3-Day Diet Menu

The 3-day diet has gained a lot of popularity recently. It is a diet that is to be followed for a period of 3 days only, and in the exact manner that it is planned.

Gone are the days when people would eat plenty of cheese without having to worry about gaining weight. But now that we are living in a world where we lead a sedentary lifestyle, we can hardly even think of a fat-rich meal. Today, it is all about eating the wrong kind of food and putting on unwanted weight first, and going on some fad diet to shed it off later. 3-day diet is one such diet which gained popularity in 1985. The diet is supposed to be followed in the exact way that it has been designed. It is claimed that you can lose as much as 10 lbs after following the diet.

The Diet Plan

The diet strategy involves following a restrictive calorie diet for 3 days only, following which an individual can return to a normal healthy diet, without resorting to overeating soon after. The strategy of the 3-day diet menu focuses on mixing certain foods in such a way as to create a reaction within the digestive system. This supposedly boosts the body’s metabolism and thereby burns fat at a rate higher than normal. This diet should not be continued for more than 3 days. It is a very specific food plan that must be followed precisely. But, in extreme cases, food items with similar number of calories and nutritional values can be substituted.

Efficiency of the Diet

It is claimed that the magic behind the diet plan is the chemical breakdown that takes place after consuming the foods the way in which they are combined. But the diet plan has never been endorsed by any author or book. Hence, there is no scientific evidence to prove the same. Moreover, the diet allows the dieter to consume no more than 1000 calories per day. Being a diet of merely 3 days, without any physical activity, there are few chances one might lose any fat after following the diet. And the weight loss that is generally seen by dieters is nothing but water loss. Plus, the dieters are supposed to get back to their old eating habits as soon as the diet is over. This results in immediate weight gain which can result in weighing more than what their actual weight was, before following the diet. Therefore, the diet is not an efficient one.

Menu for 3-day Diet

Day I

Breakfast

Black coffee/tea
½ grapefruit or juice
1 toast spread with 1 tbsp peanut butter

Lunch

½ cup tuna
1 piece of toast
Black coffee or tea

Dinner

3 ounces of any lean meat or chicken
1 cup green beans
1 cup carrots
1 apple
1 cup vanilla ice cream

Breakfast
Calories: 219

Lunch
Calories: 183

Dinner
Calories: 468

Day II

Breakfast

Black coffee/tea
1 egg
½ banana
1 piece of toast

Lunch

1 cup tuna or cottage cheese
8 saltine crackers

Dinner

2 beef franks
1 cup broccoli or cabbage
½ cup carrots
½ banana
½ cup vanilla ice cream

Breakfast
Calories: 266

Lunch
Calories: 273

Dinner
Calories: 610

Day III

Breakfast

Black coffee/tea
5 regular saltine crackers
1 ounce cheddar cheese
1 apple

Lunch

Black coffee/tea
1 boiled egg
1 piece of toast

Dinner

1 cup tuna
1 cup carrots
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup melon
½ cup vanilla ice cream

Breakfast
Calories: 222

Lunch
Calories: 161

Dinner
Calories: 476

Substitutes

You can use substitutes for the foodstuffs mentioned in this diet but make sure that the calorie intake remains the same. The following list will give you an idea of the substitutes you can use.

Orange instead of grapefruit
Tuna instead of cottage cheese
Frozen yogurt instead of ice cream
Cauliflower instead of broccoli
Green beans instead of broccoli or cauliflower
Beets instead of carrots
1 toast instead of 5 crackers

Drawbacks

No scientific evidence to prove the efficiency of the diet
Lack of carbs make the dieters feel lethargic
Lack of fiber can cause constipation
The diet may lead your body into a starvation mode
Fails to provide the body with necessary nutrients
Cannot be followed by someone who is sensitive to caffeine
Dieters put on the lost weight once they are off the diet
Only a short-term solution for weight loss

Hence, a 3-day diet plan might get you positive results initially. But the weight loss becomes hard to maintain once the dieter gets back to his/her normal eating habits. It is neither an efficient diet plan nor a healthy one. When it comes to a healthy weight-loss, following a well-balanced diet plan along with regular exercise is the only solution. Even if you are looking for faster methods of weight loss, it is best to consult a doctor or a dietitian who can come up with a personalized diet plan for you.

Disclaimer: The above NutriNeat article is solely for informative purposes and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject. Always consult a dietitian/nutritionist before starting any restrictive diet.