The "military diet," despite its name, has no actual connection to military institutions. It's a weight loss plan that advertises rapid results through a strict dietary regimen, promising up to 10 pounds of weight loss in a single week. While it attracts attention for its simplicity and potential for quick weight loss, it's crucial to understand its benefits and risks before embarking on this plan.
What is the Military Diet?
The military diet, also known as the 3-day diet, is a short-term eating plan that alternates between a 3-day strict menu and a 4-day 'off' period. During the first 3 days, often called "on" days, the diet restricts calorie intake to between 1,100 and 1,400 per day. These "on" days are followed by 4 days of less rigid eating, the "off" days, where calorie consumption is recommended to stay below 1,500. The plan suggests you can repeat the program as often as you’d like, if you’d like to lose more weight, as long as you take 4-day breaks every time after you do it.
Calorie Restriction
The military diet calorie counts fall well below the FDA's recommendations of 1,600-3,000 calories a day for adults, depending on age and activity levels. You need to take in the number of calories your body needs to work well for the long haul.
The 3-Day Meal Plan
The military diet plan gives you a list of allowed foods to buy at the store before your 3 “on” days. On the list of approved foods you’ll find normal choices, like canned tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and cheddar cheese. At least one meal includes saltine crackers. It doesn’t include superfoods like salmon, almonds, or quinoa.
The 3-day meal plan on the military diet consists of 16 foods to be divided between breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The recommended amounts of these 16 foods decrease day by day. Your total calorie intake starts at 1,400 calories on the first day and falls to 1,100 calories on the third day. The diet permits drinking water, herbal teas, and caffeinated coffee or tea twice per day with no sugar or creamers.
Read also: An In-Depth Look at the Military Diet
A sample 3-day menu includes:
- Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, 1 slice of toast, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1 cup of coffee or tea (no cream or sugar)
- Dinner: Two hot dogs without buns, 1 cup of broccoli, 1/2 cup of carrots, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream
The plan lists easy swaps for the eggs, tuna, meat, and hot dogs: Have nuts, lentils, tofu, and soy/tofu dogs instead. Vegans can eat nut/tofu cheese instead of cheddar, plus soy ice cream, avocado, hummus, and vegan cottage cheese.
The Remaining 4 Days
There are no rules for the remaining 4 days of the diet aside from following a healthy eating pattern. However, a 1,500-calorie menu is provided for those who hope to speed up their weight loss even further. For instance, snacks are permitted during these days, but you’re encouraged to limit your portion sizes. Keep in mind that eating 1,500 calories per day is still a calorie restriction that may not fit everybody’s energy needs. This is especially true if you lead an active lifestyle, which translates into increased energy expenditure and higher calorie needs.
After you complete your 3 “on” days, these recipes are recommended for “off” days:
- Mediterranean plate: 1 piece of whole wheat pita bread stuffed with 1 ounce feta cheese, 1 cup of tomatoes, 6 olives, 1/4 cup hummus, and 1 cup raw spinach drizzled with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Vegetarian quesadilla: 1 whole-wheat tortilla stuffed with 1/3 cup shredded Cheddar, 1/4 cup black beans, 1/4 cup each sliced peppers and mushrooms, sautéed in 1 teaspoon olive oil. Serve with 1/4 avocado, sliced.
- Cajun chicken with rice: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon dried Cajun seasoning on 4 ounces of chicken breast. Bake or grill. Sauté 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1 bell pepper, in 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and a few sprinkles of Tabasco sauce. Add 3/4 cup of precooked brown rice. Serve the chicken on top of the rice.
Benefits of the Military Diet
- Short-term weight loss: In the short term, you will likely lose weight. There’s no way to guarantee how much weight you will lose, but in general, restricting your calories does make you lose pounds temporarily.
- Simplicity and structure: The military diet menu is simple. There’s no calorie counting or meal prep beyond following the plan. Many followers are surprised by how little food is included.
- Cost-effectiveness: There are no fees to pay or meetings to join. After you buy your food, you’re set. The food is easy to find in the grocery store, and there’s very little cooking or food prep needed.
- Flexibility with substitutions: The substitution options are also one of the main reasons the diet feels accessible. Many of the original foods, such as tuna or hot dogs, don’t appeal to everyone. Others, like ice cream, raise eyebrows about whether they really belong in a weight-loss plan.
Risks and Side Effects of the Military Diet
- Nutrient deficiencies: The military diet (and the specific foods allowed on the diet) “isn’t nutritionally complete, and even though multivitamin minerals can fill in nutritional gaps, you’re still not getting enough fiber in this dietary plan," Zelman says. “You don't get the phytochemicals and the kind of good matrix that's found in food. You can't replace that with vitamins or minerals."
- Unhealthy eating patterns: A 2014 review also suggests that dramatic calorie reductions - even for short periods, such as in the case of the military diet - may create or worsen unhealthy eating patterns, poor relationships with food, or disordered eating. When you do very strict “on” and “off” diets like the military diet, it can begin to warp your view of food. If you have to avoid certain foods altogether, or can only follow a very specific list, you’re at risk of developing disordered eating -- an unhealthy relationship with food.
- Weight regain: Also, because a restrictive calorie diet isn’t sustainable, eventually you will go back to eating normally. And when your body has been in a “scarcity” mode, it will hang on to any energy it gets, leading to weight gain -- what you lost on the diet and often even more. The military diet doesn’t promote positive, long-term habit changes. That means any weight that’s lost can be quickly regained once you return to your habitual eating pattern.
- Metabolic slowdown: Very low-calorie diets can slow the metabolism. The body adapts by burning fewer calories, which makes long-term weight loss harder.
- Muscle mass loss: Studies show that the biggest risk of following a very-low calorie diet is possible muscle mass loss, which in turn can increase the risk of declining strength and function. Protecting yourself from this risk is especially important as you age, to decrease the risk of conditions like sarcopenia, which is age-related loss of muscle strength and mass.
- Potential health risks: Regularly eating processed foods like hot dogs, crackers, and ice cream has been associated with several health conditions, such as: obesity, cardio-metabolic risks, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, depression.
- Not sustainable: The military diet is simple and structured. It’s best seen as a fad, not a lifestyle.
Is the Military Diet Effective?
The military diet can end in weight loss, but it’s not the way to lose weight. “It's not tackling your lifestyle habits, and not providing a sustainable meal pattern or teaching you anything," Zelman says. "You're not making any kind of headway toward long-term success because anyone who wants to lose weight wants to keep it off, they don't want to gain it back on."
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Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss
And although the military diet can help you to lose weight quickly, it's not the type of weight that you want to lose. “It will absolutely lead to weight loss; however, it’s not necessarily the fat that you’re trying to burn,” Zelman says. “With these fad-type diets, there tends to be more of a loss of water weight and also lean muscle mass. … So while you’ll see the numbers drop on the scale, you’re losing something that you actually want to protect,” which is your lean muscle mass.
Lack of Scientific Evidence
While fast weight loss may be possible on the military diet, the promises of the diet aren't backed by research or recommended by nutritionists, says Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, a registered dietitian nutritionist. “Fasting diets are probably OK in emergency situations when you're trying to drop weight quickly, but it's definitely not a plan recommended by registered dietitians and nutritionists," as the general recommendation is to lose only 2 pounds a week versus the “up to 10 pounds a week” that is proposed by the military diet plan.
Furthermore, there’s no evidence supporting the use of baking soda to reduce body fat.
Is the Military Diet Safe?
The safety of the military diet is a topic of debate among health professionals, explains Manaker. “While it may result in short-term weight loss, the restrictive nature of the diet and limited calorie intake may not be sustainable or healthy over an extended period,” she adds. “It can potentially lead to nutrient deficiencies and does not foster long-term healthy eating habits.”
Also, being on the diet could actually promote unhealthy habits. "When you don't get enough calories … the biggest risks are either binge eating, creating an eating disorder, or constipation," Zelman says. "There's just not enough food, period, and it doesn't promote positive long-term habit changes," Zelman says. "You're gonna lose it, you're gonna regain it … so why bother?"
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Who Should Avoid the Military Diet?
Moreover, specific age groups should steer clear of diets like these. The decreased muscle mass and strength that can come from this diet could also have an impact if you have underlying health conditions or are taking certain medications, including loss of strength and reduced energy level. “There aren't any conditions that would support this kind of approach,” Zelman says.
Alternatives to the Military Diet
Instead, Zelman recommends that aiming for a weight loss rate of one to two pounds a week "is much more likely to ensure fat loss from fat not loss of fluid or muscle mass."
There are many variables that weigh into your calorie needs, including your age, your genetics, and your physical activity, Zelman says. "Before you do something this drastic, speak with your health care providers or consult a registered dietitian nutrition to make sure that it doesn't contradict what your particular health condition is at the time."
Setting realistic weight loss goals and aiming for lifestyle changes rather than short-term fad diets is essential for successful weight loss, weight maintenance, and the prevention of weight regain.