Starting in 1985, the 3 Day Diet was a fad that has stuck around until now. The diet has probably lasted so long because it promises to help you cleanse your body, increase your energy, lower your cholesterol and lose up to 10 pounds in only 72 hours.
This diet is often called the chemical breakdown 3 day diet because of certain metabolic reactions that are supposed to take place when you eat the foods. Although it sounds pretty neat there has been no evidence that any chemical breakdown actually takes place.
The plan itself is a very tightly regimented meal plan that you have to follow for 3 days and then you eat the way you normally would for 4 or 5 days. Then, after those 4 or 5 days have passed you do another 3 days of the diet.
Does The 3 Day Diet Work?
People who follow this plan are supposed to lose 10 pounds every 3 days. Although some do experience weight loss with this diet, more than likely, it’s loss of body fluids and not fat loss (which is what you want and what you NEED to lose).
The experts believe that following a plan that has you eating below 1,000 calories in a day is troublesome. The problem, experts say, is that the diet will dramatically lower your metabolism so when you stop doing the diet, you’ll gain weight even FASTER than you did before you started it.
The problem with the diet is that you essentially starve yourself during those 3 days and then when the 3 days are over people tend to overeat to make up for the lack of calories. This destroys any weight loss that may have been attained during the 3 days.
The diet is also very boring and when the 3 days is over people are happy to go back to their old eating habits that got them into trouble to begin with. This cycle of starvation, boredom, and overeating will not resolve any weight issues and will basically make you miserable.
The reason you may lose some water weight up front with this diet is because there are very few carbohydrates recommended. Carbs cause your body to retain water so the lack of carbs may cause you to lose some water weight. Once you get off the plan however, you will consume your normal amount of carbs and gain that water weight right back.
Learn More About Other Popular Diets:
Health Magazine’s Carb Lovers Diet
The Dr. Oz Detox Diet
The Zone Diet Plan
Weight Watchers
How Does The 3 Day Diet Work?
This diet is a very specific diet that you have to follow to the letter if you want it to yield any results. The portions you consume must be exactly as specified and the diet warns its users to not eat more than recommended. Also, people who follow this plan are told not to under-eat even if they are not hungry.
Here is the exact plan:
First Day:
What you eat for breakfast:
Tea or black coffee with 1-2 Equal/Sweet and Low packets
Grapefruit juice or ½ of an actual grapefruit
1 piece of toast with 1 tbsp of peanut butter
What you eat for lunch:
½ cup of canned tuna
1 piece of toast
Tea or black coffee with 1-2 Equal/Sweet and Low packets
What you eat for dinner:
Chick or another lean meat (only 3 ounces)
1 apple
1 cup of carrots
1 cup of frozen or fresh green beans
1 cup of store-bought, plain vanilla ice cream
Second Day:
What you eat for breakfast:
Tea or black coffee with 1-2 Equal/Sweet and Low packets
1 egg (hard boiled, over easy, etc.)
½ of a banana
1 piece of toast
What you eat for lunch:
1 cup of tuna or 1 cup of cottage cheese
8 regular sized crackers (saltines only)
What you eat for dinner:
2 hotdogs (beef franks only)
1 cup of cabbage or 1 cup of broccoli
½ cup of carrots
½ of a banana
½ cup of store-bought, plain vanilla ice cream
The Third Day:
What you eat for breakfast:
Tea or black coffee with 1-2 Equal/Sweet and Low packets
5 regular sized crackers (saltines only)
1 oz of cheese (cheddar cheese only)
1 apple
What you eat for lunch:
Tea or black coffee with 1-2 Equal/Sweet and Low packets
1 egg (boiled only)
1 piece of toast
What you eat for dinner:
1 cup of tuna
1 cup of fresh or frozen carrots
1 cup of fresh or frozen cauliflower
1 cup of melon
½ cup of store-bought, plain vanilla ice cream
You are allowed to drink 4 cups of water or any other drink that does not contain calories per day.
Weight loss is possible on this diet but only because you have to starve yourself to achieve it. When you go back to your normal eating your metabolism will be lower and you’ll be so hungry you will overeat. The 3 Day Diet simply does not provide you with a well-balanced eating plan that keeps you full, healthy, and energetic. It is not something you will be able to sustain in the long run as it is the very definition of a yo-yo diet.
