Pumpkin diet for weight loss: 10 days -10 kg

Those who want to lose weight in the shortest possible time in the most natural way need to turn their attention to pumpkin and be sure to include it in their daily diet. Basically, the duration of a full course of such a diet is 2 weeks. During this period, it is quite possible to lose 8 kg of excess weight. This is a wonderful result, considering that your body will receive continuous benefits - weight loss and simultaneous enrichment of the body with a huge amount of necessary and important substances. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that pumpkin for weight loss evokes the most positive reviews from those who are fighting excess weight.

Subtleties of technology

Traditionally, we preface our selection of healthy recipes by revealing technological nuances, knowledge of which will make preparing snacks simpler and the result more predictable.

The smaller the pumpkin, the tastier, more tender and healthier it is. Give preference to nutmeg varieties, especially if you are making a salad from raw pumpkin. Appetizers made from baked pumpkin will also turn out tasty with larger vegetables (weighing up to 5 kg).
Pumpkin is well stored at home, especially in a cool room, but if you have already cut it, you can only keep it in the refrigerator, wrapped in cling film. If you do not have time to eat this vegetable within 10 days, you will have to part with it. But almost certainly, knowing the recipes for delicious pumpkin salads, you will find a use for this vegetable much earlier than its expiration date.
Before cooking, cut the pumpkin in half using a large and sharp knife (chef's knife). Then use a spoon to scrape out the pulp and seeds. The seeds can be dried, peeled and used to prepare various dishes, including pumpkin salads.
You can bake pumpkin in slices and small pieces. In the first case, it will take 30-40 minutes to prepare it, in the latter - no more than 20 minutes. You should not bake the pumpkin for too long - its pieces should remain strong, although soft, without turning into porridge in the salad.

Pumpkin goes well with any fruit, especially apples, oranges, and pears. The best vegetables to go with it are carrots and beets. Cheese helps highlight the taste of pumpkin and give a fruit or vegetable salad made from this vegetable a piquant note. The slightly sweet taste of pumpkin will not spoil the taste of chicken or meat salad if you choose the other ingredients of the appetizer wisely. You can see all this for yourself by preparing pumpkin salads according to the recipes below.

You might be interested in recipes for delicious pumpkin dishes baked in pieces in the oven. Statistics show that the material on this topic posted on our website arouses genuine interest among our readers.

Contraindications for use

The vegetable can be stewed, boiled, or steamed. Regular consumption of pumpkin dishes results in:

Quick saturation of the body. This makes it easy to reduce portion sizes.
Removing toxins from the body. The vegetable has a diuretic effect, and removing excess fluid from the body helps to avoid swelling.
Normalization of pressure in blood vessels.
Enriching the body with vitamins.

Following a pumpkin diet for more than 14 days can lead to the following consequences:

dehydration;
rapid loss of muscle mass;
intestinal disorders, diarrhea.

Contraindications

Dieting is not recommended for athletes. With heavy physical activity, metabolic processes slow down and muscle mass is lost, not fat. Do not use the diet if you have:

weak immunity;
diabetes;
gastritis with low acidity;
bloating;
stomach and duodenal ulcers;
intestinal obstruction;
hypertension;
individual intolerance;
chronic diseases.

Any useful product can be fraught with danger for people suffering from chronic diseases or intolerances.

So, people who have:

gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, colitis);
stones in the kidneys and gall bladder, since the vegetable has a choleretic effect and can cause the advancement of stones;
increased blood sugar levels, since pumpkin will also contain a lot of sucrose;
individual intolerance to the product.

It is not recommended for old people and children to eat pumpkin raw. With frequent consumption of the product, bloating and upset stools, yellowing of the skin may occur. Pumpkin seeds, although a healthy product, are very high in calories (560 kcal per 0.1 kg), so they should be consumed in limited quantities on a diet.

Pumpkin salad with tomatoes and cottage cheese

A light and at the same time satisfying appetizer made from raw pumpkin, the taste of which is shaded by the sourness of tomato and the piquancy of onions, softened by cheese and cottage cheese, is unlikely to leave you indifferent.

Components:

pumpkin – 0.3 kg;
tomatoes – 0.3 kg;
red onion – 100 g;
granular cottage cheese – 150 g;
hard cheese – 150 g;
fresh parsley – 50 g;
sour cream, salt, spices - to taste (you can replace all this with mayonnaise, but it will be less healthy).

Cooking algorithm:

Peel the pumpkin and chop on a coarse grater.
Do the same with cheese.
Cut the onion into thin rings.
Finely chop the parsley, leaving a few sprigs for garnish.
Cut the tomatoes into thin slices.
Combine the ingredients with sour cream. Don't forget to add salt and pepper.

All that remains is to place the salad on a plate in a heap, sprinkle with cottage cheese and surround with parsley sprigs. A diet dinner, a hearty snack or a meeting with friends - this pumpkin salad is suitable for any of these occasions. If you fill tartlets with the salad described, it will become one of the signature dishes at your buffet table.

Beetroot and pumpkin salad with apples

Dessert salad made from raw pumpkin is tasty and healthy.

Components:

pumpkin – 0.3 kg;
apples of the Semirenko variety or similar – 0.5 kg;
beets – 100 g;
cranberries – 100 g;
sour cream – 60-100 ml;
sugar – 20-40 g.

Cooking algorithm:

Grate raw pumpkin and beets.
Peel the apples and cut out the seed boxes.
Coarsely grate or finely chop the apple pulp.
Mix everything, season with sour cream sweetened with sugar.

Do not put cranberries in the salad; use them to decorate the finished salad when serving it. This unusual dessert will appeal to those who care about their health.

We also suggest you prepare other salads from raw beets; they also turn out tasty and healthy, despite the ease of preparation.

Calorie content, glycemic index of vegetables

Pumpkin is a low-calorie product. So, in its raw form, the energy value of the vegetable is 28 kcal per 0.1 kg of weight. The calorie content of baked pumpkin is higher than that of raw pumpkin, but it is also low and amounts to only 45.6 kcal per 0.1 kg of product. But the calorie content of boiled pumpkin is even lower than that of a raw vegetable and will be equal to only 20 kcal per 0.1 kg.

Vegetable processing method	GI indicator
Baked pumpkin	From 75 to 85 units.
Boiled pumpkin	75 units
Raw pumpkin	25 units

Hearty salad with lentils and pumpkin

Lentils are also considered a healthy and dietary product, which rarely appears on our table for a banal reason - we don’t know what to cook from it. This salad combines two healthy ingredients: lentils and pumpkin, and this union turns out to be harmonious.

Components:

lentils – 100 g;
pumpkin – 0.4 kg;
goat cheese – 100 g;
arugula – 100 g;
pumpkin seeds – 50 g;
olive oil – 60 ml;
ground paprika, cumin – 5 g each;
grape vinegar (6 percent) – 20 ml;
salt - to taste;
fresh mint – 2-3 sprigs.

Cooking algorithm:

Cut the pumpkin pulp into cubes about a centimeter in size, mix with two tablespoons of oil, bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees, leave for 10-20 minutes in the switched off oven, transfer to a bowl.
Boil the lentils and add to the pumpkin.
Dry the peeled seeds in a frying pan.
Crumble the cheese with a fork.
Finely chop the mint leaves, leaving a sprig for garnish.
Coarsely chop the arugula.
Mix the vinegar with the remaining oil, salt and seasonings.
Add seeds, arugula, half the cheese, and mint to the pumpkin and lentils. Season with prepared sauce.
Place the salad on a plate in a mound and place a sprig of mint on top.

This salad can be served warm or cold. It can serve as an appetizer or main course.

Don't know what else you can cook with lentils? Then this is the place for you.

General provisions about diet

During the week of the diet, you are allowed to eat porridge with rice and pumpkin, vegetable pulp, and kefir.
The morning portion of porridge should be divided into 2 and the second portion consumed in the evening. For lunch you need to prepare 200 g of pumpkin puree. Dinner consists of a morning portion of porridge + kefir.
When dieting for weight loss, there must be a diet that excludes sweets, flour, and alcohol. Tea or morning coffee are not prohibited, but they should be drunk without sweeteners.
The meaning of nutrition is to repeat each of the four days after three. Here you already need to count the kilocalories consumed, their number should not be higher than 1500. In addition, you need to monitor the amount of liquid you drink per day, which should be equal to 2 liters. Those who have tried the diet lose up to 8 kg. during the week.

Before starting a diet, you need to see a nutritionist or therapist to rule out possible allergies or side effects. This principle of nutrition is not suitable for people who engage in daily training. It can cause muscle loss and slow metabolism.

Diet salad with pumpkin, beets and chicken breast

Chicken goes well with fruits, including dried ones. If you complement this combination with pumpkin, you get an even more interesting snack option.

Components:

chicken breast fillet – 0.2 kg;
pumpkin – 0.3 kg;
beets – 100 g;
pitted prunes – 50 g;
salt, pepper, sour cream - to taste.

Cooking algorithm:

Cut the boiled chicken breast fillet crosswise into 3-4 parts, disassemble into fibers.
Boil or bake pumpkin and beets. After peeling, cut into cubes or strips.
Pour boiling water over the prunes, squeeze out after 10 minutes, cut into strips.
Combine the ingredients, pepper, salt and season with sour cream.

This pumpkin salad can replace a full meal. It can be eaten for lunch or dinner, or served at the holiday table. In the latter case, the ingredients can be mixed with sour cream separately, and then laid out in layers: pumpkin, chicken, prunes, beets. If you are not watching your figure, you can replace sour cream with mayonnaise.

Video

You can learn about the additional beneficial properties of pumpkin by watching this video. What happens if you eat pumpkin every day?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37XdtUMiu1Q

As you can see, losing weight with pumpkin is quite simple and tasty. Dear readers, what is your impression of the pumpkin diet? Perhaps you have already tried eating like this? Share your feedback and results below in the comments.

Author of the publication

Festive salad with pumpkin and boiled veal

This salad is quick and easy to prepare, but it turns out especially tasty and looks very elegant. It can be made in a salad bowl, on a platter (placing it inside a culinary hoop), portioned in glasses or bowls.

Components:

boiled veal – 0.5 kg;
pumpkin – 0.3 kg;
red onion – 100 g;
pomegranate – 1 pc.;
canned beans - 1 can;
canned champignons – 1 jar;
ground black pepper – 5 g;
grape vinegar (6 percent) – 20 ml;
sour cream – 0.2 l.

Cooking algorithm:

Peel the baked or boiled pumpkin and cut into small cubes.
Cut the beef into the same pieces.
Finely chop the onion, pour boiling water over it to remove excess bitterness, and squeeze.
Place meat, pumpkin and onion in a bowl. Add canned foods to them.
Season the salad with a mixture of sour cream, vinegar and pepper, adding salt to your taste.
Place the salad in a vase and smooth it out. Cover with pomegranate seeds.

From chicken or turkey, if you replace beef with them, the salad will turn out no less tasty. Through the transparent walls of the salad bowl, it will seem even more appetizing if the food is laid out in layers, covering each layer with sour cream sauce.

About calories

Now, to determine the portion you can afford, let's look at how the caloric content “dances”. Of course, the calculation is approximate, since there will still be small differences in the weight of the products, no matter how you look at it.

1. Pumpkin, 300 gr. After we clean it, there will be about 200 grams left. We count: 26 x 2 = 52 cal.

2. Apples, a couple of pieces, about 200 gr. After removing the core, about 150 g remains. It turns out: 50 x 1.5 = 25 cal.

3. 1/2 lemon (60 gr.) We count: 29 x 0.6 = 17 cal.

4. 1/2 orange (75 gr.). After cleaning, 65 g remains. It turns out: 47 x 0.65 = 30 cal.

5. 1/2 grapefruit (200 gr.). Minus the peel, we get 180 grams. We count: 42 x 1.8 = 25 cal.

4. Honey, only natural, fresh, 1 dessert spoon (20 g). It turns out: 304 x 0.2 - 61 cal.

5. Almonds (20 gr.), for sprinkling. We count: 576 x 0.2 = 115 cal.

6. Two carrots (250 gr.). After cleaning, about 200 grams will remain. We get: 41 x 2 = 82 cal.

Let us remind you that the calculations did not take into account the weight of the pulp of grapefruit and orange, so you will have a small spare “tail” in calories (in fact, the calorie content will be slightly lower).

Let's look at the total weight of the salad:

200+150+17+65+180+20+20+200 = 832 gr.

The total calorie content of the entire salad will be:

52+25+17+30+25+61+115+82 = 407 cal.

Pumpkin salad with spinach and cheese

The snack, made from pumpkin, spinach, cheese and nuts, looks elegant and modern and has a harmonious taste.

Components:

pumpkin – 0.5 kg;
spinach – 100 g;
feta cheese or similar – 100 g;
walnut kernels – 100 g;
lemon juice, olive oil - to taste.

Cooking algorithm:

Cut the cheese into cubes.
Bake the pumpkin and cut into the same pieces.
Chop the nuts after lightly frying them in a dry frying pan.
Combine the ingredients, including spinach, season with a mixture of lemon juice and oil in a one-to-one ratio.

We advise you not to add salt or sweeten this pumpkin salad to enjoy its original taste.

Classic version with pumpkin, apples and carrots

This version of pumpkin salad can be considered a classic. This combination of flavors has been tested for years.

Components:

pumpkin – 0.4 kg;
apples – 0.8 kg;
carrots – 0.2 kg;
walnuts – 50 g;
lemon – 1 pc.;
honey – 60 ml.

Cooking algorithm:

Grind the main ingredients raw on a grater.
Melt the honey until liquid, mix with squeezed lemon juice.
Season the salad, sprinkle with chopped nuts.

The salad prepared according to this recipe is useful in many ways. In particular, it helps cleanse the body and lose weight, invigorates and improves immunity, and improves brain activity.

Reviews from those who have lost weight

I heard about the pumpkin diet from my friends. I decided to try it because I always liked the taste of pumpkin. In addition to following the menu, I also went to the gym. In 2 weeks of intensive training and nutrition, I was able to lose 7 kg. I am completely satisfied with my new self and now recommend the diet to everyone I know.

Yana, 42 years old

By occupation I am an athlete. However, it so happened that after an injury I had to leave the sport. A long period of depression and overeating reflected fat deposits on the sides. I was in a panic, but then I decided to pull myself together. Pumped up muscles remain from his sporting past. After some time, I decided to go to the gym, where I trained hard. My muscle mass increased even more, but I couldn’t get rid of fat. I decided to try losing weight with pumpkin. Within 2 weeks the sides subsided, but along with them the muscle soreness began to go away. I am terrified! I have proven from my own experience that the pumpkin diet is absolutely not suitable for athletes.

Maria, 34 years old

I've always been a pretty big girl. And so I decided to change radically. In a week and a half of pumpkin nutrition and endless workouts, I lost almost 8 kg. I believe that this is not the limit.

Angelina, 25 years old
The rave reviews speak for themselves. The pumpkin diet for weight loss is ideal for people who dream of making their body perfect without much effort, time and money. Lost kilograms will not come back unless you overeat, indulge in sweets and exercise.

Pumpkin salad for weight loss (with apples and celery)

Eating to lose weight – isn’t this the dream of many people with a sweet tooth? We present them with a dessert salad, the consumption of which will help achieve their cherished goal.

Components:

pumpkin – 100 g;
apple (pulp) – 100 g;
celery (stem or root - your choice) - 100 g;
lemon juice – 20 ml;
melted honey – 20 ml;
yogurt – 20 ml.

Cooking algorithm:

Decide what kind of celery you will prepare the salad with: if with stem celery, then both it and the apple need to be cut into small pieces, otherwise, grate it.
In any case, the pumpkin is grated.
A sauce is prepared from honey, lemon juice and unsweetened yogurt.
All ingredients are mixed and the salad is ready.

This salad can be prepared in a hurry, which is also its advantage, especially if you plan to replace it with a snack.

Advantages

Pumpkin has many supporters when it comes to using foods for weight loss. A cup of its puree contains 5 to 10 grams of fiber and only 80 calories, making it an ideal meal or snack.

The menu has a high content of vitamins A, C, , E, macro- and microelements, pantothenic, folic acids. Due to its low calorie content, it is considered a good body cleanser.

The high content of vitamins and microelements strengthens the immune system , helps in the fight against colds and heart diseases, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, reduces bone fragility, reducing the likelihood of developing osteoporosis.

The antioxidant beta-carotene in the product reduces the likelihood of developing cancer, protects the eyes from various infections, improves visual acuity, and vitamin E and phytosterols are very beneficial for the health and beauty of the skin.

The advantage of the pumpkin diet is that the pulp of this plant contains vitamin T (carnitine), which significantly speeds up metabolism by removing “bad” cholesterol from the body. It quickly burns accumulated fat deposits.