Fasting day on coffee for weight loss: benefits and recipes

Coffee controversy: what is the truth?

When something causes conflicting opinions (sharp negativity is replaced by delight and admiration), this means that you need to look for a middle ground. To understand for whom a fasting day on coffee is ideal and for whom it is contraindicated, it is important to clearly understand the positive and negative aspects of the drink.

pros

If we put aside the emotions of the fans, there are quite a few positive moments left:

1. Gives a powerful energy boost to the body, increases physical and mental performance (caffeine is responsible).
2. Reduces cholesterol concentration, improves microcirculation, strengthens the vascular wall (vitamins PP, P and B3, which are formed during roasting of grains).
3. Normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (chlorogenic acid and tannins).
4. Antiseptic effect, which is important for preventing fermentation processes and improving the activity of normal intestinal microflora (essential oils).
5. Improved mood (unique taste and aroma that can relieve depression).

Minuses

The negative effect is primarily due to caffeine. Moreover, quantity is important here. If 1-2 mugs usually have no consequences, then 6-7 immediately affect your health:

1. Regular use creates psychological dependence.
2. Increases heart rate and blood pressure (short-term effect).
3. Enhances the excretion of minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium).
4. Strong diuretic effect (risk of dehydration).

If you think about it, many negative effects can be successfully used when losing weight. The main thing is to observe moderation. A properly organized coffee fasting day will help you lose up to 1 kg of excess weight. In a month this is already 3-4 kg, and you don’t have to exhaust yourself with long-term fasting. It is enough to enjoy the exquisite taste and aroma once a week in combination with some dietary products.

Advantages and disadvantages of the technique

Despite the fragrant aroma, bitter taste and pleasant aftertaste, spending a day on coffee alone is not easy. The result of a health-improving and cleansing diet and the state upon completion of unloading depends on the type of drink consumed and susceptibility to caffeine.

Instant coffee is not beneficial for the body. It contains a minimum of vitamins and oils. Inexpensive varieties of grains are used to produce such products. Often the composition contains synthetic additives, dyes and flavors. Instant coffee can oxidize the body, which leads to diseases of the stomach, pancreas, liver and intestines. Drinking the drink on an empty stomach negatively affects the functioning of the gallbladder.

Not suitable for cleaning coffee powder and granules. Stabilizers and preservatives included in the composition impair metabolism inside cells. With regular consumption of the drink, fat deposits appear and cellulite develops.

On a diet you need to drink only natural coffee

All qualities of the beans are preserved in freeze-dried and ground coffee. Compared to powdered and granulated varieties, ground whole grains contain 1.5 times more fatty acids, potassium and magnesium. However, frequent consumption of freshly brewed bitter drink can cause headache, dry mouth, nausea, and heartburn.

The most common alternative to coffee is a plant-based substitute (chicory). In appearance and taste, the drink resembles products made from coffee beans. Fasting days on chicory help eliminate toxins, cleanse the liver, kidneys, and blood of cholesterol. The organic substances of the plant reduce blood sugar levels, vitamin B2 breaks down fats.

However, consuming soluble chicory root leads to a decrease in blood pressure, causes insomnia, and increases appetite, which complicates the process of losing excess weight. In order to lose weight and reduce unwanted manifestations, chicory is brewed together with coffee beans.

It is not recommended to spend the whole day on green coffee. Due to the high content of chlorogenic acid, drinking the drink on an empty stomach and after meals can lead to stomach upset. In addition, the tart, slightly astringent taste and cloudy green-brown color of the liquid looks unappetizing and turns off many.

Fasting day options

Weight loss occurs in several directions at once:

• acceleration of metabolism, including lipolysis (breakdown of fats);
• decreased absorption of carbohydrates in the intestine (the work of chlorogenic acid);
• decreased appetite;
• diuretic effect (getting rid of hidden edema);
• normalization of digestion and intestinal microflora.

It is difficult to imagine a more comprehensive mechanism for losing weight. That's why coffee relief recipes are so popular.

On green coffee

Prepared from unprocessed green fruits. What are its benefits for weight loss?

• less caffeine, which appears during roasting, means the amount of drink you drink can be increased;
• more chlorogenic acid - the main fat-burning substance;
• reduces the level of insulin in the blood, which is important for accelerating metabolic processes (kilograms disappear faster).

The taste is unique. It has a greenish-tart flavor, similar to green persimmon. On the day of fasting, you can drink no more than three of these mugs, preferably before meals to further reduce appetite.

Sample menu:

• breakfast: 150 g low-fat cottage cheese;
• lunch: tomato salad with herbs;
• dinner: apple.

The amount of water should be at least 1.5 liters. They also brew it a little differently. A mug requires not one teaspoon, but three.

On black coffee

For unloading, you can use from three to five mugs. Drink without sugar, but always with some dietary product. Here is a list of things that will not spoil the weight loss effect:

• low-fat cottage cheese 100-150 g (additionally replenishes calcium loss);
• vegetables: bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs (you can make a salad with olive oil);
• apples.

Don’t forget - it’s better to do without sugar, but additional liquid is simply necessary.

On instant coffee

For many, the process of preparing ground grains becomes an insurmountable obstacle to such a fasting day. Can they be replaced with an instant version? Yes, especially if it's green coffee. Then all the beneficial properties for weight loss are fully preserved.

We choose a high quality product. The main thing is the caffeine content. It is preserved as much as possible sublimated. There is a little less of it in granular. Some cheap brands (most powdered drinks) have only surrogate taste and smell substitutes and are completely useless.

For coffee with chocolate

This recipe will probably be the most popular of all. Chocolate is not only a delicious treat, but also a recognized antidepressant (which is confirmed by scientific research).

Only black, bitter varieties are suitable for a fasting day. You can eat 100 g per day, divided into 5 meals. We complement this “feast” with a cup of aromatic coffee, without sugar, of course.

Important! You can drink water only three hours after the next portion of food.

For coffee with milk

What are the advantages of this combination? There are many of them:

• softening the bitter taste;
• enriching the menu with calcium (with regular use of such fasting days, this is important for the prevention of osteoporosis);
• Milk protein is used as a building material by all cells of the body; it takes a long time to digest and leads to longer saturation.

Menu: 5 mugs at regular intervals. You can add some vegetables and fruits.

On coffee and kefir

The combination is less popular than with milk. But in terms of efficiency it is more reasonable. After all, kefir additionally enhances the diuretic effect, normalizes digestion, and helps the growth of microflora. In addition, it is an excellent source of calcium and other trace elements.

Menu: drinks can be drunk separately (the amount of kefir is 1 liter). There is also an original cocktail recipe: add 1 teaspoon of ground grains and 1/2 spoon of cocoa to a glass of kefir (250 ml). This is a protein shake option that is good for waking up in the morning.

On coffee and water

The effectiveness of this recipe is based on its diuretic effect. Suitable for people with obesity, which is always accompanied by edema. Drink up to 5 mugs of coffee and 1.5 liters of water per day. You can allow a little cottage cheese (100 g), vegetables and fruits.

On coffee and tea

The menu includes three cups of natural coffee and three green or herbal teas. We do not add sugar. We alternate drinks every 2-3 hours. You can have some vegetables and fruits (except potatoes, bananas and grapes). Additionally, we drink water. This diet eliminates 2 kg of weight at once.

On coffee and apples

Rather, it is apple relief, complemented by a pleasant taste and aroma. Apples are a dietary classic. The wealth of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants combined with a minimum of calories allows you to lose pounds with health benefits.

You can eat up to 1 kg of fruit per day and wash it down with 3-5 cups of coffee (sugar is inappropriate in this case).

On coffee and cheese

The taste compatibility of these products is excellent. Cheese should be chosen with low fat content (up to 17%) and low calorie content. For example, Tofu, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Feta, Chechil, Adygei.

Sample menu:

• breakfast: 100 g Tofu and a cup of Arabica without sugar;
• lunch: Greek salad;
• dinner: espresso with processed cheese.

This menu is more varied, which is definitely easier psychologically. In this case, the effectiveness of weight loss reaches 1 kg per day.

For coffee with sugar

The recipe will not be as effective for weight loss. Suitable for those who cannot tolerate bitter taste at all. The amount of sugar should be gradually reduced. This way a smooth transition to the classic version is possible. Otherwise, the principles of unloading are the same.

Is it good or bad: the effect of coffee on the body

Let’s immediately say that abuse of any product leads to health problems. For example, juice - if you drink a couple of glasses in a row, you will overdo it with fast carbohydrates (almost the same as eating a handful of candies). But we're talking about coffee, let's not get distracted.

So, according to research, the best dose that will benefit the body and not make you feel bad is 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day.

What is a cup? Bearing in mind my carelessness (I can confidently designate a soup bowl as a cup and pretend that this is how it was intended), I immediately say that the recommended volume of one serving of a coffee drink is 100-120 ml. That's it. Anything more is overkill.

What is the effect of coffee and how is it absorbed? Let's look at it from both sides.

Remember: up to 2 cups is even beneficial, but more is rather dangerous.

Benefits of coffee

• Stimulation of brain activity and motor activity. Simply put, we begin to think faster and act more quickly. Fine? Fine.
• Promotes the secretion of gastric juice and the functioning of the stomach due to the content of acids (oxalic, citric, acetic, etc.) Digestion improves, everyone is happy.
• Contains caffeine, which is actively involved in metabolic processes. That is, it helps to lose weight due to the acceleration of metabolism (and how to drink coffee for weight loss, read the link).
• Suppresses appetite. On the one hand, it’s cool, on the other, the main thing is not to get carried away.

Harm from coffee

• For those who have gastrointestinal diseases, it is better to abstain from coffee (especially on an empty stomach).
• Coffee is contraindicated for people with increased nervousness and excitability, people suffering from epileptic seizures.
• If you abuse the drink, you may develop hand tremors, excessive motor activity, and increased heart rate.

During times of nervous overload (and this is a frequent occurrence for those who are on a diet), coffee can be harmful.

How not to harm your health

A fasting day should not only help you get rid of extra pounds, but also be safe for your health. Things to remember:

• for people who already have pathology of the cardiovascular system (hypertension, arrhythmia, angina), this diet is contraindicated;
• if you are too excitable or suffer from insomnia, then it is better to replace the described unloading with calmer recipes;
• for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, enterocolitis, hepatitis), any dietary nutrition and dietary restrictions must be agreed with the attending physician;
• in old age, almost everyone has signs of atherosclerosis, so caffeine can adversely affect vascular tone;
• Its negative effect on the fetus has been proven (intrauterine malnutrition), so during pregnancy it is an absolutely prohibited product.

But if you are young, active and do not suffer from chronic diseases, then aromatic grains will bring a lot of pleasure and good weight loss results.

How much weight can you lose?

During unloading, you can reduce the weight by 0.8–2.0 kg. Of these, most are liquid, the remaining grams are intestinal contents and subcutaneous fat. With severe obesity, caffeine helps burn 10% of fat, with normal weight - 25%. After a month of regular diets, you will feel a sense of lightness, a surge of energy, and your body weight will decrease by 4–5 kg.

How to eat properly when depressed: what to eat if your nerves are exhausted

Not only external stimuli, but also our diet can lead to deterioration of the condition, causeless melancholy and sadness. Look at what you eat.

• Your menu should have enough fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes.

• Don't forget about whole grains, rice, lentils and other fiber-rich foods.

• Eat more fish, add flax seeds to cereals and desserts - these are important sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids that will help you cope with loss of energy and lack of mood.

We often remind you that dieting is stressful for the body. We will repeat this time, since most methods based on restrictions and prohibitions are also bad because they lead to a decrease in tryptophan consumption and a shortage of protein foods on the table. It is not surprising that such changes have a negative impact on the mental health of those losing weight.

Also, if you are depressed, it is recommended to avoid various stimulants:

• strong tea;
• coffee;
• energy drinks;
• cigarettes;
• sugar and sweets.

Taken together, all these components of an unhealthy diet can cause anxiety, sleep disturbances, and a sharp transition from joy to worry and sadness.

The essence of unloading on milk

Due to its composition, milk can replace other products in the daily diet for a short period of time, without harm to the body. The simplest way to do a fasting day is to take milk in equal parts throughout the day. This will require 1.5 liters of low-fat (up to 3%) product.

The milk diet has a beneficial effect on all body functions, providing it with essential microelements and vitamins. At the same time, it cleanses the intestines and reduces weight.

The only thing that is necessary is to consult a doctor before starting a diet.

How to overcome hunger

When preparing, keep in mind that you will be hungry. The main thing is to prepare for this psychologically so as not to break down and endure a day without food. Find a suitable motivation (excess weight, feeling of heaviness, presence of diseases). If you have difficulty with self-control, then plan your diet on a weekday so that your workload prevents you from constantly being distracted by extraneous thoughts.

There are other recommendations that will help you not to break down and cope with hunger:

• when you feel the urge to eat, drink clean drinks in small portions;
• Avoid mentioning food. Do not go near the refrigerator or go into stores that sell food;
• be positive. The fast will not last long, but the effect will please you;
• switch to some distracting activities, go for a walk;
• take a contrast shower to distract yourself and enhance the cleansing of your body.

Reviews and results

As for reviews about a fasting day with milk, they, as in other cases, are very diverse, because there is no one universal diet. For some, such an unloading on milk became a real discovery and brought a positive effect not only in terms of losing a couple of extra pounds, but also improving the general condition of the body. And some were not only disappointed, but also realized that some foods were incompatible for their body.

Svetlana, 38 years old: I love chocolate very much, so a milk drink with cocoa has become for me not only a pleasant, but also a useful way to improve my well-being. And instead of sugar I used a sugar substitute.

Irina, 41 years old: This diet is not suitable for everyone. Despite. Although I tolerate milk well, the combination with apples caused some not entirely pleasant consequences. Therefore, I temporarily stopped experimenting on myself.

Diet with honey

This nutrition system is suitable for those who like strange food combinations. The creators of the diet recommend adding honey to coffee with milk. The diet menu includes 3 meals:

1. Breakfast: a cup of coffee with milk and a teaspoon of honey, 2 kiwis.
2. Lunch: a bowl of vegetable soup, tomato and cucumber salad.
3. Dinner: 200 g stewed cabbage.

The diet of coffee with milk without sugar becomes a little tastier if you add honey. But doctors do not recommend such nutritional systems, as they are unbalanced and difficult to tolerate.

Diet for 3 days

There are 2 menu options for this power system. The diet with coffee with milk for 3 days is very strict and hungry, so you cannot stick to it longer. Doctors do not approve of such diets because they are unbalanced in nutrients and vitamins.

The first diet option is less hungry and more varied in terms of foods than the second. The menu includes 5 meals:

1. Breakfast: a cup of coffee with milk without sugar.
2. Snack: Large apple or grapefruit.
3. Lunch: a cup of coffee, a piece of Borodino bread and 250 g of lean boiled beef.
4. Afternoon snack: 2 kiwis or grapefruit.
5. Dinner: 200 g of stewed fish, tomato, apple.

The creators of the diet recommend drinking at least 2 liters of water per day. The last meal should not be later than 19:00.

The second version of the diet with coffee with milk is more hungry. There are 4 meals per day, each of which should consist of a cup of an invigorating drink and 35 g of dark chocolate. This menu will appeal to lovers of sweets, but the diet is difficult to tolerate. The last meal should also be no later than 19:00.

Diet for 14 days

The creators of the nutrition system claim that in 2 weeks women will be able to lose up to 10 kg. The coffee with milk diet for 14 days is classified as strict, so only the most persistent will be able to complete it from beginning to end without failure. Sweets, flour, and fatty foods are strictly prohibited. There are 3 meals per day:

1. Breakfast: a cup of coffee with milk and a small apple.
2. Lunch: 150 g stewed beef, 1 orange, 1 cucumber.
3. Dinner: 1 carrot, 100 g of white cabbage and a cup of coffee with milk.

There is another version of this diet, which is more hungry. It also provides for 3 meals, but for breakfast you can only drink coffee, you cannot add anything to it. Solid food is allowed to be consumed at lunch and dinner, which must be no later than 19:00. Sugar and its substitutes are strictly prohibited on this diet. In addition to coffee, you can only drink water or herbal teas.

Contraindications and possible harm

Caffeine is good for weight loss, but even a moderate single dose can cause feelings of unreasonable anxiety, rapid breathing, and irritability. High doses have negative health effects.

Side effects of caffeine overdose:

• increased degree of stress, apathy, anxiety;
• renal dysfunction;
• heartburn;
• development of gastroesophageal reflux disease;
• heart rhythm disturbances, increased blood pressure;
• the formation of dependence and addiction to the stimulating effect of the drink;
• state of fatigue and weakness after reducing the level of caffeine in the body;
• sleep disturbance (increased time to fall asleep, decreased sleep duration);
• frequent urination, development of urinary incontinence;
• diarrhea.

It is not advisable to carry out unloading for persons under 18 years of age and after 35 years of age. It is forbidden to drink caffeine-containing drinks if you have cardiovascular diseases, genitourinary system, or diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Unloading is contraindicated in cases of nervous exhaustion, lack of vitamins and anemia.

Basic principles

The dietary effect will only come from coffee drunk on an empty stomach.

The optimal option for fasting days is once a week for 3 months. An additional day of unloading is necessary in the following cases:

• at the final stage of the diet;
• after holidays, overeating;
• in case of disruption of the usual diet.

The weight loss menu is based on 1 product with a calorie content of 700–1400 kcal per day. A cup of freshly brewed drink without sugar contains 2 kcal, with additives - 40–70 kcal. Interval between meals

and the dosage depends on physical activity.

How to properly prepare and organize a one-day coffee diet:

1. It is better to prescribe a diet on a day off and follow this schedule throughout the course. The body adapts more easily to changes in diet, which will reduce the likelihood of breakdowns.
2. On the eve of unloading, you should not drink alcohol or overeat. A light dinner is allowed.
3. Poor nutrition can cause bile stagnation. To prevent this problem, you need to drink 1 tbsp in the morning. l. flaxseed or vegetable oil.
4. The day should be spent with minimal stress, eliminating physical and mental exercise.
5. If possible, increase the duration of night sleep. Daytime naps and walks in the fresh air will be helpful. An excellent addition to your diet would be a trip to the sauna or bathhouse.
6. If you feel severe hunger, accompanied by nausea and dizziness, you can drink 250 g of low-fat kefir or unsweetened yogurt.
7. There should be 2.5 hours between meals. The last cup of coffee is drunk 5 hours before bedtime.
8. After a day of fasting, you should not overeat or eat fatty foods with spices and herbs. It is recommended to start the morning with vegetables, steamed or in the oven.
9. If your health worsens, you can repeat the unloading after 1 month.