Hercules diet: reviews, menu for weight loss

The Hercules diet belongs to the class of mono-diets and is one of the most effective ways to lose excess weight in the shortest possible time. It is based on oatmeal (rolled oats), which are known for containing many beneficial properties. Thanks to the diet, you can easily tolerate an acute feeling of hunger, which means that losing weight with the help of this nutrition system will be comfortable.

It has been established that oatmeal has a low glycemic index: when consuming oatmeal porridge, glucose does not enter the blood immediately, but gradually, evenly distributing energy throughout the body and protecting it from insulin surges that usually occur during meals with “fast” carbohydrates .

Diet on Hercules - pros and cons

The diet has many advantages, and one of the most important is the presence of a lot of useful substances: iron, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium, etc. We list other equally significant advantages:

The presence of complex carbohydrates that can be broken down in the body for several hours. It should be noted here that due to complex carbohydrates you will not be accompanied by a constant feeling of hunger.
Improving the functioning of the stomach and intestines.
Beneficial effect on the epidermis.
Elimination of rashes, inflammations.
Reducing blood cholesterol, cleansing blood vessels.
Express weight loss without harm to health.

However, there are also disadvantages that you should definitely be aware of:

Not everyone likes the taste of oatmeal, especially if it is cooked only with water.
If you consume only one product for a long time, there is an acute shortage of other beneficial substances that should be supplied to the body daily.
Given the tendency of many people to overeat, after the Herculean diet it will be more difficult to maintain the achieved results.

It is also worth considering contraindications:

Indications and contraindications

Hercules cereal is often used by doctors in various types of treatment tables and dietary nutrition. The main indications for this regimen are:

Gastrointestinal diseases: ulcers, gastritis, etc. The jelly-like consistency of the dish envelops the walls of the stomach, thereby reducing pain from contact with food.
Inflammatory formations on the skin.
Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Constipation and obstruction. Porridge with enough water softens stagnant stool and improves intestinal motility.

This diet is not suitable for people with intolerance to plant protein. Diets are contraindicated for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Under the age of 16, you should also not get carried away with such experiments with your diet. If you have health problems or chronic diseases, including the digestive system, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Instant porridges are not included among weight loss dishes, because they contain oatmeal that has undergone maximum processing - they do not contain any useful substances. In addition, sugar and other additives that provoke appetite are added to such cereals. Eating “correct” oats should not take a very long time.

the presence of chronic and acute diseases of the digestive system, heart, blood vessels;
You cannot follow such a diet if you have diabetes;
if you are intolerant to gluten, which is contained in oatmeal;
Pregnant and lactating women should also avoid oat diets;
do not resort to this diet if you are allergic to gluten and grains;
This feeding method is prohibited for people with gastritis and other serious disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
with high energy consumption and heavy physical activity, you should also not go on an oat diet;
If you have a history of colitis, this diet will not suit you.

Hercules diet for weight loss - menu options

First option:

In the morning: oatmeal porridge, green apple (half) and green tea.

For lunch: a glass of kefir and porridge with rolled oats and honey.

For dinner: a glass of milk (low-fat), the other half of an apple and oatmeal porridge.

Also try to drink more water at any time of the day. Duration of diet: 7-8 days.

How to prepare oatmeal porridge (simple method): take a glass of water (boiling water) and a couple of tablespoons of oatmeal. Pour boiling water over rolled oats and let steep for about 8-10 minutes.

Second option:

The rules of this diet option, like the previous one, are very simple: 5 times a day you need to eat oatmeal prepared exclusively with water (without milk or sugar). Each serving of porridge should not exceed 250 grams. It is important to know that you need to consume a dietary dish freshly prepared - if you cook oatmeal for future use, it will be more difficult for you to eat it due to the “evaporation” of its taste.

During the day, between meals, it is allowed to drink green tea (however, no more than 4-5 cups per day) and water (no less than 1.5 liters per day). You need to drink water or tea about half an hour to an hour before meals.

The Hercules diet also includes small fruit snacks (with the exception of bananas and grapes). This could be 2 apples a day, 2 oranges or four kiwis (it is better to alternate fruits). According to reviews, thanks to this method you can successfully lose up to 4-5 kg in a week.

The third option is oatmeal, cottage cheese and apples

It is recommended to adhere to this diet option for no more than 12 days. In addition, every 4 days you can eat up to 300 grams of vegetables: both raw and steamed.

Morning: 2 medium apples and a bowl of oatmeal with water.
Day: 3 apples, 100 grams of low-fat cottage cheese and oatmeal in water with the addition of a small amount of honey.
Evening: 4 apples, 200 grams of low-fat cottage cheese.

Benefits and harms

Rolled oats itself is a very useful product with a long list of advantages. It significantly reduces blood cholesterol levels and prevents the growth of cholesterol plaques. Thanks to the low glycemic index, porridge can be consumed even by diabetics. In addition, oatmeal normalizes glucose and blood sugar levels, which is also beneficial for people with diabetes. Cereal fibers improve the condition of the gastrointestinal tract and create antipathogenic microflora, and also increase immunity.

But oatmeal also has its downsides. So, if the consistency of the dish is not liquid enough, the Herculean diet can lead to the development of constipation. The Hercules diet involves avoiding salt, which causes fluid retention in the human body. Accordingly, with such a diet it is necessary to compensate for the flow of fluid into the body. And consuming large portions several times a day can generally have the opposite effect of losing weight and lead to excess weight gain.

In terms of its composition, oats are a unique cereal, which contains a huge amount of vitamins and microelements necessary for humans. So, the porridge contains:

Carbohydrates.
Mono- and disaccharides.
Cellulose.
Protein.
B vitamins.
Iodine, sulfur, potassium, sodium and other elements.

Diet on oatmeal - cook porridge correctly

Cooking porridge from oatmeal is not difficult - you just need to follow the following step-by-step instructions:

Sort the oatmeal and then rinse in clean water.
Place them in a deep bowl, fill with water so that it covers the rolled oats and place in a warm, secluded place for a day. In this way, you can enhance the beneficial properties of oatmeal.
The next day, drain the water and add the flakes to boiling clean water. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, add a little salt.
Remove from the stove and let the porridge sit under the lid for about 10-15 minutes. Serve with olive oil.

Sample menu by day

1 day

Second breakfast: salad of fresh tomatoes and peppers.
Lunch: half a glass of brewed oatmeal.
Afternoon snack: a glass of low-fat kefir.
Dinner: oatmeal with apples.

Day 2

Second breakfast: salad of Chinese cabbage, radishes and cucumbers.
Lunch: half a glass of oatmeal cooked with kefir.
Afternoon snack: baked zucchini.
Dinner: oatmeal from a jar.

Day 3

Second breakfast: baked green beans.
Lunch: rolled oats on water with dried fruits.
Afternoon snack: tomato and cucumber salad.
Dinner: oatmeal with water, a glass of kefir.

4 day

Second breakfast: boiled broccoli with garlic.
Lunch: oatmeal with kefir.
Afternoon snack: salad of cucumber, radish and white cabbage.
Dinner: oatmeal on water with berries.

5 day

Second breakfast: eggplant baked with tomato and pepper.
Lunch: oatmeal on water with apples and raisins.
Afternoon snack: tomato and Chinese cabbage salad.
Dinner: rolled oats with kefir.

Before you start an oatmeal diet, you need to carry out some kind of preparation for it, gradually reducing the number of calories in your dishes and reducing the amount of junk food you eat. The diet that is followed for a week includes the following recommendations:

The daily content of oatmeal in the diet is 600 grams. The flakes can be boiled or infused by pouring boiling water. This amount should be enough for three meals;
in addition to rolled oats, weight loss dishes can be supplemented with low-calorie fruits and vegetables, fresh, boiled or baked, the total amount should not exceed 300 grams;
You can add dry fruits, any nuts to the oatmeal, or season it with cinnamon;
cottage cheese, natural yogurt and low-fat kefir are also allowed;
You need to get out of the diet gradually, introducing other foods into the menu besides those that you can eat while losing weight and replacing one of the dishes with them.

The three-day diet does not allow the intake of other foods besides oatmeal. Porridge cooked in water cannot be salted or sugar added. There is no limit on the volume of oatmeal, the main thing is not to feel hungry. Green tea can also help with this.

Results of the Hercules diet for weight loss

According to nutritionists, in 7 days of a strict Herculean mono-diet there is a chance to get rid of an average of 7-8 kilograms of excess weight. If, in addition to oatmeal, you consume other food, the result will be minus 4-5 kilograms. It is recommended to stick to no more than 10-12 days, depending on diet variations. In addition, upon completion, it is undesirable to eat sweet, fatty and starchy foods.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the Hercules diet is a very strict nutrition system, so you should consult a doctor before following it. You can repeat this diet once every 4-5 months.

What is the essence of the diet?

Its meaning is that the diet is based on rolled oatmeal. To achieve the result, it is cooked exclusively in water, without adding sugar or salt. This regime allows you to quickly lose excess weight: on average 1 kilogram daily.

Oatmeal, cooked in water without adding oil or sugar, is a low-calorie product, with an energy value of only 84 calories per 100 grams. Naturally, if you adhere to the rules of a mono-diet, such a diet creates a calorie deficit, thanks to which the body begins to burn existing fat reserves and, as a result, lose weight.

Reviews

Alina, 29 years old: “I sat on buckwheat for several days, then I tried a week on the Herculean diet. I lost 4 kg!”

Olga, 34 years old: “In three days I managed to lose 3 kilos. I eat oatmeal in any quantity, whenever I want to eat. I also add fresh cucumbers to my diet, drink green tea and kefir.”

Zhanna, 40 years old: “A year ago, with the help of Hercules, I lost about 7 kg, but I gained it back over the winter... I plan to stick to this diet again.”

Marina, 32 years old: “I probably have one of the best results: I lost as much as 15 kg in a month! I ate one rolled oats 5 times a day, sometimes with honey. Over the next six months, the weight was practically maintained – I gained only 2 kg.”

See also: Kefir with cinnamon for weight loss

Oatmeal in the morning

Many nutritionists advise starting the day with oatmeal. This is not unreasonable because:

How to cook porridge correctly

It is better to prepare fresh porridge for every meal. To do this you need to take 2 tbsp. tablespoons of cereal, sort through and rinse if necessary. Pour a glass of boiling water and cook over low heat until tender. You can simply leave the water-soaked flakes at room temperature overnight. This method of preparation is called fermentation or soaking. Add a splash of olive oil before serving.

Why do you need soaking?

First of all, it helps to activate the beneficial substances that lie dormant in oatmeal. Secondly: many plant foods - grains, legumes, nuts and cereals - contain phytic acid. This acid is not only not absorbed by the human body, but also interferes with the absorption of proteins, fats and various minerals, blocking digestive enzymes in the stomach. Often it is phytic acid that causes anemia or allergies to a particular food.

If cereals and legumes are soaked, sprouted or fermented, phytase, an enzyme that decomposes phytic acid, is activated in them.

Thus, it is advisable to soak any cereal before cooking, and this applies not only to rolled oats.

It is better to use whole oats that are boiled in water. True, it takes quite a long time to cook (about 50 minutes), but the result is worth it, because in the end you will get a very healthy porridge for your diet. The recipe for the correct preparation of whole grain cereals: rinse the oats several times under running water, leave in water overnight (the oats are filled with water in a ratio of 1:3). After this, start cooking - first on high heat until it boils, then on low for about an hour.

Hercules flakes cook a little less - about half an hour. For 1 cup of cereal you need to use 2 cups of water. You can add a little salt to the porridge or add fresh berries, natural spices or dried fruits to the already prepared one. Cook both flakes and whole grains, stirring constantly.

Instant cereal is poured with boiling water. In a few minutes they are ready to eat.