The diet with the beautiful name "6 petals" is an express method of weight loss developed by the Swiss nutritionist Anna Johansson and included in the list of the officially recognized European Association of Nutritionists. The peculiarity of the 6-petal diet is that, according to its developers, it allows to obtain quick results in a relatively short time. Let's find out what the "6-petal diet" is, is it really that effective and what can you do to lose those extra pounds?
Losing weight in six days: the six-petal diet
The popular six-petal diet was developed by Anna Johansson, a Swedish nutritionist. It is created based on the principles of separate feeding and consists of six mono-diets, that is, every day the menu must include only one type of food. The diet is planned so that the so-called protein days alternate with the carbohydrate days, which, according to the nutritionist, helps to get rid of unnecessary pounds as quickly as possible. The main condition is that, with this weight loss method, the daily menu, as well as the sequence of mono-diets, cannot be changed.
Why the 6-petal diet? Everything is very simple: before starting to observe it, the author proposes to draw 6 petals, marking each stage of the diet, and making them a flower, and then pulling them out every day as we move towards the goalwanted. According to the author, this will help sustain the motivation of those who lose weight: by getting rid of the next petal every day, he clearly sees which segment of the path has already been covered and how much is still missing.
Basic rules of the petal diet
Each weight loss technique has its own rules. The six-petal diet is no exception:
- meals cannot be less than four and intervals cannot be more than four hours. The best option is two breakfasts (after a certain time), lunch, afternoon tea and dinner (preferably until six in the afternoon);
- food in the process of consumption must be chewed well. This will help to enrich it with enzymes and improve the digestion process;
- observe the drink regime. You can drink plain water (at least one and a half liters a day) and unsweetened green tea. It is forbidden to drink while eating, it is better to do it half an hour before or after eating;
- on a day on the menu, the volume of salt consumed should not exceed 5 g, that is, about two thirds of a teaspoon. You can use fresh or dried herbs as seasonings.
In the process of following the diet, six petals will have to be dropped:
- all types of bakery products, except a few slices of wholegrain bread a day;
- all types of sweets, the list of which includes homemade confectionery and confectionery products, preserves and jams, chocolate and all other products containing large amounts of sugar;
- butter and vegetable oils;
- canned, smoked foods, as well as fried foods, ready-made semi-finished products, fast food products;
- coffee of all kinds, sweet sodas, jams, jellies, juices packaged in stores. On the last day of the diet (fruit), you can pamper yourself with a little natural juice.
And the last rule: on every weight loss day, the menu cannot contain products that are not in the designated group.
Pros and cons of losing weight by the separate nutrition method
The advantage of the petal diet is that:
- helps you lose a few pounds in just a week;
- alternating mono-diets is easier to transfer than, for example, one that must be observed for several days;
- frequent meals help the person who is losing weight not to feel hungry.
This technique is not without its disadvantages, namely:
- such a rigid diet, like any other mono-diet, is stressful for the whole body. He receives some products in excess, while others are clearly not enough, that is - the balance of nutrients is disturbed;
- non-observance of personal taste preferences. For example, some people don't like fish and need to eat all day. This is a type of psychological stress;
- the effectiveness of separate feeding has not been fully proven. It's like the placebo effect: when a person believes that diet will help them lose weight, it can work. He doesn't believe it - he runs the risk of falling into the same category as the participants in the experiments, who did not help to lose weight separately. By the way, scientists at the Israeli Weizmann Institute conducted a study, as a result of which it was discovered that different people's organisms can react differently to different foods. Consequently, the result of the diet may be different;
A study of the direct effects of dietary components on the human body was also conducted by scientists at the University of Colorado in 2016.
but the main disadvantage of the express diet is that such a technique is not able to change a person's attitude towards food. It can help you lose pounds, but it does not eliminate the cause of your appearance.
Daily 6-petal diet menu
If you start the weight loss process on Monday, it might look like this:
- Monday: fish menu
On the first day, the diet should be exclusively fish. The seafood can be cooked, baked in the oven or steamed. To improve the taste, a small amount of natural herbs or spices can be added. Pleasant moment - the use of fatty fish is allowed.
The menu for any day of the diet should consist of the first and second breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner (below we will denote them by numbers).
Then Monday:
- cooked fish;
- fish cooked in the oven;
- fish soup without vegetables with a little green;
- steamed fish;
- boiled crayfish or seafood (squid, shrimp).
- Tuesday: vegetables
Like fish, vegetables can be cooked in the oven and steamed, as well as cooked. Do it all without butter, cream and other products that make the dish more tasty.
Menu:
- Boiled potatoes, as well as grated white cabbage.
- Broccoli or cauliflower in a double boiler (you can combine the two types of cabbage on a plate). Vegetable stew cooked without oil. You can add vegetables.
- Roasted pumpkin slices or mashed celery root. You can add fresh vegetables - carrots, cucumbers, peppers.
- Cooked vegetables. The dish can be varied with fresh vegetables like cabbage or carrots.
- Wednesday: chicken meat
The medium of the diet is usually the most difficult, both physically and mentally. The protein will help prevent apathy from disturbing the plans of a person who is losing weight.
Sample menu for this day:
- Baked breast fillet.
- Skinless drumstick baked in the oven.
- Chicken soup (drain the first broth) without adding vegetables with meat and herbs.
- Steamed chicken leg without skin.
- Boiled breast with bone (remove the skin).
- Thursday: cereals
On this day, all types of oil-free cereals, boiled in water, are allowed.
Fourth day menu:
- Steamed buckwheat, pre-cooked at night.
- Rice porridge.
- Millet porridge.
- Oat.
- Buckwheat porridge.
- Friday: curd
This day's diet should exclusively include cottage cheese and a glass of skim milk.
Recommended menu:
- Low fat cottage cheese without all types of additives.
- Salty cottage cheese.
- Cottage cheese and half a glass of skim milk.
- Pure cottage cheese.
- Curd and leftover milk.
- Saturday: fruit day
On this day, only fruits, preferably raw, are allowed.
Menu:
- A banana (big).
- Apple and citrus fruits.
- Bananas or kiwi.
- Any fruit (preferably seasonal and in reasonable quantity).
- Grapefruit.
On this day, in addition to water and unsweetened green tea, you can pamper yourself with fresh fruit juices.