The lemon diet to lose belly is an effective method if your goal is to lose a few kilos in a short time. It is a restrictive diet, that is, it limits the intake of certain foods and its main ingredient is lemon juice, which takes advantage of its properties and its ability to help purify the body.
It is important to follow a series of guidelines to carry it correctly without being harmful and, in addition, to follow it for a short period of time. If, especially with the arrival of good weather and the imminent “bikini operation”, you want to lose some weight, in this article we explain what it is like and how to do the lemon diet.
How is the lemon diet
Lemon is citrus rich in vitamin C, which also provides good amounts of vitamin B6 and essential minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and iron. It is, therefore, a healthy ingredient in any diet, but it is also an excellent diuretic that helps purify the body, helping to eliminate fats and toxins.
The lemon diet takes advantage of these properties with a double objective: on the one hand, to avoid fluid retention, which tends to favor belly swelling, and, on the other, to facilitate weight loss. Next, I show you the main characteristics of the lemon diet:
- It should not be followed for more than 5 – 7 days: it is one of the so-called detox diets, which should not be followed for more than 5 – 7 days and requires starting every morning drinking water with lemon on an empty stomach, in an approximate proportion of 1 glass of water (about 200 ml) and the juice of half a lemon.
- Lemonade at least three times a day: this must be done especially after lunch and dinner. If you want, also at mid-morning and a snack. To subtract acidity from the mixture, if desired, you can add some sweetener (without calories) or a small spoonful of maple syrup to the water with lemon.
- Lemon as the main ingredient in dressings: lemon is the basis of this diet and to obtain the expected results with it, its juice should also be used as the main ingredient in dressings for different foods, especially salads and fish. In addition, it can be included, for example, as a complement to the different infusions that you can take, such as tea or chamomile.
- Limited solid intake: as we have indicated, it is a restrictive diet and it must go from less to more, that is, in the first two days, the solid intake must be limited, prevailing the intake of water with lemon, in order to achieve Eliminate the maximum amount of fats and toxins in an internal purification process. From the second or third year, the diet combines lemon juice with a greater variety of healthy foods that must always be low in fat.
- Cooked on the grill, steamed or baked: fruits, vegetables, poultry and lean meats, fish, eggs, skimmed dairy products, legumes, and cereals (pasta) better integral and always in moderation, are foods allowed in the diet with which to prepare the different dishes that must be prepared with the cooking methods that require less fat, that is, grilled, baked or steamed.
- Abundant water intake: it must be remembered that the diet requires the intake of a sufficient amount of water (in addition to water with lemon) to maintain good hydration and to increase its effectiveness.
- Carrying out moderate exercise: doing physical activity is also a fundamental help to achieve the objectives of the lemon diet.
Is the lemon diet effective?
It is estimated that losing 2-4 kilos in a week is possible with the lemon diet, but the physiological characteristics of each person, their metabolism, and also the more or less strict follow-up of the diet must be taken into account. In the face of adverse symptoms, such as fatigue, dizziness, or headaches, it should be suspended.
In one or two days, this diet can purify the body and deflate the belly. Throughout the week, avoiding the intake of fats, fried foods, or foods rich in carbohydrates, as well as eliminating sauces or industrial pastries are effective measures when it comes to losing a few kilos in record time.
Even so, it must be remembered that the lemon diet is a very short-term diet and can have a rebound effect, that is, those lost kilos may be easily recovered. Only a varied and balanced diet combined with sufficient exercise achieves, in the long run, a healthy weight that is maintained over time.
The lemon diet can be effective to detoxify the body through the intake of water and citrus juice, but with it, what is mainly eliminated are liquids. If you want to lose weight safely and effectively, consultation with your doctor or nutritionist is always advisable.
How to do the lemon diet
The lemon diet can come in handy to lose a few kilos at a specific time and also as a first cleansing step to then continue the weight loss process with another less restrictive diet. If you are determined, an example of a menu that can serve as a base is the following:
- Upon waking: water with lemon on an empty stomach.
- Breakfast: 1 low-calorie fruit (pear, apple, plum, orange, strawberries…), a glass of skimmed milk, or yogurt. If you prefer, you can also drink an infusion with a slice of lemon.
- Mid-morning: a small handful of nuts, a slice of natural pineapple, and some whole-grain crackers.
- Lunches and dinners: you can choose between meat and fish always baked or grilled, for example, grilled chicken breast or beef fillet with steamed vegetables, vinaigrette beans or lentil salad, grilled tuna with assorted salad, Baked sea bass with vegetable stew, pumpkin or zucchini cream, roast chicken, spaghetti or pesto macaroni, omelette made with just a tablespoon of oil accompanied by tomato slices… are some of the dishes that you can prepare for meals and dinners remembering to drink after each one of them the water with lemon.
- Snack: fruit, tea with lemon, a portion of fresh cheese, or cottage cheese.
Remember that you must drink a sufficient amount of water, accompany the lemon diet with some exercise and not prolong it in time for more than 5-7 days.
Now that you know what the lemon diet to lose belly is like, you may be interested in knowing some recipes that you can take, such as How to make ginger and lemon water and Lemon and parsley juice to lose weight.
