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

Almost all dietary restrictions prescribe the consumption of fruits and vegetables. At the same time, experts emphasize that the fruits are seasonal, because they are the healthiest. At the end of summer comes the time of 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. Naturally, where the climate allowed its cultivation. Since this heat-loving crop does not tolerate long-term transportation, for thousands of years watermelons were consumed only where they were grown. Nobody ate watermelon to lose weight: it was a somewhat sacred food. The ancient Egyptians, for example, placed watermelons in the tomb, as the fruit was considered worthy food for the afterlife.

As commercial ties developed, watermelons spread further, even into the Roman Empire, where they were used both as a dessert and as a pickle. Centuries later, the striped fruit reached China, where it had been actively cultivated since the beginning of the 10th century.

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

Mineral composition and pharmacological properties

Although watermelon contains a lot of water, this fruit is very valuable for a healthy diet. After all, it contains almost all the microelements and vitamins necessary for humans. Most of these substances for the normal functioning of the body must be supplied in milligrams and micrograms, but without them it is impossible.

A 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 contents per 100 grams of pulp. This is 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 your nutrient intake will be significantly higher.

Table of macro and microelements in watermelon

Name of the item	Quantity, 100g	Daily norm	% of daily value
Vitamin A	17. 00 mg	900 mg	1. 9%
beta carotene	0. 1 mg	5mg	2%
Vitamin B1, thiamine	0. 04 mg	1. 5 mg	2. 7%
Vitamin B2, riboflavin	0. 06 mg	1, 8mg	3. 3%
Vitamin B4, choline	4, 1 mg	500 mg	0. 8%
Vitamin B5, pantothenic acid	0. 221 mg	5mg	4. 4%
Vitamin B6, pyridoxine	0. 09 mg	2 mg	4. 5%
Vitamin B9, folate	8 micrograms	400 micrograms	2%
Vitamin C, ascorbic acid	7mg	90mg	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%
Potassium, K	110 mg	2500 mg	4. 4%
Football, approx	14 mg	1000 mg	1. 4%
Silicon, Yes	12 mg	30 mg	40%
Magnesium, mg	12 mg	400 mg	3%
Sodium, Na	16 mg	1300 mg	1. 2%
Evening, S	6, 1mg	1000 mg	0. 6%
Phosphorus, P	7mg	800 mg	0. 9%
Chlorine, cl	24. 7 mg	2300mg	1. 1%
Ferro, Fe	1 mg	18 mg	5. 6%
Cobalt, Co	2 micrograms	10 micrograms	20%
Manganese, Mn	0. 038mg	2 mg	1. 9%
Copper, Cu	42 micrograms	1000 micrograms	4. 2%
Molybdenum, Mo	1. 8 micrograms	70 micrograms	2. 6%
Selenium, Se	0. 4 micrograms	50 micrograms	0. 7%
Chrome, Cr	0. 23 micrograms	50 micrograms	0. 5%
Zinc, Zn	0. 1 mg	12 mg	0. 8%

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

Calorie content and BZHU

But the content of microelements is not the most important thing. Many people are focused on the sweet taste of watermelon, so they avoid it with any dietary restrictions. This is fundamentally wrong: watermelon will absolutely 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 when asked if it is 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

Name of the nutrient	Quantity per 100 g
Squirrels	0. 7 g
Fats	0. 1g
Carbohydrates	5, 8 g
Dietary fibre	0. 4 g
Waterfall	93 g
Calorie content	27 kcal

How to choose a ripe watermelon

The season of these berries usually opens in mid-July, earlier the watermelons will not be the most delicious, and most importantly, not so healthy. If the watermelon is local, an unscrupulous producer may overfeed it with fertilizers and growth stimulants. If the fruit had arrived from distant lands, it could have been treated with chemicals so that it could withstand the long journey. Such watermelons will not be useful either in the watermelon diet or in the normal daily diet. Rather, on the contrary, you can have a serious digestive disorder.

Choosing a tasty and sweet watermelon is quite simple, the main thing is to carefully examine the fruit and not be fooled by the seller's persuasion. Signs of watermelon ripening:

• A fruit ripened on the ground always has a slightly flattened yellow face. It is as hard as the entire crust and may be covered with a network of shallow cracks.
• Also, the tail of a ripe watermelon dries out, it should become dry and hard. If it is green and soft, such a fruit may be sweet, but it may be completely unripe.
• If you hit a ripe watermelon with your knuckles, the sound should ring, as if there was a vacuum inside. A cloudy pumpkin, as if there were a cotton ball inside a large pumpkin, shows that it is an unripe specimen or one that has begun to deteriorate.

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

General rules of the watermelon diet

The watermelon diet will show excellent results if certain provisions are followed. To lose 3-5 kilograms of excess weight that appeared after summer barbecues and ice cream, you need to remember the main rule: for every 10 kg of body weight you need to eat 1 kg of watermelon pulp per day. That is, if you weigh 63 kg, you should eat 6. 3 kg of watermelon per day.

• Juice cannot be used to replace pulp; it contains much less fiber, so it can cause intestinal disorders.
• Despite the large amount of liquid in the watermelon, it is necessary to drink additionally. The diuretic effect of striped fruits can cause the loss of electrolytes in the body.
• 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 obtain a marketable crop 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 for the required time.

Advantages and disadvantages of the watermelon diet

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

Pros of the diet

One of the reasons why the watermelon diet has many fans is the excellent taste of the main component of daily nutrition. The red pulp 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 many other benefits:

• The watermelon diet really works and helps you get rid of a significant amount of body fat.
• You don't need to stand by the stove and count your daily calories.
• A large amount of watermelon pulp helps to remove swelling, even if it is chronic.
• If you end the period of restrictions correctly, the result will last a long time.

Cons of the diet

Of course, the watermelon diet doesn't only have advantages, there are also negative aspects. First of all, this is a serious burden on the kidneys due to the abundant intake of fluid. So you need to be sure of your health before experimenting with watermelons. Typically, the watermelon diet collects negative reviews for the following reasons:

• Insufficient saturation of the diet with the necessary nutrients: proteins and fats. Therefore it is not possible to practice this method for a long time and it is also better to repeat it infrequently. Considering the seasonality of sweet fruits, once a year, unloading watermelons for several days would be a good decision. One day of fasting on watermelon will not give such noticeable results, so after 2-3 weeks it can be repeated.
• Not everyone can follow such a diet, so before finding out whether you can lose weight with watermelon, you need to check your health.
• If you "jump" from the diet and do not get off without a hitch, the lost kilograms may return.

Who is the watermelon diet contraindicated for?

The abundant quantity of liquids that enter the body and the discrete doses of sugars make the watermelon diet an unsuitable option for some categories of people.

• First of all, these are those who have kidney problems. 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, this should be monitored.
• Being too young or too old is a contraindication for any mono diet, as it requires a balanced and complete diet.
• People allergic to streaked berries should not follow this diet. In this case it can be dangerous for your 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 sweet and aromatic watermelon, it will bring only benefits and pleasure.

Is the watermelon diet allowed for pregnant women?

The watermelon diet deserves a special mention for women experiencing delicate situations. The fact is that often, especially in the later stages, expectant mothers experience severe discomfort due to swelling. In this case, your doctor may limit the amount of fluids consumed per day.

You can try a watermelon fast day to remove excess water from your body. In addition, the pulp will contain many vitamins and fiber, which are also useful during pregnancy.

You should not make such a decision on your own, the approval of a gynecologist is needed, because a specialist can determine from tests and during the examination whether such discharge will not be harmful.

Dietary options

The diet to follow during the watermelon diet depends first and foremost on its duration. If a couple of days can easily pass with just mononutrition, longer options require an additional supply of calories into the body. Therefore you need to focus on deadlines.

Watermelon fasting day

If the watermelon diet lasts only 24 hours, the entire menu is made up only of the pulp of the ripe fruit. You can add a couple of slices of wholemeal bread to this and other drinks include water and unsweetened tea. 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 watermelon scale have become more pleasant and the day itself passed easily, then you can continue cleansing the body and extend it for 24 hours with the same diet. Watermelon pulp 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 it is allowed to eat small toasts of wholemeal 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 must be diversified with additional products.

The best option for this is cottage cheese. Contains a lot of protein and some milk fats. In addition, fermented milk products are easily digestible and help improve digestion.

For another three-day diet, it is allowed to eat a small amount of cereals such as rice to slightly strengthen the intestines. The menu for three days is more or less this:

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

In three days of such nutrition you can see good weight – up to 3 kilograms.

For 5 days

If the motivation is strong enough and the body perceives all the restrictions completely normally, you can increase by 3 days for 5 days, 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're tired of rice, oatmeal porridge with water will work just as well. Once a day you can treat yourself to a boiled egg, this will provide you with the fats necessary for the absorption of some vitamins.

For 7 days

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

For a period of seven days, it is recommended to stick approximately to the following menu:

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

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

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

Second option: vegetable soup with dill and green onions, 200 grams of boiled chicken or beef breast, a couple of tomatoes.

Dinner: Strictly watermelon pulp, for 30 kilos of body weight you need to eat 1000 grams of berries. This must be done at least 3 hours before going to sleep so that the urge to urinate does not affect your night's rest.

For 10 days

The watermelon diet for weight loss is very well tolerated in most cases. Since the season of these fruits falls on the hottest time of the year, during which the appetite is already dulled. So many people calmly tolerate several days of restrictions and are ready to continue in the same spirit to achieve 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 suggests:

• Have breakfast: brown rice porridge or steamed oatmeal with boiling water, a couple of pieces of cheese;
• Have lunch: a portion of protein, it can be lean meat or fish, cooked in a bain-marie, to which some salad or slices of vegetables are added;
• For dinner you need to eat watermelon pulp, according to the same calculation as the seven-day diet.

If the resistance is sufficient to completely overcome this period, the numbers on the scales will be 6-8 kg less than before the start of the watermelon diet.

Mixed diet options with watermelon

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

For those who are hungry on a mono-diet, the addition of a protein component is suitable so that the body does not lose muscle mass and the person does not feel a loss of strength. Usually ectofermented milk products are ricotta 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 cause a disruption in its functions, and to avoid this, you can try adding carbohydrates to your diet, which will slightly strengthen the intestines.

Watermelon and melon

This is 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 and watermelon diet for six to nine days. To do this you need to repeat the three-day nutritional cycle 2 or 3 times. The menu looks like this:

The first day:

• Breakfast: 100 grams of cottage cheese, 200 grams of melon and a couple of slices of rye bread;
• Lunch – a portion of steamed fish with green vegetable salad, 200 grams of melon;
• Snack – half a kilo of watermelon pulp;
• Dinner – a small cup of boiled rice, an apple, 150 grams of melon.

Second day:

• Breakfast – a couple of hard-boiled eggs, a cup of unsweetened tea, 150 grams of watermelon;
• Lunch – 400 grams of melon, 200 grams of low-calorie stewed vegetables;
• Snack: a glass of kefir;
• Dinner – a small portion of chicken breast, a couple of toasts and a pound of watermelon.

The 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 couple of slices of rye bread;
• Dinner – sliced vegetables, one medium baked potato, 400 grams of watermelon.

Watermelon and kefir

The watermelon diet, combined with kefir, is no less popular. Fermented milk product is one of the most easily digestible, it will not interrupt the diet, but will only saturate the body with healthy protein.

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

One day you need to 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 pulp every three hours. Last time: three hours before bedtime.

Watermelon and ricotta

Cottage cheese is another product that is immensely respected by enthusiasts of healthy eating. And this is deserved, because such a rich set of proteins and microelements cannot be found in any product. The main rule of watermelon and curd relief is not to eat them together, but to alternate them. For example, like this:

• Morning – 200 g of ricotta;
• Lunch – 05 kg. watermelon;
• Afternoon snack – 100 grams of ricotta;
• 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 useful to practice this cleaning in the fall. You should eat 1. 5 pounds of watermelon and 1 pound of cooked apples per day. This allows for complete body cleansing in all directions.

The diuretic properties of watermelon pulp will help irrigate the kidneys and rid the body of excess fluids. This will renew the body, tone it and give it new strength. Baked apples contain a lot of pectin. It is capable of not only mechanically cleansing 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 those who are losing weight contains many proteins, iron and vitamins. Therefore, the combination of watermelon and buckwheat porridge is optimal for those who want to significantly lose weight, but cannot tolerate the periodic feeling of hunger.

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

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

Watermelon with black bread

Combining a portion of watermelon calculated by weight with a couple of slices of brown bread allows you to dampen the stimulus of hunger. This diet is not balanced, so it cannot be followed for a long time.

It is better to pre-dry the bread in a dry frying pan or in the oven, such toasts will fill you up longer. Instead of brown bread, you can take wholemeal bread or crispy bread. It's good if the baked goods are free of yeast: this will avoid fermentation processes in the intestines.

How to exit a diet correctly

The specificity of the watermelon diet is such that correct production 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 provided in abundance, the body gets used to it, and a sudden switch to the usual diet can cause a painful reaction in the gastrointestinal tract.

To avoid unpleasant consequences, it is necessary to gradually add denser, but easily digestible food to each meal. These can be liquid porridges, low-fat cottage cheese, starchy vegetables and bread. After a couple of days, you can introduce lean varieties of meat and fish.

It is better to refrain from too rough, spicy and fatty foods. The same goes for refined sugars. If the fiber in watermelon promotes smooth absorption of carbohydrates, sweets in their pure form actually immediately increase blood sugar levels and cause a surge in insulin. The system created with the help of watermelon stops working.

You must comply with these restrictions, gradually removing them over 7-10 days, after which you can return to your normal lifestyle. But if you start eating uncontrollably again, the chances of regaining weight become very high.

The opinion of the experts

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

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

Conclusion

The watermelon diet can only be practiced during the season, and it is not very long. This must be remembered when you have doubts whether watermelon is good for weight loss or whether it is better to choose a different menu. It is better to try it to understand if this diet is really as good and tasty as people who have successfully lost weight write in the reviews.