3 day military diet- information and a rant

kristenn1989

I can understand people looking for a quicker way to lose weight. I really can, but when it comes down to miraculously losing 10lbs in 3 days, something isn't right somewhere. I keep seeing this 3 day military diet all over pinterest and I finally sat down with a pen, paper and calculator and figured some things out. (my calculations are displayed below) I'm not sure where this nutty thing came from, but it sure doesn't add up from what I can see. Check it out for yourself. I've added in parentheses what values I used for certain things, just to see what it would add up to if I were going to try this out. (I"m not)

Feel free to comment and add your two cents.

3 day diet

DAY 1:
Breakfast--1/2 Grapefruit, 1 Slice Toast (ben’s whole wheat soft), 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter (kraft smooth light), and Coffee or Tea
Total: 297 calories, 39g of carbs, 10g of protein
Lunch--1/2 Cup of Tuna, 1 Slice of Toast, and Coffee or Tea
Total: 174 calories, 14g carbs, 23g of protein
Dinner--2 Slices of any type meat (About 3 ounces, chicken) 1 Cup of Green Beans, 1/2 Banana (medium), 1 Small Apple, and 1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream (generic entry)
Total: 598 calories, 76g carbs, 34g of protein
Daily total: 1069 calories, 129g of carbs, 67g of protein

DAY 2:
Breakfast--1 egg, 1 Slice of Toast, and 1/2 Banana
Total: 216 cals, 28g carbs, 10g protein
Lunch--1 Cup of Cottage Cheese (Or 1 Slice of Cheddar Cheese (kraft), 1 Hard Boiled Egg, and 5 Saltine Crackers
Total: cottage cheese: 163 cals, 6g carbs, 28g protein (OR 193 cals, 14g and 11g protein)
Dinner--2 Hot Dogs, (no buns, maple leaf), 1 Cup of Broccoli, 1/2 Cup of Carrots, 1/2 Banana, and 1/2 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream
Total: 454 calories, 40g carbs, 17g protein
Daily total: 833 calories, 70g carbs, 55g of protein OR 863 calories, 82g carbs, 38g protein

Breakfast--5 Saltine Crackers, 1 Slice of Cheddar Cheese, and 1 Small Apple
Total:187 cals, 32g carbs, 5g protein
Lunch-1 Hard-Boiled Egg, and 1 Slice of Toast
Total: 163 calories, 15g carbs and 9g of protein
Dinner--1 Cup of Tuna, 1/2 of a Banana, and 1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream
Total: 521 calories, 47g of carbs, 45g protein
Daily total: 871 calories, 94g carbs, 59g protein

kristenn1989

bump

ipag

Military diet? Doesn't look like a military diet to me, there isn't any tabasco sauce anywhere in there! Drop the bread and ice cream and youve got the start of a primal diet, however.

kristenn1989

Military diet? Doesn't look like a military diet to me, there isn't any tabasco sauce anywhere in there! Drop the bread and ice cream and youve got the start of a primal diet, however.

hahah. I didn't name it. I just keep seeing it everywhere so I felt the need to break it down.

subcult

Looks low Cal.

TinGirl314

Ugh the ten pounds in three day diet...
I did a version of this 13 years ago and it was HORRIBLE.

Good riddance to that!

riiah86

Funny, I just saw this on pinterest for the first time like 10 seconds ago. i don't understand it. Also is says that you can do three days on four days off and lose 40lbs in one month.

milzu

Seems like half a diet to me. Each one of those 'meals' is a snack. To have between real meals!

bunchesonothing

I can't see how losing 10lbs in 3 days is even possible, even without eating anything... unless you're losing copious amounts of water weight. And even then, I don't see how they could promise it.

supertracylynn

Having lived closely with the military for so many years, I was able to see what some went through in order to make weight... Running ridiculously, no water, very little food, body wraps, sauna for hours with Saran wrap...

They should have just done it all year so they didn't have to kill themselves 2x a year.

kristenn1989

Just re-found the link for those curious.

http://blessedmommy.hubpages.com/hub/Lose-Up-To-10-Pounds-In-3-Days-On-The-3-Day-Diet

I just think this whole thing is silly. And unhealthy.

MandaPaigeSparkles88

I've done this diet before and my calories has been much higher than the one's you have on there. Mine has been anywhere from 1200-1300 calories depending on the products. IE I use Great value reduced fat pb and 2 table spoons is 190 calories.

When I went off of it on the 4th day I still ate healthy and I felt full after each meal.

Whittles1618

I actually tried it lost 5lbs but that was without exercising.

txbutrfly22

Actually, this is a military diet. I was given this diet when I was joining the Army. It is effective, but it is difficult. However, it does work!

vanguardfitness

it's just a very low calorie diet. You'll lose mostly water/glycogen weight

AnvilHead

I can understand people looking for a quicker way to lose weight. I really can, but when it comes down to miraculously losing 10lbs in 3 days, something isn't right somewhere...

What, you mean you don't think you can create a 35,000 calorie deficit (which is roughly what a legitimate 10-pound loss would require) in 3 days?


Yeah, me neither.

KeithAngilly

you can rest assured that that diet has nothing to do with what soldiers eat on a daily basis and it is total BS

US Army Infantry 85-89

hannibal28

I am active duy and we would never be told to try that diet, it is not safe. We have always been taught to do a lot of cardio and eat healthy, not low carbs.

chocolatecroissant

Blimey - I remember this one from 20 odd years ago. It was called something else but still sold as a miracle diet! I bought the myth then. Wouldn't now :-)

dblansfield

I did this diet about 20 years ago...back then it was just called the 3 day diet. I was able to only complete 3 cycles before getting very sick. I had no energy and would get dizzy standing up! It is nothing more than a starvation diet! Back then it was used for people who needed to lose a lot of weight before a surgery. If anyone is thinking of doing this diet, please don't. It isn't healthy!!!

Firefox7275

So much fruit and veg, not.

SRH7

Most people who do this eat like this three days a week then normally four days a week as a form of intermittent fasting. It would shift 1-2lbs a week.

It's not a totally daft idea but it doesn't matter what you eat on those days (there are some claims it is a 'chemistry' diet etc) but calories in and calories out.

Personally I hate anything really prescriptive and would prefer to log my calories on MFP and eat more veg.

martin_chicago

It works
The point is do this diet for 3 days and
Eat right the next for days
I didn't lose 10 pounds in a week
I did for 2 weeks
And lost
8 pounds the first time and
7 the next week
And of course I did 30-60 minutes cardio

cwolfman13

Definitely not for me...I have to say though; I always get a good chuckle when they call these "military" diets or "marine commando" diets or whatever. When I was in the Marines I probably ate upwards of 4,000 calories per day, and I'm probably estimating low. Where do they come up with these names? They should just call this the "for the birds" diet or the "pass the **** out" diet...

brosiaeloise

I was trying to lose weight so I could join the military, and this was the diet that a recruiter gave to me. He also told me about a vegetable and protein diet, that you do for a month. He said another person who was trying to enlist needed to lose weight and did that diet with exercise and lost 60lbs in a month. It was a cup of veggies and a cup of chicken for breakfast lunch and dinner. I did the 3 day diet in 2010 and I lost 8lbs but once I went off I never went back, I was real jittery and had the shakes while I was on it and didn't know how to control my hunger in-between the meals. I definitely wanna try it again now that I have better will power

Shadowknight137

Dinner--1 Cup of Tuna, 1/2 of a Banana, and 1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream

Some people have the funniest taste buds.

purple_tux1

Dinner--1 Cup of Tuna, 1/2 of a Banana, and 1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream

Some people have the funniest taste buds.

Not only that, but have you ever tried to eat tuna from the can without mayonnaise? It's very dry and hard to choke down.

chellebublz

Tuna without Mayo has GOT to be unAmerican therefore there is NO WAY it can be a military diet

rduhlir

Hahaha...when you said military diet I was thinking bread and water for 3 days lol.

spamantha57

I hate mayo with a passion. When I have tuna I put in a little mustard. Hate mayo!

Hbazzell

When I was in bootcamp I was eating about 4,000 calories a day. I lost 15 lbs in 7 weeks.