“New year, new me” is a phrase that can be applied to many different situations. According to Statistic Brain, the most common New Years resolution is to lose weight and/or to eat healthier. People try to detox in many ways, such as juice cleanses, paleo diets, soup cleanses, etc. Some work and some don’t, so what’s the deal with the military diet?
What is the military diet?
It’s a low-calorie diet that apparently allows you to lose up to ten pounds in one week. The diet consists of three days of low-calorie dieting and then four days of break, yet it’s still dieting because you are only allowed to eat 1,500 calories each day of the break. The diet also follows a very strict regimen of specific foods to eat, and you’re not supposed to deviate from the plan.
Why do people do it?
The military diet became popular a couple of years ago because it promised results. Over time, nutritionists and doctors alike have discredited the diet for many reasons. Most being that it is not a healthy way to lose weight because the types of food you are meant to consume on the diet are not the most nutritious and are not part of a well-balanced diet.
What is the exact regimen you are supposed to follow for the diet?
Day One (approx. 1,400 calories)
Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, 1 slice toast, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 cup coffee or tea (with caffeine)
Lunch: 1/2 cup tuna, 1 slice toast, 1 cup coffee or tea (with caffeine)
Dinner: 3 ounces any type of meat, 1 cup green beans, 1/2 banana, 1 small apple, 1 cup vanilla ice cream
Day Two (approx. 1,200 calories)
Breakfast: 1 egg, 1 slice toast, 1/2 banana
Lunch: 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 hard boiled egg, 5 saltine crackers
Dinner: 2 hot dogs (without bun), 1 cup broccoli, 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
Day Three (approx. 1,100 calories)
Breakfast: 5 saltine crackers, 1 slice (1 ounce) cheddar cheese, 1 small apple
Lunch: 1 hard-boiled egg (or cooked however you like), 1 slice toast
Dinner: 1 cup tuna, 1/2 banana, 1 cup vanilla ice cream
Is it worth trying?
NO. There are lots of other similar low-calorie diets that are better for you because if your goal is to lose weight, it is more important to focus on eating lots of fruits and vegetables and nourishing your body. The military diet is low-calorie, but the foods you are consuming are mostly processed, and they’re not the healthiest options.
If your goal is to lose weight, do it in a way that doesn’t restrict your food options so much that you will be left hungry and grumpy. Make sure that whatever you choose to do, you’re doing it in a healthy way. Make your own rules, don’t restrict yourself too much, and remember, it’s not about the weight, but rather about how you feel.