A fad diet or a long-term solution for weight loss? With the claim of \u201closing 10 pounds in a week\u201d, the military diet has taken the weight loss community by storm. But is it worth all the hype? Keep reading below and find out.<\/p>\n
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The military diet consists of a very low-calorie diet plan for 3 days<\/strong>, followed by a normal diet for the next 4 days <\/strong>of the week. Supposedly, this weekly cycle can be repeated as many times as needed to get to the desired weight.<\/p>\n Despite its name, the military diet has nothing to do with the military, although you may need strict discipline to follow this plan. During the 3-day diet, the average daily calorie intake is only a little over 1,200<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The very premise of this diet is problematic. It takes absolutely nothing but calories into account, which is even more superficial than the calories-in-calories-out<\/a> (CICO<\/a>) dietary approach.<\/p>\n There is no mention of nutrient requirements, the effect of different foods on metabolism and fat burning, the impact of antioxidants, the benefits of anti-inflammatory foods, the complementary role of exercise<\/a>\u2026 the list goes on.<\/p>\n The military diet is as simplistic as it gets – and not in a good way<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Even if we were to disregard this glaring issue, the military diet is hard to sustain on a day-to-day basis. Simply staying under the calorie requirements can be difficult, especially if you don\u2019t pay attention to the macronutrient content and source of your calories (i.e. proteins vs. carbs, plant-based food vs. animal sources). You need palatable foods that give you a sense of satiety, such as red meat or fish, to maintain a lower calorie count on a daily basis [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The average adult needs 2,000 calories per day, which can widely vary from one person to the next (depending on age, gender, physical activity, etc.). One estimate suggests 15- to 18-year-old men need about 3,000 calories a day [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Those who naturally require more calories may need to adjust the military diet accordingly. And if you want to avoid nutrient deficiencies<\/a> and health problems in the long run, you need to be even more careful.<\/p>\n Below, we will describe the military diet plan in detail. Remember to consult your doctor before implementing this or any other strict diets and carefully follow their recommendations to avoid malnourishment and other potential adverse effects.<\/p>\n Overall, the meal plan is simple and contains the main food groups.<\/p>\n You may need to go grocery shopping to stock up on all the ingredients, but everything is easy to find and prepare.<\/p>\n The meal plan doesn\u2019t seem to have a ton of variety. There are many substitutions you can make (see below), although most of them lack common sense.<\/p>\n This diet also allows for foods like ice cream and hot dogs. The only difference from a typical, unhealthy, Western diet is smaller portion sizes.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s first outline the sample plan, taken from the military diet website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Then we\u2019ll look into what the advocates of this diet are saying and compare it to nutritional and science-based insights (see \u201cDoes the Military Diet Really Work?\u201d).<\/p>\n During the 4 days off you can resume normal eating, although it is recommended to stay at or under 1,500 calories per day for maximal <\/strong>weight loss<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Sample meal plans for the 4 days off can be found on the military diet website<\/a>. They\u2019re pretty much the same as the ones above, with slight modifications to fit the calorie count.<\/p>\n For example, lunch options range from \u201cTuna Pita\u201d to \u201cVeggie Lunch\u201d and \u201cPepper Cilantro Fajitas\u201d to \u201cShrimp Fried Brown Rice\u201d for dinner.<\/p>\n Calorie intake gradually decreases over the first three days of the diet. You start off with about 1,400 calories on Day 1<\/strong>, aim for 1,200 calories on Day 2<\/strong>, down to about 1,100 calories on Day 3<\/strong>, and back up to around (or under) 1,500 calories per day during the off period.<\/p>\n According to the military diet website, meal plans can be adapted to fit the needs of vegetarians and vegans<\/a>. They suggest you should replace:<\/p>\n Due to dietary requirements or personal preference, the military diet website suggests you can substitute:<\/p>\n But wait\u2026 Do any of these substitutions make sense?<\/p>\n The only substitution with any rationale behind it is replacing grapefruit with baking soda and water<\/strong>. The reasoning is that they both are alkaline (opposite of acidic. Actually, grapefruit is acidic but produces alkaline byproducts when digested) and thus may burn fat, based on a couple of studies with rodents given alkaline water<\/a>. Even this theory is highly<\/em> questionable [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The other substitutions appear to be only based on matching calories<\/strong>, and as a result, can completely differ in all other aspects – from their nutrient content to their health and metabolic effects. For example, replacing toast with a high protein bar will give you a lot more protein and fewer carbs, making it an odd replacement choice.<\/p>\n The wide variety of replacements support the idea that the military diet is primarily based on the caloric deficit principle, without taking into account any other dietary and nutritional factors<\/strong>. This is why unhealthy foods such as ice cream and hot dogs are allowed. Even though they may be high in sugar or highly processed, they \u201cfit\u201d under the total calorie limits.<\/p>\n There are a few reasons why supporters say the military diet works.<\/p>\n First, the military diet keeps you at a caloric deficit <\/strong>– taking in less energy (calories) than you burn – and that\u2019s the simplest basis of weight loss [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Another reason is that a couple of foods in the military diet boost metabolism and help burn fat. For example, caffeine and grapefruit can help with weight loss [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n But these two foods alone are unlikely to have a meaningful effect on fat-burning<\/strong>. What\u2019s more, more numerous foods that slow down metabolism – such as hot dogs, toast, crackers, and ice cream – are going to override any positive effect.<\/p>\n Supporters also say that the high-protein food found in the diet boosts weight loss. While high-protein diets do help curb appetite and promote weight loss, it is unlikely that the military diet has enough protein to achieve these results <\/strong>[R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Lastly, supporters claim the diet gives the benefits of intermittent fasting<\/a>. This is doubtful, however, as the diet doesn\u2019t specify a fasting window during the day. Fasting also generally requires consuming fewer calories (400-500 calories\/day) than what is typical in the military diet [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The opinions expressed in this section are solely those of dieters, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. Their reviews do not represent the opinions of SelfHacked. SelfHacked does not endorse any specific product, service, or treatment.<\/em><\/p>\n Do not consider user experiences as medical advice. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare providers because of something you have read on SelfHacked. We understand that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider.<\/em><\/p>\n Reviews on the web range from downright negative to moderately positive.<\/p>\n In one negative review<\/strong>, the dieter complained of headaches<\/a>, fatigue, and irritability on Day 1. It got better on Day 2, but on Day 3 the symptoms returned again and she also experienced lightheadedness. At the end of the 3 days, she was very happy for the diet to be over. She felt the diet was nutritionally unbalanced and the food insufficient. She also slept poorly on the diet and didn\u2019t want to exercise. Although she lost a couple of pounds, she regained the weight quickly and does not recommend the diet.<\/p>\n In one positive review<\/strong>, the dieter admitted to feeling \u201cstarved\u201d on Day 1 but was excited by her weight loss by Day 2. She said that the meals were satisfying after eating but got hungry as time passed. Overall, she lost 7 pounds after the 3 days and says it works if you stick with it. However, the review was only for the first 3 days and it is unclear if she maintained the weight loss.<\/p>\n If you need to lose weight<\/strong><\/a> quickly in the short-term, the 3-day military diet can \u201cwork\u201d <\/strong>– that is, you might lose some weight if you can sustain caloric deficit and avoid health problems [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n However, the claim of \u201closing 10 pounds in a week\u201d is an exaggeration,<\/strong> unless you are very overweight, to begin with, as you need to burn about 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of fat <\/strong>[R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Moreover, there is a good chance of quickly putting back the weight you lost when you go back to regular eating.<\/p>\n During a low-calorie diet, your body uses a form of stored sugar (glycogen) for energy, pulling with large amounts of water. When you lose weight very quickly, much of the weight loss is just water weight<\/strong>, which can be regained quickly with normal eating [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The low-calorie, low-quality, unpalatable foods in this diet also increase the chance of binge eating, canceling out any progress you made. Calorie-dense foods like ice cream may temporarily soothe your hunger<\/a> and cravings but can only disrupt your energy-burning capacity.<\/p>\n Whatever diet you\u2019re starting, your health should be more important than short-term weight loss. Discuss your diet plan with a doctor or nutritionist and never follow a strict diet without professional supervision.<\/p>\n In general, very low-calorie diets are mostly \u201csafe\u201d over a week or two<\/strong>. Most analyses, however, do not take any health effects longer than that into account. To make matters worse, no studies using the military diet have been carried out to date [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In truth, this diet carries several health risks – as you would expect from a diet that boils down to being in a calorie deficit for 3 days<\/strong> and in semi-caloric deficit for 4 days. It\u2019s a Western-type diet with fewer calories and slightly more broccoli and apples.<\/p>\n The literature abounds with studies that point to nutrient deficiencies<\/strong><\/a> and health complications that result from a Western diet<\/strong> [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Nutrient deficiencies wreak havoc in the body in the long term. Low levels of folic acid<\/a>, vitamin <\/a>B1<\/a>2<\/a>, vitamin B6<\/a>, niacin<\/a>, vitamin E<\/a>, iron<\/a>, zinc<\/a> can damage the DNA, disrupt the function of the immune and nerve cells, and lower antioxidant defenses. Low vitamin D<\/a>, calcium<\/a>, magnesium<\/a> weaken the bones and heart and can trigger mood imbalances [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n A Western-style diet can impair the gut microbiome<\/a>, immune system, and digestion. It can increase inflammation, autoimmunity, and the risk of cancer. It strains the heart and blood vessels while depriving you of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Combine it with stress<\/a> and a lack of exercise, and you\u2019re bound for serious problems.<\/p>\n Some foods in this diet – hot dogs, crackers, and cheese – are high in salt<\/a> and various additives such as MSG, nitrates and nitrites, and benzoates. Not to mention the sugar content of ice cream [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Lastly, the diet may worsen health and wellbeing in other ways. Being hungry all the time will take a toll on your mood and energy levels. In turn, you might be too tired and frustrated to exercise<\/a>.<\/p>\n All this is a greater concern if you are choosing or substituting foods without looking at their nutrient profile.<\/p>\n You can still modify the military diet in a healthy way<\/strong>. Again, discuss these modifications with a doctor or nutritionist.<\/p>\n To start with, exclude junk food: ice cream, crackers, canned tuna, and hot dogs; limit peanut butter.<\/p>\n The right diet for you may not work for someone else. Exclude all the foods that you are sensitive to<\/strong>. Cutting out flour and bread is also a good idea, including toast.<\/p>\n Include as many nutrient-dense foods as you can handle<\/strong>. Up your intake of healthy fats, such as olive oil<\/a>, MCT oil<\/a>, and fatty fish. Consider adding some black cumin oil<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n Increase your intake of protein-rich foods that will keep you sated. Go for seafood, organic meat, and fish. Get more fiber-rich vegetables that will increase butyrate<\/a> in your gut.<\/p>\n Remember to drink enough water!<\/p>\n Many people are Snapshot<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Proponents<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Skeptics<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Military Diet Plan<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Day 1<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Breakfast:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Lunch:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Dinner:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Day 2<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Breakfast:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Lunch:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Dinner:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Day 3<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Breakfast:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Lunch:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Dinner:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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4 Days Off<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Calories<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Vegans & Vegetarians<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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Substitutes<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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Does the Military Diet Really Work?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Claims from Supporters<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Reviews<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
What the Science Says<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Safety & Critique from a Health Perspective<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Healthy Modifications<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n