Chocolate diet - pros and cons, menu, diet options

The chocolate diet, just by its name, can intrigue women who want to lose excess weight. However, there is no need to rejoice ahead of time. This weight loss system is not only the most strict, but also the most harmful. To get rid of extra pounds, you will need to give up all drinks and foods, leaving only water, coffee and chocolate in your menu.

A 7-day chocolate diet will help you say goodbye to 3-6 extra pounds, but it is somewhat more difficult to tolerate, and, in addition, has a lot of negative consequences.

The chocolate diet is a mono-diet. On the one hand, it is not difficult to adhere to it, since the rules are quite simple. On the other hand, not everyone will be able to comply with them fully.

There are several options for the chocolate diet. So, you can stick to it for 3 or 7 days. However, the menu of any of the diets involves eating only unsweetened coffee and a bar of chocolate per day. The Italian version of the diet is considered less strict. If a person feels that he is not able to withstand the entire duration of the chocolate diet, then you can simply arrange a fasting day for yourself.

Chocolate diet rules

The chocolate diet requires compliance with the following rules:

Before you begin the process of losing weight, you should prepare. The day before starting the diet, you need to remove all unhealthy foods from the menu. This applies to fatty and fried foods, sweets, baked goods, and pickles. Be sure to drink enough water.
For your diet you need to choose only natural chocolate. This is a bitter bar with a cocoa content of at least 72%. As a last resort, you can use milk chocolate. White tiles are not suitable for a diet. This chocolate contains no cocoa beans, which are replaced with cocoa butter.
Sugar and salt should be avoided completely.
In addition to water, you can drink green tea and herbal decoctions during the diet. Alcoholic drinks, fruit and vegetable juices, both packaged and home-made, are prohibited. Coffee is drunk separately, and chocolate can be eaten no earlier than three hours later.
Vegetables and fruits should not be on the table during the diet.
This weight loss technique can be followed no more than once every 30 days. Although experts recommend maintaining an interval of 2-3 months or more. The chocolate diet is stress for the body, which it can endure very hard.

Losing weight - additional tips

When taking a diet course to reduce body weight, it is important to consider the following nuances:

Before starting the diet, it is important to get tested and consult a doctor; the program is designed for people in good health, without chronic diseases.
7 days before the start of the program, remove sweet, fatty foods, smoked foods, salty foods, and semi-finished products.
The optimal period for a course based on chocolate should be no more than 7 days.
When observing dietary restrictions, it is important to include complexes of minerals and vitamins.
Granulated sugar and artificial sweeteners are not added to drinks included in diets.
Before changing your diet, a fasting day is planned to gradually enter the program.

Experts recommend that if negative health effects occur, you should end the diet and gradually return to standard nutrition. If necessary, you can consult a doctor to evaluate your physical condition.

Chocolate diet options

Chocolate diet for 3 days

If you stay on a chocolate diet for 3 days, you can say goodbye to 1-3 kg of excess weight. You should eat a chocolate bar weighing 100 g per day. It can be eaten over 24 hours, divided into equal portions, or consumed at one time. It all depends on the desire of the person losing weight.

Drinks allowed are water and 3 cups of coffee without sugar. The minimum volume of water is 1.2 l. You are also allowed to drink green tea. The interval between drinking chocolate and coffee should be at least 3 hours.

Classic chocolate diet for weight loss for 7 days

The classic version of the diet is designed for a week. You need to eat 100 g of chocolate per day, dividing it into three equal parts. One meal can be replaced by drinking a cocoa drink, which is prepared with low-fat milk.

You should drink a cup of coffee three times a day, which helps launch metabolic processes in the body. Metabolism, on average, accelerates by 1-4%, which means the process of losing excess weight goes faster. Sugar is not added to coffee, but diluting it with milk is allowed.

This diet option is strict, so it must be used with caution and with constant monitoring of well-being.

Italian chocolate diet

The Italian chocolate diet involves eating 30 g of chocolate. However, at this time the menu can be varied with pasta, fruits and vegetables. The diet is designed for a week, but if necessary, its duration can be doubled. In this case, you can lose up to 8 kg.

The approximate menu for the Italian diet is as follows:

Vegetables in salads with dressing. Sauces should be low in fat.
Chicken fillet soup.
Pasta, which is prepared exclusively from durum wheat.
Fruits and berries. You should not eat grapes and bananas, as they are high in calories.
30 g of dark chocolate per day is the limit.
You can drink two liters of mineral water, but the drink should not be carbonated.

Principle of action, effect on the body

There is an opinion that chocolate is an excessively high-calorie product , so its consumption should be completely abandoned or strictly limited.

But this is not entirely true - an ordinary 100-gram bar contains on average only 500 kilocalories - such a diet awaits those who decide to lose weight using this method.

The system is based on two principles , like most other methods:

the calorie content of foods consumed daily is reduced (due to the work of internal organs and physical activity, a person on average spends more than one and a half thousand calories daily, but receives only 500 from chocolate);
Excess fluid is removed from the body, since the diet is salt-free.

The chocolate diet can be continued for 3 or 7 days, depending on how you feel.

Some people do not tolerate a sharp reduction in daily calorie intake to a minimum and according to the choice of the result they want to get.

Permitted and prohibited products

Foods and drinks that may be present on the table when following the classic diet: chocolate, unsweetened green tea and coffee, water.

The Italian version of the diet is considered less strict. The menu can be varied with vegetables (exceptions are potatoes and corn), as well as fruits (exceptions are bananas and grapes).

Although the classic version of the diet is strict, it will be convenient because it does not involve cooking. A man eats chocolate, drinks coffee and loses weight.

The Italian chocolate diet involves following the principles of proper nutrition. It is important to give up flour products, salt, alcoholic and carbonated drinks, and fast food. Sausages, semi-finished products and smoked products must not be present on the table.

Useful videos

To achieve your goal with the chocolate system, try to study any possible facts regarding your diet.

Next, we offer you thematic video materials, from which you can receive not only practical recommendations on how to properly organize your menu for 7 days, but also learn a number of nuances that will allow you to minimize the harm from completing the program.

The following video describes in detail all the nuances and subtleties of such a nutrition system, which chocolate is best to choose, as well as in what proportions to consume it correctly.

Discover effective methods for losing weight. The chocolate diet is a program whose effectiveness has been proven by numerous positive reviews from an audience of millions of people.

This system is not suitable for everyone, but still those who are allowed to use it will definitely achieve their goal. Develop a custom menu, create your own schedule, and start moving toward your ideal proportions today.

Chocolate diet recipes

Diet chocolate cake

To prepare the dish you need to take the following food set:

Sponge cake:
Chocolate pudding powder – 4 tbsp. l.
Sweetener – 4 tbsp. l.
Baking powder – 4 tsp.
Cream:
Sweetener – 2 tbsp. l.
Vanillin.
Glaze:
Read also: “Alternation” phase - Dukan recipes and menu for the week
Low-fat milk – 3 tbsp. l.
Low-fat cottage cheese – 2 tbsp. l.
Sweetener – 2 tbsp. l.

The cake consists of 2 layers. For the first cake layer, take half of all the ingredients indicated in the “sponge cake” recipe. The whites are whipped into a strong foam, the yolks are mixed with the remaining dry ingredients, after which they are carefully introduced into the protein mass. The oven is heated to 180 °C, after which the cakes are baked in it (separately). The second cake is prepared in the same way.

All components from the “cream” item are thoroughly mixed and lubricated with the finished cake mixture. The top of the cake should be left untouched.

To prepare the glaze, you need to mix all the ingredients and boil them over low heat. The finished glaze is poured over the top layer of the cake. Then it should be put in the refrigerator for several hours to cool and soak. You can place cherries, currants or other berries between the cakes.

Chocolate mousse

To prepare the mousse, you need to take the following products:

Cocoa powder - 2 tbsp. l.
Cottage cheese with 0% fat content - 300 g.
Low-fat yogurt – 100 ml.
Gelatin – 10 g.
Sweetener.

Gelatin is poured with water in advance and left for half an hour to swell, then it is heated until it is completely dissolved. All other components are mixed using a blender, and gelatin is introduced slowly, in a thin stream. The finished mousse is poured into molds and placed in the refrigerator to harden. 100 g of the finished product contains 89 kcal.

Diet chocolate

To prepare it you will need the following products:

Powdered milk with 0% fat content - 3 tbsp. l.
Cocoa – 1 tbsp. l.
Liquid milk – 50 ml.
Sugar substitute to taste.
Gelatin – 10 g.

Powdered milk is heated in a hot frying pan until it turns yellowish. Then they mix it with cocoa. Gelatin is soaked in milk and heated until completely dissolved. When the mass is ready, it is mixed with the powders and passed through the blender again. The finished composition is poured into molds and put in the refrigerator until it hardens.

Good brands

Belgian and Swiss chocolates are popular all over the world. Famous Belgian brands are Leonidas, Neuhaus, Pierre Marcolini and Wittamer. Popular Swiss chocolates include Lindt Excellence, Frey, Villars and Maestrani.

French chocolate is in great demand, with famous brands including Madame de Sévigné, Michel Richart, Mihel Chatilon and Debauve & Gallais.

Russian chocolates are also distinguished by their good taste. Well-known domestic brands are Pobeda Vkusa, Korkunov, Babaevsky, Red October and Zolotaya Marka.

Quitting the diet

You need to get out of the chocolate diet gradually, which will avoid the return of lost kilograms. New products are introduced into the menu gradually and in small quantities.

In order not to burden the digestive organs, vegetables should be eaten in salads, having first grated them. It is allowed to add freshly pressed juices, green tea, and rosehip decoction to drinks. Then you can move on to foods containing protein. These can be boiled eggs, fermented milk drinks, chicken breast, milk.

Positive sides

The chocolate diet is effective and has a number of advantages, including:

significant weight loss in a short period;
the usefulness of a product made from cocoa beans, but it manifests itself if you consume it a little: chocolate contains antioxidants, flavonoids and other beneficial substances;
improved mood;
stimulation of brain function.

It should be noted that, in addition to the benefits, this diet can also cause harm to the body.

Pros and cons of the chocolate diet

The undoubted advantages of the chocolate diet include:

The process of getting rid of fat is proceeding at an accelerated pace.
You can eat sweets while on a diet.
Natural chocolate prevents the aging of the body and helps increase its natural defenses.

Disadvantages of the chocolate diet:

During the diet, vitamin deficiency may develop, which contributes to the exacerbation of chronic diseases.
The body does not cleanse itself during a diet.
You may experience a feeling of weakness and drowsiness, since the menu is extremely low in calories.
The diet is not balanced.
Coffee and chocolate can provoke a deterioration in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, and disrupt the normal functioning of the liver. During the diet, the speed of metabolic processes will be reduced.

Caloric content of the diet

The calorie content of pure chocolate without additives is about 540 kcal per 100g. One chocolate bar contains 35.4g of fat, 6.2g of protein and 48.2g of carbohydrates. The glycemic index of the product is 25 units.

The chocolate diet does not involve the consumption of other products except 200 ml of coffee without sugar (12 kcal), 20 ml of 10% cream (23.6 kcal) and 400 ml of green tea (0 kcal). As a result, during one fasting day on chocolate, the body receives about 574.6 kcal. Without receiving the required amount of energy, the body begins to use fat reserves. To avoid wasting muscle fiber, it is recommended to add a small amount of cream or milk to coffee.

The chocolate diet is low calorie, low fat and low carbohydrate. Instead of the daily norm for weight loss of 1200-1500 kcal, the body receives about 600 kcal, instead of the fat norm of 80 g - only 35, instead of the required 100 g of carbohydrates - 48 g.

Chocolate is rich in beneficial substances, so its use ensures the normal functioning of vital processes. The product speeds up metabolism, promoting weight loss, increases tone and performance, allowing you to train, and blocks the feeling of hunger. The composition of dark chocolate includes:

Phenols, which reduce the level of bad cholesterol and activate the production of good cholesterol, positively affecting the functioning of blood vessels and the heart;
Antioxidants that neutralize the harmful effects of free radicals. Prevent early aging of cells, increase immunity and reduce the risk of developing cancer;
calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which strengthen bones, nourish the brain and stabilize cellular metabolism;
fluorine, phosphates and tannins, which prevent the development of caries;
elements that block pain.

Contraindications

Before you start losing weight on chocolate, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications to this diet:

Diabetes mellitus, hypersensitivity to sugar.
Candidiasis. The fungus that causes this disease is very sensitive to sugar, the consumption of which contributes to its proliferation.
Allergy to chocolate.
Increased emotional excitability. Caffeine and theobromine, which are present in cocoa beans, have a pronounced invigorating effect. This can negatively affect the functioning of the kidneys, heart and blood vessels, cause increased blood pressure, increased urination and cause vomiting. Chocolate can instill addiction, which is similar in strength to drugs.
High blood pressure. The rise in blood pressure that can be caused by caffeine intake is unacceptable for people with a history of hypertension.

Possible harm

Chocolate has a large list of contraindications that you need to familiarize yourself with before using a nutrition system based on this product for weight loss. It is not allowed to consume chocolate if you are prone to allergic reactions, have diabetes, cholelithiasis, hypertension, liver pathologies, gastrointestinal diseases, as well as during pregnancy and lactation.

The use of chocolate is prohibited in case of obesity, sleep disorders, nervous and mental disorders, gout and addiction to sweets.

The use of chocolate is not recommended for people with metabolic disorders. The chocolate diet is completely unbalanced; it does not contain the amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates required for the human body, which should be present in the daily diet in order to normalize metabolic processes.

Sample menu

A sample menu will make it easy to navigate when creating an individual diet. Organizing meals in advance will help you achieve good results and avoid unplanned snacking.

The menu for a fasting day on chocolate is as follows:

Breakfast . 20g dark chocolate, a cup of coffee without sugar and cream;
Lunch. 20g dark chocolate, green tea with lemon;
Dinner . 20g dark chocolate, a cup of coffee without sugar and cream;
Afternoon snack . 20g dark chocolate, 200ml skim milk;
Dinner . 20g dark chocolate, 200ml low-fat kefir;
Before bedtime . Mint decoction.

A sample menu for a 3-day diet looks like this:

Breakfast . 35g dark chocolate, coffee with cream;
Dinner . 35g dark chocolate, cocoa with skim milk;
Dinner . 35g dark chocolate, 200ml chamomile decoction.

An approximate menu for a 7-day diet includes a relatively large list of products:

Breakfast . 20g dark chocolate, coffee with cream;
Second breakfast . 20g dark chocolate, ½ grapefruit;
Dinner . 20g dark chocolate, cocoa with cream;
Afternoon snack . 20g dark chocolate, a handful of nuts;
Dinner . 20g dark chocolate, green tea with lemon.

To reduce the level of stress for the body, you can first diversify your diet, gradually reducing your daily calorie intake by limiting allowed foods.

If weakness and insomnia appear, you can drink 50 ml of cognac in the evening. This will add 120 kcal to your daily diet, however, it will help normalize sleep.