What is the Military Diet? Basics and Benefits

Contrary to what its name suggests, the military diet is not associated with the military. Instead, it is a type of diet that helps you lose weight quickly- about 4.5 kg a week.

The military diet, also called the 3-day diet, is basically a weight loss program that involves 3 days of very-low-calorie eating, followed by 4 days of a less strict and restrictive eating plan.

The military diet plan should be repeated weekly for approximately 1 month, or until you reach your desired weight. For each of the first 3 days, you are required to eat 1000 or fewer calories and for the corresponding 4 days, you can eat any normal diet, but not more than 1500 calories, each day.

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Basics of the military diet: How to get started?

The military diet can be divided into 2 phases for 7 days.

• During the first phase i.e., the first 3 days of the week, the total calorie intake should not be more than 1,100 to 1,400 per day. For the first three days, there is a pre-approved meal plan for your breakfast, lunch and dinner. No extra snacks should be taken in between your meals during the initial 3 days of your diet.
• For the second phase i.e., the last 4 days of the week, you have to consume a well-balanced diet.

Approved foods:

The military diet requires you to eat three meals a day and no snacks. This is then followed by 4 days of less strict eating for 3 meals with 1 or 2 snacks in between.

Foods you can eat during the first phase of the military diet include:

• Hard-boiled eggs
• Peanut butter with toast
• Tuna
• Cottage cheese
• Meat
• Grapefruit
• Bananas
• Apples
• Green beans
• Coffee
• Broccoli
• Ice cream

During the second phase, on the other hand, you can preferably eat healthy and nutritious food and limit your calorie intake to no more than 1,500 calories. Make sure to choose healthy whole foods over packaged and processed ones.

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What not to eat during the military diet?

As long as your meals stay within the stated calorie guidelines for the first three days, alternative food choices are allowed on the plan. But there are certain foods that aren’t generally recommended. These include:

• Wine
• Beer
• Milk
• Spirits
• Cream
• Agave
• Honey
• Sugar both white and brown
• Maple syrup

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What are the benefits of the 3-day military diet?

A military diet could be an effective diet program for quick weight loss. The plan is easy to follow, includes limited food items, and also doesn’t involve time-taking cooking methods.

The diet majorly focuses on protein intake that further helps you feel full for an extended period of time. It also helps maintain muscle mass and offers energy to undertake daily activities. The 3-day diet provides a structured plan to achieve weight loss goals and also helps curb cravings and hunger.

A military diet is a good choice if you want to lose weight, but it’s only beneficial if the diet is done sustainably. You must note that the weight loss that results from the 3-day military diet is unlikely to be sustained.

Note: While the military diet may result in short-term and rapid weight loss, the results are unlikely to continue in the long term and also depend on certain factors including your age, weight, and the foods that you consume. Plus, diets like these may affect how certain foods react in your body due to their restrictive components.

So, before you take the plunge and begin the military diet plan, make sure you don’t have allergies to any product that you’re going to include in your diet plan.

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Is the military diet a good choice for you?

If you have any short-term weight loss plans, the military diet is greatly effective, but remember that weight loss achieved during this plan can be regained once you are back on your normal diet. The 3-day diet isn’t a long-term solution to your weight gain problems, nor is it a healthy eating plan.

For long-lasting weight loss results, however, focus more on making small dietary and sustainable changes and just stick to them. It is always best to consult a certified nutritionist or dietician and seek guidance on how you can achieve sustainable and healthy weight loss.