But is the Military Diet too good to be true or is it the magic diet solution you have been wishing for? If you need to lose weight and do it quickly, it might be just what you are looking for. But while it may help you rock those skinny jeans, if you are looking for a long term health fix, you might want to look elsewhere.
Read on to find out what the 3 Day Military Diet is, who it’s good for, and what you can and can’t eat on the diet.
What is the Military Diet?
The Military Diet is a very calorie restricted, 3 day diet that’s based on the principles of consuming the right combination of metabolism boosting foods. The diet also incorporates the idea of intermittent fasting with 3 days of very restricted eating followed by 4 days of a more moderate approach. While the diet itself is pretty straight forward, it’s not for the faint of heart. This diet may be exceedingly difficult to stick with because it must be followed exactingly.
The 3 days on the diet have you following a set meal plan. Day 1 of the diet is easier because you are consuming more food than the very limited quantities in Day 3. On days 4 through 7, you can eat whatever you want but should stay under 1500 calories.
Does it work?
Whether or not the 3 Day Military Diet works for you really depends on your overall goals. If your goal is to lose a few pounds and lose them quickly, then it might work for you. However, if your goal is more long term like substantial weight loss or improving your overall health, this diet will not work for you. It is too restrictive to sustain for a long period of time to help you do more than jump start a large weight loss, and it doesn’t have enough vitamins and nutrients to help you improve your health or reach your fitness goals.
When you combine the specific food combinations and recommended portions with will power to stick to the diet weight loss will happen.
The foods included in the diet are chosen for a reason. Each food has a relatively low calorie count as well as having protein, carbs and fats that interact and promote fat burning action. These food combinations jump start your body’s fat scorching power and speed up your metabolism so the pounds melt away. Drinking extra water while on the diet will help ensure this happens. The water helps you feel full without having any calories while it helps flush the nasty toxins out of your system. Those toxins are the same toxins that keep those stubborn extra pounds hanging around.
Who is the 3 Day Military Diet best for?
The 3 Day Military Diet is definitely not suited for everyone. If you’re to get healthy, you should think about a different diet solution. However, if you are just trying to shed some extra weight quickly before a big event than this may be for you.
Aside from just looking for a quick way to drop pounds without improving your health, you should also have very strong willpower. This diet may allow you to eat ice cream but it doesn’t allow you to stray from the laid out plans at all. It’s also very likely that the diet will make you quite hungry so you must be prepared to not give into those hunger pangs.
The 3 Day Military diet also appeals to people that love structure and following premade plans. The diet has an exact list of meals for the 3 day duration that must be followed. People that like to improvise more will not do well on this plan.
When deciding whether or not you want to give the 3 Day Military Diet a go, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons. You are making a difficult commitment and it’s important to know if it’s worth it to you.
PROS:
- There is no guesswork involved. The plan is all laid out for you. All you need to do is follow it.
- The meals are quick and easy to prepare.
- You might lose weight quickly.
- The diet is not new so you know exactly what to expect.
- It encourages some amount of exercise.
CONS:
- It drastically limits your calorie consumption. Very low calorie diets can be dangerous.
- It doesn’t provide enough nutrients to support your healthiest body.
- It won’t lead to lasting weight loss.
- It won’t lead to lasting weight loss.
- It can promote yoyo dieting.
- Many of the foods on the diet are very processed and full of sugars and additives. These foods like ice cream and hotdogs are not mainstays of a healthy diet.
- The diet doesn’t teach you good eating habits or portion control that will set you up for long term success.
- There are no health benefits of this diet.
Let’s look at the 3 Day Military Diet meal plan. Each of the 3 meals are clearly laid out making this one of the most straight forward diets to follow.
DAY 1DAY 2DAY 3
BREAKFAST
1/2 Grapefruit
1 Slice of Toast – preferably wholegrain
2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter
1 cup Coffee or Tea (with caffeine)
1 Slice of Toast – preferably wholegrain
2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter
1 cup Coffee or Tea (with caffeine)
LUNCH
1/2 Cup of Tuna or lean protein substitute
1 Slice of Toast
1 cup Coffee or Tea (with caffeine)
1 Slice of Toast
1 cup Coffee or Tea (with caffeine)
DINNER
3 ounces of any type of meat or protein substitute
1 cup of green beans
1/2 banana
1 small apple
1 cup of vanilla ice cream (coconut milk ice cream is awesome!)
1 cup of green beans
1/2 banana
1 small apple
1 cup of vanilla ice cream (coconut milk ice cream is awesome!)
You’re supposed to exercise and eat normally for the next 4 days after you complete the 3 day diet.
Diet and Substitution Information
The idea behind this 3-day Military Diet is that the recommended foods that work together to boost your metabolism. Therefore, if you are not following the diet exactly, you may not benefit from the same results. Food sensitivities, allergies, and ethical choices may force you to modify a bit.
Take a look at these recommendations and substitutions to help you along as needed.
The 3 Day Military Diet will deliver some impressive weight loss results if you stick with it as outlined during the 3 days on. You will also need to make sure you don’t go over the 1500 calorie limit during the other 4 days off. During those off days, keep away from alcohol, sugary drinks, and other foods that would limit weight loss.
If losing 10 pounds isn’t enough, people have followed the diet cycle for a full month. They repeat the cycle of 3 days on followed by 4 days off for a month. If choosing to go this route, make sure during the 4 days off the diet, you are eating a diet full of nutrients and vitamins that you may not be getting enough of during the 3 days on the strict regime.
Adding exercise into the mix also ups the ante of your expected results. Exercise can help firm up the muscles underneath the fat you are shedding. It also keeps the metabolism running on high and burns extra calories.
The 3 Day Military Diet FAQs
Dangers of the 3 Day Military Diet
This rapid weight loss does come with dangerous disadvantages. Rapid weight loss and extremely limiting your nutrition isn’t the best idea for your health. Aside from being very hungry, you may experience:
- gallstones
- dehydration
- headaches
- malnoutrition
- life threatening electrolyte imbalances
- weakness
- irritability
- fatigue
- muscle loss
- loss of menses for women
It’s recommended that you visit a doctor first before you going to embark on a diet, just to be sure that your body will be able to handle this type of diet.
Here are a few additional do's and dont's to get the most from the Military Diet!
Do stick to the plan exactly.The method behind the 3 Day Military Diet is extreme calorie restriction and the specific food combinations that are said to maximize fat burning. Stick to the plan if you want the best results.
Don’t make lots of substitutions. While the substitutions outlined earlier are acceptable, they will not produce the optimal results the diet promises. The diet is built on a very set combination of macronutrients.
Do be prepared to not be satisfied. While following the 3 Day Military Diet, you will be hungry. You are eating so few calories that the body will send hunger signals to try to encourage you to eat more. If you are serious about seeing some quick results, stay strong and remember, “No pain. No gain.”
Don’t snack. Giving into your hunger pains will undo any weight loss progress you have made. Follow the plan exactly. You will only get results if you follow the rules as they are laid out.
Do follow a sensible diet after the initial 3 days. Though it may be tempting, especially if the pounds are melting away, don’t cycle multiple rounds of the 3 Day Military Diet back to back. Your body needs more calories and nutrition than the diet provides. You can still make progress towards weight loss goals if you keep your post 3 Day Diet plan healthy.
Don’t forget to add an extra 100 calories if you are a man. Following the plan as laid out will now benefit everyone equally. Men burn more calories than women, therefore need more calories. Just make sure you get your extra calories from an approved source.
5 Tips to Get the Best Results from the Military Diet
1. Drink lots of water. Start each day with a big glass of water and drink water with each meal. Water will help make you feel full and encourage your body to flush out toxins that hold onto fat and bloat.
2. Plan. Buy your food ahead of time so you aren’t tempted by grocery shopping while hungry. Hunger destroys will power. Buy enough food to last you through the whole diet so you can avoid the temptation of shopping during the diet.
3. Do your workout in the morning on an empty stomach. Working out on an empty stomach encourages your body to burn its fat stores. Your body is much more likely to use fat for fuel when there is no food in your belly.
4. Enlist a buddy. Having a buddy to go through this with you will keep you motivated. Plus, it adds an element of competition and support that will make you more likely to stick to the plan.
5. Track your progress. Before you start the 3 Day Military Diet, make sure to take measurements and a photo to track your progress. This will keep you motivated when you see your success.
The 3 Day Military Diet is an unhealthy fad diet. While you may loss a few pounds quickly on the 3 Day Military Diet, there are other, healthier ways to lose weight. Instead of an unhealthy trend like this diet try some of the tried and true weight loss methods including:
- counting calories but not overly restricting
- eating less processed food
- increasing the amount of leafy green vegetables
- eliminating sugar
- drinking more water
- getting more exercise
- getting more sleep
- reducing stress
A combination of these tried and true methods will produce a healthy, sustainable weight loss. When you lose weight the right way, it becomes a lifestyle change that positively impacts your health and well being whereas the 3 Day Military Diet only has a temporary positive effect on the number on the scale.
This diet, however, is not sustainable in the long-term. It is not healthy and is very deficient in necessary nutrients. It does not lead to a healthy lifestyle, but rather to yo-yo dieting, eating disorders, and body-image issues.
Research has also shown that gradual weight loss is much healthier and more sustainable than a quick and rapid loss.
As said, slow and gradual weight loss through whole foods and lifestyle change is much healthier than a 3-day quick fix. However, if you are still looking to fit into your skinny jeans urgently, a 3-day green juice fast or raw food cleanse is much more sustainable. Juice fasts and raw food cleanses are also made up of organic, plant-based, whole foods ingredients ensuring that you will get more than enough of your daily needs of vitamins and minerals.
What is the Best Diet for Sustainable Weight Loss and Other Health Benefits?
- Start your day with warm lemon water. It alkalizes your body, boosts your immune system, curbs your cravings, and helps your body clean out toxins.
- Eat regularly. Don’t skip or forget your meals, as it will likely lead to evening or weekend binges. Eat throughout the day with 3 meals, and snacks in-between.
- Start adding more organic, plant-based whole foods into your diet. Increase your intake of greens through green juices, smoothies, and salads. Add even more veggies in soups and steamed vegetables. Don’t forget about your healthy fats in avocados, coconut oil, seeds, and nuts. Don’t worry about protein, through leafy greens, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans you can get plenty in even if you are eating a completely vegan diet.
- Slowly reduce, then eventually eliminate your processed foods and processed sugars from your diet. As you are increasing your healthy food intake, it will get easier to let go of processed foods. If you are craving something sweet, fresh fruits, dates, dried figs, carrots, sweet potatoes, and raw desserts are excellent options.
- Exercise. Exercise is very important. Aim for at least 20 – 30 minutes a day. Do what you can, and go at your own pace. Find something that you enjoy, there are so many options, including running, walking, dancing, swimming, aerobics classes, biking, swimming, Pilates, TRX, and more. Try new things. Give everything a fair chance, but if it is not your passion, move on until you find something you love.
- Get enough sleep. Sleep is very important for health, healing, and weight loss. Make sure to sleep at least eight hours a night.
- Reduce stress. Meditate, journal, do breathing exercises, practice positive thinking, get out into nature, spend time with positive people, read, and do activities that help you be relaxed, balanced, and positive.
The 3-day Military Diet is a restrictive fad diet that is dangerously low in calories.
The inclusion of unhealthy, sugary, and processed foods, such as ice cream and hot dogs, and the deficiency of necessary vitamins and minerals makes the diet unhealthy. These recommended foods may lead to diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer.
The promise of the diet that specific food combinations would boost your metabolism is not backed by science. Also, the low-calorie intake recommended in the 3-day Military Diet is potentially dangerous, not sustainable, leads to yo-yo dieting, and potentially dangerous eating disorders.
Lastly, the restrictive nature of the diet certainly removes the joy from cooking and eating.
For long-term success, it is recommended to avoid short fad diets and focus on a gradual lifestyle change. Start eliminating processed foods, start eating a mostly organic, plant-based whole food diet with plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seeds, nuts, beans, and legumes. Exercise at least 20 – 30 minutes a day. Get enough sleep, reduce stress, and practice a positive mindset.
If you follow these basic healthy eating and living principles, over time you will notice that the pounds will drop, your health will improve, and you will feel happier, more energetic, and overall fantastic.
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