What is the military egg diet?

For breakfast you'll have an egg, a slice of toast and half a banana. For lunch, another hard-boiled egg, some saltines and a cup of cottage cheese. Then for dinner, have those hot dogs handy. You'll eat two mystery tubes plus some fruits and veggies, finished off with more vanilla ice cream.

dailyburn.com - The 3-Day Military Diet: Is It Legit? - Life by Daily Burn

Is carrot juice high in sugar?

Also, they contain more sugar per cup than whole fruits and vegetables. For example, one cup of carrot juice contains 2 g of fiber and 9 g of...

Last updated Aug 15, 2019

Should turmeric be peeled before juicing?

There's no need to peel the skin from the turmeric (unless you're worried about pesticides), so I like to make sure that it's properly clean. Then,...

Last updated Jan 17, 2018

Tasty juice “eats through” 54lbs of thick flab

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

What if someone told you that you could lose 10 pounds a week…while eating ice cream? Sounds too good to be true, right? That’s the alluring sell behind the Military Diet, a strict eating regimen that’s been sweeping the Internet over the past few months. The rules: Follow a rigid meal plan for three days, then do four days of maintenance and watch as the pounds “melt away” by the end of the week.

RELATED: How to Know If the Ketogenic Diet Is Right for You

Pinners, bloggers and YouTube vlogs are driving this trend forward with viral before-and-after pictures showcasing impressive (and often hard to believe) changes. Devotees of the diet consume 1,100 to 1,400 calories a day in the form of so-called “fat-burning” food combinations like hot dogs and bananas, and tuna and toast. (Yes, we said hot dogs.) It’s a one-size-fits-all plan, so athletic men and women are going to dine on the same grub as their more sedentary peers. But is this really a healthy way to lose weight? We got to the bottom of this much-talked-about plan.

What the Military Diet Is All About

No shocker here: It turns out that the Military Diet isn’t quite the unique weight loss solution it’s made out to be. “This [diet concept] has been dressed up differently and brought out to dance before,” says Kimberly Gomer, R.D., director of nutrition at Pritikin Longevity Center. In other words, a restrictive three-day plan is nothing new in the health industry. Plus, the diet’s affiliation with the actual U.S. Army seems to be just a gimmick. (Fun fact: The Cleveland Clinic Diet, British Heart Foundation Diet, Mayo Clinic Diet and Navy Diet aren’t linked to those institutions, either.) So don’t judge a book — or a diet — by its cover.

RELATED: Can the Paleo Diet Improve Your Health?

According to websites dedicated to the meal plan, the three-day Military Diet prescribes the following meal plan.

Military Diet: Day One

To get started, you’ll prep a half grapefruit, slice of toast, scoop of peanut butter and some coffee for breakfast. And for lunch, it’s tuna, toast and more coffee (or caffeinated tea). On the dinner menu: three ounces of meat, a cup of green beans, half a banana, a small apple and, yup, a cup of vanilla ice cream.

Military Diet: Day Two

This is where things get especially…interesting. For breakfast you’ll have an egg, a slice of toast and half a banana. For lunch, another hard-boiled egg, some saltines and a cup of cottage cheese. Then for dinner, have those hot dogs handy. You’ll eat two mystery tubes plus some fruits and veggies, finished off with more vanilla ice cream.

Military Diet: Day Three

Can juicing cause obesity?

Juice makes us feel full quickly and the excess calories from juice can cause weight gain. Also, 100% juice from stores can have sugar added to...

Last updated Jun 5, 2019

Does drinking water help clear skin?

Improved Complexion. Drinking enough water can help you combat a variety of skin issues including psoriasis and eczema. It does this by helping...

Last updated Jan 24, 2019

7-second natural hack eats through 64lbs of belly flab

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

On the last day of the diet, you’ll cut calories down to approximately 1,100 in the following breakdown. For breakfast, five saltines, an ounce of cheddar cheese and a small apple. Up next, just one egg and slice of toast for lunch. Then for the grand finale, a cup of tuna, half of a banana and one last cup of vanilla ice cream.

Then What?

Once you complete the three-day diet, you’re supposed to eat and exercise normally for the next four days. “What I found interesting is that this diet allows for almost 1,500 calories, which is a pretty normal weight management diet,” says Gomer. “It’s not a crazy 800-calorie crash diet.” But its promises aren’t all they appear to be.

Three-Day Diet: Crazy or Legit?

One of the central claims of the Military Diet is that your meals are arranged in “fat-burning” food combinations. However, “There’s no science behind it,” says Gomer. You may still lose weight if the calories you’re consuming are less than the calories you’re burning off throughout your day. But nothing about pairing grapefruit with peanut butter toast will necessarily help you slim your waistline more than another combination of similarly caloric foods, Gomer says. The Military Diet’s focus on small quantities of high-fat food might leave you feeling hungry, too. “This is allowing a very little bit of rich food,” explains Gomer, noting that you’ll still feel hungry despite indulging in ice cream each night. “It makes me frustrated because I could give people six times the amount of food [for the same amount of calories],” says Gomer.

RELATED: To Sip or Not to Sip: The Benefits of Bone Broth

You’d be better off focusing on filling, low-density foods such as fruits and vegetables, which have a lot of water and fiber, Gomer notes. Plus, the diet is also lacking in whole grains, which can reduce your risk of many chronic diseases (like diabetes and heart disease) and help with weight maintenance. So we hate to break it to you, but devouring hot dogs and ice cream probably won’t be your ticket to sustainable and healthy weight loss. “The idea that there’s something magical in a certain diet, that’s the American dream,” says Gomer. The Military Diet isn’t sustainable, she says. “You’ll get hungry and grouchy and you break your diet and [then] you’re looking for the next miracle.” It might be time to get off the diet rollercoaster and leave the miracles to Disney.

Originally published October 2015. Updated January 2017.

dailyburn.com - The 3-Day Military Diet: Is It Legit? - Life by Daily Burn

Which water helps to reduce weight?

Fluid is crucial for weight loss because it is 100 percent calorie-free, helps burn more calories and may suppress your appetite. It is widely...

Last updated Apr 22, 2020

What is the best detox drink to cleanse your body?

Here Are Our 13 Best Interesting Detox Drinks You Can Try: Orange-Carrot Ginger Detox. Oranges are powerhouses of antioxidants and vitamin C. ......

Last updated Jun 18, 2018

Traditional “juice” activates 24/7 fat-burning

A scrumptious morning smoothy based on the diets of among the healthiest, longest-living hamlet in the world.

Learn More »

Promotion

What happens if you drink ginger everyday?

Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more...

Last updated Aug 14, 2022

Weird “juice ritual” removes 65lbs in weeks

A potent powdered supplement, based on the diets of among the healthiest, longest-living hamlet in the world.

Learn More »

Promotion

What is the healthiest orange juice?

The best orange juice option when it comes to store-bought juice is fortified, 100% orange juice. It has no added sugar and has been supplemented...

Last updated May 18, 2018