Is this diet unhealthy?

ashilicious87

I work at a hospital and one of the diets I found is called the Three Day Cardiac Diet~it is recommended for patients who need heart surgery but are too overweight and high risk to go under anesthesia. It is pretty much an 800 calorie a day diet for 3 days and its really strict with diuretic type of food then the next 4 days you can eat what you'd like as long as you don't go overboard and proportion good with all food groups included no soda--only diet.

I am taking it a step further with sticking to 1200 calories a day after the strict 3 days and exercising on my elliptical 20 minutes a day and taking the stairs up to tenth floor 1-2 times during M-F (those stairs are killer too super steep and I like die and get reborn every time I do those). The only thing is it is saying I should eat more like 1500 calories what with all the exercising and and I've been doing 800 so I kinda felt weak today. Plus I was so busy at work I did like 27 exams today so I am super beat. But I have already lost 7 lbs in 3 days so I know it is successful.

I am super hungry right now and my son's Valentine treats from school are making me salivate, but I think it is good if I stick with it because my stomach will shrink right?

I'm not trying to do anything crazy and get to pre-baby weight (127, I am 183 now!) I would actually be stoked to get to the 160's-150's range but I want some quick results!

What works for you guys? Is this healthy?

naomi8888

I think dropping too quickly and reducing calories calories too much will mean you will lose muscle. Not good. Inevitably you will end up eating too much (ie the Valentine's chocolates) and your slowed metabolism will mean that you'll replace your lost muscle with fat. I've done this may times myself through yo yo dieting.

I'd say to just be sensible, eat AT LEAST 1200 calories a day and do some strength exercise. Boring advice but that's just my opinion.

BTW - Just recently I've been trying to increase my protein and decrease my carbs (specifically sweets) and it seems to have worked for me

cmeade20

If you're starving right now you're setting yourself up for failure. Eat back your exercise calories, you'll still be at a deficit and lose weight. And 1200 calories a day is way too few for 183 pounds.

StephnElbow

there is a reason the weight is dropping fast, thats an extreme diet meant for an extreme situation. those people need surgery asap and need to lose the weight fast if they want a chance at surgery.

your situation is not nearly as life and death. i would say to eat at least 1000 calories if you still want to go very low, but i think 1200 each day with exercise is fine.

i eat ~ 1200 a day and exercise and i have been losing about 2 lbs a week.

sarahgilmore

Well, it'll get you your coveted quick results, but they won't last.

astrampe

Your stomach will not shrink...If you starve yourself you will lose weight fast, and then cave because that's what starving people do and eat lots of junk...And guess what? You will gain even faster and more than what you lost...

ashilicious87

I hardly think I am gambling with people's lives because I am eating under 1000 calories, geez~dramatic much? Whats more I can do x-rays in my sleep and still spot a pathology so trying to attack my professional career is just plain mean and not what I thought this message board was geared towards. My husband will sometimes a go an entire day without eating and he is not even trying to diet!

To the rest of you, thanks for the advice about it being too aggressive I just wanted to get my results because contrary to popular belief I have been trying to stick to the 1200 calories a day/2 lbs a week thing for years and have been unsuccessful but maybe I will try the substituting proteins for carbs thats a good idea, the sweets and carbs always get me.

Oh and this diet isn't only meant for medical emergencies~its also known as the Three Day Cardiac FAD diet and is kind of popular right now. The situation I described is just an example of one hospital in Birmingham that recommends it for their Cardiac patients, hardly neglectful on my part to want to at least try it out.

pastryari

To the rest of you, thanks for the advice about it being too aggressive I just wanted to get my results because contrary to popular belief I have been trying to stick to the 1200 calories a day/2 lbs a week thing for years and have been unsuccessful but maybe I will try the substituting proteins for carbs thats a good idea, the sweets and carbs always get me.

Oh and this diet isn't only meant for medical emergencies~its also known as the Three Day Cardiac FAD diet and is kind of popular right now. .

You're either not counting calories correctly, you need to exercise more, or you need to actually UP your calories, depending what your stats are. Otherwise, being in a deficit, you would be losing. So something you're doing isn't correct if you've been trying for years.

"FAD" diet. Says it all right there. You'll lose, & then you'll gain it all back plus some. Just stick to your calorie goals, exercise, & you will lose weight the healthy way.

UponThisRock

Keep in mind that this type of diet is typically done under a doctor's supervision.

daisydieter

I lost 5 pounds in one week.. albeit half of it sodium bloat in one week by following a strict 1200 calories (MEASURE EVERYTHING OUT and COOK IT YOURSELF) Vegan Gluten-Free Diet with no sugar (except what happens naturally in fruit) or alcohol. In addition, I did an hour of cardio exercise per day. The second week I only lost 2lbs. Seven pounds in two weeks felt like a pretty fast start. Plus now that I'm allowing myself meat, dairy and wheat/oats again... I find just one serving does it for me.

Hope that helps!

ojell

Ok...I'm not gonna lie I've done this diet before with a friend of mine. I also know several other people who have done it. The short answer is yes, IF you can stick to it exactly the way they say to...you will drop pounds. This does not mean that's a good thing though. More than likely you'll gain it back, and it's not a healthy diet. For Cardiac patients...you gotta do what you gotta do so that you can save their life, you know? I wouldn't recommend it.

katcod1522

Its also known as the 3 day military diet. They used to have recruits do it for basic training. I did it once..way back...lost 7lbs in a week...mostly water weight Im certain. I say go low carb/high protein for 3 days... (Im actually doing this Sun, Mon and Tues)

myofibril

it is recommended for patients who need heart surgery but are too overweight and high risk to go under anesthesia.

There's a reason for that. It's a short term solution geared for a specific event. It's not really about long term and permanent fat loss. The majority of weight lost will be water.

You won't do much damage doing it for three days however. It might give you a psychological boost which means you stick to a sensible plan for the longer term thereafter.

All the best.

ashilicious87

Thanks, everyone has been really helpful and thrown some good ideas out there. However, I am going to stick with it this month because I love the results I am getting so far and it makes a 1200 calorie diet feel like nothing. After I achieve the results I want in a month, I am going to use some other ideas on here you guys gave me to maintain it. But I need astounding results in order to not be defeated and stick with it and I love how this one is working so far. Its not hard and for the other 4 days I can be more liberal. This is merely a jump start I think, to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This diet has made me realize red beats are not that bad!

ashilicious87

it is recommended for patients who need heart surgery but are too overweight and high risk to go under anesthesia.

There's a reason for that. It's a short term solution geared for a specific event. It's not really about long term and permanent fat loss. The majority of weight lost will be water.

You won't do much damage doing it for three days however. It might give you a psychological boost which means you stick to a sensible plan for the longer term thereafter.

All the best.

I think you are exactly right, it is a psychological boost for sure. But I think I can maintain after a big loss like 30 lbs.......

ashilicious87

Its also known as the 3 day military diet. They used to have recruits do it for basic training. I did it once..way back...lost 7lbs in a week...mostly water weight Im certain. I say go low carb/high protein for 3 days... (Im actually doing this Sun, Mon and Tues)

Ya, I am thinking the high protein/low carb way is a winner, after I get my jump start. I've lost an inch on my bust and two on my tummy 1 on my hips so far and I am fitting into my medium scrubs today so I do not think it is just water weight although it does say the first week you do it it is mostly water weight you lose.

hwjssc

I done this diet also..I did loose 7lbs..but I was VERY hungry and I really do not think it is healthy for you..

jbella99

DIETS DONT WORK!! You will end up gaining it all back unless you plan to eat like that the rest of your life. You need a lifestyle change. We are what we eat. If you need some ideas with out starving yourself add me. Don't learn the hard way like I did.

CharityPearce

Sounds like a diet I did a few years ago. It worked great! Of course you wouldn't want to do it for long periods of time, but for 3 days it wont' hurt and it definitely helped kick start weight loss for me back in the day. Obviously, I didn't maintain the weight loss, as I'm back here with 25 lbs to lose. : ( Just don't go overboard, and if you feel weak, then for God's sake, woman... EAT!

katcod1522

Sometimes..our bodies need a kick start. Thats why people do the intermittent fasting....short term.

krystina_letitia9

Ummm. This diet is done for a reason... for people about to undergo heart surgery. Sounds ridiculous to me.

3dogsrunning

Yes, it is. It is also not a diet endorsed by any hospitals.

"The 3-Day Cardiac Diet is one of the many names given to a quick weight loss plan that is alleged to have been used as a way to help cardiac surgery patients lose weight prior to surgery. Also known as the "Cleveland Clinic Diet," the "American Heart Association Diet" and the "Birmingham Hospital Cardiac Unit Diet," the program consists of a detailed list of meal plans that, if strictly followed, can supposedly help you lose up to 10 lbs in three days. Health professionals, however, criticize the 3-Day Cardiac Diet as potentially harmful to your health and warn that it is a poor choice for people seeking long-term, sustainable weight loss. Speak to your doctor about the possible risks before beginning the 3-Day Cardiac Diet."
"Both the Cleveland Clinic and the American Heart Association have publicly stated that they did not develop the 3-Day Cardiac Diet and do not endorse the program as a way to either lose weight or enhance your health. Both medical institutions encourage dieters to avoid restrictive "crash" diets like the 3-Day Cardiac Diet and instead focus on making lifestyle changes that can lead to long-term weight loss and a decreased risk of serious medical problems in the future. "

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/522368-is-the-3-day-cardiac-diet-harmful/#ixzz1mUO0MnaU

And

"The Cleveland Clinic diet development is attributed to the Cleveland Clinic located in Cleveland, Ohio. However, there is no official record of the diet’s use in the facility. In fact, the origins of the diet have become somewhat of an urban legend. Many variations of the diet and stories of its development can be found posted by anonymous sources on Web sites and blogs. It is possible that the diet became associated with the Cleveland Clinic because the clinic does publish specialized cookbooks and nutrition guides for persons with kidney disorders or diabetes.

There are no books or privately published versions of the Cleveland Clinic diet in print, which makes it difficult to date this diet let alone trace it back to its original source. Although some accounts maintain that the Cleveland Clinic diet first began to circulate around 1985, the Oregon Health and Science University’s disclaimer about this diet states that an early form of it called the University of Oregon Medical School diet has been passed around the Pacific Northwest since 1975. The Cleveland Clinic diet has been attributed to the cardiology departments of various hospitals and medical centers. Supposedly these facilities have overweight patients scheduled for heart surgery use the diet to help them lose weight before the operation."
http://diet.com/g/cleveland-clinic-3day-diet

chiera88

sounds very unhealthy. that's alot of weight to lose in a few days for someone who is not sick or obese. sounds like a crash diet that won't last. also, you not fueling your body with the energy you neeed

therealangd

If you are super hungry and you feel week, it's not healthy.

My1985Freckles

"FAD" diet. Says it all right there. You'll lose, & then you'll gain it all back plus some. Just stick to your calorie goals, exercise, & you will lose weight the healthy way.

Amen!

Good things (like a Fit Healthy body) come to those who wait. Those who won't wait and do extreme diets like this to lose weight quickly because they are impatient... well, they become skinny fat people.... smh

noexcuses84

don't we all wish there was one diet out there that we could all follow and lose 7lbs in 3 days and keep it off for good??!!! unfortunaely, as some have already said, it isn't good to lose weight really quick! u'll find that u will go into starvation mode and end up gaining it back. i've lost 10 lbs and it's taken me 6 weeks to get that far! kudos to u if it works for u but i think u'll find it'll do more harm than good.

Sl1ghtly

I am taking it a step further with sticking to 1200 calories a day after the strict 3 days and exercising on my elliptical 20 minutes a day and taking the stairs up to tenth floor 1-2 times during M-F (those stairs are killer too super steep and I like die and get reborn every time I do those). The only thing is it is saying I should eat more like 1500 calories what with all the exercising and and I've been doing 800 so I kinda felt weak today. Plus I was so busy at work I did like 27 exams today so I am super beat. But I have already lost 7 lbs in 3 days so I know it is successful.

Low calorie diets and excersize/active lifestyle don't mix*. You seem to be aware of this fact..
Also, I don't think a diet that weakens the user should be called successful.


* low calorie relative to the individuals energy needs.

PinkEarthMama

This is one of the worst things I've heard on here yet.

You asked for advice, and then decided to ignore it.

Just because a diet is popular does not mean it is effective.

The pounds lost during a diet like this is water weight, and lean mass. You're not taking in enough calories, and you're damaging your body. That is absolutely your right, but please understand that nearly no one here will support you through this. They WILL support you if you stick to most of the guidelines put out my MFP, which is proving each and every day to help people lose weight.

The 3 day cardiac diet is meant as a last ditch effort to get water weight off a congestive heart failure patients lungs & cardiovascular system. The reason for this is that after heart surgery, many patients are super hydrated which can cause pnuemonia when combined with a ventilator. They must be put on diuretics afterwards to help their body shed the excess water. Otherwise, they die. Since this is not your situation, this diet is not appropriate for you.

taso42

Do you need heart surgery but are too overweight and high risk to go under anesthesia?

Milliebear66

hiya, I have heard of the 3 day thing and know a few people who have done this and lost weight, but it's not sustainable... BUT it may give you the kick start you need. Do what you feel happy with, I have lost 1stone 2lbs by sticking to less than 1000 calories a day BUT once a week, I treated myself and ate/drank what I wanted to. I have 5 lbs to go to get to my goal and I will get there and I will stay there .. different things work for different people.. sometimes a little kick start is what is needed, if it gets too much, then stop it ... Good luck

killagb