Watermelon Diet Risks
As many of you already know, I’m not a big fan of diets. I’ve recently discovered one type of diet that made me do a double take, it is called the Watermelon Diet. In its strictest form, this diet requires you to eat only Watermelon for a number of days (usually no more than 3). The result is quick weight loss, followed by quick weight gain after. This diet has become popular int eh US and Canada because it is effective at losing weight. However you’re losing the weight by cutting back from a 1500 to 2000 calorie diet to a 150 to 200 calorie diet.
Since an average 140 lb woman burns 1500 calories in a day without exercising, if she is adds in about an hour of cardio she can easily get her calories burned in a day up to 2400. When she is on this diet this is a result of 2250 calories lost in a day. One pound equals 3500 calories so a 140 lb woman could easily lose 2 pounds in 3 days. This rapid weight loss technique is very appealing for the speed at which pounds can be shed, and some woman will continue on this diet for weeks.
Using the Watermelon Diet for prolonged periods of time is very dangerous. When consuming only 150 to 200 calories in a day you might as well consider yourself fasting. This minimal calorie intake is useless in sustaining your body, and you will soon lose the energy to exercise, and eventually your body will have difficulty fighting off disease and just maintaining itself. Typically after a few days on the strict version of this diet people will begin to experience diarrhea and bloating since they’re consuming large quantities of water as well. If used for too long this diet may even lead to serious health risks such as hypovolemic shock. As soon as you get off the diet the weight is typically gained back quickly since your body isn’t used to calorie rich food.
A healthier version of the Watermelon Diet requires you to substitute a cup of watermelon for one meal a day. As far as your body is concerned, this is just about the same as skipping a meal. While it can help you lose weight in a pinch, over the long term you will have many of the problems associated with the more strict version of the Watermelon Diet. If you have an event you need to lose weight for the most reliable and healthiest method to lose weight is to plan ahead. Set a goal for yourself two or more months out and identify how many calories you will need to burn in a day to meet your goal.
If you add an extra 30 minutes to your exercise routine each day you will find that you will not only lose more weight than you will on the Watermelon Diet, but over the long term you won’t gain it back. Diet and Cardio alone are not enough if you have a large amount of weight you want to lose. Add weight training as this will increase the number of calories your body burns at rest. Before beginning the Watermelon Diet or another other diet it is important that you consult your doctor as everyone has unique medical requirements, and your doctor is the expert at identifying them and suggesting a course of action that will not only result in you losing weight, but being healthier too.
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I’ve been on the Watermelon Diet for about 2 weeks now and I feel really run down. I’ve been buying a watermelon every day and eating it throughout the day whenever I feel hungry. At first my stomach really didn’t like it. I had diarrhea for the first few days, but after I adjusted I’ve been feeling better.
It has been over a week since I was feeling better but the past two days I have felt tired all the time and I have a really bad headache. I feel light headed an nauseous frequently. I know your article says that you shouldn’t stay on the diet for more than 3 days, so maybe I’ll try to add in some normal food for one meal. I’ve been losing a lot of weight these past two weeks. I’m down from 180 to 160 and I want to keep going!
JP, I know the weight loss feels good but it isn’t natural. I highly recommend you consult your doctor immediately. The nausea and headaches could be a sign of serious medical problems.
The Watermelon Diet is not a healthy diet and can cause serious medical risks if you stay on it for too long.
JP ,, Tom is right . I went on holiday to Dubai and you know how we girls are ,, Swimsuit moments in a sizzling city . I had heard of the watermelon diet after my friend had collapsed from lightheadedness and loss of energy . The diet is really good , but its very dangerous . I decided to try it whilst in Dubai ,, But with some subtle changes . Non sugar cereal for breakfast (since its the most important meal of the day) , a nice RIPE chunk of Watermelon , a BALANCED meal with fish instead of red meat . keep the greens in there aswell … NO PICKING !! If your still peckish ,, go for the watermelons . It’ll also give you your daily water requirements.
Plus , Its excercise that will make that excess fat run off your stomach . an hour Of Cardio at least 3 times A Week and 15 mins of weight training 3 times a week should guarantee Weight Loss Of About 10 To 15 Pounds Per Month If Kept Up . Its Worked For Me . Went from a 175 to a 140 . Never felt better . Good Luck !! x
Wow, 20 lbs in two weeks is definitely a dream for most people, but (and I know, I hate hearing this too) it definitely is NOT healthy to lose weight that fast!! You feel lightheaded and nauseous and have no energy because your body is telling you that you aren’t eating properly. Like the article says, you’re substituting a normal 1500-1800 calorie/day diet with a 100-300 calorie/day diet, and I can tell you from experience that as soon as you start eating other foods as well, the healthier you’ll feel. Good luck, hope you’re feeling a lot better!!
This is some very helpful information to assist me in my quest to find that perfect diet to lose my midsection. Much appreciated – Thanks!
if i go on this diet for three days we’ll i gain all the weight back ?
It really depends on your body. If you’ve ever done a fasting diet before, I’d expect you would see similar results. Since you won’t be eating much of anything for three days it would empty out your belly and your entire system. Once you begin eating like normal your belly will fill back up and you’ll gain most of the weight back.
Depending on how your body handles the change you may end up gaining less weight back than you lost, for a net loss in weight. It is also possible that after three days your body will have entered starvation mode and will be reserving as much food as possible. This could result in a weight gain after you get off the diet.
If I wanted to lose weight in 3 days I’d excercise more. I’d probably use every hour of daylight to be outside doing something active. If you really push yourself, and maybe even get a personal trainer for a few hours to point you in the right direction it is amazing what you can do with excercise. As always it all depends on your specific body, so I’d suggest speaking with your doctor before doing anything.
Thank you for the Watermelon Diet Facts. I found your article very helpful. A good friend was trying to convince me to try this diet with her and thanks to your article I will be avoiding it. To me, it sounds like using the Watermelon Diet Weight Loss tecnique is a complete waste of time. I wonder if anyone has tried it and found that they lost weight on the diet. I’d also be interested to hear what food they ate on the diet.
Hi.
I’d just like to add that as a person who is most commonly known as a raw foodist, or a frugivore, I’ve tried a lot of fruit mono diets. I haven’t done watermelon myself but I think the main problem here is not eating enough of it. I’ve done banana’s only for 10 days and oranges only for 5 days. This is incredibly healthy as a cleanse, I would hesitate to say one should go on it for weight loss. You will lose weight even if you eat enough fruit to make up 3000 calories a day as your body has much more ease in digestion and thus time to repair and renew. However, people should be cautioned as it is easy to put the weight back on when you go back to eating so-called ‘normal’ foods like grains and dairy. If you are going to try this you should do your research. Look into various websites on the raw food movement eg 30 bananasaday and you will find plenty of information. A pure fruit diet is really good for you, but you will experience detox symptoms because your body is cleansing. So don’t expect to feel good right away. Also you should take care when breaking this diet and not binge on healthy foods because you’re calorie deprived. So make sure you eat enough! I weighed about 54 and lost about 5kgs eating around 20 bananas a day or more (with exercise) and have maintained that weight loss. However, my purpose in doing this was as a cleanse and frankly I’m keen to do it again as I’ve never felt better. I am a vegan though and already by most people’s standards incredibly healthy so not everyone will have the same experience. The most important thing is that you research it properly as you could actually experience weight gain!
I’m NATURAL Bodybuilder, and I’v eat a ton of watermelon to replace my carbs after 1pm, in the morning i eat porridge then at 1pm i eat sweet potatoe,
Then after i would eat watermelon till 8pm (every 2hours), and boy I tell ya my abs have really come out, my bodyfat is 7% now !! 1 day a week i have anything i want like a pizza, then go back on the diet. ( it shocks the body and kick starts the metobolic system)
Its all about calculations, you have to think and balance the diet out (its like building a house).THINK
but it is a good fruit to have. the only one i have really.
I’ ve been eating lots of watermelons while doing a lot of jogs and crunches.i’ ve also been eating lots of fish and greens. Carbs on the other hand, are on my major watch. I make sure i don’t eat too much of them. I also eat papaya before going to sleep so that when the next day i could flush the food away.
I haven’t any problem really other than feeling floaty from time to time. I think it’s because daily routines as a student. But after one and a half month, i’ve actually lost about more than ten pounds.
Watermelons HELPED me in my diet. But it was NOT the very reason why i’ve lost weight.
I’m still keeping up with my diet, though its hard not to slack,hehe.
Myself, like many Americans have been predisposed to giant portions and overeating my entire life resulting in me always being on the husky side until the last few years. I have incorporated watermelon into a daily part of my life. No, I’m not surviving on watermelon alone. I basically eat what I’ve always ate, but less. Because my body is so used to overindulgence whenever I ate less I found myself still feeling hungry and wanting more. That’s where watermelon comes into play. All my unnessecarry eating is now watermelon. When I want a late night after dinner snack, after lunch snack, or if after eating one serving at dinner and I’m still hungry instead of going in for seconds,watermelon is the answer.
Hi I weigh 140 and I’m 13 I really wanna do this diet and loose weight fast iv pretty much tryed everything but like what’s the worst that can happen ? What if I eat watermelon and salded all day and drink nothing but water and exercise ? Will that work ? Is it healthynpleasr help I wanna loose weight quickly
Thanks
Melanie,
If you combine an intense workout with little to no protein or other nutrients you will likely get dizzy and possibly pass out. If you keep at it long enough you could make yourself very sick. The only tried and true way to loose weight is to work hard. Get up early for a jog or walk. When you get home go to the gym. Be sure to eat nutrient rich food so your body has the energy for a workout the next day.
I’m not a doctor or nutritionist and don’t know what is appropriate for a 13 year old to eat, or how much you should work out. I’d recommend that you call your doctor’s office and let them know you’d like to lose weight and would like your doctors approval before you begin. If you work with the people who know your body best you can identify your goals and plan a diet to suit your needs.
Good luck, and please let us know how you make out.