Waking up in the morning and starting the day with a striped berry and ending with it is not a completely correct interpretation of the watermelon diet. For any changes in the body’s usual way of life, preparation is necessary. How to properly spend a watermelon fasting day:
- For a couple of days after the expected fasting, it is worth minimizing the consumption of fried, salty and floury foods. It is also recommended to avoid carbonated drinks. In this case, the body will not experience shock from a sudden restructuring.
- If on this date you have to work in difficult conditions, expend a lot of energy, or an important event is planned, you should abandon the fasting day, moving it to another time. The body will find it difficult to perform difficult operations if it does not receive the usual amount of nutrients.
- A recently experienced illness can worsen due to stress, so first it is important to normalize your condition and only then think about cleansing the body.
- Eating a lot on the eve of day X is strictly prohibited, since sudden changes in nutrition are detrimental to all systems.
- When thinking about products, you should start from your own taste sensations. It’s quite difficult to last a whole day on a product you don’t like.
By following the rules of preparation, you ensure the safety of your physical and psychological health. It is important to be friends with your body and listen to it. If during such a day there is dizziness, nausea, weakness and a general unsatisfactory condition, it is better not to commit violence on the body, it gives signals of unpreparedness.
Options for watermelon unloadings
There are many ways to lose a few extra pounds using watermelon. To make your diet days enjoyable, you can diversify them with low-calorie foods.
A day only on watermelons
The ripe fruit must be purchased the day before to begin the detox process in the morning. To determine the amount of product you need to know your weight. For every 10 kg you will need 1 kg of watermelon pulp. It should be divided into 7 servings and eaten every 2 hours.
With black bread
Combining watermelon with carbohydrates makes it easier to tolerate dietary restrictions.
During it, there is almost no feeling of hunger, and emotional stress is reduced due to dietary restrictions. The bread should be bran or rye. You will need 150 g, which should be divided into 3 servings and eaten throughout the day, alternating with watermelon pulp.
The watermelon diet is diluted with black bread.
With cottage cheese
This combination will be useful for people intensely involved in sports.
Cottage cheese is a protein fermented milk product necessary for building muscle tissue. For this dietary day, a product with a fat content of no more than 5% is suitable. Nutritionists recommend alternating berries and 0.5 kg of cottage cheese, divided into several servings, throughout the day.
Cottage cheese will replenish the protein supply in the body.
With kefir
For this option you will need 1 liter of fermented milk drink. It is divided into 5 doses and ends the fasting day. And they start with a glass of water and a portion of watermelon pulp, after a while - 200 ml of kefir. Products cannot be combined.
With melon
With this option of cleansing the body, part of the watermelon is replaced with melon. The total number of fruits should not exceed the norm: 1 kg of melons for every 10 kg of weight.
Despite their proximity in nature, it is better to separate them in the diet.
These melons can cause increased gas formation in the intestines if consumed at the same time. To avoid such consequences, they must be alternated every 2 hours.
Alternate melon with watermelon every two hours.
With cucumbers
These vegetables consist of almost nothing but water, so the diuretic effect of the diet is enhanced.
Which puts additional stress on the kidneys. This option is suitable only for healthy people. For 2 kg of watermelon pulp you will need 0.5 kg of cucumbers. You can make a salad from them without salt with 1 tbsp. l. olive oil. To avoid bloating, it is recommended to alternate foods throughout the day and do not forget about the drinking regime.
Cucumbers with watermelon to enhance the diuretic effect.
With apples
These products go well together and can be eaten together or separately. The number of apples per day is no more than 1 kg. The volume of watermelon is up to 3.5 kg of pulp, depending on the initial weight. Portions should not cause a feeling of heaviness in the stomach. The ratio of products can be adjusted to suit the characteristics of the body.
Harm and contraindications to unloading on watermelons
A watermelon fasting day can be harmful to health. Deterioration in well-being can occur if a person has the following diseases that are a contraindication to this type of “hunger strike”:
- stones in the urinary or gall bladder;
- stomach ulcer;
- impaired renal function;
- problems with the pancreas;
- diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2;
- digestive disorders of any etiology.
A person should refuse watermelon fasting if he has recently suffered from some kind of illness or his immunity is weakened. Also, this method of losing weight and cleansing the body is prohibited in cases where they experience psycho-emotional or physical exhaustion, during periods of heavy mental or sports stress. If a person has been “unloaded” for too long, blood pressure may drop.
Attention!
More than 3 fasting days on watermelon lead to the leaching of sodium and potassium salts from the body. This causes seizures and problems with the cardiovascular system.
Watermelon detox cocktail
Delicious drinks allow you to cleanse your body of excess fluid and toxins.
This hard unloading option is not for everyone. Detox cocktails based on melon culture are not recommended for people with gastrointestinal problems, low blood pressure, pregnant and nursing mothers. In such drinks, the sweet fruit is combined with fruits, berries and vegetables:
- Watermelon pulp - 4 tbsp., 200 g kiwi, 100 g strawberries. Chop all ingredients, place in a container, add 1.5 liters of water and leave for 30 minutes.
- In this version, the products are the same, but instead of kiwi you need to take a few fresh mint leaves and prepare the cocktail in the same way.
- Watermelon pulp - 1 tbsp., lemon - 1 pc., orange - 1 pc., small cucumber. Cut citrus fruits in half and squeeze the juice from 1 part lemon and orange into a cocktail container. Chop the remaining halves, watermelon and cucumber and add to the juice, add water to a volume of 1.5 liters and let steep for 30 minutes.
Sweet strawberry-watermelon cocktail.
Reviews of those losing weight
Ekaterina, 34 years old, Krasnodar I have loved watermelons since childhood.
In the summer, in the village at my grandmother’s, my brother and I ate too much. And about 10 years ago I found out that with their help you can lose weight! Now every summer, once a week, I eat only watermelons all day long. I tried a 3-day fast several times, but it was too hard for me. In one day I lost 1.2 - 1.5 kg. It was not always possible to save the results obtained.
Olga, 28 years old, Moscow The watermelon diet is a good way to keep fit in the summer. I do it regularly. Sometimes I make detox cocktails with cucumbers and citrus fruits. I like fasting days with watermelon and cottage cheese. Both tasty and healthy. I can eat like this for up to 3 days. I don’t risk it anymore; doctors don’t recommend this method of long-term weight loss.
Lyudmila, 38 years old, Kazan I experiment a lot with these large berries. I shake my body. I spend one day on a mono-diet (only watermelon), then I start alternating with other foods for another 2 days.
And then I replace dinner with watermelon slices for another week. On the first day of such a fast, I try not to get involved in sports. A feeling of weakness and fatigue quickly sets in. I’m returning to my usual training regimen, when I only have watermelon for dinner. I'm happy with the result. The main thing is not to lose weight.
Frequency
Before starting fasting days, you should talk to your doctor and make sure that there are no contraindications to this. If everything is in order, nutritionists advise doing them no more than 2 times a week. This is enough to lose weight and improve your health. But as the duration of fasting increases, the body begins to actively accumulate fat in order to provide itself with the conditions for survival.
In addition, the digestive system begins to suffer, which can lead to unpleasant consequences. And watermelon discharge with prolonged use can cause urinary problems. Everything should be in moderation, even in the question of how much watermelon you can eat on ordinary days. It is important to respect these restrictions.
