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-petalled diet is that, according to its developers, it makes it possible to get fast results in a relatively short time. Let’s figure out what the "6 petals diet" is, is it really that effective and what can we do to lose those extra pounds?
Weight loss in six days: six petals diet
The famous Six Petal Diet was developed by Anna Johansson, a Swedish nutritionist. It is created based on the principles of special food and consists of six mono-diets, meaning that every day the menu should contain only one type of food. The diet is designed in such a way that the so-called protein days alternate with the carbohydrate days, which, according to the nutritionist, helps to remove unnecessary pounds as quickly as possible. The main condition is that with this method of weight loss, the menu for each day, as well as the sequence of mono-diets, can not be changed.
Why diet with 6 petals? 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 remove them every day as we move towards the goal ofdear. According to the author, this will help support the motivation of a person who is losing weight: by getting rid of the other petal every day, he sees clearly which segment of the path has already been crossed, and how far ahead he is.
Basic rules of petal diet
Every weight loss technique has its own rules. The six petal diet is no exception:
- meals may not be less than four, breaks between which may not be more than four hours. The best option is two breakfasts (after a set time), lunch, afternoon tea and dinner (preferably no later than six o'clock in the evening);
- food in the process of consumption must be fully chewed. This will help enrich it with enzymes and improve the digestive process;
- observe the drinking regime. You can drink plain water (at least one and a half liters a day) and unsweetened green tea. It is forbidden to drink during meals, it is better to do it half an hour before or after meals;
- on a menu day, 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 a spice.
In the process of following the diet, six petals will have to be abandoned:
- all types of baked goods except a few slices of whole wheat bread per day;
- all kinds of confectionery, the list of which includes store and household confectionery products, canned and marmalade, chocolate and all other products containing large quantities of sugar;
- butter and vegetable oils;
- canned, smoked food, as well as fried foods, semi-finished ready-made products, fast food products;
- coffee of all kinds, sweet carbonated drinks, compotes, jellies, juices packaged in stores. On the last day of the diet (fruit), you can pamper yourself with a little freshly squeezed juice.
And the last rule: on every day of weight loss, the menu can not contain products that are not included in the particular group.
Pros and cons of losing weight with the method of special nutrition
The advantage of the petal diet is that:
- helps you lose a few pounds in just one week;
- alternating mono-diets is more easily transferred than, for example, one that needs to be observed for several days;
- Frequent meals help a person who loses weight not to feel hungry.
This technique is not without disadvantages, namely:
- such a rigid diet, like any other mono-diet, is stressful for the whole organism. He takes some products in excess, while others are clearly not enough, in other words - the balance of nutrients is disturbed;
- disregard for personal taste preferences. For example, some people do not like fish and have to eat it all day. This is a kind of psychological stress;
- the effectiveness of particular food has not been fully proven. Like the placebo effect: when a person believes that diet will help them become thinner, it can work. He does not believe - he risks joining the ranks of participants in the experiments, who did not help to lose weight separately. By the way, scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Israel conducted a study, as a result of which it was discovered that different human organisms can react differently to different foods. Therefore, the outcome of the diet may be different;
A study of the direct effects of dietary ingredients on the human body was also conducted by scientists at the University of Colorado in 2016.
but the main disadvantage of the espresso diet is that such a technique is not able to change a person's attitude towards food. It can help you lose weight, but it will not eliminate the cause of their appearance.
Diet with 6 petals daily menu
If you start the weight loss process on Monday, then it could be like this:
- Monday: fish menu
The first day, the diet should be exclusively fish. Seafood can be cooked, 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 each day of the diet should consist of the first and second breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner (hereinafter we will mark them with numbers).
So on Monday:
- boiled fish;
- oven-cooked fish;
- vegetable-free fish soup with a little greens;
- steamed fish;
- boiled lobster or seafood (squid, shrimp).
- Tuesday: vegetables
Like fish, vegetables can be baked and steamed, as well as cooked. Make all of these without butter, cream and other products that make the dish more delicious.
Menu:
- Boiled potatoes as well as chopped 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.
- Roasted pumpkin slices or mashed celery root. You can add fresh vegetables - carrots, cucumbers, sweet peppers.
- Roasted vegetables. The dish can be changed with fresh vegetables like cabbage or carrots.
- Wednesday: chicken
The middle of the diet is often the most difficult, both physically and mentally. Protein will help prevent apathy from thwarting the plans of a person losing weight.
Example menu for this day:
- Boiled breast fillet.
- Foam without skin baked in the oven.
- Chicken soup (drain the first juice) 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 kinds of oil-free cereals, cooked in water, are allowed.
Menu for the fourth day:
- Steamed buckwheat, pre-cooked in the evening.
- Rice porridge.
- Qull meli.
- Bollgur.
- Buckwheat porridge.
- Friday: cottage cheese
This day’s diet should include exclusively cottage cheese and a 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.
- Cottage cheese and leftover milk.
- Saturday: fruit day
On this day, only fruit is allowed, ideally raw.
Menu:
- A (large) banana.
- Apples and citrus fruits.
- Bananas or kiwis.
- Any fruit (preferably seasonal and in a reasonable amount).
- Grapefruit
On this day, in addition to unsweetened water and green tea, you can pamper yourself with fresh fruit juice.