- Weight loss mechanism
- Benefits and harms
- Contraindications
- How to choose
- Recommendations
- Options
Many people are surprised that nutritionists recommend a fasting day on chocolate to lose weight quickly and with pleasure. Can such a high-calorie and sweet product really reduce weight? It turns out that miracles can happen, and we still don’t know much about our bodies. If you are afraid of bland fasting days, this option is a real find for you.
Weight loss mechanism
Nutritionists have developed a chocolate fasting day long ago, and its effect on the body has been studied in detail. Weight loss becomes possible due to cocoa beans, which:
- prevent the development of insulin resistance (which is the most common cause of obesity) and improve the regulation of glucose consumption;
- support healthy intestinal microflora, which helps digest food faster;
- eliminate inflammation in the body, which can provoke weight gain;
- reduce depression, so you no longer need to “seize” stress;
- speed up metabolism;
- effectively break down fats and remove them from the body (although this is a rather lengthy process that cannot be completed within one day, but at least you will start it).
Thus, despite its high calorie content (more than 500 kcal per 100 g), chocolate is just as good for weight loss as many other dietary products. The results of such fasting days are proof of this. If done correctly, you can lose up to 1.5 kg.
Origin of the name. The word “chocolate” comes from the Mayan language, where “xocolatl” meant “bitter water”.
Benefits and harms
When deciding to lose weight with this treat, you need to understand its benefits and potential drawbacks.
Benefits:
- prevents cardiovascular diseases;
- reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks by preventing blood clots;
- prevents diabetes by controlling the body’s absorption of glucose;
- normalizes blood pressure;
- contributes to the elasticity of blood vessels;
- eases the course of autoimmune diseases;
- stimulates intellectual activity, improves memory, activates thought processes;
- antioxidant substances prevent the formation of tumors;
- polyunsaturated acids remove harmful cholesterol.
Harmful effects:
- destroys tooth enamel;
- causes food addiction;
- high calorie content;
- the small daily serving makes you feel hungry – it can be very difficult to endure;
- lack of variety in the diet;
- side effects include nausea and dizziness;
- fainting is possible;
- often provokes gastrointestinal disorders;
- contributes to skin rashes.
The apparent harm from such fasting days can only be felt in extreme cases: when contraindications have been ignored or the recommended dosage has been increased.
Additional information. Chocolate improves heart function, strengthens and cleanses blood vessels from cholesterol plaques.
Contraindications
You should not consider chocolate fasting days if you have the following contraindications:
- allergy to cocoa beans;
- pregnancy;
- diabetes;
- obesity;
- hypotension;
- gout;
- urolithiasis;
- joint diseases;
- insomnia;
- metabolic disorders.
Of course, 100 g of chocolate eaten during the day will not provoke an exacerbation of gout or osteochondrosis, but unpleasant side effects are quite possible.
Did you know that… chocolate contains “theobromine” – a substance that makes this product poisonous to animals?
How to choose
The range of chocolates available today is so diverse that the problem of choice inevitably arises. Porous, dessert, vegan, diabetic, powdered, liquid… Which type will promote maximum weight loss during a fasting day? After all, if you make a mistake in this matter, instead of losing weight, you can gain it.
- Black / dark / bitter
The most optimal option recommended by nutritionists is to lose weight on dark chocolate. It has the highest percentage of cocoa beans, which are responsible for weight loss: above 55%. It is better to choose indicators starting from 75% – this will be more beneficial. Such a product is labeled “bitter”. If the numbers are less, the packaging will indicate “dark” or “black”.
- Milk
Undoubtedly, it is much more pleasant to lose weight on milk chocolate, as it tastes very soft and tender, literally melting in your mouth. However, the content of cocoa beans in it is minimal, which means that all the hardships of a fasting day may remain completely unnoticed. And dry milk or cream with a fat content of 2.5% is far from being a dietary product, and there is practically no benefit from them. So nutritionists do not recommend this type.
- White
You can find anything on the Internet. Even such a paradox as a fasting day menu on white chocolate. Although this treat contains absolutely no cocoa beans, which trigger all the processes in the body that lead to weight loss. So there is nothing more useless for combating extra pounds.
Other types of chocolate are also of no value in losing weight, so you can resolutely bypass them.
This is interesting. The most expensive chocolate is “Chocopologie by Knipschildt”. 453 g of the treat costs $2,600.
Recommendations
To achieve results, learn how to conduct a fasting day correctly and get out of it without harm to your health.
Preparation
Chocolate starvation is a real stress for the body, and it may not react to it the way you want it to. That is why it is so important to prepare it for this event in advance. To do this, take the following steps 2-3 days before the event.
- Start drinking plenty of water.
- Gradually exclude alcohol, carbonated drinks, fried dishes, pickled, smoked, fatty, salty products, and fast food from your diet.
- Switch to five meals a day.
- Eat 20-30 g of dark chocolate daily.
- Get enough sleep.
- Do sports.
- On the eve of the fast, dinner should be as light as possible, and before going to bed it is better to drink a glass of low-fat kefir.
Fasting
- The recommended daily volume is 100 g of dark chocolate.
- Scheme of use: divide into 5 equal portions, which should be eaten at equal intervals.
- It is allowed to wash down the treat with drinks such as green tea (it can be with various fat-burning additives in the form of cinnamon or lemon) and herbal teas. Kefir and milk do not quite fit into the scheme, but for the sake of an exception, if they are fat-free, they are also allowed. All of the above should be unsweetened.
- It is imperative to observe a drinking regimen – at least 2 liters of clean water.
- Physical activity is contraindicated on this day. Only a short walk and a 10-minute morning exercise are possible.
- As soon as you feel dizzy or nauseous, it is recommended to drink sweet tea and lie down. And after half an hour, eat a full meal. These side effects are alarming signals that this way of losing weight is contraindicated for you.
Exit
The morning after a chocolate day, you will
