The military diet needs to follow a low-calorie diet for three days and then continue with regular consumption for 4-days. Across the first 3-days, the diet limit everyday calorie consumption to 1,400, 1200, and 1,100 calories.
The diet consists of high protein and low fat, calories, and carbohydrate. It also has specific food combinations to promote metabolism and burn fat.
Despite its name, this diet does not link to how you eat in the military.
Is the Military Diet Effective?
Table of Contents
The military diet is low in fat and high in protein.
According to a review in the The-American-Journal-of-Clinical-Nutrition
analyze a very low-calorie diet and recommend that they can be effective for helping people to reduce weight in the short term.
A VLCD makes a maximum of 800 calories every day. People with obesity may require to get a VLCD to get rapid weight loss before bariatric surgery. Low-calorie diets are those that let you eat less than 1000 calories every day. It is not possible to predict how much weight an individual will lower on a restructure one-week diet as all is different.
The 3 – Day Military Diet Plan
The 3-day military diet plan has foods that are filling, nutritious, and low in calories. You will be allowed to eat not higher than 1000 calories every day for these 3-days. Here is the diet plan that will help you on what to consume, how many calories you need, and what recipes you can try with given ingredients.
Day 1 – Monday
You may find day-1 difficult. If you are someone who is utilized to consume as per your cravings and wish, the diet can seem limited. Besides, depending on how many calories you are utilized to eating, you may feel hungry even after consuming a meal.
What You Need
- 1-tablespoon honey (64 calories)
- 1/2 grapefruit (10 calories)
- 1 tbsp peanut butter (94 calories)
- 1/2 lime (5 calories)
- 2-slices of bread (whole grain) (120 calories)
- 1/2 cup tuna (100 calories)
- Coffee or tea (10 calories)
- 1 multigrain biscuit (66 calories)
- 1/2 cup green beans (31 calories)
- An apple (77calories)
- 1/2 cup spinach (3 calories)
- 100 gms chicken or fish (160 calories)
- 1/2 banana (53 calories)
- Vanilla ice cream (70 calories)
Day 1 Diet Chart
Early Morning (7:30 – 7:45 a.m)
Have Warm water with half lime juice and 1-tablespoon of honey
Breakfast (8:15- 8:30 a.m)
Eat one slice of multigrain toast with one tablespoon peanut butter, half grapefruit, and one cup of tea or black coffee.
Pre-Lunch (11:30 a.m)
Eat 1/2 cup sliced cucumber with 6-almonds.
Lunch (1:00 – 1:30 p.m)
Eat 1-slice multigrain toast, 1/2 cup tuna and
1/2 cup blanched spinach
Evening Snack (4:00 – 4:30 p.m)
Have one cup of black coffee and one cup of green tea without sugar and one multigrain biscuit.
Dinner (7:00 – 7:30 p.m)
Eat one cup blanched green beans, fish or steamed chicken, one apple, half banana, and
One small scoop of vanilla ice cream
Why This Works
During the first day of the diet, you will eat higher than 1100 calories. It puts your body in a calorie deficit. This particular combination of foods also helps to promote the metabolic rate.
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Other Foods To Eat
Fruits – Choose Watermelon, Muskmelon, guava, apple, orange, kiwi, and tangerine.
Veggies – Choose leek, Celery, bok choy, cabbage, asparagus, eggplant, green beans, kale, carrot, beetroot, spinach, broccoli, radish, spring onion, tomato, and peas.
Protein – Fish, lean ground turkey, chicken breast, kidney beans, ground lean beef, black-eyed peas, tofu, chickpeas, soy, and lentils.
Dairy – low-fat yogurt, Low-fat milk, eggs, buttermilk, sour cream.
Fats & Oils – Choose hemp seed oil, Olive oil, rice bran oil, and flaxseed oil.
Beverages – Choose Vegetable juices, Fresh fruit, buttermilk, coconut water, and detox drinks.
Condiments – Choose Guacamole, Salsa, hot sauce, mustard sauce, hummus, and pesto.
Herbs & Spices – Rosemary, Mint, thyme, dill, coriander leaves, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, black onion seeds, turmeric powder, and allspice.
Foods To Avoid
Fruits – Jackfruit and Mango
Dairy – full-fat yogurt, Full-fat milk, and full-fat cream
Fats & Oils – butter, Vegetable oil, mayonnaise, and margarine.
Beverages-Â Choose Packaged fruit juices, aerated drinks, alcohol, packaged coconut water.
Condiments – Choose Barbecue sauce, Tomato ketchup, chili sauce, sweet chili sauce, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing.
If you have an allergy, then avoid eating these foods.
Food Substitutes
Lime juice with Apple cider vinegar
Honey with Organic maple syrup
Multigrain bread with white bread and whole wheat bread.
Grapefruit with Orange or tangerine
Black coffee/tea with Green tea or ginger tea
Peanut butter with Sunflower seed butter
Tuna with Salmon or chicken breast
Almonds with Walnut or pecan nut
Cucumber with carrot
Spinach with Collard greens
Multigrain biscuit with Saltine crackers
Blanched green beans with Blanched asparagus
Steamed chicken or fish with Lentil/ chicken clear soup
Banana with Passionfruit
Apple with Pear
Vanilla ice cream with Fruits with sour cream
Useful Tip
Use an oil spray to eat low oil.
Diet and workouts go hand in hand when it comes to reducing weight. Here is a list of activities to follow on your Day-1.
Exercises
- Wrist circles – 1 set(10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Ankle rotation – 1 set(10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Leg rotation – 1 set(10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Arm circles – 1 set(10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Waist rotation – 1 set(10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Neck rotation – 1 set(10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Situps- 1 set(10 reps)
- Intermittent running – 20 minutes
- Jumping Jacks – 2 sets of 20 reps
- Scissor legs – 2 sets of 10 reps
- Full squat – 1 set of 10 reps
- Stretch
- Crunches – 2 sets of 10 reps
- Forward Lunge – 1 set of 10 reps
How You Will Feel After Day 1
If you are a beginner, you may feel muscle pain and fatigue. Nothing to worry about as the pain will subside once you exercise regularly. You will get a nice sleep, which is necessary to begin a Military diet on the second day.
Day 2 – Tuesday
The day 2-pattern is the same as day 1. If you feel day-1 is easier than you thought, then it will be easy.
What You Need
- Egg 1 (78 Calories)
- Apple Cider Vinegar 1 Tsp (0 Calories)
- Whole-Grain Bread 1-Slice ( 53 Calories)
- Banana 1/2 (53 Calories)
- Carrot Juice – 1 Cup (163 Calories)
- Cottage Cheese 1/2 Cup (164 Calories)
- Sauteed Asparagus – 3 Oz (27 Calories)
- Saltine Crackers 5 (63 Calories)
- Almonds 2 (14 Calories)
- Multigrain Biscuit 1 (66 Calories)
- Hot Dogs 2 (300 Calories)
- Broccoli 1 Cup (15 Calories)
- Carrots 1/2 Cup (25 Calories)
- Vanilla Ice Cream 1-Small Cup (70 Calories)
Day 2 Diet Chart
Early Morning (7:30 – 7:45 a.m)
Consume warm water and one teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Breakfast (8:15- 8:30 a.m)
Eat 1-slice of multigrain bread and 1-boiled egg, 1/2 banana
Pre-Lunch (11:30 a.m)
Consume 2-almonds and 1 cup carrot juice
Lunch (1:00 – 1:30 p.m)
Have one hard-boiled egg, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, some sauteed asparagus, and 5-saltine crackers
Evening Snack (4:00 – 4:30 p.m)
Drink black coffee or one cup of green tea (without sugar) and one multigrain biscuit.
Dinner (7:00 – 7:30 p.m)
Eat one cup of sauteed broccoli half-cup sauteed carrots, two hot dogs, one small scoop of ice cream, and half banana.
Why This Works
Cottage cheese and eggs provide high protein, bananas are rich in potassium, fiber, carrots, and broccoli provide fiber.
Other Foods To Eat
Fruits – Apple, Orange, musk melon, kiwi, tangerine, guava, and watermelon.
Veggies – Bitter gourd, Bottle gourd, bell pepper, cauliflower, celery, leek, bok choy, eggplant, asparagus, cabbage, green beans, broccoli, spinach, kale, carrot, radish, beetroot, spring onion, tomato, and peas
Protein – fish, Chicken breast, lean ground turkey, tofu, lean ground beef, kidney beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, soy chunks, and lentils.
Dairy – low-fat yogurt, Low-fat milk, eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream.
Fats & Oils – Choose hemp seed oil, Olive oil, rice bran oil, and flaxseed oil.
Beverages – Vegetable juices, Fresh fruit, buttermilk, coconut water, and detox drinks
Condiments – Salsa, mustard sauce, guacamole, hot sauce, pesto, and hummus
Herbs & Spices – coriander leaves, Mint, rosemary, fennel seeds, thyme, dill, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seed, turmeric powder, allspice, and black onion seeds.
Foods To Avoid
Fruits – Mango and Jackfruit
Dairy – full-fat yogurt, Full-fat milk, and full-fat cream
Fats & Oils – butter, Vegetable oil, mayonnaise, and margarine
Beverages- packaged fruit juices, aerated drinks, alcohol, and packaged coconut water.
Condiments – barbecue sauce, Tomato ketchup, chili sauce, sweet chili sauce, mayonnaise, ranch
Food Substitutes
Apple cider vinegar with Lime or lemon
Egg with Boiled chicken
Multigrain bread with millet or Whole wheat bread or cornbread (if you are gluten sensitive)
Almond with Walnut or pecan nuts
Banana with papaya or Avocado
Asparagus with Green beans
Carrot with parsnip or Celery
Cottage cheese with Ricotta cheese
Boiled egg with Baked fish
Saltine crackers with rice cakes, Gluten-free crackers, and oats crackers
Green tea/ black coffee with Herbal tea
Hot dog with Soy, mushrooms, lentils, and beans
Multigrain biscuit with popcorn or Roasted lentils
Carrot with celery or Asparagus
Broccoli with Cauliflower
Ice cream with frozen yogurt (Fat-free)
Banana with Avocado
Useful Tip
Grill or blanch your veggies to taste them differently.
You must work out one Day-2 also. Except you improve the stored fat to get utilized as energy, you will not have weight loss. Therefore, keep your training shoes and practice following a workout.
Exercises
- Arm circles – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Neck rotation – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Wrist circles – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Leg rotation – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Mountain climbers – 2 sets of 10 reps
- Waist rotation – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Ankle rotation – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Pushups – 2 sets of 5 reps
- Rope jumping – 2 sets of 40 reps
- Leg up – 1 set of 10 reps
- Situps – 2 sets of 5 reps
- Jumping squat – 2 sets of 10 reps
- Tricep dips – 2 sets of 5 reps
- Forward plank – 2 sets of 15-second plank
- Stretch
- Scissor kicks – 1 set of 10 reps
- Crunches – 2 sets of 10 reps
How Will You Feel After Day 2?
After completing the second day of the military diet, you will feel lighter. It will motivate you more, and you will look front to day-3.
Day 3 – Wednesday
Day-3 is the final day of this diet limitation. On this day you will eat about 1000 calories.
What You Need
- 5 saltine crackers (60 calories)
- 1 boiled egg (78 calories)
- 1 small apple (75 calories)
- 1 cup chicken clear soup (216)
- 1 slice of cheddar cheese (110 calories)
- 1 slice of multigrain bread (75 calories)
- 1/2 cup tuna (190 calories)
- 1 cup blanched spinach (7 calories)
- 1 multigrain biscuit (66 calories)
- 1/2 banana (53 calories)
- Fenugreek seed soaked water (0 calories)
- 1 small bowl of ice cream (70 calories)
Day 3 Diet Chart
Early Morning (7:30 – 7:45 a.m)
Have one cup of fenugreek water (seed soaked)
Breakfast (8:15- 8:30 a.m)
Eat one slice of cheddar cheese, 5-saltine crackers, and one small apple
Pre-Lunch (11:30 a.m)
Have one cup calcium-rich low-fat milk, six unsalted pistachios, 4-walnuts
Lunch (1:00 – 1:30 p.m)
Eat one hard-boiled egg, one cup of clear chicken soup, and one slice of multigrain toast
Evening Snack (4:00 – 4:30 p.m)
Have black coffee (without sugar), or 1 cup green tea and 1-multigrain biscuit
Dinner (7:00 – 7:30 p.m)
Have 1/2 banana, 1-cup blanched spinach, half cup grilled tuna (use olive oil), 1-scoop vanilla ice cream
Why This Works
Again, this diet helps you eat sufficient food to prevent junk food and binge eating while still keeping in the calorie-burning zone.
Other Foods To Eat
Fruits – Pomegranate, Passion fruit, banana, orange, apple, musk melon, guava, kiwi, watermelon, and tangerine.
Veggies – Celery, cauliflower, broccoli, bottle gourd, bell pepper, bitter gourd, leek, eggplant, bok choy, cabbage, asparagus, spinach, swiss chard, kale, green beans, carrot, beetroot, peas, radish, spring onion, and tomato
Protein – Fish, lean ground turkey, Chicken breast, lean ground beef, black-eyed peas, tofu, kidney beans, mung beans, soy chunks, chickpeas, and lentils.
Dairy – low-fat yogurt, Low-fat milk, fat-free frozen yogurt, sour cream, eggs, and buttermilk.
Fats & Oils – flaxseed oil, Olive oil, hemp seed oil, and rice bran oil
Beverages – Vegetable juices, Fresh fruit, coconut water, detox drinks, and buttermilk
Condiments – Salsa, mustard sauce, guacamole, hot sauce, pesto, hummus
Herbs & Spices – coriander leaves, Mint, rosemary, dill, thyme, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, allspice, turmeric powder, black onion seeds
Foods To Avoid
Fruits – jackfruit and Mango an
Dairy – full-fat yogurt, Full-fat milk, and full-fat cream
Fats & Oils – butter, Vegetable oil, mayonnaise, and margarine
Beverages-Â packaged fruit juices, aerated drinks, alcohol, and packaged coconut water
Condiments – barbecue sauce, Tomato ketchup, sweet chili sauce, ranch dressing, chili sauce, and mayonnaise.
Food Substitutes
Fenugreek seeds with Fennel seeds
Walnut with Almonds
Pistachios with Pecan nuts
Cheddar cheese with ricotta cheese and Greek yogurt
Saltine cracker with rice cakes, Gluten-free crackers, and oats crackers
Apple with Pomegranate
Egg with Boiled lentils
Low-fat milk with fat-free yogurt or buttermilk
Multigrain bread with white bread or Cornbread (if you are gluten sensitive)
Chicken clear soup with mushroom clear soup or Kidney bean chili
black coffee or Green tea with fresh fruit juice
Multigrain biscuit with Saltine crackers
Grilled tuna with Blanched chicken breast or grilled mushroom or boiled egg
Banana with Papaya or Avocado
Blanched spinach with Swiss chard
Vanilla ice cream with Fat-free Greek yogurt
Foods To Avoid
Fruits – Mango and jackfruit
Dairy –  Full-fat milk, full-fat yogurt, and full-fat cream
Fats & Oils – Mayonnaise, Butter, Vegetable oil, and margarine
Beverages-Â alcohol, packaged fruit juices, aerated drinks, packaged coconut water
Condiments – Tomato ketchup, barbecue sauce, sweet chili sauce, chili sauce, ranch dressing, and mayonnaise.
Useful Tip
Soak two teaspoon fenugreek seeds all night in one cup of water. Consume it after you wake up in the morning.
Day 3 is also similar to days 1 & 2 when it comes to working out. You have to burn calories to reduce weight. Here are the exercises for Day-3.
Exercises
- Arm circles – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Wrist circles – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Neck rotation – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Ankle rotation – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Leg rotation – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Waist rotation – 1 set (10 reps) (forward and backward)
- Jumping Jacks – 2 sets (10 reps)
- Running/brisk walking – 15-20 minutes
- Forward Lunges – 1 set (10 reps)
- Full squat – 2 sets (10 reps)
- Triceps dip – 1 set (10 reps)
- Scissor kicks – 2 sets (10 reps)
- Jumping Lunges – 1 set (10 reps)
- Sit-ups – 2 sets (10 reps)
- Crunches – 2 sets (10 reps)
- Stretch
How Will You Feel After Day 3?
You will get surprised to see the changes in 3 days. Make sure to maintain the new weight.
Post-Diet Days (Day 4 – Day 7)
From day 4-7, you will eat a balanced diet full of nutrition, which should not increase the limit of 1500 calories every day. On these 4-days, your body will be able to rest and recover from the day 3-low-calorie diet. However, this is also the time you may overeat. To stop this overeating, keep a calorie journal to record how many calories your food contains and how many you consumed in a day. Have soup, baked fish, chicken, blanched veggies, fresh fruits. Snack on 1-2 digestive biscuits drink your tea or coffee without sugar, workout, and good sleep to stop weight gain. It is good that you begin the diet plan on Monday so that you can be light liberal on the weekend. Stop a low-calorie diet beyond 3-days. If your wish to get on the 3-day military, again begin next Monday.
Why Do We Overeat?
Different reasons induce hunger, and these reasons differ from one to another person. The most common cause to overeat these days are depression and stressed. This kind of eating is also called emotional eating. The lack of achievement or accomplishment suppresses the good feel hormones. Therefore, by consuming more than what the body requires, people get a satisfaction sense.
Overeating can also be because of insulin resistance or low insulin production. The body requires energy to function, and this energy comes from the breakdown of nutrients into sugar. Insulin requires for the absorption of sugar. When low insulin is produced, sugar is not get absorbed, which will lead to diabetes.
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The Best Part Of The Military Diet
- The military diet is not hard to combine into your routine.
- The food suggested is all common and can be available at home. However, it is easy to follow.
- This diet allows you to eat 3-meals a day on all 3-days, you can see why people like this diet so much.
- In opposite to other diets, you do not have to allow a radical every liquid diet or survive on foods you do not like. The diet has even ice cream and hot dogs, and at no point, while diet you will crave other foods.
- For people who find it difficult to continue the diet for a long time, the military diet lasts for a complete 3-days. After 3-days, you can continue your normal pattern and everyday workout routine. Even if you find it difficult to stick to diets, 3-days should not be a problem.
Is Military Diet Safe?
Safety and sustainability of diet is the most important thing. The 3-day Military diet plan has worked for different females around the world. This diet is safe because of plenty of fresh fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and complex carbs consumption, and its duration is only 3-days. This diet is not much sustainable due to rigid calorie limitations. If you go back to earlier eating habits or avoid workouts, you will gain more weight again and not burn fat.
Military Diet Side Effects
There are no side effects of the military diet. As there is no extreme dieting or radical changes in your food habits because of a short span of the diet of 3-days, there are no serious side effects of the 3-day military diet.
Though the military diet is enough, some errors on your part may limit your weight loss.
Dos And Don’ts Of The Military Diet
Things To Do         Â
- You should follow this diet plan completely. There is no space for cheating. The diet was created to help more weight loss.
- You should be ready for a little hungry. You will have to manage hunger pangs and the overeating temptation.
- Once the diet is completed, you need to limit calorie consumption to 1500 calories, failing may cause weight gain after weight loss.
Things Not To Do
- Do not eat snacks between meals.
- Diet will get successful if you follow it correctly. Snacking will derail the complete diet.
- Avoid overeating. Reduce your portion sizes as mentioned in the plan. The diet will work if you follow it properly.
Can You Eat Protein Bars?
The expensive protein bars consist of sugar, corn syrup, trans fats, flavor, processed soy protein, and artificial color, and flavor. Warning! These ingredients are utilized to mask the unpalatable taste of the vitamins, fiber, and minerals and do extra harm than good. Therefore, think once you use a protein bar for a snack. Take sports drinks that are fortified with protein and carbs before, during, and after exercise sessions. It will prevent you from getting extremely hungry and weak after exercising and curb the need to snack over a protein bar. Also, snack on a bowl of cucumber, carrot, fresh yogurt, fruit, to keep the weight balanced. However, if you still wish to snack protein bar, ensure to check the quantities of the ingredients before purchasing the bar. The lesser the number of ingredients, the better.
The 3-Day Military Diet: Benefits
This diet helps in weight loss. You may lose around 8-10 pounds with one week course.
The military diet raises the metabolic rate. It means, after one week, your body will consume more calories even when you are resting, which will make a faster fat loss. It provides a detox-like effect for the body. As the diet recommends consuming whole foods most of the time, and you have to follow the diet strictly, it will cleanse your body.