Sticking to a diet is quite difficult, boring and burdensome. Many people cannot stand the usual menu and collapse, nullifying the entire result achieved.
That is why nutritionists began to become sophisticated and come up with programs that would be interesting to people, motivating and completely different from their minions.
One of these interesting programs was the "six petal diet" or "petal diet", created by Swedish nutritionist Anna Johansson. A one-week course, according to the doctor, will be an effective solution to the problem of excess weight for every person, because you can lose up to 3-4 kg without much effort!
Characteristics of the 6 petal diet, author's advice and advantages of the technique
First of all, the effectiveness of this diet depends on the psychological attitude towards a good result and strong motivation.
The diet itself represents a cycle of 6 mono-programs (petals), which alternate daily, but still represent a carefully studied nutritional plan. Each of these "petals" is, in fact, a day of fasting, during which only one type of food is eaten, excluding others. Thanks to this restriction, you eat fewer calories and each of the selected products also cleans, nourishes or strengthens the body. Furthermore, the diet was designed to alternate protein and carbohydrate days, which is suitable for those who practice sports or work under stressful conditions. In addition, this rule of separate meals allows you not to mix foods of different compositions in one meal, which will allow you to absorb the ingredients more efficiently and quickly, without causing excessive deposits on the sides.
Since the products on the menu alternate every day, the diet is considered quite interesting, not boring and not rigid.
Let's return to the psychological attitude and motivation for dieting. To bring your plan to life and really inspire your body to lose weight, Anna recommends everyone to draw a brightly colored flower with large petals (6 pieces) before starting a diet. Each of your chamomile's petals should be assigned a number or painted in a special color, with the name of the specific day of the diet and a number of allowed ingredients written on it. We place the resulting flower in a conspicuous place and at the end of each day of the diet we tear off the corresponding petal (only if all the requirements are met correctly). Psychologically, it will be easier for the body to survive a week of dieting if the number of "days of agony" visually decreases.
The author's strict recommendations for the "6 petals" diet:
- for the day you are assigned a clear set of products that cannot be changed, replaced with similar ingredients or supplemented;
- do not consume more than the permitted amount of food, but also do not overeat, which will also lead to negative consequences;
- days of the week cannot be swapped or skipped; in case of failure the course will have to be repeated again;
- The last time you should eat is 4 hours before going to sleep (it doesn't matter if during the day or at night);
- a prerequisite is compliance with the water regime: you should drink 6 cups of healthy liquids or more per day;
- during the diet we exclude sugar, spicy seasonings and spices from the diet, we limit the consumption of salt;
- all food can be steamed, boiled, stewed, baked, dried, eaten raw, but in no case should fatty sauces, marinades, salty seasonings, animal lipids (butter, lard, margarine, mayonnaise and others) be added to it ;
- you should exit the diet smoothly and carefully so that excess weight does not return;
- It is allowed to repeat the course no earlier than six months later.
The main advantages of the "petal" technique:
- the diet is very effective: you can lose 0. 5-0. 8 kg of excess weight per day without much effort;
- You don't need to weigh your food or study the calorie and carbohydrate content of foods;
- The diet is universal, suitable for both men and women;
- contains exclusively natural and healthy products that will have a beneficial effect on digestion and immunity;
- the diet allows you to purify the body of toxins, poisons, protein degradation products, waste products, salts and suspended substances, radicals;
- the diet also allows you to eliminate excess fluids, eliminating swelling of the limbs, tissues and face;
- all products are familiar to European cuisine, distributed in markets and shops at a reasonable price out of season;
- the diet also does not require culinary delights, saves a lot of time and effort and allows you to cook for the whole family;
- regulates diet and instills healthy habits;
- the diet is combined with moderate physical activity and sport;
- the menu is very diverse, satisfying and interesting, which allows you to satiate yourself with completely different products, including vitamins, in 6 days;
- after the course, your metabolism accelerates significantly and you will continue to lose weight by inertia if you exit the diet correctly;
- The diet is fast and allows you to achieve excellent results in just 6 days, suitable for those who want to lose weight before an event or holiday.
A set of products for the "6 petals" diet, a written nutrition plan
So, let's find out which single days the diet reserves for us. It will depend on them which products must be purchased to create a menu and which must be strictly excluded.
The first day will be a fish day. As a result, you can eat any fish and seafood all day. Preference should be given to lean sea fish (halibut, salmon, cod, mackerel, tuna, hake, hoki, cod, flounder, etc. ), some river fish (carp, pike perch, pike) and seafood (squid, mussels, crab meat, turnip, octopus, oysters).
On the second day you should eat vegetables. Here we have complete freedom, because there are a lot of vegetables. Also on this day you can eat soy and legume products, mushrooms and aromatic herbs. Consumption of potatoes, corn and other starchy vegetables should be limited. Forget canned and pickled vegetables and sauerkraut. It is recommended to consume fresh salads and light soups, as well as steamed and stewed side dishes.
Our third day is chicken day. In addition to any skinless chicken meat (preferably fillet and breast), it is allowed to eat lean parts of turkey, chicken eggs and liver. It is forbidden to cook meat on the stove, fry it or add the usual amount of salt.
The fourth day will be characterized by the transition to cereals. From complex carbohydrates, stock up on various cereals, seeds and seeds, wholemeal bread and biscuits, sprouted cereals and bran.
On the fifth day recommended to eat cottage cheese. Which is better to take? Of course, pay attention to the store options. Sometimes they are healthier and more natural than homemade ones, and also you can choose completely low-fat cottage cheese, which will contribute to more active weight loss. Furthermore, this day's menu allows you to consume some skimmed milk.
The sixth and last single day of the diet involves the consumption of fruit and berries. Eat whatever your heart desires, but sweet fruits (bananas, figs, dried fruits, persimmons, grapes, melon, mango and others) should still be limited for best results. Also on this day, fresh fruit and vegetable juices, nectars, compotes, jellies, berry smoothies and fruit drinks are allowed.
On all other days it is allowed to drink ginger drink, rosehip decoction, green and herbal tea, natural coffee beans without sugar and milk and ordinary mineral water without gas.
All other foods during the diet are strictly prohibited. Strictly follow the recommendations on the quality of the composition and volumes of food.
Let's move on to a properly designed diet plan and nutritional recommendations. Every day in the diet is responsible for replenishing the amount of carbohydrates or proteins in the body. Therefore, it is better to train and perform loads on carbohydrate days, and on protein days your muscles will recover and grow, which will help you acquire a beautiful and sculpted figure.
When preparing foods, you can use herbs, herbs, lemon juice, table wine, tomato paste, vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil and limited salt. It is best to distribute the entire allowable amount of food into 4-5 small snacks evenly throughout the day.
Day 1."Fish" (protein). It is not for nothing that this day became the first of the cycle, because fish is perfectly digestible, has a moderate calorie content, saturates the body with valuable, essential fats and prepares the body well for the next mono-days. Due to a nutritious diet, the body's "alertness" is dulled and the metabolism begins to actively consume calories, turning off the conservation mode.
So, half a kilogram of cooked fish of various varieties and seafood is allocated per day. You can also drink fish broth, which is not included in the specified volume.
Day 2."Vegetable" (carbohydrates). The low-calorie single day, which nourishes the body with energy from plant carbohydrates and dietary fibre. On this day, the metabolism works at its limit and actively consumes existing fat deposits.
The menu consists of 1-1. 5 kg of various vegetables and herbs, as well as beans, soy products and mushrooms.
Day 3."Chicken" (protein). On this day, the body begins to experience a shortage of carbohydrates due to a purely protein menu, so the metabolism still burns fat cells to replenish energy.
Half a kilo of skinless poultry and 2 eggs are allowed as a snack per day.
Day 4."Cereals" (carbohydrates). Slow carbohydrates in foods will replenish glycogen, which is where all the energy released will be spent. And new needs will continue to be met through the fat layer.
The daily cereal menu includes 200 g of dry cereals (different, but better are oatmeal, buckwheat and brown rice). Also included is a handful of seeds and sunflower seeds, a few tablespoons of bran, a packet of wholemeal bread or 2-3 wholemeal toasts.
Day 5."Curd" (protein). On this day, the body will receive the most useful proteins for building the skeleton and muscles and the supply of macro and microelements will also be replenished.
The menu includes half a kilo of cottage cheese (fat content up to 5%) and 2 glasses of low-fat cow's milk.
Day 6."Fruity" (carbohydrates). Fruits will provide complete fortification of the body, enriching it with antioxidants, valuable acids and minerals.
The menu consists of 1-1. 5 kg of various fruits and berries, but we limit sweets.
Day 7."Unloading"The diet is called "6 petals", but it lasts exactly one week, which implies the presence of a seventh day. So, on this day we carry out a complete cleansing of the body and consolidate the results of weight loss. The menu includes only drinks: milk and fermented drinks, fresh and fruit drinks, smoothies, nectars, tea, coffee, infusions, mineral water, meat and herbal vegetarian broths.
After finishing the diet, you can repeat the course again if you feel normal and have permission from your doctor.
How to get out of the 6 petal diet
A path composed of mono-diets requires a correct and careful exit from such a restrictive and specific menu. During the first week of exit, the author recommends eating only the foods indicated in the diet, combining them in small portions, for example:
- Breakfast can consist of any porridge with fruit, fresh fruit.
- Snack: ricotta with berries, low-fat milk.
- For lunch you can prepare any soup, eat an additional portion of baked brisket with stewed vegetables.
- Dinner can consist of steamed fish with lemon and herbs, vegetable salad and fresh vegetable juice (carrot, beetroot, cabbage, tomato).
Gradually, the calorie content of such a diet should be increased to 1400 kcal or up to 1800 kcal for people who work hard or go in for sports.
Also, when we abandon the diet, we follow the drinking regime and consume at least 5-6 glasses of healthy liquids per day.
And, of course, immediately after abandoning the diet, you should start actively playing sports to maintain your metabolism and lose weight further.
Disadvantages of the "6 petals" technique, possible contraindications
The diet consists of mono-diets, so it simply cannot but have disadvantages. First of all, it is a strong imbalance, a boring and rigid diet. The diet forces you to take food supplements, minerals and vitamins, but the promised strengthening of the immune system is out of the question.
Furthermore, such rapid and dramatic weight loss can lead to the following consequences:
- Disorders associated with fasting: nausea, weakness, headache and dizziness, loss of strength, colic and stomach cramps, flatulence, indigestion, apathy, sleep disturbances.
- Changes in appearance: appearance of stretch marks and cellulite, flabby and sagging areas of the skin, as well as depletion of the muscle corset.
Another important disadvantage is psychological discomfort, because it is very difficult to eat the same product during the day for the whole week, regardless of whether you draw flowers or not. The diet is really boring, so there is a possibility of breakdowns.
And, of course, it is very difficult to maintain an entire diet without meat, without juices (allowed only one day), dairy products, sweets and fried foods.
There are also contraindications to the diet, including:
- the presence of an allergy to a food group included in the diet;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- children, elderly, adolescence, menopause;
- active diseases, inflammatory and viral processes;
- recent psychological breakdown, surgery, injury, serious illness;
- mental disorders, diseases of the nervous system;
- diseases of the internal systems of the body: cardiovascular, circulatory, endocrine, digestive, genitourinary, as well as liver and kidneys;
- stressful working conditions, professional sports.