Learn how to properly lose body fat using a no-salt diet. Learn how to properly lose body fat using a no-salt diet. The salt-free diet for spring weight loss is very popular, as it is quite simple and does not imply serious restrictions on food. Actually, only salt should be excluded from your diet (strict diet) or its use should be limited (gentle diet).
The table salt we eat is sodium chloride. This substance is necessary for the body and is found in almost all tissues. In addition, sodium chloride is the main element of the water-salt balance. In order for the body to function normally, it must receive a maximum of seven grams of the substance daily.
Note that in the warm season, the body's need for salt doubles. However, according to statistics, most people consume salt in much larger quantities than the body needs. This leads to a large amount of fluid retention in all tissues, an increase in blood pressure and excess weight gain. The main task facing the salt-free diet for spring weight loss is to restore the water-salt balance.
This nutrition program will be useful not only for fighting excess weight, but also for the normalization of the kidneys and heart muscle. If you have a tendency to develop edema or suffer from hypertension, then a salt-free diet for spring weight loss will also be useful for you.
Table salt accelerates the synthesis of gastric juice, and also takes an active part in the metabolism of fats. You must understand that sodium chloride deficiency is as harmful to the body as excessive concentration of the substance. It is necessary to consume salt, but only in the amount that the body needs for normal functioning.
Key principles of a salt-free diet for weight loss in spring
By using a temporary refusal to use salt, you can not only get rid of excess weight, but also improve your body. In order for this nutrition program to be as effective as possible, you must adhere to several basic rules:
- If you are on a sparing diet, a small amount of salt can be added to the dish, but food should be cooked without it.
- Use a fractional food system by eating five or six times a day.
- Food must be baked, boiled, or steamed.
- A small amount of oil can be added to the finished dish.
The classic salt-free diet for spring weight loss involves a maximum duration of use of two weeks. Often, even this relatively short period of time gives people a lot of problems, since not everyone is ready to give up their favorite dishes, because without salt their taste deteriorates.
However, in most cases, after two weeks of abstaining from the use of salt, a person gets used to the new taste of food and in the future normally tolerates its absence. It should be noted that the dietary habit of consuming a minimum amount of sodium chloride is beneficial, and you must remember that this substance is already found in many foods.
To make the use of salt safer, follow these guidelines:
- A minimum amount of salt can be added to the meat and only just before switching off.
- It is better to salt the fish abundantly before cooking and leave for a while. Rinse the fish before cooking.
- In semi-liquid and liquid dishes, salt is added five or ten minutes before the end of the cooking process.
- Vegetables can be lightly salted just before eating.
- If you are cooking porridge, add salt just before boiling.
A salt-free diet for spring weight loss will not be effective if a person is obese and nutritionists do not use them in situations where excess weight is associated with high appetite. This is due to the fact that food without salt is extremely poorly satiating, and thus the risks of breakdown during the use of a dietary nutrition program increase.
We recommend that this strict diet is used solely for medicinal purposes in the presence of chronic diseases. Those who just want to lose weight should limit the use of salt. As a result, you get rid of edema, reduce the rate of gastric juice production, and also activate fat burning reactions. Thus, a salt-free diet for spring weight loss does not imply a complete rejection of salt, but only a restriction on its intake.
The pros and cons of salt-free diets
Before starting any dietary nutrition program, you need to understand its advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with the benefits, among which we note the following:
- There are no major food restrictions.
- Food should be eaten frequently, which helps to increase the rate of metabolic reactions and improve the functioning of the digestive system.
- Reduces stress on the heart muscle, kidneys, liver and blood vessels.
- Eliminates swelling.
- Helps to lose weight.
It should be recognized that the salt-free diet for spring weight loss has practically no drawbacks. Problems can arise if you ditch salt altogether. The main negative point in a strict salt-free diet is a violation of water-salt parity. As a result, the body is forced to eliminate the salt deficiency by taking it from the bone tissue. In addition to all of the above, you should remember about the existing contraindications.
Contraindications of a salt-free diet for spring weight loss
A strict salt-free diet for spring weight loss is contraindicated in the following situations:
- The period of pregnancy and feeding of the baby.
- When playing sports and work associated with strong physical exertion.
- If there are problems with the functioning of the thyroid gland, heart muscle, kidneys, and also the liver.
In addition, this dietary food program is not recommended for use in the summer for adults, but for children and adolescents at any time of the year. However, even if you have no contraindications, it is often not worth using a salt-free diet. Nutritionists advise to conduct no more than two or three courses throughout the year, with a maximum duration of two weeks.
If this nutrition program is used correctly, then you will not only reduce body weight, but also cleanse the body of toxins and rejuvenate your appearance. Note that the effectiveness of the diet largely depends not on the amount of salt consumed, but on the choice of food. If you did everything right, then you can get rid of five or even more pounds.
What foods can you eat on a salt-free diet?
We have already noted that the salt-free diet for spring weight loss does not have strict restrictions on the products used. At the same time, it is not recommended to consume more than one egg and a maximum of 200 grams of bread daily. It is quite obvious that meat should only be lean. Do not eat fried foods, fast food, alcohol, canned food, pasta, semi-finished meat products, sweets and smoked meats.
When preparing food, you need to follow the rules that we described above. Recall that the main one is the minimum use of salt, and you can add it to dishes only immediately before use. You can also find alternatives to salt, such as lemon juice, garlic, spices, or onions.
Types of Salt-Free Diet Nutrition Programs
There are several types of diets that involve reducing the amount of salt in the diet or completely eliminating this product. If we talk about the classic version of the diet, then when it is used for a week, cereals must be excluded from the diet.
- Japanese diet. This nutrition program is the toughest and is designed to last for a week. However, there is a second option, the duration of which is two weeks and this program is more gentle. Your diet should be based on vegetables, eggs and fish. You can also eat small amounts of meat and unsweetened fruits.
- Chinese diet. This nutrition program also has a duration of two weeks and when using it you will have to give up not only salt, but also milestones that have a high energy value. Also, the list of foods allowed for consumption is small and includes boiled fish and veal, apples, vegetables, and eggs. Tomato juice, tea, water and coffee are allowed from drinks.
- Rice diet. Another nutrition program that is actively practiced in the eastern states and is rapidly gaining popularity around the world. There are two types of rice diet, one of which involves eating only rice for three days. The second option is longer and allows you to well cleanse the body of toxins. The duration of the second warrant of the rice diet is one month.
- Protein diet. Already from the name of this nutrition program, you can understand that it is based on foods rich in proteins. This is a gentle diet that practically does not restrict your diet. The duration of its use is from two weeks to one month. Note that the first results can be seen after 14 days. In addition to foods containing protein compounds, you can eat non-starchy vegetables and fruits with a low glycemic index.
For more on salt and salt-free diets, see below:
