Military Diet

Kittyvicious1

Sister said she is going to lose 30 lbs in one month. I told her it is unhealthy and not possible. She says it is possible on a 1500 calorie diet, cardio and strength training. I don't want to discourage her, or doubt her so I just ok and good luck.

So just skeptical what others think, is it possible or not. As for myself, I started at 192 and 4 months later with vigorous exercise and 1300-1500 calorie diet I am at 185. Do you think one can lose 30 pounds in 30 days (1 pound a day)?

MoreBean13

30 lbs in a month is possible but it's a terrible idea and there's like a 99.98% chance she'll gain it back no matter how hard she tries not to.

I thought that military diet was much lower calorie and a VERY restrictive elimination diet, though. From everything I've heard about it, it's torture.

Chief_Rocka

Possible, yes. Not very difficult at all for the very obese.

MoreBean13

Possible, yes. Not very difficult at all for the very obese.

Ahhhh, good point. I didn't consider the very obese in my previous answer.

Mr_Knight

"Military diet" is a lot more than 1500 calories a day, at least for infantry.

MORECHABLIS

I haven't got a clue what a military diet consists of... But when I was in my early 30's... After putting on weight, due to business I'd go off for 2 weeks, to the sun and Tenerife, Costa Del Silencio‎. Not near the partying area... And just live on cereal, Ryvita, ham, and cheese, and a very light meal.. with one good meal and botttle of wine a week. .

But I had to do nothing in-between, overall, odd cycle, but mostly laying in sun, going to bed early... no fun...

I'd swim freestyle for at least 1 hour or 2 hours a day in total...

I lost LOADS... Really from fat to thin... I'd lose 'at least' 14 pounds over 2 weeks, then I would go home for a week and then go skiing for 2 weeks and lose more weight (without dieting)...

Then it was back to work... I can't afford to do that at the moment...

Rd

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

It'll be water and muscle for the most part. In order to lose a pound of fat per day you'd need a 3500 calorie deficit, which means if your maintenance is 2000 you'd have to eat nothing and still burn off 1500 calories per day through exercise.

Not possible. It'd be closer to possible if you were very obese, but still not healthy.

You can lose that much if you drastically reduce calories and lose a bunch of muscle in the process. My understanding of the "military" diet (I hate that they call it that because we're a military family and I promise you none of the guys are losing weight with that plan) is that it's very low calorie, not 1500 but closer to 500.

MoreBean13

"Military diet" is a lot more than 1500 calories a day, at least for infantry.

The military diet doesn't have anything to do with the actual military, it's just a name for a restrictive fad diet:

http://themilitarydiet.com/military-diet-plan/

ETA: Looks like the 1500 calories is actually for the 4 days you have "off" the diet, the 3-days "on" the military diet are much lower calories. You do 3 days on, 4 days at 1500, repeat.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

"Military diet" is a lot more than 1500 calories a day, at least for infantry.

What she's talking about it more of a pro-ana diet than anything. It goes on the theory that certain combinations of food will cause fat loss, but the truth is that it's just really low-calorie. It's called the military diet to give it credibility, but it has no affiliation with the actual military. Meals are things like "1 can of tuna and 5 saltine crackers."

fitmom07

It depends on how much she weighs. I lost about 13 pounds in 1 1/2 months starting weight at 177. I work out hard every single day and I am on a 1200 calorie diet, but I also breastfeed so I am allowed a little more calories from that. I am definitely not starving myself, I eat 5 small meals a day and drink only water with the exception of 1 cup of coffee a day.

Kittyvicious1

Mt sister approximately weighs 250. Im going to support her either way. It would be nice to run with someone every now and then. But the chocalet donuts and soda have to go if she isserios.

DavPul

if your sister weighed 600 pounds losing 30 pounds in a month would be feasible. unfortunately, she only weighs a third of that. will she settle for 10 pounds?

Mr_Knight

The military diet doesn't have anything to do with the actual military, it's just a name for a restrictive fad diet:

http://themilitarydiet.com/military-diet-plan/

Ah, thanks for clarification.

That's insane. Armies have known for thousands of years that the best way to get top performance out of your soldiers is to feed them well. All that diet will do is shed water and muscle mass.

Terrible name, IMO.

ATT949

Mt sister approximately weighs 250. Im going to support her either way. It would be nice to run with someone every now and then. But the chocalet donuts and soda have to go if she isserios.

At 250, it would be very hard for her to drop a pound a day for 30 days unless she is willing, and able, to do a staggering amount of exercise.

My weight loss data is here:
http://cbeinfo.net/weight.htm


The salient data are here:

12/9/10 = 294.5
1/8/11 = 275.2 (30 days)
1/30/11 = 264.2 (52 days)

I'v described my diet as "essence of vegetable steam" because I was averaging under 1k cals/day net. During my rapid weight loss, I went through what I called "cycles" consisting of a "weight loss" phase and a "recovery" phase.

My BMR at the time was edging toward 3k cals and my daily intake was < 1k so I was living with a deficit approaching 2k cals/day. That's a lot.

To lose that kind of weight (a pound a day for 30 days), your sister will need to burn many hundreds of calories through exercise and will have to eat very, very little - does your sister have the discipline, knowledge, and support system that will help her do this?

RAFValentina

I hate the association with "military" and this. In basic training, i didn't think about what i ate other than "SHOW ME THE CALORIES" you need it just to get through your day and keep up with the phys, long hours and morale for all the BS!!!

3dogsrunning

The military diet doesn't have anything to do with the actual military, it's just a name for a restrictive fad diet:

http://themilitarydiet.com/military-diet-plan/

Ah, thanks for clarification.

That's insane. Armies have known for thousands of years that the best way to get top performance out of your soldiers is to feed them well. All that diet will do is shed water and muscle mass.

Terrible name, IMO.

This "diet" goes by all kinds of fun misleading names, like the military diet, the AHA (American Heart Association) diet, Birmingham hospital diet, the cardiac diet, etc. It is often billed as a diet that cardiac patients go on to drop weight fast before surgery however none of these reputable organizations actually use or endorse this. Just a fun little way to mislead people.
Several of these organizations have made statements against this diet.

Anything that tries that hard to mislead you cannot be a good thing.

RAFValentina

An army marches on it's stomach so the saying goes...

crandos

You need alot more calories than that if your in the military lol

Kittyvicious1

Thanks for all your responses. Im known as the "know it all" in the family, so I gave her my thoughts and support. It is my sister's journey. I know she will have to reevaluate her diet at some point and realize 30 lbs in 30 days is not a realistic goal given her lifestyle ( work, kids, fatty foods, high blood pressure, etc...). I will eventually find a way to explain all the info without sounding unsupportive or a "know it all."

amberglass12

I know people who have done this; Someone who wasn't in the military but someone who was in law enforcement. It does work, but you have to work out too.. And after you lose the weight you have to maintain your calorie intake as well as your exercise you cant just stop after you lose the weight. That is what a lot of people problems are with any diet out there they think once they lose it they can stop exercising or dieting in reality you cant... This fasting, It has all of the intakes of the pyramid your suppose to take in.. just cutting it into smaller portions. Your not suppose to eat alot of fatty foods. Your suppose to have more fruits and veggies.. Not to many fruits though because of the sugars in them. In a healthy diet your not suppose to eat a lot of red meats either because there not good for a diet. Chicken and fish is the best meat to choose. fish eats your fatty cells and chicken is low in calories sodium etc. Im going to start next week, ive been doing p90x and excerising at the gym every night 5 days a week... I wanna see results an stick with it. Ive gained to much after my second child... Time to crack down..