According to statistics, 8 out of 10 people who lose weight claim that the 6-petal diet helped them achieve maximum weight loss.What is special about this miraculous food plan, why is it called the most optimistic and psychologically comfortable?In this article you will get comprehensive answers to questions about weight loss, and you will also find a sample menu for each day of the diet.
The diet is designed for 6 days, each of which is represented by its own "petal":
- the first day (petal) is the fish;
- the second is vegetables;
- the third is meat;
- the fourth is cereal;
- the fifth - cottage cheese;
- the sixth is with fruit.
The principle of this food system is based on the separation of proteins and carbohydrates.Three of the six days are designed to consume exclusively protein foods, the other three - carbohydrates.This division has a physiological basis.The human body is designed in such a way that carbohydrates can be fully absorbed only when consumed together with proteins.The special consumption of nutrients leads to the fact that the body cannot fully absorb them and is forced to obtain energy from fat reserves.
Key questions
Who is the author of this meal plan?
The author of the system is considered to be a nutritionist from Sweden, Anna Johansson.Although no documentary evidence has been found for the Swedish woman's involvement in the development of the petal diet, the program is considered professional and competent.
What do petals have to do with it?
The idea of the petal diet is the psychological visualization of the nutritional system.The author proposes to express it in the form of a large chamomile flower, where each petal symbolizes a special diet day.By removing a petal every day, those who lose weight gradually get closer to the target goal.This serves as an important motivational element and helps to have a positive attitude towards food restrictions.
What daily regimen should you follow?
You can eat according to the classic scheme with breakfast, lunch and dinner.There is no need to give up foods;Petal food is already low in calories, so there is no need to starve yourself extra.
Is it possible to change the days?
it is prohibited.Each of the six days of the diet prepares the body for the next phase of weight loss.By rearranging your eating days, you will completely disrupt the entire pattern on a physiological level.
Why does fish day come first when the body is not yet hungry?
The task of fish in the diet is to "sleep" the alertness of the body, saturating it with proteins and fats, forcing it to actively burn calories.
How can you face such bland food?
Natural spices, fresh and frozen herbs, cinnamon, lemon juice and ginger will help you make dishes brighter and tastier.You can sweeten the food with a sugar substitute or a teaspoon of honey, but only as a last resort.
How often can you eat on such a program?
The six-petal diet can be repeated periodically, but not more than once a month.The body needs at least 4 weeks to restore energy balance and replenish vitamins and minerals.
What do doctors think about the Swedish diet?
Doctors strongly recommend consulting them when planning any diet.With obesity, endocrine diseases and digestive disorders, it is dangerous to limit yourself in food.
Should you count calories?
Not required, but recommended.The recommended energy value of food for a dieting adult is 1200-1400 kcal.
What is the difference between 6 and 7 petal diets?
The "7 petals" diet includes the last day of "fasting".At the end of the cycle, it is forbidden to eat any food, and stay only after water and drinks.
Who is the diet suitable for?
The original weight loss scheme successfully combines two factors: calorie restriction and psychological motivation.Therefore, the petal diet can be safely recommended to everyone who:
- cannot find internal motivational opportunities and will for food restrictions;
- wants to lose weight quickly without extreme physical activity;
- does not tolerate hunger and low-calorie fasting days;
- she likes to plan her meals and not "get caught up" in preparing complex dietary dishes.
On the six-petal diet, you can get rid of 500-800 g of excess weight every day.The total reduction in body weight at the end of the diet cycle is at least 3 kg.
You can lose much more with a diet, but to do this you will have to go through several "chamomile" cycles.There are cases when men and women have managed to lose 15-18 kg.
Who is not suitable for the diet?
The "6 petals" diet is designed for healthy people who have no complaints about their health and do not suffer from chronic diseases.But in reality, meeting a person without a "chronic" is almost impossible.
There are several categories of people who are strictly forbidden to follow diets:
- diabetics - they should get the optimal amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats described by dietary table no.9;
- teenagers - a growing body needs a supply of fats, which are not provided in the food of petals;
- pregnant women - with rapid weight gain, pregnant women may be recommended targeted fasting days during the 2nd and 3rd trimester;
- lactating women - their diet should be balanced, but hypoallergenic;
- patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - in the acute phase they are prescribed "fasting" days and a soft fractional diet;
- patients with liver and kidney pathologies - a large amount of protein in the diet places an increased load on these internal organs.
Swedish food includes a complete abstinence from sugar, so it will be extremely difficult for those with a sweet tooth to eat such a diet.In their case, we can recommend the original chocolate diet.You will have to eat only dark chocolate throughout the day, dividing the bar into several meals.
The pros and cons of the diet
The advantages of the food plan proposed by Anna Johansson are:
- optimal duration - in 6 days the body does not have time to get tired, weight loss occurs without problems, but noticeably;
- lack of overeating - due to the monotony of food throughout the day, you will not want to eat large portions;
- simplicity of dishes - the menu for every day includes simple and familiar products that are accessible to everyone;
- a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals - the diet contains vegetables and fruits rich in useful nutrients;
- lack of "hungry" days - the diet can be considered bland and bland;
- a varied menu - no feeling of hunger, you don't have to eat the same food day after day.
But those who lose weight should also pay attention to the "pitfalls" that the diet is not without:
- with rapid weight loss, the skin becomes weak and muscles lose tone;
- on protein days, a person may experience weakness caused by the lack of carbohydrate compounds;
- rapid weight loss can be stressful for the body and disrupt normal metabolic processes;
- not suitable for the season of hypovitaminosis, when the body is weakened;
- Chronic diseases of the stomach and intestines, which do not bother the person losing weight for a long time, may worsen;
- the diet does not guarantee significant weight loss - 20% of those who lose weight fail to lose more than 2 kg within 6 days.
What you can and cannot eat
The basic basis of the diet is the alternation of protein and carbohydrate foods every other day.Day 1, 3 and 5 will be protein days, day 2, 4 and 6 will be carbohydrate days.It is forbidden to mix days with each other, otherwise effective weight loss will not work.
Important!The rapid burning of fat ballast is observed on the first day of following a mono diet.In the following days, the achieved results are consolidated and the body adapts to a new metabolic system.
The "white" list includes the following products:
- vegetables that do not contain a large amount of starch - zucchini, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, leafy greens, beets, scallions (parsley, cilantro, basil, fennel), celery, sweet peppers, broccoli, cauliflower;
- almost all fruits and berries - apples, pears, oranges, tangerines, pomelo, grapefruit, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, strawberries, lemons;
- low-fat dairy products - kefir, cottage cheese, baked fermented milk, sour cream, yogurt without fillers, whole milk;
- meat - only dietary chicken is allowed, without skin and tendons;
- some types of cereals - buckwheat, oat flakes, unpolished rice, bran, sprouted grains;
- seafood and low-fat fish - carp, pike perch, perch, cod, blue belly, cod, trout, salmon;
- bran or whole grain bread, rye crackers, fresh bread, sunflower seeds, nuts and seeds.
There are no strict restrictions regarding drinks.Rose decoction, herbal infusions, freshly squeezed natural juices, homemade compote, mineral water - you can drink all this.If possible, you should limit or completely abandon black tea and coffee in favor of chicory drinks and green teas.Drinks with grated ginger, mint leaves and lemon slices will help quench your thirst.
The main taboos of the six-petal diet are:
- all types of fats - butter and vegetable oils, margarine, mayonnaise;
- foods of the fast food category - sandwiches, hamburgers, any fried food;
- starchy vegetables - squash, potatoes, beans;
- fast food - sausages, plantains, basturma, ham, smoked ham, boiled pork, canned food;
- meat - beef, pork, veal, rabbit;
- flour products - pies, pies, noodles, pancakes, pancakes, buns, pasta;
- all sweets - chocolate, candy, gingerbread, marmalade, halva, marshmallows, cookies, marshmallows, jam;
- cereals - corn, millet, wheat, pearl barley.
Sugar is prohibited in any form - it cannot be added to dishes and drinks.So that the food does not look weak, you can add a little salt, add natural herbs and spices without flavor enhancers.Sometimes an exception is made for vegetable oil - you can consume no more than a teaspoon of olive or sunflower oil per day.
Menu description
Considering the wide list of products that the "6 petals" diet offers, creating a menu will not be so difficult.But you have to be patient, because you will have to eat only one type of product throughout the day.
Day no.1 – fish
The first day, which includes only fish, is designed to supply the body with a sufficient amount of omega-3 unsaturated acids.This is the same healthy fat that is unable to accumulate in the subcutaneous tissue in the form of cellulite and extra pounds.The proteins contained in dietary fish fill you up well, block the feeling of hunger and are well absorbed.
What you can cook on fish day:
- salmon fillet, pollock, trout, cod steamed with herbs;
- fish steaks with garlic sauce, baked in foil;
- fish soup with herbs and sea salt;
- fresh seafood cocktail.
The total amount of fish products should be about 300-500 grams per day.
Day no.2 - vegetables
The amount of food per day of vegetables is limited to 1-1.5 kg.But basically, you can eat as many vegetables as you want - they do not provide many calories, but contain a maximum of vitamins and trace elements.Vegetables rich in fiber (carrots, beets) give a feeling of satiety and at the same time promote quality bowel cleansing by increasing peristalsis.
What you can plan for a "petal" of vegetables:
- stew with carrots, sweet peppers, cabbage and onions;
- grilled or oven-roasted eggplant and zucchini;
- boiled cauliflower or broccoli, seasoned with lemon juice and Provencal herbs;
- vegetable tomato soup with basil.
Important!The six-petal diet cannot provide the body with all vital substances.Therefore, doctors prohibit eating according to this diet continuously.
Day no.3 – chicken
Chicken meat is considered a favorite in the diet.It contains easily digestible proteins and a whole complex of minerals - magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium.The amino acids contained in the product are used exclusively to strengthen muscles and do not turn into subcutaneous fat.
Recipes of the day:
- poached chicken breast cutlets with egg and fennel;
- grilled chicken tenderloin with spices;
- boiled meat in the shape of a steak.
On this protein day you are allowed to eat up to 0.5 kg of chicken.
Day no.4 - cereals
For this phase of the diet, only those varieties of cereals that do not lack the bran husk are suitable.This component belongs to slow carbohydrates - it takes a long time to digest and requires high energy consumption.To increase the dietary value of grains, they should be soaked in water overnight and boiled or eaten steamed in the morning.
What you can cook:
- buckwheat porridge with added bran;
- muesli from "Hercules" with nuts or seeds;
- rice porridge with herbs and sprouted wheat grains.
The total amount of dry wheat should not exceed one glass.
Day no.5 - cottage cheese
On the fifth day, you should buy 500 g of diet cottage cheese with a fat content of no more than 3.8%.The so-called curd product is not suitable for the petal diet - it contains hydrogenated fats and additives that are not useful.Curd, like any protein product, neutralizes hunger well and promotes cell renewal.
Sample menu for this protein day:
- baked oatmeal and cinnamon cheesecake;
- cottage cheese whipped with a sugar substitute and two spoons of roasted coffee;
- curd dessert with natural yogurt.
On this day, any milk drink with moderate fat content is allowed - kefir, milk, ayran, yogurt.
Day no.6 – fruit
Fruit day in the Swedish diet is considered tastier and more lively.You can eat any fruit, except for bananas, grapes and dried fruits - they contain a lot of calories and sugar.Fruits and berries have antioxidant properties, prevent early aging and remove toxins from the body.The product performs a "final" cleansing of the body and prepares it for exiting the diet.
On Fruit Day, you can use your imagination and combine products as you wish.Salads, smoothies, fresh juices, freshly squeezed juices, baked fruits with cinnamon and cardamom - all this will be suitable for the last dietary "petal".
How to get off a diet
A smooth exit from the diet will help maintain the results of dietary nutrition.The calorie content can be increased gradually, starting from 1200 kcal and increasing to 2000 kcal.For a week after the end of the "petals", it is better to eat the same foods, combining several types of protein on protein days and different types of carbohydrates on carbohydrate days.
If a person plans to continue losing weight, it makes sense to switch to a balanced diet.It should include proteins, carbohydrates and fats, but of low energy value.At this stage, do not forget about physical exercises and lymphatic drainage massage.These procedures will help tighten "thin" skin and strengthen muscles.
CONCLUSION
The Swedish meal plan is reliable because it is compiled by a professional nutritionist.The strict alternation of days, the lack of fat in the diet and an important motivational point make the diet effective and popular.But you should keep in mind that this program is designed for quick and short-term results.To prevent the return of lost kilograms, those who are losing weight should eat rationally and not overeat at the end of the diet.