Also known as the 3-Day Diet, the Military Diet promises to help you lose 10 pounds in just 3 days. So, it is the best or a load of BS?
1. It’s Not Nutritionally Balanced
The Military Diet calls for a strict meal plan that you need to follow to the letter or else you won’t get the results you desire. That includes eating about 2 ounces of ice cream every night. Call us crazy, but that doesn’t seem very nutritionally sound, especially considering you don’t eat too much fruits and veggies per day.
2. Not All Fish Are Created Equal
Fish is super good for you, right? You may think that because the Military Diet calls for tuna, you would be doing yourself a favor and getting those essential fatty fish oils. Well, not exactly. Weight-loss meals calls for oily fish like salmon or trout. On the other hand, tuna doesn’t contain those healthy oils, so many nutritionists aren’t even sure why it’s included in the diet plan.
3. Fasting This Long Can Be Dangerous
Some people choose to fast for a kick-start to their metabolism, and it appears that the Military Diet may be piggybacking off of that approach. Sure, going on a one-day fast may not do you much harm, but 3 days of eating under 1,000 calories? That raises a red flag for many nutrition experts. They say that there could be many negative side effects of doing this, such as dizziness and fainting, nausea, headaches, and perhaps worst of all…a tendency to binge after the 3 days are over.
4. It’s Outdated
That’s right, this isn’t some new fad showing up on your Facebook newsfeed. You might not have known, but the Military Diet has been around for decades, and it is making an appearance once again in our day and age. Yet many nutritionists and doctors don’t recommend it, even to clients who do need to lose weight. The truth is that there are many other alternatives to weight loss and dieting than the Military Diet. Talk to your medical or nutrition professional for some better ideas that won’t leave you hating life.
5. You’re Likely to Gain it All Back Quickly
What are you really losing on this diet plan? According to many nutritional experts, the Military Diet may help you shed some pounds, but it’s most likely just water weight, which you will gain back immediately upon eating regularly again. Not only that, but while you lose the water weight, you may also be flushing your body of nutrients and electrolytes it needs to stay healthy and hydrated. No wonder many people on this diet end up feeling tired and run-down!