Losing weight correctly and safely: how much can you lose on buckwheat?
The buckwheat diet is one of the most popular mono-diets for weight loss and cleansing the body. It was developed in the middle of the last century by nutritionist Alevtina Moleeva. The bottom line is that for 14 days the basis of the diet is buckwheat porridge, cooked in water without salt and sugar.
Over the course of its existence, the diet has been modernized, nuances have appeared that have partially smoothed out the rigidity of the mono-diet. Nowadays, the buckwheat-kefir diet is more often practiced, although there are other, milder options. How many kilograms you can “lose” on buckwheat depends on the severity of the technique used.
How to lose weight on buckwheat
The basic rules are simple. Porridge is prepared from kernels, that is, from whole, uncrushed buckwheat grains. Consume small portions throughout the day, guided by the principles of fractional nutrition.. That is, each subsequent meal should occur no earlier than 2 hours and no later than 4 hours after the previous one. Drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
The effectiveness of the diet is explained by the low calorie content of cereal. Steamed buckwheat porridge contains only 169 kcal per 100 g of product. The average daily energy requirement for a person is 1800–2500 kcal. Consumption of less than 1500 kcal will force the body to switch to nutrition from its own reserves, including from adipose tissue. The lower the calorie content of food, the faster weight loss.
Buckwheat cereal contains impressive vitamin complex, as well as natural protein. It contains amino acids, antioxidants and dietary fiber.
Eating buckwheat brings you back to normal hemoglobin level in the blood, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, removes toxins, cleanses the liver and skin. Nutritionists confirm that proper implementation of the buckwheat diet will benefit the body.
Important! When using any diet, and especially a strict one, you need to consult a doctor. If signs of discomfort, painful manifestations and weakness appear, the diet is stopped immediately.
How to cook buckwheat for weight loss
According to the rules of the buckwheat diet, grains are not boiled, A steamed. With this method of preparation, useful substances are preserved as much as possible, the calorie content of the product is reduced, and the fiber content necessary for cleansing the body and losing weight is 11 g per 100 g of product (in boiled cereal - only 4 g).
Attention! Every evening a new portion of cereal is prepared, which will be used the next day.
Cooking methods:
- One glass of washed buckwheat is placed in a saucepan and poured with two glasses of boiling water. Wrap the pan in a towel or blanket and leave to swell for 4-6 hours (preferably overnight). Depending on appetite, the portion can be doubled. The ratio of cereal and water is always 1:2. According to the rules of the diet, porridge is steamed without salt and sugar. Instead of a saucepan, you can use a thermos with a wide neck, ceramic or glassware.
- A milder version of the diet allows the use of kefir. Then one glass of buckwheat, washed and scalded with boiling water, is poured with two glasses of kefir 1% fat. Leave overnight in the refrigerator.
The diet will be more effective if you use raw (green) buckwheat rather than fried (brown) grains. It has not been subjected to heat treatment, therefore it is more useful. True, it's not that tasty.
Reference! Green buckwheat – unprocessed buckwheat kernels. Organically pure product, rich in vitamins and microelements. Used in healthy eating and as the basis of many diets.
Features and principles of the diet
The peculiarity of the mono-diet is the consumption of one main product - buckwheat porridge, the quantity of which is not limited.
While on a diet, follow these principles::
- eat 4-5 times a day in small portions;
- drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day;
- give up salt, sugar and flour;
- after waking up, half an hour before breakfast, drink a glass of water with lemon;
- the last meal should be at least 4 hours before bedtime;
- during the diet and after its completion, take pharmacy vitamin complexes for at least 1 month;
- increase physical activity - aerobics, swimming, walking are effective for losing weight.
As a result diets metabolism improves, waste, toxins and excess water are eliminated, the body switches to consuming subcutaneous fat.
How much weight can you lose if you only eat buckwheat?
The buckwheat diet is a way to lose excess weight in the shortest possible time. To find out how many extra pounds can you lose on buckwheat? It’s enough to familiarize yourself with the varieties of this diet.
Strict three-day mono-diet
Classic version of the buckwheat diet. It involves eating porridge in small portions throughout the day and obligatory adherence to the drinking regime to normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Buckwheat is a slow carbohydrate, it allows you not to feel hungry for a long time. But the absence of salt and sugar makes the porridge tasteless.
Reference! Salt does not make you feel better, but since it retains fluid in the body, it is excluded from the diet. Sugar is high in calories - there are almost 400 kcal per 100 g of product, it consists entirely of fast carbohydrates.
A strict diet is not for everyone. A monotonous diet quickly becomes boring; already on the second day you often feel weak, and you may experience a headache due to a poor diet. If the symptoms worsen, give up the diet or make it less strict - add some glucose and vegetable fats. For example, dissolve a teaspoon of honey in a glass of herbal tea or water, add a spoonful of olive oil and chopped herbs to the porridge.
Recommended menu:
- buckwheat porridge;
- drinks: water – 2 l; green and herbal tea, black coffee.
Acceptable foods in case of poor diet tolerance:
- 1-2 apples;
- 1 tsp. honey (per serving);
- 1 tsp. vegetable oil (per serving);
- a handful of nuts.
Strict buckwheat diet is tough, but effective. In just two days, the body dries out and up to 3 kg of weight (mainly excess water) is lost. Doctors and nutritionists do not recommend maintaining a strict mono-diet for more than three days.
Buckwheat-kefir diet
A more gentle option for losing weight. Kefir complements buckwheat, has a beneficial effect on intestinal microflora and metabolism. The combination of these products creates a diet close to optimal in proteins and carbohydrates.
The buckwheat-kefir diet is used not only for weight loss, but also for gentle cleansing of the body. The high fiber content in cereals helps remove toxins from the intestines. Kefir stimulates peristalsis, and the lactobacilli contained in it restore the microflora. The body is cleansed and excess weight is lost at the same time.
There are several options for the buckwheat-kefir diet.
Option 1
The menu consists of two dishes: 4-5 servings of porridge and a liter of kefir 1% fat.
Products are consumed separately, for example, drinking kefir between meals, or together - wash down the porridge with kefir, or mix both products and add chopped herbs or dried fruits to the resulting buckwheat-kefir “cocktail”.
Option 2
Buckwheat In the evening, pour the cereal not with boiling water, but with kefir and leave overnight to swell, better in the refrigerator. Use in the same way as steamed buckwheat - in 4-5 doses throughout the day. Buckwheat with kefir is tastier than empty porridge and gives a long-lasting feeling of fullness.
Recommended menu:
- buckwheat porridge;
- 1 liter of kefir 1% fat;
- water 1.5-2 l, green and herbal tea, black coffee.
Eligible Products:
- 1-2 apples;
- 1 tsp. honey (per serving);
- 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil (per day);
- dried fruits: prunes, dried apricots, figs;
- a handful of nuts;
- greens: dill, parsley.
Buckwheat-kefir The diet is also quite strict, the food is meager and monotonous. Not everyone who loses weight maintains it to the end - their health worsens and weakness appears.
Diet duration – 7 or 14 days. As a rule, you can lose from 5 to 8 kg of weight in a week, and up to 14 kg in two weeks.
How to easily and safely lose weight on a buckwheat diet
In order not to stress the body and maintain a diet, add additional foods to your diet. There are several varieties of mixed buckwheat diet.
Option 1
In addition to porridge and kefir, It is allowed to eat small amounts of fruits and vegetables.
Add chopped fruit to buckwheat – they will improve the taste of a bland dish and activate peristalsis. Fruits can replace one meal or use as a snack, preferably in the morning. Unsweetened fruits are preferred: green apples, plums, kiwi, grapefruits. Bananas and grapes are strictly excluded.
Salads from non-starchy vegetables are allowed: cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage. The salad can be flavored with a spoon of olive or flaxseed oil, add dill or parsley.
It is allowed to include stewed or steamed vegetables in the menu: cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, spinach. They are added to porridge or eaten as a separate dish.
If the diet lasts more than a week, the menu is supplemented with animal protein: eggs, small portions of boiled beef or turkey.
Option 2
Another soft and gentle diet option, which involves eating buckwheat with kefir only once a day. To do this, wash 2 tbsp in the evening. l. buckwheat and pour one glass of kefir or yogurt. Mix well and put in the refrigerator.
For breakfast, they eat the buckwheat-kefir cocktail made overnight. The next meal is no earlier than three hours later. During the day you can eat light plant foods and the remaining kefir.
According to reviews from those losing weight, the effectiveness of this diet option is not bad. – from 3 kg per week.
Recommended menu:
- buckwheat porridge;
- kefir 1% fat or yogurt without filler;
- water 1.5-2 liters per day;
- green tea, herbal tea, coffee without sugar;
- 1 tsp. honey (per serving);
- dried fruits: prunes, dried apricots;
- soy sauce;
- fruits, vegetables, herbs.
- animal protein (if the diet lasts more than 7 days).
Mixed diet options are designed for 7 or 14 days. How many kilograms the weight will drop depends on the amount of additional products and the individual characteristics of the body.As a rule, you can get rid of 3 to 5 kg in a week, and up to 10 kg in two weeks.
With a gentle option for losing weight, the result may not be so fast, as with a mono-diet, but more sustainable.
Why does your weight slowly come off, fluctuate, or come back?
The buckwheat diet helps you lose weight in a short time. But sometimes the weight comes off slowly, or the lost pounds come back.
The reason may be the following circumstances:
- Buckwheat was cooked incorrectly, for example, the cereal was boiled and not steamed. Salt, butter, sugar or other ingredients not allowed by the diet have been added to the porridge.
- The diet regimen has been disrupted. Eating before bed reduces the likelihood of losing weight.
- A sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity slow down weight loss.
- The result of losing weight depends on individual characteristics and, above all, on the amount of excess weight. Obese people, all other things being equal, will lose more and faster than those whose weight is uncritically exceeded.
- Wrong way out of the diet. After abstinence, it is recommended to gradually, over 1-2 weeks, add new foods to your diet and control the daily caloric content of food (no more than 1500 kcal). Otherwise, the lost weight can easily return.
Contraindications
The limited menu has its drawbacks. Any mono-diet is a serious stress for the body. Possible manifestations are headache, irritability, decreased performance, weakness, drowsiness.
If such symptoms occur, you should stop abstinence and return to your normal diet or supplement your menu with several low-calorie foods that can support the body.
Diet for diseases and conditions is strictly contraindicated:
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- pregnancy, breastfeeding;
- gynecological diseases;
- infectious diseases;
- hypertension;
- diabetes;
- Any mono-diets are contraindicated for children and athletes.
What happens if you eat one buckwheat
Buckwheat is rich in nutrients, but they are not enough for the full functioning of the human body.
If you use a mono diet, that is, eating only buckwheat and water, the body will not receive the required amount of microelements and vitamins.
No simple sugars can negatively affect the functioning of organs and systems, in particular the functioning of the brain.
Lack of salt in the diet may lead to a decrease in blood pressure, which is risky if you have hypotension.
Nutritionists believe that the maximum period of a strict mono-diet without harm to health is - 3 days. It’s even better to introduce one fasting “buckwheat” day per week into your diet.
Long-term use of such a diet borders on hunger strike. After its completion, the body will require compensation to maintain energy balance: the person will begin to consume food in excessive quantities, which will inevitably lead to weight gain.
Conclusion
The benefit of any diet is that a person begins to be conscious of his eating behavior, to monitor how much and what foods he has consumed per day.
Mono-diets give good results, but, as a rule, temporary. A strict buckwheat diet is effective after overeating and holiday feasts. 1-3 fasting days on buckwheat will normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, improve well-being, help get rid of excess water and prevent weight gain.
As the main way to lose weight, it is better to choose a buckwheat-kefir or mixed buckwheat diet.