Is water therapy for weight loss right for you? What are the requirements of the Japanese diet: menu and food options. What result is worth waiting for?
Water-based slimming therapy originated in Japan and has become very popular around the world in recent years. It is called the Japanese diet, although it is more of a hydration regime than an eating plan. Observing this, you get a good hydration of the body and get rid of excess weight.
Principles of the Japanese diet
The advantage of a nutritional system is that it does not need to adapt to the diet and give up favorite foods.
But there are several conditions to be met:
Start the day with water.Drink four to five glasses of water at room temperature on an empty stomach every morning. Too much? It's really. But that is the essence of water therapy. The body should receive as much water as possible. If it is difficult to start with this "dosage", do it gradually. Let there be a glass or two at the beginning. Within a few weeks, bring the amount of liquid consumed in the morning to the recommended rate.
Drink "thirsty" throughout the day.The amount of liquid you drink during the day is not regulated. You can drink as much as you want. Listen to your feelings. Often, the body masks the need for water under the sensation of hunger.
Reduce your food intake to 15 minutes.The time interval during which you can eat is 15 minutes. That said, the Japanese diet does not determine what you should eat. In theory, you can eat anything. A 15-minute window will prevent you from overeating or overeating.
Eat at most two hours later.The number of meals per day is also limited. But the next appointment should not take place until two hours after the previous one.
Drinking enough water cleanses the digestive system, improves intestinal health and prevents constipation. The fluid leaves the stomach full and reduces cravings for food.
Research data shows that overweight people who drank 500 ml of water 30 minutes before meals ate 13% less food. And that in the long run helped them to reduce body weight.
According to scientific evidence, drinking water increases your resting energy expenditure. This means that, even with your daily activities, you will burn more calories than before. Increasing energy consumption and, at the same time, reducing food intake will inevitably lead to weight loss.
Japanese diet: menu, effectiveness
Although the diet does not impose restrictions on the choice of products, it is necessary to approach this issue carefully. After all, it is excess calories from the diet that often becomes the cause of weight gain.
Avoid sources of "empty calories": sugar, desserts, baked goods, normal pasta, polished rice. Replace them with long carbohydrate sources: whole grains, whole breads. Include more protein foods in your diet: meat, fish, dairy, vegetables. Don't forget fruits and vegetables: vegetables should be used with every meal. Replace desserts with fruit.
Switching to a new diet will allow you to safely reduce weight (up to four kilograms per month). This slow weight loss does not overwhelm the body. And it helps to maintain the result achieved, to continue reducing the weight to normal.
Adequate physical activity helps to improve and accelerate results: running, walking, swimming, physical preparation. Any type of physical activity that you enjoy will help you lose weight.
Benefits and contraindications of the Japanese diet
Food advocates argue that this meal plan is not just about losing weight. But also:
- improves brain function;
- gives energy and vigor;
- helps to control blood pressure;
- prevents headaches.
These effects are the logical result of normal body hydration. And if you didn't drink enough water the day before, you will really feel better.
But it is important to keep in mind that each person's need for fluid is different. It depends on body weight, physical activity. Excess water is no less dangerous than the lack of it. It can cause a critical drop in blood sodium levels. And lead to hyponatremia - a condition in which characteristic symptoms of poisoning occur: vomiting, nausea, loss of consciousness.
While drinking four to five glasses of water at a time is unlikely to cause hyponatremia, you should be careful with your body. And don't forcibly "pour" liquid on you.
People with kidney failure should not be at risk and start water therapy without consulting a doctor. And if you feel discomfort during the Japanese diet, you should reduce your water intake.