There is no denying that all of us are on the constant lookout for a healthy diet that fits in all the nutrition as well as makes you shed off those extra pounds. If you have been scrolling through the internet to find the best diet plan that suits you, you may want to try the military diet. It is a new trending diet that helps shed extra pounds in a week.
In this article:
What is the Military Diet?
How does it work?
Meal Plan of the Military Diet
Remaining 4 days
Additional Foods Permitted
Can Military Diet be done during Pregnancy?
Is The Military Diet based on Evidence?
Is the Military Diet Safe?
All You Need to Know About Military Diet
What is the Military Diet?
The military diet is a weight loss 3-day diet which can shed nearly up to 10 pounds a week. It constitutes a 3-day diet plan which is followed by 4 days off. This cycle is repeated again and again until the individual reaches the goal weight. As per historical claims, this diet was designed by the US military to keep the soldiers fit and healthy.
How does it work?
The military diet is a 3-day plan over a 7-day period which is split into 2 phases. For the first 3 days, a low-calorie meal plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is followed. There should be no snacks taken between the meals and the total calorie intake during this period should be noted more than 1400 calories per day.
The remaining 4 days can continue with your usual diet but generally encouraged to keep the calorie count low. The diet needs to be repeated week on week till the goal weight is achieved.
Meal Plan of the Military Diet
The meal day plan of the military diet is a 3-day plan that comprises the below
Day 1
Meal plan for day 1 should be no more than 1400 calories
Breakfast
- 1 slice of toast with peanut butter
- Half a fruit (any fruit)
- 1 cup of tea or coffee (optional)
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2:
The meal for day 2 should not be more than 1200 calories
Breakfast
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 1 slice toast
- ½ banana
- 1 cup tea or coffee
Lunch
Dinner
- ½ banana
- ½ cup vanilla ice-cream
- 1 cup of boiled vegetables
- 2 hot dogs
Day 3
Meal plan for day 3 should not be more than 1100 calories
Breakfast
Lunch
- 1 boiled egg
- 1 slice of toast
Dinner
- 1 cup of cooked meat or fish
- ½ banana
- 1 cup vanilla ice-cream (optional)
Remaining 4 days
The remaining days do not follow a rigid diet chart, however, the individual should keep control over the intake of high-calorie foods. Although there are no food restrictions and snacks are allowed, it is advisable to limit portion sizes of each meal.
Additional Foods Permitted
During the 3-day phase of the military diet, additional substitutions are allowed, but each portion should consist of the same calories. For e.g., vegans can switch to almonds instead of meat or fish. Artificially sweetened and carbonated beverages are to be strictly avoided. Military diet encourage
Can Military Diet be done during Pregnancy?
Pregnant or nursing women should completely avoid doing the military diet, as nutrition deficiency and low calories can adversely affect the developing baby. A pregnant woman should focus on a balanced and high nutrition diet.
Is The Military Diet based on Evidence?
There has been no research or proven evidence on the military diet. The military diet works on the simple concept that an average person will lose fat if the body goes through a week-long diet. It is said that if the calorie consumption is less, then you lose fat.
Is the Military Diet Safe?
The military diet is a diet that should be followed if an individual target to lose weight rapidly. However, it is not a long term effective solution for weight loss. Long term risks like nutritional deficiency are known to be associated with the military diet.
Although an individual can opt for a military diet, he should decide how many cycles he would like to opt for keeping in mind the nutritional requirements of his body.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16429630
