Diet with the beautiful name "6 petals" is an express weight loss method developed by Swiss nutritionist Anna Johansson and included in the list of officially recognized European Association of Nutritionists. The peculiarity of the 6-petal diet is that, according to its developers, it makes it possible to get quick results in a relatively short time. Let's figure out what the "6 petal diet" is, is it really so effective, and what to do in order 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 on the basis of the principles of separate nutrition and consists of six mono-diets, that is, every day the menu should include only one type of food. The diet is designed in such a way that the so-called protein days alternate with carbohydrate days, which, according to the nutritionist, helps to get rid of unnecessary pounds as soon as possible. The main condition is that with this method of losing weight, the menu for every day, as well as the sequence of mono-diets, cannot be changed.
Why the 6-petal diet? Everything is quite simple: before starting to observe it, the author proposes to draw 6 petals, marking each stage of the diet, and make a flower out of them, and then tear them off every day as we move towards the cherished goal. According to the author, this will help support the motivation of a losing weight person: getting rid of the next petal every day, he clearly sees which segment of the path has already been passed, and how much is still ahead.
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, the breaks between which cannot be more than four hours. The best option is two breakfasts (after a certain amount of time), lunch, afternoon tea and dinner (preferably no later than six o'clock in the evening);
- food in the process of consumption must be thoroughly chewed. This will help enrich it with enzymes and improve the digestion process;
- observe the drinking regime. You can drink plain water (at least one and a half liters per 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 one day of the menu, the volume of salt consumed should not exceed 5 g, this 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 abandoned:
- all types of baked goods except for a couple of slices of whole grain bread per day;
- all types of sweets, the list of which includes shop and homemade confectionery products, preserves and jams, chocolate and all other products containing large amounts of sugar;
- butter and vegetable oils;
- canned food, smoked, as well as fried foods, ready-made semi-finished products, fast food products;
- coffee of all kinds, sweet carbonated drinks, compotes, jelly, shop packaged juices. On the last day of the diet (fruit), you can pamper yourself with a small amount of freshly squeezed juice.
And the last rule: on every day of losing weight, the menu cannot contain products that are not included in the designated group.
Pros and cons of losing weight by the method of separate nutrition
The advantage of the petal diet is that:
- it helps you lose a few pounds in just a week;
- alternation of mono-diets is easier to transfer than, for example, one that has to be observed for several days;
- frequent meals help a losing weight person not to feel hungry.
This technique is not devoid of disadvantages, namely:
- such a rigid diet, like any other mono-diet, is stress for the whole organism. He receives some products in excess, while others are clearly not enough, in other words - the balance of nutrients is disturbed;
- non-observance of personal taste preferences. For example, some people don't like fish and have to eat it all day. This is a kind of psychological stress;
- the effectiveness of separate feeding is not entirely proven. It's like the placebo effect: when a person believes that diet will help him get slimmer, it can work. He does not believe - he runs the risk of joining the ranks of the participants in the experiments, for whom separate nutrition did not help to lose weight. By the way, scientists from the Israeli Weizmann Institute conducted a study, as a result of which it was found that the organisms of different people can react differently to different foods. Accordingly, the result of dieting 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 to food. It can help you lose pounds, but it will not eliminate the cause of their appearance.
6 petal diet daily menu
If you start the process of losing weight on Monday, then it can be like this:
- Monday: fish menu
On the first day, the diet should be exclusively fish. Seafood can be boiled, oven-baked or steamed. To improve the taste, it is allowed to add a small amount of herbs or natural spices. A pleasant moment - the use of fatty fish is allowed.
The menu on any day of the diet should consist of first and second breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner (hereinafter we will denote them by numbers).
So Monday:
- boiled fish;
- fish cooked in the oven;
- fish soup without vegetables with a little greens;
- steam fish;
- boiled crayfish or seafood (squid, shrimp).
- Tuesday: vegetables
Like fish, vegetables can be cooked in the oven and steamed, as well as boiled. Do all this without butter, cream and other products that make the dish tastier.
Menu:
- Boiled potatoes, as well as shredded white cabbage.
- Broccoli or cauliflower from a double boiler (you can combine both types of cabbage in one dish). Vegetable stew cooked without oil. You can put greens.
- Baked pumpkin slices or mashed celery root. You can add fresh vegetables - carrots, cucumbers, sweet peppers.
- Baked vegetables. The dish can be varied with fresh vegetables such as cabbage or carrots.
- Wednesday: chicken meat
The middle of the diet is often the most difficult, both physically and mentally. Protein will help prevent apathy from disrupting the plans of a losing weight person.
Sample menu for this day:
- Boiled breast fillet.
- Oven-baked skinless drumstick.
- Chicken soup (drain the first broth) without adding vegetables with meat and herbs.
- Steamed chicken thigh without skin.
- Boiled breast on the bone (remove the skin).
- Thursday: cereals
On this day, all types of cereals without oil, cooked in water, are allowed.
Menu for the fourth day:
- Steamed buckwheat, pre-cooked in the evening.
- Rice porridge.
- Millet porridge.
- Oatmeal.
- Buckwheat porridge.
- Friday: curd
The diet of this day should include exclusively cottage cheese and one glass of low-fat milk.
Recommended menu:
- Low-fat cottage cheese without all kinds of additives.
- Salted cottage cheese.
- Cottage cheese and half a glass of low-fat milk.
- Pure cottage cheese.
- Curd and leftover milk.
- Saturday: fruit day
On this day, only fruit is allowed, ideally raw.
Menu:
- One banana (large).
- Apple and citrus fruits.
- Bananas or kiwi.
- Any fruit (preferably seasonal and in a reasonable amount).
- Grapefruit.
On this day, in addition to water and unsweetened green tea, you can pamper yourself with fresh fruit juice.