Is Watermelon Good For You When Trying To Lose Weight?

Weight loss is something that’s on everyone’s mind. After all, why wouldn’t you want to make absolutely sure that you were staying in the best shape possible? So many health issues are actually tied to our weight, so if you can go out of your way to really make sure that you not only lose weight and keep it off, why wouldn’t you do that?

You need an ally in this fight, though. An ally you can trust to be at your side through the whole thing. And if you ask us, that alley has to be watermelon — full stop.

Why Watermelon?

Watermelon has a lot of surprising benefits. For starters, it’s very low in calories, since it’s about 92% water. You’ll get filled up fast.

There are nutrients like vitamin C and lycopene that come to the party. If you’re craving a lot of processed desserts, switch to watermelon. You will save yourself from the horrible chemicals that are often used to keep food at its freshest for the longest.

Watermelon can also replace potassium if you’re running low. Fitness fans like watermelon because it’s not only just a good source of antioxidants, but it’s also going to be a great way to replace potassium. Running low on potassium can cause muscle cramps, which just aren’t pleasant!

You also can’t go wrong with citruline, an amino acid that’s found in the rind of the watermelon. While most people probably don’t eat the rind, it might be a neat idea to try doing so. You can grill it or pickle it to soften it up!

Many Ways to Add in Watermelon

There are plenty of ways to add in watermelon to your diet. You’re going to be able to make smoothies and shakes as well as just eating it straight up with a spoon. There’s watermelon ice cream and even watermelon flavored pies and cakes if you’re feeling adventurous. But if you really want to get the most benefits, raw watermelon is the way to go — try not to process it too much! Since it’s so low in calories but so sweet and satisfying, you’ll find yourself using it in a wide variety of different dishes. Salsas that include fruits like watermelon definitely can be a refreshing way to escape the heat, and they’re easy to make with a food processor.

Total Nutrition and the Road Ahead

As mentioned in earlier in this article, watermelon is definitely a great boost to your weight loss program in general. However, it’s more important to make sure that you have total nutrition in mind. Many people struggle for years with weight loss because they can’t seem to lose the weight at all — it simply moves in cycles. Watermelon is beneficial in moderate doses, but the truth is that keeping sugar low or limiting it to natural sugars is a better approach. The world of processed carbohydrates and sugars is responsible for a lot of weight gain — far more than what people would honestly imagine.

You will need to be a lot more diligent at the supermarket than you might expect, because the ingredient labels don’t always tell you everything. If you see a product with a lot of ingredients, chances are good that it doesn’t belong in your body. One of the surprising things about weight loss is that everyone is going to be different.

While this is general advice, we strongly suggest that you find out what works for your body. An elimination diet can help you figure out which foods are actually working against your weight loss program. For example, did you know that many people are actually sensitive to gluten containing products? That means that just eliminating wheat from your diet could boost your weight loss a great deal. And when you combine that with the watermelon you eat, who knows where you might end up?

This is probably a bit “extreme” for regular dieters, but the truth is that getting rid of wheat may just be the best addition to your diet, along with the watermelon of course!

Total nutrition means that you’re going to have to start thinking of not just macronutrients like carbs and protein and fat, but you’re also going to have to think about micronutrients. When the body lacks copper or iron or selenium, it doesn’t function in the same manner. Manganese? Same issue. So what you may need to do is keep a food diary and see what’s actually going to benefit you and what you will need to remove. Don’t skip over your feelings on a day, either — your emotions tie into your food more than you think!

We also would be remiss in an article about weight loss if we didn’t address sleep. Adding in watermelon is a great step, but if you’re still frustrated with not losing as much as you would like, you’re going to need to look at how you sleep, when you sleep, and how you wake up in the morning. Are you sleeping in a dark room with the lights blocked out? That could honestly make all of the difference in the world — try it sometime!

You also want to watch your stress. Getting involved in things that make you angry is only going to keep you angry — it’s not going to benefit you in any way, shape or form. That’s why people that deal with stressful situations are advised to find an outlet that isn’t stressful. Some people garden, other people listen to loud music and dance, and others still just go out for a walk. What works for you will depend on what you like.

The hormones also play a role in total nutrition. Men and women alike will need to look at how their hormones are balanced. They need to ensure that their blood lipid panels are under control. New research indicates that diet plays into these hormonal changes in a big way. Our environment is also an issue. Using a lot of plastic. You could be putting yourself susceptible to toxins from it over time. Switching to glass and stainless steel are great ideas that should be explored. Using aluminum cookware and bakeware has long term effects that are just now being explored.

Sometimes it feels like you have to be your own detective and not trust anything, but if you really want health and weight loss that works, you’re going to need to start looking beyond standard weight loss advice.

Overall, if you take the pieces of advice in this article to heart, there’s really no way that you will fail at getting your target weight in good time. Don’t lose hope — with watermelon and good planning, all things are possible!