- The mechanism behind weight loss
- Pros and cons
- Contraindications
- How to choose?
- Recommendations
- Variations
Many are surprised that in dietary science, a chocolate-based fasting day is proposed for rapid and enjoyable weight loss. Can such a high-calorie and sweet product really help you lose weight? It turns out that even such wonders can happen, and there is still much that we do not know about our own bodies. If you are afraid of bland diets, then this option is a real find for you.
The mechanism behind weight loss
Dietitians have long developed a chocolate-based fasting day, having thoroughly studied its effects on the body. Weight loss is possible thanks 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 microflora in the intestines, thanks to which food is digested more quickly
- eliminate foci of inflammation in the body, which can provoke weight gain
- reduce depression, due to which you no longer need to “seize” stress
- accelerate metabolism
- effectively break down fats, removing them from the body (however, this is quite a long-term process that cannot be completed within a single day, but at least you will start it).
And so it turns out that chocolate, despite its high calorie content (more than 500 kcal per 100 grams), is just as useful for losing weight as many other diet products. The results of such fasting days are proof of this. If you do everything smartly, you can shed up to 1.5 kg.
Origin of the name. The word “chocolate” comes from the Mayan language, where “xocolatl” meant “bitter water”.
Pros and cons
When choosing weight loss with the help of this sweet treat, you need to know what benefits it may have and what pitfalls to expect.
Benefits:
- prevents cardiovascular diseases
- reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks by preventing blood clots
- prevents diabetes, as it controls the process of glucose absorption by the body
- normalizes blood pressure
- promotes vascular elasticity
- alleviates the course of autoimmune diseases
- stimulates intellectual activity, improves memory, and activates thought processes
- antioxidants prevent the formation of tumors
- polyunsaturated acids remove harmful cholesterol
Cons:
- damages tooth enamel
- causes food addiction
- high calorie content
- the minimum daily serving causes hunger pangs—it can be very difficult to endure
- monotony of diet
- adverse effects include nausea and dizziness
- may cause fainting
- often provokes gastrointestinal disorders
- contributes to skin rashes
Significant harm from such fasting days can only be felt in extreme cases: when contraindications were ignored or the recommended dosage was increased.
Additional information. Chocolate improves the heart, strengthens and cleanses blood vessels from cholesterol plaques.
Contraindications
You should not take note of chocolate fasting days if you have the following contraindications:
- cocoa bean allergy
- pregnancy
- diabetes
- obesity
- hypotension
- gout
- urolithiasis
- joint diseases
- insomnia
- metabolic disorders
Of course, 100 g of a bar eaten within 24 hours 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 toxic to animals?
How to choose?
The assortment of chocolate today is so diverse that the problem of choice involuntarily arises. Porous, dessert, vegan, diabetic, powdered, liquid… Which variety will contribute to maximum weight loss as part of a fasting day? After all, if you make a mistake on this issue, instead of losing weight, you can gain weight.
- Dark
The most optimal option recommended by dietitians is to lose weight on dark chocolate. The percentage of cocoa beans, which are responsible for weight loss, is the highest in it: more than 55%. It is better to choose indicators starting from 75%—there will be more benefits. This is exactly the product that is labeled “dark.” If the numbers are less, the packaging will say “dark” or “black.”
- Milk
Undoubtedly, it is much more pleasant to lose weight on milk chocolate, as it has a very mild and delicate taste and literally melts in your mouth. However, the cocoa bean content is minimal, which means that all the hardships of the fasting day may remain completely unnoticed. Moreover, dry milk or cream with a fat content of 2.5% in its composition are far from being dietary products, and there is practically no benefit from them. So nutritionists do not recommend this type.
- White
You can find everything on the Internet. Even such a paradox as a menu for a fasting day with white chocolate. Although there is not a single gram of cocoa beans in this delicacy, which starts all the processes in the body that lead to weight loss. So nothing more useless can be found to combat those extra pounds.
Other varieties also have no value in terms of weight loss, so you can safely avoid them.
Interesting fact. The most expensive chocolate is “Chocopologie by Knipschildt.” 453 g of this delicacy will cost $2,600.
Recommendations
To achieve results, learn how to properly conduct a fasting day and recover from it without causing harm to your health.
Preparation
Chocolate fasting is real stress for the body, which it may not react to at all the way you want. Therefore, it is so important to prepare him for this event in advance. To do this, take the following steps 2-3 days before it.
- Start drinking lots of water.
- Gradually exclude from your diet alcohol, carbonated drinks, fried foods, pickled, smoked, fatty, salty products, and fast food.
- Switch to a five-time meal plan.
- Eat 20-30 grams of dark chocolate daily.
- Get enough sleep.
- Do sports.
- Dinner should be as light as possible on the eve of fasting, and it is better to drink a glass of low-fat kefir before going to bed.
Fasting
- The recommended daily amount is 100 g of dark chocolate.
- Use scheme: divide into 5 equal portions, which should be eaten at equal intervals.
- It is allowed to drink the treat with drinks such as green tea (you can use various fat-burning additives in the form of cinnamon or lemon) and herbal decoctions. Kefir and milk do not quite fit into the scheme, but as an exception, if they are fat-free, then they are also allowed. Everything listed must be unsweetened.
- It is imperative to adhere to the drinking regime—at least 2 liters of clean water.
- Physical activity is contraindicated on this day. Only a short walk and a 10-minute morning workout are possible.
- As soon as you feel dizzy or nauseous, it is recommended to drink sweet
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