We’ve seen numerous fad diets that target consuming one particular meals — the cookie weight loss plan, the cabbage soup weight loss plan, the grapefruit weight loss plan. All of them declare that can assist you lose a big quantity of weight in a short time, and the cucumber weight loss plan isn’t any completely different.
The cucumber weight loss plan is a quick-fix weight-loss weight loss plan that’s mentioned to assist individuals shed kilos shortly by consuming — you guessed it — a complete lot of cucumbers. However does it work?
Listed here are the principles, the advantages, and the downsides of the cucumber weight loss plan.
What Is the Cucumber Weight-reduction plan?
Cucumbers are naturally low in energy — a complete cucumber has simply 45 energy — so it’s no shock they’d find yourself on the heart of a fad weight loss plan.
Whereas there are completely different variations of the cucumber weight loss plan, there’s one widespread thread: You eat a whole lot of cucumbers. We’re speaking cucumber shakes, salads, sticks, and slices.
What Are the Guidelines of the Cucumber Weight-reduction plan?
The particular guidelines of the cucumber weight loss plan can range relying on which supply you reference. Whereas there’s a e-book aptly titled The Cucumber Weight-reduction plan: The Energy of Acutely aware Consuming, you will discover a number of variations of the weight loss plan on-line.
The primary guideline of the weight loss plan is that this: Eat cucumbers while you’re hungry, together with a handful of different “permitted” meals. As a result of cucumbers are so low in energy, the concept is that you just’ll possible create a calorie deficit by noshing on largely cucumbers.
What Meals Can You Eat on the Cucumber Weight-reduction plan?
Evidently, you may eat cucumbers. Most diets don’t have any limitation on the way you eat them and the way a lot you devour, though some stricter variations of the weight loss plan do restrict the quantity of cucumber you may have.
A couple of different meals are sometimes included, together with:
- lean proteins like fish, hen, and eggs
- Greek yogurt
- cottage cheese
- olive oil
- brown rice
- low-calorie greens like spinach, celery, and tomatoes
There’s additionally one 10- to 14-day protocol that includes consuming as a lot cucumber salad as you need, together with:
- two boiled eggs or 150 grams of tuna with out oil or 150 grams of hen breast
- two huge boiled potatoes or three slices of whole-grain bread
- 500 grams of natural fruit
What Meals Can’t You Eat on the Cucumber Weight-reduction plan?
One good thing about the cucumber weight loss plan: Apart from whole-grain bread, which is permitted on some variations of the weight loss plan, the weight loss plan cuts out most processed meals together with chips, baked items, and sweetened drinks.
However in the event you had been to comply with the protocol talked about above, you’d additionally omit a whole lot of wholesome fare — like fruits and any non-approved veggies.
Can I Lose Weight With the Cucumber Weight-reduction plan?
Sure, however it’s going to most probably be momentary.
You may drop some weight on any model of the cucumber weight loss plan, as a result of there merely aren’t that many non-cucumber meals you’re allowed to eat — and which means you’ll possible slash your each day calorie consumption.
By filling up on largely cucumber at each meal, which has a excessive water content material, it could be powerful to eat sufficient of the opposite permitted meals.
“You’re placing a lot bulk into your digestive system that you just’re not going to have a whole lot of room for anything,” says Andrea N. Giancoli, MPH, RD.
However the cucumber weight loss plan isn’t designed to be adopted for greater than two weeks — so it’s not a sustainable weight loss plan for long-term weight reduction. Any weight you lose on the cucumber weight loss plan will possible be gained again when you return to consuming usually.
And there are many different, more healthy methods to eat cleaner with out chopping out so many meals teams.
The Downsides of the Cucumber Weight-reduction plan
You don’t want us to let you know that cucumbers are low in energy and may be part of a wholesome, balanced weight loss plan.
“There’s no hurt in consuming cucumbers with each meal, so long as it’s a average quantity,” Giancoli says.
However there are just a few downsides to creating cucumbers your major meals supply. Right here’s why you need to suppose twice earlier than following the cucumber weight loss plan:
1. It’s low in vitamins.
When you eat largely cucumbers, you’ll miss out on a whole lot of essential micro and macronutrients. In comparison with different fruit and veggies, Giancoli says, “Cucumbers aren’t precisely swimming in nutritional vitamins and minerals.”
2. You gained’t get the variability you want.
Consuming quite a lot of meals helps make sure you’re getting all of the vitamins you want.
“We’re imagined to be consuming all kinds of meals — a range that offers us a steadiness of macronutrients, fiber, nutritional vitamins, and minerals and every kind of different issues that our our bodies want,” Giancoli says.
3. It could gradual your metabolism.
Extreme calorie restriction can really get in the way in which of your weight-loss objectives.
On the cucumber weight loss plan, Giancoli says, “It’s going to be very arduous to succeed in your calorie wants — and when you go under your basal metabolic price with energy, you’re not giving your physique the energy it wants simply to remain alive at relaxation.”
Meaning your metabolism will possible decelerate to preserve power.
What’s extra, you in all probability gained’t have the power to hit the health club, and understanding commonly goes hand in hand with wholesome weight reduction you may keep.
4. You’ll possible acquire the load again.
As is the case with loads of different very low-calorie fad diets, you’re in all probability going to place any misplaced weight proper again on.
With extended calorie restriction, the human physique can go into hunger mode: “Your physique’s like, ‘You’re not giving me what I want; I must do one thing about that and use much less power and burn fewer energy,’” Giancoli says.
When you go off a restrictive weight loss plan, analysis exhibits that physique weight sometimes returns to and even exceeds what it was initially.
The Remaining Verdict
So does the cucumber weight loss plan work? Within the quick time period, perhaps — but it surely’s not the healthiest strategy to weight reduction, and it’s undoubtedly not sensible or sustainable.
However you may nonetheless get pleasure from cucumbers as a part of your wholesome consuming plan — like in a crudités platter or a Greek salad.
