The Ultimate Guide to 3 Day Military Diet

Your best friend is having a wedding next week, and you still don’t fit into the bridesmaid’s dress. Or maybe boyfriend is taking you on a surprise vacation, and you’re not feeling bikini-ready quite yet.

We’ve all been in a situation where we want to lose weight, but don’t have time to complete a long-term weight loss program, and aren’t sure drinking lemon water for five days is a healthy option.

Don’t worry!

There is a promising way to lose weight quickly and still have the freedom to eat ice cream, burgers, and waffles. Intrigued?

It’s called the Military Diet. It’s a low-calorie, and it works by boosting your metabolism without leaving you feeling starved.

This is your go-to guide to losing weight fast and healthily with the Military Diet.

The 3-Day 1500 Calorie Military Diet is a low-calorie diet designed to help you lose a healthy amount of weight in a very short period of time. It does this by maximizing your metabolism and guiding the way your body processes calories. How does it do this?

1. HEALTHY FASTING

The Military Diet is structured on a schedule of 3 days on/4 days off. This is a form of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting involves periods of very-low-calorie intake and periods of eating normally.

When you fast, the insulin in your body becomes more sensitive.

This sensitivity leads to increased efficiency once you start eating again because nutrients in your food are preferentially directed to your muscle and liver cells rather than your fat cells.

The Military Diet is not “true” fasting because you never stop eating altogether. Instead, the Military Diet is designed so that the “fasting” portion of the diet is both manageable (so you won’t be starved at any point) and short-lived.

It allows your insulin levels to become sensitive enough to direct nutrients away from your fat cells, but not so sensitive that you begin to starve. Intermittent fastening is the healthiest and most efficient way to fast.

2. BOOSTING YOUR METABOLISM

Like any restriction based diets, it is extremely important to stick to the given meal plan (see section below). The Military Diet food choices are specifically designed to boost your metabolism and help your body burn more fat and calories.

There are a number of ways to use your diet to boost your metabolism.

One is to eat lots of protein. Foods containing high protein have what is called a high-thermal effect, meaning they require a lot of calories to digest. If you choose your food carefully, you can actually burn more calories by eating than you consume.

Another way is to eat foods high in fiber.

Fiber can be considered as a healthy version of those dangerous carbohydrates we all love and crave. We desire carbs because they make us feel full quickly. Fibers do the same, but unlike carbs, they come with the advantage of boosting your metabolism.

Finally, there is calcium. Calcium binds to fat molecules so that they pass through your digestive system rather than being digested and deposited in your body. Plus, as we all know, natural calcium is great for your bones.

Combined, eating a diet high in protein, fiber, and calcium boost your metabolism making it efficient in fat and calorie burning. Not only that, it keeps you feeling full so you can lose weight without feeling hungry all the time.

Meal plans can be very restrictive and are often the biggest downside of any diet. With all the health benefits discussed above, it may seem hard to believe that the Military Diet meal plan is actually delicious and flexible.

Below you can find the original version of the meal plan. Luckily, it can be mixed and matched with various substitutes, as long as you stick within the caloric value for each meal.

Many people struggle to stick to the Military Diet not because they lack the will or desire to lose weight, but because they have allergies or taste preferences that prevent them from eating certain food items on the meal plan.

Thankfully, there are substitutes for most of the food items on the menu so you can challenge yourself to the Military Diet without missing out on anything.

Before using any substitute listed here, ensure that the caloric value is approximately the same and that you are not exceeding the original food item’s sugar and fat content!

For the four days “off” the Military Diet, it is important to keep in mind that these days are not a free-for-all. There are certain basic rules and recommendations you need to follow.

STAY WITHIN YOUR DAILY INTAKE OF 1500 CALORIES

EAT FOODS RICH IN VITAMINS & MINERALS TO COMPENSATE FOR 3-DAY FASTING

AVOID SWEETENERS SUCH AS SUGAR OR CORN SYRUP DURING 4-DAYS OFF THIS DIET

It is recommended that you avoid most sweeteners during these four days, as they contain a high sugar content that your body turns into fat. In small doses, organic maple syrup and honey can be used as alternatives as they contain natural sugars less harmful to your health.

To avoid calories, the best sweetener alternative is fresh or dried Stevia leaves which contain zero calories. They can be used if you need that little extra kick but don’t want to cheat your calorie intake.

Below is a meal plan to help you meet these goals during your 4-days off the diet. The best part is, you can mix and match the meals however you like.

*slaw: 1 ½  cups shredded cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot mix (combine with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar and 2 tsp olive oil)

*Saute peppers and onion in 1 tbsp olive oil for 8 minutes, then add to wrap with beans and cilantro

*Wrap fish, hoisin sauce, yellow squash, pea pods and carrots together in foil and cook on a pan in oven for 10-12 minutes. Serve over rice.

1. POSSIBLE WEIGHT LOSS

Looking at the numbers and the experiences of those who’ve tried this diet, it works. Even though it is limiting in terms of the number of nutrients in the diet, the number of calories you eat is less than what you need. Keep in mind that this isn’t a healthy way of losing weight and that weight loss is not equal to fat loss.

2. SERVINGS OF FRUITS & VEGETABLES

There is room for improvement, but military diets include servings of fruits and veggies. These give you essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. However, do not think that this is a balanced, vitamin-packed diet. Not at all.

3. DIETING FOR JUST THREE DAYS

Its only three days at a time making it more manageable compared to other diet plans. Even if you will be on a strict restriction diet, the idea that this “starvation” will last for only three days (and not a day more) is a highly motivating factor.

4. INEXPENSIVE

Unlike other diet plans, it doesn’t cost anything, and you don’t have to join a support group, buy supplements or special foods. Also, foods on this diet plan are easy to prepare. This way, you are actually saving your money as your daily allowed food costs just a small portion of three regular meals.

5. CUTTING DOWN ON CALORIES

The unexpected benefits of cutting calories include better sleep, a boost in your mood and enhancement of your sex life. Not only that, you can experience a weight loss and potential fat loss if maintained for a longer period of time.

6. MAKES IT EASY TO DIET IN FUTURE

If you are doing the military diet once, you will learn a few things about your lifestyle and what you need to reduce intake of. This is because you are only allowed to drink water, tea and black coffee with no sugar or cream.

7. YOU DON’T HAVE TO EXERCISE

Though exercise facilitates weight loss, under a military diet, you won’t need any HIIT or cardio exercises. All you can do (if you find enough strength) is to do some light stretching, spot jogging and basic Yoga poses.

As you can see, there are some advantages and benefits of the 3-day military diet.

1. HUNGER PANGS

Despite the protein servings, a military diet will bring you the worst hunger pangs. You will be hungry all the time, and this is, therefore, a miserable way of losing weight. If you are working, your productivity will hit a slump because of low blood sugar slow brain activity.

2. MISSING SUPERFOODS

The diet plan doesn’t include nutrient-packed superfoods like salmon, quinoa, almonds or avocado. You need these super-foods because they provide you with your healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids.

3. FASTING THAT LONG IS UNSAFE

Going three days with under 1500 or even 1000 calories may leave you weak, and you may faint, experience dizziness, headaches, nausea, and binging three days after the fast. So, you are most likely to gain it all back immediately after abandoning the military diet. If you want to avoid regaining all your lost weight, you need to prepare a healthier meal plan for next few days after military diet.

4. WATER WEIGHT LOSS

The worst part about this diet plan is that you will most likely lose weight only in the form of water. Failing to lose fat means that you will get back your weight after the diet. Especially if you return to your regular diet that may be rich in salt and carbohydrates.

5. NO LONG-TERM PLAN

This diet outlines what you should and shouldn’t eat in three days but, there is no long-term dieting plan. For sustainable weight loss, you need a long-term and a lifestyle diet plan.

6. EXPERTS ADVISE AGAINST IT

As stated on the CNN, despite the name Military Diet, active members of the military and military officials claim that they aren’t aware of this diet and they don’t use it because it is nutrient limiting. Also, organizations like the Cleveland Clinic, the American Heart Association, Birmingham Hospital, or Mayo Clinic disassociate themselves from the military diet.

Some people struggle the first time they try the Military Diet. They might feel hungrier than expected, forget to buy certain ingredients or have a hard time committing the whole way through. These five tips will help ensure you get the most out of the Military Diet on your first try. The fourth tip is one of the most important.

Drinking water not only keeps you hydrated, but it is also an excellent way to keep your appetite at bay. Make sure you drink lots of water in the morning and throughout the day, so you feel less hungry when it’s time to eat.

Planning ahead is a great way to succeed on the Military Diet. We all know the dangers of grocery shopping while hungry, so plan your meals and buy all your groceries ahead of time. That way, everything you need will be close by, and you won’t be tempted by other food that will hinder your success.

Your metabolism is highest in the morning, so working out before breakfast is a great way to take advantage of that. Mild exercise will only enhance the results of the Military Diet and is a great way to get you pumped for the day. Just keep in mind that you will be exercising on your own risk.

It’s easy to be tempted to cheat on the Military Diet, and doing it with a friend will really help you stay on track. Having someone hold you accountable will drive you to work for it, and sharing the experience as well as results will keep you both motivated.

Make sure you take before and after measurements so you can have something tangible to demonstrate your progress. This includes keeping track of your calories, especially if you use some food item substitutes. Keeping a log of both your calorie intake and weight loss will keep you on track and highlight your success.

Following all five tips presented above will highly increase your chance of dieting with success. Do you still have questions? Then have a look at our FAQ section below.