Excess weight can not only ruin your mood and appearance, but also cause serious harm to your health. To achieve attractive shape and the figure of your dreams, you should first reconsider your own nutrition. Today there is simply a huge number of a wide variety of strict and not so strict diets, including severe hunger strikes. These techniques are aimed directly at burning existing excess weight. Mentions of the American diet are becoming more and more common, reviews about it are mostly positive.
Diet principles
American diets always take into account the small weaknesses inherent in humans. The menu is structured so that you receive compensation for restrictions. For example, you can eat anything, but only before 17:00, or you should completely exclude fatty, sweet and starchy foods, but the portions can be large. There are several other nutritional systems, both for a limited period of time and for long-term adherence, which we will look at later.
The general principles of the American diet are as follows:
- limiting sweets, fatty and starchy foods;
- control of caloric intake;
- reducing the amount of carbohydrates consumed with an emphasis on protein foods;
- a significant duration of the diet, which allows you to improve metabolism and consolidate the result;
- moderate but regular physical activity.
Diet "minus dinner"
The American “minus dinner” weight loss diet is based on eliminating the last meal. During this period, you can eat any food, being careful not to overeat. It is only necessary to exclude sources of unhealthy fats - sausages, fast food, smoked meats.
The menu should be dominated by fruits, vegetables, and berries. It is important to drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day. For those who go to bed early, dinner should take place before 17:00; if you fall asleep after midnight, you can move it to 18:00-19:00. If you feel hungry, you can drink water or unsweetened herbal tea.
The diet does not involve strict restrictions, so it can be followed for a long time until the desired result is achieved. But during this period it is recommended to support the body with vitamin complexes.
Rules
Permitted Prohibited and Restricted Products
You will have to completely abandon:
- Pastries and sweets.
- Fast food.
- Alcohol.
- Fatty meat and fish.
- Croup
- Pasta products.
- Sweet fruits.
- Fried foods.
You will have to reduce the amount of salt in dishes and try to limit the use of seasonings, spices and garlic.
You can eat mainly protein diet products:
- Lean meats and fish.
- Low-fat dairy and fermented milk products.
- Eggs.
- Vegetables and unsweetened fruits.
- Mushrooms.
- Nuts.
Every day you need to drink 1.5-2 liters of clean water. In addition to water, you can drink coffee, tea, rosehip and herbal infusions.
Preparation
On the eve of the start of restrictions, you can arrange a fasting - with kefir, milk or tomato juice. If you are going to restrict your diet for two weeks or more, before you start, gradually remove prohibited foods from the menu and reduce your daily caloric intake - this will reduce stress on the body when entering a new regime.
Duration
The diet is designed for a period of 1 to 3 weeks. But if you feel unwell before the end of the marathon, do not hesitate to return to your normal diet, otherwise you risk harming your health.
Quitting the diet
The exit should be smooth: gradually increase the calorie intake and introduce prohibited foods. Returning to a balanced menu should take at least a week. Next, continue to build your diet on the principles of a healthy diet and calorie deficit, so that the amount of energy used is greater than that received from food. Move actively, play sports, and stay hydrated. By ignoring these rules, you risk regaining the lost pounds.
Can it be combined with other diets?
The American way of eating should not be combined with other dietary restrictions, unless you are going to get serious health problems.
Diet of American Astronauts
The diet of American astronauts is low-carbohydrate; in Russia it is better known as the Kremlin diet. Its essence is the limitation and strict monitoring of the number of carbohydrates in combination with the consumption of large amounts of protein foods.
The diet is easy to tolerate and effective in the fight against significant excess weight. However, it is unbalanced, creates an increased load on the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract, and therefore is suitable only for healthy people. If this is followed, it is necessary to take vitamin-mineral complexes.
A carbohydrate content table will help you create a menu for the diet of American astronauts.
| Product | Carbohydrates per 100 g. | Product | Carbohydrates per 100 g. |
| BERRIES, FRUITS | VEGETABLES | ||
| Cranberry | 4 | Mushrooms | 1 |
| Blackberry | 4,5 | Spinach | 2 |
| Lemons | 5,4 | Leaf lettuce | 2 |
| Strawberry | 6,5 | Avocado | 3 |
| Cherry plum | 6,5 | Fresh cucumber | 3 |
| Currant | 7,5 | Asparagus | 3 |
| Oranges | 8 | Cabbage | 3,2 |
| Raspberries | 8 | Green onions | 3,5 |
| Blueberry | 8 | Radish | 4 |
| Peach | 9 | White cabbage | 5 |
| Apples | 9,5 | Eggplant | 5 |
| Kiwi | 10 | Cauliflower | 5 |
| SEEDS AND NUTS | Fresh tomato | 5 | |
| Pine nuts | 10 | Bulgarian pepper | 5 |
| Almond | 11 | Greens (dill, parsley) | 8 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 12 | SEAFOOD | |
| Walnuts | 12 | Sea kale | 1 |
| Hazelnut | 15 | Squid | 4 |
| Peanut | 15 | Mussels | 5 |
| Sunflower seeds | 18 | Oysters | 7 |
Fish and all types of meat do not contain carbohydrates. The value of dairy products and cereals varies, depending on the manufacturing process, processing, and variety. You can determine it by studying the information indicated on the packaging.
The daily intake of carbohydrates for weight loss is up to 40 units. Within these limits, you can combine any products. However, due to the high carbohydrate content in sugar and flour products, you will have to give them up. After losing weight to the desired level, it is recommended to eat no more than 60 units of carbohydrates per day. This will help you maintain weight.
The Roller Coaster Diet
Roller coaster - a nutrition system designed for 3 weeks. It helps speed up your metabolism by alternating days with different calories. Fatty foods and high-carbohydrate foods are prohibited. The rest of the food can be eaten without restrictions, but within the allowed daily calorie limit.
In the first week of the roller coaster diet, the menu is based on the following scheme: days 1-3 - no more than 600 kcal, days 4-7 - up to 900 kcal. For the next 7 days you can eat within 1200 kcal per day. The third week goes the same way as the first.
Carrot
The yield of this vegetable in the USA has always been high, so the American carrot diet is constantly included in the ratings of the best and most effective. Along with this, she can be given another title - the toughest.
Time frame: 3 days. There is also a 10-day option, but few people can withstand it, and it is fraught with unpleasant consequences for health.
Results: up to 3 kg.
Basic principle: for 3 days eat exclusively carrot salad prepared according to a special recipe. The daily calorie intake does not exceed 500 kcal.
Salad recipe:
- Wash and peel 1 kg of fresh carrots.
- Grate.
- Choose a fruit: grapefruit / green apple / ½ pomegranate / orange / 3 kiwis.
- Rinse, clean. Finely chop or also pass through a grater. Pomegranate seeds are taken whole.
- Mix carrots and fruit slices.
- Season with juice squeezed from 1 lemon, 10 ml honey and 15 ml olive oil.
- Mix.
- Keep refrigerated.
Menu:
- breakfast at 08:00;
- lunch at 11:00;
- lunch at 14:00;
- dinner at 17:00;
- distribute the volume of the resulting salad among the above 4 meals;
- at 19:00 - a glass of freshly squeezed juice (carrot or carrot-apple);
- During the day you can drink green tea without milk and sugar (allowed with lemon) and water.
American diet
There are two other types of diets that are popular in America. The first lasts 13 days, and the second – 21 days.
For 13 days
The American 13-day diet is also called strict. It provides a specific menu from which you cannot deviate.
Those losing weight will need to eliminate alcohol, salt, and sweets. Bread should be replaced with homemade crackers without additives. It is also important to drink at least 1.5 liters of warm water per day.
Daily breakfast consists of 2-3 toasted pieces of bread and a cup of coffee. The rest of the time you need to strictly follow the menu:
- Monday. Boiled eggs (2 pcs.), tomato and spinach salad for lunch. Vegetable salad, boiled meat (lean) for dinner.
- Tuesday. Salad, boiled meat for lunch. A glass of kefir and ham for dinner.
- Wednesday. Fried celery, fresh tomato, any fruit that is not too sweet for lunch. Hard cheese, 2 hard-boiled eggs, fresh grated carrots (200 g) for dinner.
- Thursday. Boiled egg, 200 g of fresh carrots, cheese for lunch. Dinner – fruit salad.
- Friday. Baked or boiled lean fish for lunch, 200 g of fresh carrots for dinner.
- Saturday. Boiled chicken fillet, leafy vegetable salad for lunch. Boiled egg, grated carrots (200 g) for dinner.
- Sunday. Boiled chicken meat, vegetable salad for lunch. Fruit of your choice (several pieces) for dinner.
You can start a diet on any day of the week, but for ease of counting it is better to do it on Monday. Having completed the 7-day cycle, it is repeated in the reverse order, starting with the menu of the 6th day.
For 21 days
The American 21-day diet is based on alternating days on which carbohydrates and proteins are consumed. Food is divided into 5 meals; snacks with approved foods are allowed.
The menu is compiled independently, its approximate version for a protein day looks like this:
- first meal: cottage cheese (200 g) with a spoon of honey;
- second meal: boiled fish or chicken fillet with broth, greens, boiled eggs (2 pcs.);
- third meal: toast with low-fat cheese, kefir (200 g).
If you feel very hungry, you can drink a glass of milk with 1 tsp twice a day. honey
On a carbohydrate day, a sample menu is as follows:
- first meal: a few spoons of oatmeal with an apple;
- second meal: boiled chicken fillet, vegetable soup, bran bread (1 piece);
- third meal: vegetable salad, a slice of bread with cereals, 1 tsp. honey
You can have a snack on this day with moderately sweet fruits - any fruit except bananas and grapes. When thinking through the menu, you need to ensure that the balance of carbohydrates and proteins is maintained.
On a carbohydrate day, you should consume 3-4 g of carbohydrates in combination with 1-2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. The amount of protein on protein days reaches 3-4 g with a simultaneous reduction in carbohydrates to 1 g.
Recipes
Chicken salad with cheese
Boil 500 grams of chicken fillet and finely chop. Finely chop 4 hard-boiled eggs. Grate 200 grams of hard cheese on a beet grater. Chop 1 small onion thinly and finely, pour boiling water over it to get rid of bitterness. Mix all ingredients and season with low-fat sour cream or yogurt.
Omelette with zucchini
Peel 100 grams of zucchini from skin and seeds (if necessary), chop thinly and simmer in a frying pan until soft. Separately, beat 2 eggs and half a glass of milk. Salt the egg-milk mixture and pour into the pan with the zucchini. Cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until done. Sprinkle the finished dish with herbs.
Baked fish
White fish fillet of your choice (600-700 grams), rinse and dry with a paper towel. Prepare the marinade: mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a little pepper, finely chopped dill, chop 1 bay leaf. Lightly salt the fillet and rub with marinade. Place the fish on a greased sheet of foil, top with lemon wedges and chopped green onions. Wrap the fish in foil and bake for 20 minutes at 200°, then open the fish and bake for another 15 minutes until golden brown.
Result
The result of the diet depends on its duration, initial body weight, and level of physical activity while following it. If you strictly follow the diet of American astronauts, you can lose up to 5 kg in the first week, and then 20 kg or more.
Eating according to the “minus dinner” system gives a less noticeable result, but at the same time the weight decreases steadily. In a month, you can get rid of 3-5 kg of fat with its help.
According to reviews, when following the roller coaster diet, weight loss in 3 weeks is 7-9 kg. But for such a result, regular exercise or other physical activity, such as walking, will be required.
The American diet helps you lose up to 5-7 kg of fat for 13 days, and up to 10 kg for 21 days. Of course, if you are a little overweight, the results will be more modest.
What foods should you not eat?
The results of the American diet directly depend on the conscientious implementation of its recommendations. The technique prohibits:
- Bakery and confectionery products.
- Cereals with a high concentration of carbohydrates - wheat, corn, oats.
- Legumes and peanuts.
- Vegetables with a high starch content - potatoes, naturally.
- High-calorie fruits - bananas, grapes.
- Pasta.
- High-calorie and sweet dairy products.
- Carbonated water, concentrated juices, lemonades.
- Alcohol, beer.
Advantages and disadvantages
What's good about American diets? They have many differences, but their common advantages include:
- ease of compliance;
- varied menu;
- acquiring the healthy habit of eating small meals and controlling the amount of food eaten;
- stable results based on burning fat deposits and changing metabolism.
There are also several disadvantages:
- the need for long-term dieting;
- constipation and other gastrointestinal disorders are possible;
- meals should be scheduled, which is not convenient for everyone;
- Counting calories and carbohydrate content can be difficult at first;
- preparing dietary dishes requires additional time and money;
- there are contraindications.
Advice from nutritionists during compliance
For the effectiveness of dietary nutrition, it is important to consider the following recommendations:
- From a possible list of products, choose your favorite ones so that it is not only correct, but also tasty.
- Bean burritos, vegetarian pizza made from whole grain dough, and whole grain chicken sandwiches will help you give up the usual fast food.
- Eating vegetables of different colors all day long: they provide the body with a full range of vitamins and better saturate them due to their visual effect.
- The best fats are olive oil, peanut oil and fish oil.
- It is better to replace sugar with honey and dried fruits.
Contraindications
The American diet does not comply with the classical principles of proper nutrition and is not suitable for everyone. Contraindications include:
- any chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas and liver;
- childhood;
- weakened state of the body due to ARVI and influenza;
- diseases of blood vessels and heart (varicose veins, atherosclerosis, etc.);
- avitaminosis;
- anemia;
- diabetes;
- breastfeeding and pregnancy. Read more about diets allowed for pregnant women→
Even if you feel well, before starting a diet, you should consult with your doctor and undergo general urine and blood tests to ensure your health is normal. Losing weight on the American diet can be very effective, but you should not abuse it.
If the nutrition option is designed for a limited number of days, a break should follow after the end of the cycle. It is not recommended to use the American diet more than 2-3 times a year.
Author: Yana Semich, especially for Mama66.ru
general information
Before starting a diet, it is best to consult a qualified physician. There are characteristics of the body, as well as chronic diseases, in which adherence to a diet is unacceptable. It is also worth paying attention to the ban on eating after 17:00 in the evening, which means that the daily routine needs to be adjusted.
It is also worth remembering to sufficiently consume clean drinking water. Water allows the body to get rid of toxins. Drinking water is also the key to successful weight loss. You should also pay attention to complex vitamins, which will help you avoid such unpleasant moments as loss of strength, dizziness and drowsiness.
If a breakdown occurs and the rules of the diet are violated, first of all there is no need to get upset, but continue the diet from the moment of the breakdown. You can also eat grapefruit after sweets, which will speed up the breakdown of fats.
