The Military Diet: A Crash Diet With Quick Results
Do you want to lose a lot of weight in as little time as possible? Then you should try the military diet. Find out how it works and how healthy it is plus an example meal plan to get you started, here!
Are you looking for a weight-loss method where the pounds just tumble and you see success within a week? Then a short-term military diet might be the perfect way to start a lifestyle change. It’s also a great way to lose some fat when your pants and blouse are getting a little tighter.
What Is the Military Diet?
As the name suggests, the military diet is not for everyone. It was developed to get American soldiers fit and trim in a short period of time, so it’s strict and disciplined.
The military diet is a crash diet, which should only be carried out at short notice in order to lose a few pounds quickly. There is a fixed diet plan for the first three days. However, since you’ll be consuming fewer calories, you’ll probably be pretty hungry! The portions are so small that you probably won’t get enough.
The good news: The strict diet phase lasts only 3 days, so you can see the end and will be able to reach your goal quickly. However, this diet isn’t a long-term healthy lifestyle, so you shouldn’t do the strict phase for more than a week to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
What Can I Eat During the Military Diet?
The military diet menu includes whole-grain toast, saltine crackers, rice waffles, banana, grapefruit, apple, broccoli, carrots, beans, peanut butter, hard-boiled eggs, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, meat, black coffee or tea, and water.
Sugar, juices, and alcohol are forbidden.
Military Diet Plan – How Does It Work?
Day 1 of the Military Diet
- Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, 1 slice toast/bread, 2 teaspoons (peanut) butter, coffee or tea
- Lunch: 1 slice of bread, 1/2 can of tuna, coffee, or tea
- Dinner: 100 g green beans or peas, 100 g meat, 1 small apple, 1/2 banana, 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Day 2 of the Military Diet
- Breakfast: 1 slice of bread, 1 hard-boiled egg, 1/2 banana
- Lunch: 2 slices of crispbread or 5 saltine crackers, 1 pack of grainy cream cheese, 1 hard-boiled egg
- Dinner: 100 g broccoli, 50 g carrots, 100 g meat or 2 hot dog sausages, 1/2 banana, 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Day 3 of the Military Diet
- Breakfast: 2 slices of crispbread, 1 slice of cheddar cheese, 1 small apple
- Lunch: 1 portion of scrambled eggs or 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 slice of toast
- Dinner: 1 can tuna, 1/2 banana, 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
The diet plan seems a bit bizarre and doesn’t follow a specific concept like Low-carb or Low-fat, as you may have noticed. With a little creativity, you can change the military diet to vegan. You can replace eggs, meat, fish, and dairy products with vegan protein-rich foods that have a similar calorie content. Instead of meat, you can use tofu or soy slices to create a meat-free menu. Some people even pair the military diet with intermittent fasting, so they’re not quite as hungry with the shorter eating window.
How Does the Military Diet Work?
The crash cure is based on calorie reduction, so you consume fewer calories than you normally would. Your body is then forced to fall back on its reserves and it starts burning your fat. During the first three days, you should not eat more than 1000 calories. In the four following diet days, you can eat up to 1500 calories. There are only three meals a day, so your body has enough time between meals and especially at night to access its fat reserves.
You can increase your weight loss by ramping up your exercise efforts and burning more calories. However, experts don’t recommend strenuous sports and intensive training during the diet, as you may experience depleted energy. However, some lightweight training or brisk walks can protect against muscle breakdown.
How Much Can I Lose With the Military Diet?
The military diet promises results of losing up to 10 pounds in one week. As with other crash diets, however, the yo-yo effect can occur after your diet phase. You should definitely keep this in mind. During the first few days, you will lose a lot of water weight. This might all come back if you return to your old eating habits.
A reduced-calorie and carbohydrate diet first acts as a natural dehydrating agent. The body breaks down its sugar storage- the carbohydrate glycogen – from your muscles and liver. This means you will excrete a lot of water via the kidneys during the weight loss phase. You can’t lose 7 or more pounds of body fat in just seven days on this diet.
On the plus side, quick weight loss can motivate you and make it easier for you to start a permanent dietary change. If you gradually replace old eating habits with healthier ones after a strict diet, you have a good chance of further reducing your weight or keeping your ideal weight permanently. We wish you every success!
Have you already made experiences with the military diet? Tell us about it on FamilyApp!
