According to statistics, 8 out of 10 people who lose weight claim that the 6-petalled diet has helped them achieve maximum weight loss. What is the peculiarity of this miraculous food scheme, why is it called the most optimistic and psychologically comfortable? In this article you will get comprehensive answers to questions about weight loss, as well as find a sample menu for each day of the diet.
The diet is designed for 6 days, each of which is presented with its own "petal":
- first day (petal) - fish;
- the second is vegetable;
- the third is meat;
- fourth - cereals;
- fifth - cottage cheese;
- The sixth is fruitful.
The principle of such a food system is based on the separation of proteins and carbohydrates. Three of the six days are for eating exclusively protein foods and the other three for carbohydrate foods. This division has a physiological basis. The human body is designed so that carbohydrates can be fully absorbed only when consumed with protein. Separate intake of nutrients leads to the fact that the body can not fully absorb them and is forced to draw energy from fat reserves.
Basic questions
Who is the author of this power plan?
The author of the system is Anna Johansson, a female nutritionist from Sweden. Although no documentary evidence of Swedish involvement in the development of a petal diet has been found, the program is considered professional and literate.
What do the petals have in common?
The idea of a petal diet is a psychological visualization of the food system. The author proposes to express himself in the form of a large chamomile flower, where each petal symbolizes a separate diet day. Plucking the petal every day, weight loss gradually approaches the goal. This serves as an important motivating element and helps you to be positive about food restrictions.
What daily routine should you follow?
You can eat according to the classic scheme with breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is no need to give up snacks, the nutrition of the petals is already low in calories, so you do not have to starve.
Can the days be changed?
Not allowed. Each of the six days of the diet prepares the body for the next phase of weight loss. By rearranging the days of eating, you completely disrupt the whole scheme on a physiological level.
Why is fish day in the first place when the body is not yet hungry?
The task of fish in the diet is to "sleep" the body's vigilance, saturating it with protein and fat, forcing it to actively burn calories.
How can you survive after such a boring meal?
Natural spices, fresh and frozen vegetables, cinnamon, lemon juice and ginger will help make your dishes brighter and tastier. You can sweeten your food with a sugar substitute or a teaspoon of honey, but only as a last resort.
How often can you eat with such a program?
The six-petalled diet can be repeated periodically, but not more than once a month. The body needs at least 4 weeks to restore its energy balance and replenish its stores of vitamins and minerals.
What do doctors think about the Swedish diet?
Doctors strongly recommend that you consult with them when planning a diet. With obesity, endocrine diseases and digestive disorders, it is dangerous to limit yourself to food.
Do I have to count calories?
Optional, but desirable. The recommended caloric value for an adult who eats is 1200-1400 kcal.
What is the difference between 6 and 7 petal diets?
The 7-petalled diet includes the last "hungry" day. At the end of the cycle it is forbidden to eat any food, but only water and drinks are preserved.
Who is the diet for
The original weight loss scheme successfully combines two factors: calorie restriction and psychological motivation. Therefore, a petal diet can be safely recommended to anyone who:
- cannot find inherent motivation and willpower for food restrictions;
- wants to lose weight fast without extreme physical exertion;
- does not tolerate hunger and low-calorie hungry days;
- likes to plan her meals and not "engage" in the preparation of complex dietary dishes.
The six-petal diet manages to lose 500-800 g of excess weight per day. The total weight loss at the end of the diet cycle is at least 3 kg.
Losing a diet can be much more, but you will have to go through several cycles of "chamomile". There are cases when men and women manage to lose 15-18 kg.
For whom the diet is not suitable
The 6-petalled diet is designed for healthy people who have no complaints of well-being and do not suffer from chronic diseases. But in reality it is almost impossible to meet a person without a "chronicle".
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 prescribed by food supplement # 9;
- for adolescents - the growing body needs fat, which is not provided when feeding the petals;
- pregnant women - with rapid weight gain, women in the position can be recommended fasting points in the second and third trimesters;
- breastfeeding women - their diet should be balanced but hypoallergenic;
- patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - in the acute stage they are prescribed "hungry" days and a sparing fractional diet;
- for patients with liver and kidney pathologies - a large amount of protein in the diet puts increased strain on these internal organs.
Swedish food includes complete rejection of sugar, so it will be extremely difficult for people with sweet teeth on such a diet. In their case, the original chocolate diet may be recommended. You will only need to eat dark chocolate all day, dividing the bar into several intakes.
Pros and cons
The advantages of the diet scheme proposed by Anna Johansson are:
- optimal duration - for 6 days the body has no time to run out, weight loss occurs smoothly but noticeably;
- lack of overeating - due to the monotony of food during the day, you will not want to eat large portions;
- simplicity of dishes - the menu for each day includes simple and familiar products available to everyone;
- sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals - the diet contains vegetables and fruits that are rich in useful nutrients;
- absence of "hungry" days - the diet can be considered soft and gentle;
- varied menu - you do not feel hungry, you do not need to eat the same food every day.
But you should pay attention to those who lose weight and the "traps" in which the diet is not without:
- with rapid weight loss the skin becomes relaxed and the muscles lose their tone;
- on protein days a person may experience weakness caused by a deficiency of carbohydrate compounds;
- rapid weight loss can stress the body and disrupt normal metabolic processes;
- is not suitable for the season of hypovitaminosis, when the body is weakened;
- chronic diseases of the stomach and intestines, which have not bothered weight loss for a long time, may worsen; The
- diet does not guarantee significant weight loss - 20% of those who lose weight cannot lose more than 2 kg in 6 days.
Do and don't
The main basis of the diet is the alternation of protein and carbohydrate foods during the day. Day 1, 3 and 5 will be protein, days 2, 4 and 6 will be carbohydrates. It is forbidden to mix the 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 the mono-feeding observation. In the following days, the results achieved are consolidated and the body recovers to a new metabolic system.
The following products are whitelisted:
- vegetables that do not contain a large amount of starch - zucchini, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, leafy vegetables, beets, aromatic herbs (parsley, coriander, basil, dill), celery, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower;
- almost all fruits and berries - apples, pears, oranges, tangerines, pomelo, grapefruit, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, strawberries, lemon;
- low-fat dairy products - kefir, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, sour cream, yogurt without fillers, whole milk;
- meat - only dietary chicken porridge is allowed, without skin and tendons;
- some types of cereals - buckwheat, oatmeal in the form of flakes, unpolished rice, bran, sprouted grain;
- seafood and fish with low fat content - bream, pike, pollock, hake, blue pussy, cod, trout, salmon;
- bran or wholemeal bread, rye croutons, bread, sunflower seeds, nuts and seeds.
There are no strict restrictions on drinks. Rosehip broth, herbal infusions, natural freshly squeezed juices, home-made compotes, mineral water - all this can be drunk. If possible, you should limit or completely give up black tea and coffee in favor of the drink of chicory 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;
- fast food - sandwiches, burgers, any fried food;
- vegetables with a lot of starch - pumpkin, potatoes, beans;
- instant food - sausages, meat delicacies, basturma, ham, smoked ham, boiled pork, canned food;
- meat - beef, pork, beef, rabbit;
- flour products - pies, pies, dumplings, dumplings, pancakes, rolls, pasta;
- all pastries - chocolate, candies, gingerbread, marmalade, halva, loaf, cookies, loaf, jam;
- cereals - corn, millet, wheat, barley.
Sugar is prohibited in any form - it can not be added to food and beverages. To prevent the appearance of lean food, it can be lightly salted, herbs and natural spices can be added without flavor enhancers. Sometimes an exception is made for vegetable oil - no more than a teaspoon of olive oil or sunflower oil can be consumed per day.
Menu description
Given the extensive list of foods offered by the 6-petalled diet, it won't be that difficult to compile a menu. But you have to be patient, because you will only have to eat one type of food throughout the day.
Day # 1 - Fish
The first day, which includes only fish, aims to provide the body with enough polyunsaturated omega-3 acids. This is the same healthy fat that is not able to accumulate in the subcutaneous tissue in the form of cellulite and extra pounds. The proteins contained in dietary fish are useful for filling, blocking the feeling of hunger and absorption of high quality.
What you can cook on a fish day:
- salmon fillets, pollock, trout, hake in a double pot with herbs;
- fish steaks with garlic dressing, 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 # 2 - Vegetables
The number of products per vegetable day is limited to 1-1, 5 kg. But you can actually eat as many vegetables as you want - they do not provide many calories, but contain maximum vitamins and trace elements. Vegetables rich in fiber (carrots, beets) give a feeling of satiety and at the same time contribute to high-quality bowel cleansing by increasing peristalsis.
What to plan for a vegetable petal:
- stew with carrots, peppers, cabbage and onions; grilled or baked aubergines and zucchini;
- boiled cauliflower or broccoli seasoned with lemon juice and Provencal herbs;
- vegetable tomato soup with basil.
Important!The six-petalled diet cannot provide the body with all the vital substances. Therefore, doctors forbid eating constantly under this scheme.
Day # 3 - Chicken
Chicken is considered a favorite in the diet. It contains easily digestible protein and a whole complex of minerals - magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium. The amino acids contained in the product are used exclusively to strengthen muscles and are not transformed into subcutaneous fat.
Recipes of the day:
- steamed chicken breast cutlets with egg and dill;
- chicken fillet baked in spicy foil;
- boiled meat in the form of a steak.
On this protein day is allowed to eat up to 0, 5 kg of chicken.
Day # 4 - Cereals
For this stage of the diet are suitable only those varieties of cereals that are not devoid of bran shells. This component belongs to the slow carbohydrates - it takes a long time to digest and requires a lot of energy. To increase the dietary value of cereals, they should be soaked in water overnight, and in the morning they should be boiled or steamed.
Food:
- buckwheat porridge with bran;
- Hercules muesli with nuts or seeds;
- rice porridge with herbs and sprouted wheat grains.
The total amount of dry grain should not exceed one cup.
Day # 5 - cottage cheese
On the fifth day you need to buy 500 g of dietary cottage cheese with a fat content of not more than 3, 8%. The so-called cottage cheese is not suitable for a diet with petals - it contains hydrogenated fats and supplements that are not useful. Cottage cheese, like any protein product, neutralizes hunger well and promotes cell renewal.
Sample menu for this protein day:
- baked cheesecakes with semolina and cinnamon;
- whipped cottage cheese with sugar substitute and two tablespoons of brewed coffee;
- cottage cheese dessert with natural yogurt.
On this day, all milk drinks with moderate fat content are allowed - kefir, milk, kefir, yogurt.
Day 6 - fruits
Swedish Diet Fruit Day is considered to be the tastiest and brightest. You can eat all kinds of fruits, except bananas, grapes and dried fruits - they are too high in calories and sugar. Fruits and berries have antioxidant properties, prevent premature aging and remove toxins from the body. The product performs the "final" cleansing of the body and prepares it for leaving the diet.
In one fruit day you can connect 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 out of the diet
Gradually leaving the diet will help maintain the results of the diet. The calorie content can be gradually increased, starting from 1200 kcal and up to 2000 kcal. One 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 to lose weight, it makes sense to switch to a balanced diet. It should include protein, carbohydrates and fats, but with low energy value. At this stage, do not forget about exercise, lymphatic drainage massage. These procedures will help tighten "thin" skin and strengthen muscles.
Exit
The Swedish diet is reliable because it is made by a professional nutritionist. The strict alternation of days, the lack of fat in the diet and an important motivational moment make the diet effective and popular. But keep in mind that this program is designed for quick and short-term results. In order not to regain the lost weight, weight loss and at the end of the diet you should eat rationally and not overeat.