The 3-Day Diet, also known as the Military Diet, is a fad diet that promises significant weight loss in a short period. This article provides a comprehensive review of the diet, examining its principles, potential benefits, risks, and overall effectiveness.
What is the 3-Day Diet?
The 3-Day Diet is a very low-calorie diet that claims that by drastically cutting calories for three days, you can drop 10 pounds in a week. It also encourages you to lower the amount of calories you eat for four more days after the initial three-day plan. Despite the name, it didn't come from the military. The name was inspired by the discipline and willpower you need to be in the military, implying that you need the same traits to complete this diet. This diet only allows 1,100 to 1,400 calories per day. The Military Diet spells out exactly what you should eat for three days and gives you visual indicators for measuring serving sizes depending on the food. The menu is made up of three breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. For instance, one lunch consists of one cup of cottage cheese, one hard-boiled egg, and five saltine crackers. For dinner, you can have one cup of tuna, half a banana, and one cup of vanilla ice cream. It doesn't allow you to snack in between meals. If you continue the diet, you'll eat no more than 1,500 calories for the next four days.
The Military Diet has a proposed menu that outlines what you should eat for each meal every day. You can eat the foods whenever you want, and you can rearrange the order to your liking.
Foods Allowed and to Avoid
Because the 3-Day Diet is very specific about approved foods, it's easy to know what's allowed and what isn't. There is a list of substitutions if you don’t like a certain food, and there's also a vegetarian and vegan version of the diet. If you do make substitutions, rather than matching serving sizes, make sure that you adjust the portion sizes so that you get the same amount of calories. One cup of a certain food may have more or less calories than one cup of a different food. The 3-Day Diet has a serving size guide to help you with this.
Foods allowed on the 3-Day Diet:
Some common foods you can eat on the standard Military Diet include:
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- Toast and saltine crackers
- Fruit such as grapefruit, bananas, and apples
- Proteins such as tuna, boiled eggs, peanut butter, and hot dogs
- Select vegetables, including broccoli, green beans, and carrots
- Dairy like ice cream, cottage cheese, and cheddar cheese
- Tea and coffee
- No-calorie seasonings such as salt, pepper, lemon juice, fresh garlic, and certain spices
- Low-calorie condiments such as mustard, hot sauce, and low-sodium soy sauce
The vegan and vegetarian version of the diet replace milk-based items with dairy-free options. It also includes meat alternatives like beans, tofu, hummus, and veggie hot dogs.
Foods to avoid on the 3-Day Diet:
This diet largely focuses on what you can eat. Anything else shouldn't be included in your three-day plan. The guidelines do mention a few things that you should avoid for sure, such as:
- Cream and sugar in your coffee
- Sweeteners except stevia
- Garlic salt
- Alcohol
- Condiments such as mayo, ketchup, and store-bought salad dressings
Sample 3-Day Diet Food List
To help you with grocery shopping or meal prep, here are all the ingredients you need for the Military Diet sorted by food type.
- Produce: 2 bananas, 2 apples, 1 grapefruit, Green beans (fresh, frozen, or canned), 1 small head of broccoli, Carrots
- Meat and seafood: 3 cans of tuna, Hot dogs, 3 ounces of your choice of meat
- Dairy: Cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese, Vanilla ice cream
- Eggs
- Bakery: Whole wheat bread
- Snacks: Saltine crackers
- Condiments: Peanut butter
- Beverages: Tea and coffee
Benefits of the 3-Day Diet
Even though the diet is very short, it does have some pros other than weight loss. Its rules encourage a few helpful things:
- No added sugars and sweeteners that don't have nutritional value, except for stevia
- Cooking your own food instead of eating out
- An easy-to-follow meal plan
Risks and Drawbacks of the 3-Day Diet
The diet's main weaknesses come from the effects of drastically cutting calories. This can have short- and long-term consequences.
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- You're not burning fat. Generally, the goal of weight loss is to lose fat, which takes time. When you lose weight on a three-day diet, you're likely just losing water weight. So, one con of the Military Diet is that you're not actually reaching the typical health goal of losing weight through fat loss.
- It limits exercise. While the 3-Day Diet technically advises moderate exercise, such as walking, it also suggests cutting back if you feel dizzy or weak due to a lack of energy during the diet. Exercise is key to proper weight loss that targets fat instead of muscle mass. But the calorie limit of the Military Diet restricts how active you can be because your body simply cannot sustain the exercise.
- It can disrupt normal body functions. Cutting back on nutrients can lead to constipation, exhaustion, low energy, hair loss, loss of bone strength and density, and a weakened immune system.
- It can affect your mental health. Fad diets like this one that promise quick, short-term weight loss through extreme changes can take a toll on your body. It often leads to a cycle of yo-yo dieting, where you may start strong but "give in" to cravings later, breaking the diet rules. This can make you feel guilty before you restart. This can increase your chances of eating disorders and low quality of life and well-being.
Restrictions and Preferences
There is a vegan and vegetarian version of the diet, as well as a substitution list if you prefer other foods than the original suggestions. The substitution list also includes gluten-free choices and serving sizes for the alternatives.
Who Should Avoid the 3-Day Diet?
This diet is only safe short-term. But if you struggle to set healthy eating habits already, you may want to avoid it. Studies show that dramatically cutting calories can encourage an unhealthy relationship with food as well as eating disorders.
Rapid weight-loss diets are also generally not suggested for:
- Children
- Teenagers
- Pregnant women
- Older adults
Expert Opinion
Dr. Melinda Ratini is a physician specializing in family medicine. She has expertise in treating obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension, among other conditions. Here is her take on the 3-Day Diet:
- Does it work? You will likely lose weight on any diet if you eat less than 910 calories a day. But losing 10 pounds in three days is both unlikely and unhealthy. To lose just 1 pound of body fat, you need to reduce your daily calories by about 500 a day for a whole week. That's giving up 3,500 calories over the course of seven days. To lose 10 pounds in three days would mean decreasing your calorie intake by 35,000 calories in just three days! The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends a slow and steady weight loss of no more than 1/2 to 1 pound a week. Otherwise you are losing muscle and water, as well as weakening your bones. You also are much more likely to gain it all back.
- Is it good for certain conditions? The 3-Day Diet is low calorie, but it certainly is not low-fat, low-salt, or low cholesterol, so it is not a healthy option for most people with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and high cholesterol. If you are overweight, weight loss is key to managing these conditions. But it should be a healthy and sustainable weight loss that includes healthy nutrition and exercise.
The Holy Mess 3-Day Plant-Based Weight Loss Meal Plan
Here is a simple, delicious 3 day plant-based weight loss meal plan. Whether you currently eat vegan or Whole Food, Plant-based, or simply want to try incorporating more plants into your diet for health reasons, this is the plan for you. Eat meat-free and lose weight in just 3 days. Here are the WW points for those using the program.
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- Day 1 WW Plan points: Breakfast - 1 points, Lunch - 2 points, Dinner - 6 points, Snack 1 - 0 points, Snack 2 - 1 point.
- Day 2 WW Plan points: Breakfast - 0 points, Lunch - 0 points, Dinner - 2 points, Snacks - 3 points.
- Day 3 WW Plan points: Breakfast - 1 point, Lunch - 3 points, Dinner - 5 points, Snacks - 1 point.
Combine oatmeal and cauliflower rice (or zucchini) in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add pineapple, pineapple juice, and water. Mix well to combine. Microwave on HIGH 2 ½ to 3 minutes; stir. The WW program updated for 2025. Use the “Add recipe from the web” feature if needed for points. Tofu Preparation Drain tofu well. If desired, press tofu to remove excess water. The WW program updated for 2025. Use the “Add recipe from the web” feature if needed for points. Start your day with a delicious Fajita Veggie & Black Bean Breakfast Scramble. The WW program updated for 2025. Use the “Add recipe from the web” feature if needed for points. This recipe is 3 WW points. The WW program updated for 2025. Use the “Add recipe from the web” feature if needed for points. Snack 2 - 1 medium sweet potato, baked. Enjoy this Sweet Berry Oatmeal, a quick and delicious breakfast that's low in calories and perfect for weight loss. The WW program updated for 2025. Use the “Add recipe from the web” feature if needed for points. Enjoy a quick and delicious Plant-Based Spaghetti Dinner that's perfect for busy weeknights. The WW program updated for 2025. Use the “Add recipe from the web” feature if needed for points. Make a batch of this chili and meal prep by portioning into individual servings. Nutritional information is approximate. Here are step-by-step directions for how to prepare for this meal plan. Use this meal plan to fit your schedule, but I typically recommend that people grocery shop on Saturday, meal prep on Sunday, and follow the meal plan on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Cook 1 cup raw farro or barley. (Makes 2 cups cooked. Cook 2 cups of raw brown rice. Prepare The Holy Mess Vegetarian Chili according to recipe. Cool and store. Prepare Chickpea Red Onion salad. Store in the refrigerator. Bake 1 potato and 1 sweet potato until done throughout. Cool and store in the refrigerator. Cook spaghetti squash and shred into spaghetti-like strands.
Beans, rice, and starchy vegetables don’t need to be off-limits during weight loss. What if you don’t like or can’t eat one of the foods on the meal plan? You may swap any starchy vegetable for a different starchy vegetable. You may substitute any whole grain for another whole grain. Is it really worth it to eat no animal products for just 3 days? Yes! This diet is not medical advice, and is a general guide for most people. What if I don’t digest beans well? Beans are a wonderfully healthy food and fabulous for weight loss! Here are tips for better digestion of beans. This meal plan works well for serving 1-2 people. Increase ingredients to feed a larger family. Plant-based eating is higher in carbs, and lower in protein than some meal plans like Paleo or Keto. This protein is adequate for most healthy adults. Due to being higher in carbs, some people see an initial weight gain when starting a plant-based diet, especially if coming from a low-carb lifestyle. If you are diabetic, consult a medical professional. You don’t need to eat all the food. If you are hungry, you can have as many additional servings of non-starchy vegetables, raw or cooked, as you would like. Can I mix and match meals from this meal plan and the original Holy Mess 3 Day Diet Plan? Yes! Why are there no meat substitutes on this meal plan? Many meat replacements (like Impossible Burger and Beyond Burger) are high in fats and oils. Some are lower in fat (like Morning Star Farms and Boca) but high in soy protein and other questionable ingredients. While these are plant-based, they are not WHOLE FOODS. After this meal plan is done, be wise when buying plant-based foods. Some are just as unhealthy (or even more unhealthy) that the animal products they replace. If you want a healthier meat replacement (after the 3 day meal plan is done), check out this very easy bean burger recipe. The 3-Day Plant-Based Meal Plan and grocery list are 100% free for you to download and use. This is a digital product for you to print and use immediately. This meal plan and shopping list are 100% FREE. Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought of eating no animal products for 3 days? Start with our Plant-Based for a Day Challenge. This meal plan is for general guidance. It is not medical advice. Consult a doctor, registered dietician or medical professional to determine your specific needs. Nutritional information is an estimate.
Preparation Tips for the 3-Day Diet
First, you'll want to get your grocery list together. Organize the foods by type to make shopping easy. You'll also want to prepare for the changes that come with eating less than you're used to. You may not have as much energy, so you might need to scale back on your responsibilities and plans for exercise. It may be helpful to write out your meals for each day, too, or prep them ahead of time, mixing and matching the suggested foods to your liking for each meal. This can help you stay on track on busier days and ensures your food is already portioned out whenever you get hungry for your next meal.