Mono diet - what is it, the most effective mono diets for weight loss

General information

The desire to become slimmer encourages people to look for a wide variety of methods to intensify weight loss. One of the most popular methods for rapid weight loss is mono-diets .
This technique is best suited for those who want to get rid of a few extra pounds. It is quite possible to use this technique for those who have gained a little weight after the holidays. That is, a mono-diet is a kind of unloading of the body. In just a few days of eating this way, you can not only lose a little weight, but also feel lighter by changing your eating habits after the diet. However, nutritionists do not always approve of this method of losing weight.
This article will discuss what a mono-diet is, whether it causes harm to the body, and how to practice this method of losing weight to get maximum benefit.

Who is the diet suitable for?

With the help of a mono-diet, you can quickly get rid of a small amount of extra pounds, so this type is suitable for those people who do not have a lot of weight. For example, such diets are often resorted to after the holidays or before an important event, when you need to quickly get your body in order in 2-3 days.

Also, this diet is suitable for those people who do not like to wait a long time for results. However, it is worth noting that rapid weight loss does not always equal retention of the effect. There is a high probability that as soon as you return to your usual type of diet, the kilograms will return again. Still, nutrition needs to be reviewed, forever removing sweets, flour, and fatty foods from the diet. This is the only way the effect will remain forever.

What is a mono diet

Following a mono-diet means that a person will consume only one product for a certain amount of time. As a rule, this period lasts up to 3 days. However, it is also customary to call mono-diets those nutritional systems that need to be followed for a longer period of time, and at the same time the only product consumed changes every few days. According to some nutritionists, mono-diets can also include those systems in which you are allowed to eat different foods, but one still dominates the diet, and you need to eat a certain amount of it per day.

There is another classification of mono-diets - they are divided into strict and gentle.

Strict ones involve taking only one product.
Gentle - taking the main product in combination with small quantities of others.

But in any case, a mono-diet is a test for the body. In the process of observing it, a person sharply limits the total daily caloric intake, due to which active weight loss occurs, since the body uses fat deposits as an energy reserve.

Advantages and disadvantages

When intending to adhere to such a nutritional system, a person must initially take into account the positive and negative aspects that should be expected from such a diet.

The positive aspects include the fact that this diet, even for three days, allows you to get tangible results, since weight decreases quite quickly. Consequently, it is easier to bear such costs psychologically, since quickly losing excess weight encourages you to hold on longer. In addition, there are many options for mono-diet, and you can choose exactly the product that a person loves and eats with pleasure, to make it easier to endure this period.

The negative of mono-diets, first of all, is that the weight lost after the end of the diet period comes back very quickly, especially if after the mono-diet a person does not limit himself to anything at all. Therefore, after following such a diet plan, in order to maintain the result, it is recommended to still maintain certain dietary restrictions, periodically practice fasting days and try to generally introduce the principles of healthy eating into your life.

Another noticeable disadvantage is the limited supply of substances important for the body during the period when a person adheres to such a diet. Therefore, mono-diets for longer than three days are not recommended. A lack of minerals, vitamins and other important components will have an extremely bad effect on the general condition of the body, so such diets should not be practiced often.
So, a three-day mono-diet should not be followed more often than once every two months. A more optimal choice in this case would be to observe fasting days once every 1-2 weeks.

Reviews

Maria
After giving birth, I could not return to my previous weight. Physical activity was contraindicated for me. I decided to try the buckwheat diet. The feeling, of course, is so-so. Now I can’t stand buckwheat. I stayed on the diet for three days. I couldn't do it anymore. Eating unleavened buckwheat is not for me. Although the result was pleasing - minus 3 kilograms, but, alas, not for long. A month later I already weighed 6 kilograms more!
Anna
I am a seafood lover. Therefore, before the vacation, I decided to get in shape and go on a fish diet. I only completed it in 4 days. The result is minus 2 kilos. Still, it is necessary to listen to the advice of nutritionists and not neglect them.
During the diet, I had a loss of energy and a bad mood. At the end of the fourth day, I couldn’t look at the fish. And yet, my breath smelled terrible. I had to brush my teeth all the time. And the weight, by the way, came back within a week. I don’t recommend anyone to go on mono-diets.
Galina
Mono-diets are my “element”. I have tried a lot of diets (over my 20s). The most effective thing for me is alternating monodays with different products. I lasted 4 weeks - and this is my record. The result is minus 8 kilograms. There is no feeling of hunger, I am full all the time. But one moment - the hair began to come out in clumps. And after the meat days I suffered from constipation. But I'm happy with the result. I hope the weight doesn't come back.

Choosing a mono-diet

To get the expected result, it is important to choose the right mono-diet. In this case, other people's reviews are not as important as your own preferences and feelings. Therefore, one should focus on which of the products that form the basis of the diet is most optimally perceived by a person. Nutritionists do not recommend relying on reviews, since each person’s body perceives a particular nutritional system individually. If you choose the right diet, then even one product a day will be perceived as normal, and a mono-diet will give the expected results.

See a nutritionist...

It is worth noting that qualified nutritionists are far from clear about mono-diets. Reviews of the most effective mono-diets by nutritionists are not always favorable due to the limited number of nutrients entering the body.

But all experts in this area agree on one opinion - mono-diets are exceptional in their effect on fasting days, but not longer than 3 days in a row.

Important Tips

Whatever diet a person chooses, when practicing it, it is important to drink enough fluid. You can drink pure still water throughout the day in almost any quantity; you can also brew herbal or green tea without sugar. In most cases, a morning cup of coffee without sugar is allowed, but you should not abuse it.
If the diet is planned to last longer than three days, then the days need to be alternated. For example, one day can be protein - you can consume lean meat, fish or cottage cheese. The second is carbohydrate, when you need to eat, say, buckwheat porridge throughout the day. The third is vegetable, when a person eats green salads. There are also many options for such alternating diets. But if, for example, a mono-diet is planned for 5 days, then these 5 days can, as an option, be planned independently according to the principle indicated above.
Before you begin to follow such a nutritional system, you need to prepare your body a little for such a test. About a week before starting a mono-diet, you should reduce the amount of sweets and fatty foods in your diet, which will help prepare for a strict nutrition system. For two days you need to reduce the amount of food you eat. It is strictly forbidden to overeat on the eve of starting a diet.
After several strict days, you should also not immediately start eating everything. You should gradually switch to a normal diet and at the same time try to reduce the amount of junk food and alcohol to a minimum. On the first day, you should eat only light foods that are easy to digest - for example, vegetable dishes and fruits. Ideally, after such a diet, a person should reconsider their eating habits and switch to a healthier diet. If you can’t do this right away, then after several “sessions” of the diet you still need to switch to a healthy diet. Otherwise, the results achieved will disappear very quickly.
It is better to choose a diet that is based on a product that is accessible and well accepted by the body.
To make the process as comfortable as possible, it is better to choose a system where you do not need to cook very complex dishes. The easier it is to prepare the dishes provided for in a mono-diet, the easier it will be for a person to follow it.

The most effective mono-diets for quick weight loss

Thus, the most effective mono-diets for each person must be selected individually. Below are the best of the most popular diets that are based on the consumption of one food and dishes from it.

Kefir

Its essence is very simple: throughout the day you need to drink one liter of kefir without additives. For those who feel very hungry, you can increase the amount of kefir to one and a half liters. It is important that the kefir is fresh.

For those who find it difficult to withstand three days on kefir, you can use a lighter option - not only drink kefir, but also eat fresh vegetables and fruits (no more than 500 g per day). You need to take low-fat kefir and drink it in 5-6 doses throughout the day.

This mono-diet is quite effective, but if you believe the reviews about it, it is quite difficult to maintain such a regime. Therefore, it is better to start with a fasting day on kefir.

Rice

Since rice is a very nutritious cereal, and at the same time it can effectively absorb and remove toxins and salts from the body, it is recommended to “sit” on rice periodically not only for weight loss, but also for health improvement.

A strict version of such a mono-diet requires that a person eats only boiled rice for three days, without seasoning it with salt and spices. For one day you need to cook one glass (250 g) of rice and divide it into 5-6 portions. You can wash down small portions of rice with natural apple juice or drink pure water and herbal tea throughout the day. You are also allowed to eat 2-3 apples per day.

A gentle version of this diet involves consuming a small amount of vegetables or boiled meat (200 g per day).

To get the most pronounced effect, you need to take unrefined, unpolished rice, then both weight loss and cleansing will be as pronounced as possible. This variety of this cereal contains more substances important for the body compared to purified ones.

When adhering to such a mono-diet, you should additionally take potassium supplements to prevent a deficiency of this element.

Buckwheat

This option is good because when eating buckwheat, a person feels full, but at the same time loses weight and at the same time provides a noticeable cleansing of the body. To carry out this cleansing, you need to take a glass of cereal, pour boiling water over it and leave it to steep overnight, wrapping the container with buckwheat in a towel. In the morning, steamed buckwheat should be eaten in small portions without salt or spices. It is allowed to consume buckwheat with low-fat kefir. You can drink no more than one liter during the day. It is permissible to drink water without restrictions. Before going to bed, you can drink half a glass of kefir.

In the morning of every day you need to drink one glass of water at room temperature.

The entire daily portion of buckwheat is divided into 4 servings. During the day, you can drink 2 glasses of cabbage or pumpkin juice, but this is provided that the buckwheat diet is practiced without consuming kefir.

Curd

The day before starting the cottage cheese diet, you should drink as much water and weak tea as possible. On this day it is advisable to eat as little as possible. The cottage cheese diet involves consuming 400 g of cottage cheese throughout the day. It needs to be divided into 4 parts. You should also eat 2 tsp per day. bran, which can be eaten separately or added to cottage cheese. You need to drink a lot of water these days. It is also recommended to drink rosehip decoction without sugar.

Cucumber

By following this diet for several days, you can not only lose weight, but also overcome the problem of swelling. For those who intend to try such a mono-diet for the first time, these days you can eat cucumber salad with the addition of herbs and olive oil. But ideally, such a nutritional system involves consuming 1.5 kg of cucumbers per day for three days. You can eat one apple at night.

During these three days, metabolic processes will improve, the intestines will be cleansed, and a pronounced diuretic effect will be noted.

Apple

This diet will be easy to follow only for those who love apples. After all, every day you need to eat up to one and a half kilograms of apples. You can also drink green tea without sugar. If you feel very hungry, you can eat rye crackers.

This diet is effective for weight loss and also allows you to enrich the body with vitamins. In this sense, fasting days on apples, which are recommended for people with atherosclerosis and hypertension .

This diet can be carried out according to several schemes:

Eat as many apples as you want every day and drink herbal tea without sugar.
Eat an apple 5-6 times a day and drink 100 g of kefir. This type of unloading is sometimes recommended for pregnant women suffering from toxicosis . But expectant mothers should not stick to this diet for more than one day.
Throughout the day you need to eat one and a half kilograms of apples. At the same time, it is recommended to drink liquids as little as possible.

Oatmeal

This diet is also relatively easy to maintain, but only if the person loves oatmeal. The porridge is prepared without salt and seasonings, using water. On oatmeal days, you can drink plenty of water, as well as herbal or green tea with lemon. You are also allowed to drink a glass of kefir a day.

Porridge is prepared from Hercules flakes. You need to take a glass of flakes and pour boiling water over them, then leave for about 7 minutes. You can take more water so that the porridge is not thick. Some diet descriptions note that you can eat vegetable salads without oil with oatmeal.

Watermelon

Many people really like this healthy diet. But you cannot observe it for longer than three days. Sticking to such a diet is not difficult: you need to eat a certain amount of watermelon per day - at the rate of 0.5 kg of pulp per 10 kg of person’s weight. But at the same time, it is very important to listen to your well-being, especially from the very beginning. If you are not bothered by flatulence and other unpleasant sensations in the stomach, then you can continue the watermelon mono-diet.

You can practice a gentle option: in this case, for one meal (breakfast or lunch) you need to eat a fresh salad and some fish or meat.

However, for those who suffer from diabetes , have problems with the pancreas or suffer from urolithiasis ,

You can't practice eating like this.

Chocolate

You can lose weight even by consuming chocolate. But such a mono-diet will appeal more to those who really love sweets. The advantage of such a nutritional system is a feeling of satiety, since chocolate is a high-calorie product.

This diet involves consuming 125 g of chocolate per day. In the morning you can eat 50 g of chocolate with coffee or tea, in the next three doses - 25 g each. During the day you can drink tea or coffee with milk twice.

diabetes , as well as those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract,
should not practice this diet Another “side effect” of such a diet may be a temporary aversion to sweets.

Seven-day technique

If you need to lose more than 3 kg or do it with less harm to the body, then it is better to choose a weekly version of the kefir mono-diet.

In this case, an additional product is added to the fermented milk drink in a small amount, which is also divided into several doses throughout the day. To reduce the negative impact of the diet to a minimum, you can use a chain of mono-diet, which looks like this:

1 day – 1.5 liters of kefir and 4 boiled or baked medium-sized potatoes, 1.5 liters of water;
Day 2 – 1.5 liters of kefir and 120 g of boiled chicken without skin, fat, salt and spices, 1.5 liters of water;
Day 3 – 1.5 liters of kefir and 120 g of boiled beef without fat, salt and spices, 1.5 liters of water;
Day 4 – 1.5 liters of kefir, 800 g of any vegetables – cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, cabbage, etc., 1.5 liters of water;
Day 5 – 1.5 liters of kefir, 120 g of lean fish, boiled or steamed, 1.5 liters of water;
Day 6 – 2 liters of kefir, unlimited amount of water;
Day 7 – unlimited amount of water.

The last two days will be the most difficult, but after them you can’t immediately pounce on your favorite foods that have been banned for so long, otherwise everything you lost will come back again. As a result of such a diet, you can get rid of 5-7 kg, depending on the initial state of your figure.

Exit from mono-diet

You can get out of such a diet correctly if you follow a few simple rules:

Do not relax after completing a three-day fast, try to stay on track with proper nutrition and abstinence from harmful substances.
Start transitioning to normal eating smoothly and slowly. Every day you should gradually introduce 1-2 products so that the stomach can adapt to the usual diet.
Finally, the right attitude towards the process of losing weight is important - if you believe in overall success and that in the end you will be able to switch to proper nutrition, then everything will work out.

Negative effects of mono-diets

Many people think that such nutrition is a real panacea. But in fact, it is important to take into account the negative impact that can be observed even with a three-day mono diet. After all, when consuming a particular product, certain negative effects may be observed.

Rice - its excessive consumption leads to thickening of bile , which, in turn, is a prerequisite for the formation of gallstones. the hemoglobin level in the blood decreases . In addition, such a diet leads to a lack of vitamins in the body.
Kefir - it disrupts intestinal motility and can lead to either diarrhea or constipation.
Cottage cheese - can disrupt calcium metabolism and provoke a large protein load on the body.
Apples - in this case, the body will be completely deprived of protein. And if you stick to such a mono-diet for more than three days, it can even lead to changes in the endocrine system.
Watermelons - their consumption leads to the fact that fat-soluble vitamins stop being absorbed into the blood due to the lack of fat in them.
Raw vegetables – there is a negative effect on the body’s enzymatic systems.

Long-term mono-diets

Those who still want to follow a mono-diet for a longer period need to approach nutrition in a completely different way. A mono-diet for a week can be followed by combining several different diets. That is, for a week you need to provide such food so that on each day you eat one specific product. However, when choosing products for 7 days, you should take into account some important points.

First of all, all the products that the mono-diet provides for 7 days should be as light as possible. These can be vegetables, fruits, dairy products. Another important point is that every day the product should be divided into equal parts and eaten in 5-6 doses. Then the principles of fractional nutrition will be taken into account, which will have a positive effect on the body as a whole and on weight loss.

If you start a diet on Monday, then its option may be as follows:

Monday – a kilogram of any fruit (apples, citrus fruits, berries).
Tuesday – 500 g of boiled chicken fillet.
Wednesday – a kilogram of any fresh vegetables, except tomatoes.
Thursday – stewed vegetables without oil. For example, you can take a zucchini weighing about a kilogram and stew it without salt with a small amount of dill or other green spices.
Friday – half a kilogram of low-fat cottage cheese or one liter of milk.
Saturday – buckwheat (at the rate of one glass of dry cereal, poured with boiling water).
Sunday is watermelon day.

You can create your own version of such a system, but it is very important to alternate protein and carbohydrate days. During this period, you can drink green or herbal tea. Coffee is not recommended, but for those who find it difficult to give it up, you can drink a small cup of a natural drink in the morning.

Vegetables

A mono-diet of vegetables allows you to lose weight, cleanse your intestines and skin, and improve your complexion. Ideal for summer. At this time of year, vegetables are affordable and pleasingly natural. You can eat tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, cabbage of all types, greens, carrots.

Basic Rules:

You need to eat at least 1 kg of vegetables per day, maximum 2 kg.
It is advisable to eat every 2 hours. You can eat at night.
Vegetables cannot be heat treated; we eat them raw.
You can make salads, smoothies, and squeeze juices.
You can consume salt, but not more than 3 g.

Fresh vegetable salads can be seasoned with low-fat kefir, but not more than 100 ml per day. The duration of the vegetable mono-diet is from one to ten days.

conclusions

There are a very large number of different mono-diets. However, no matter which one a person undertakes to practice, it is important to observe it for no longer than three days. Otherwise, the body may not receive enough of the substances it needs, which will negatively affect health.

For those who find it difficult to eat the same food for several days, it is recommended to practice fasting days, which will help stimulate metabolism and slightly reduce weight, but will not cause significant harm.

In general, mono-diets are quite a serious test for the body. Therefore, for those who want to lose weight and improve their health, it is better to choose more gentle nutrition systems that involve a healthy and varied diet.