Last Updated on 18th August 2021 by Charlie Walsh
What works for one person might not work or another but by understanding certain aspects of a diet can help you make an informed decision on whether or not it suits your lifestyle.
For instance, the military diet allows you to continue to drink your beloved coffee, in fact black coffee has less than 5 calories so if you need a little boost it can come relatively guilt free.
You have to consider the little things. Like would you really want to add caffeine withdrawal (and everything that comes with it) into the mix when you are already attempting to cut out certain foods that you desperately crave. By choosing the right type of diet you will stand a better chance of achieving results.
So what is the military diet?
The military diet is a diet plan that works with you rather than against you, you follow a set eating plan for 3 days then take 4 days off! It’s as simple as that. This cycle repeats until you have achieved your ideal weight. The reason we like this diet plan so much is because most diet plans require you too stick to them exactly, with deviation – 7 days a week. The military diet only asks you to conform for 3 and even then slight cheats, for example that extra coffee you are craving won’t knock you too far off track.
Do you think you can handle changing your diet for 3 days a week if it meant reaching your target weight? By making small lifestyle changes over time we really can reset our mind states and alter the way we live for the better. We are creatures of habit, sometimes we just need to break this process to reap the benefits.
The military diet plan
Day 1
Breakfast:
A slice of toast with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, half a grapefruit and a cup of coffee or tea (optional).
Lunch:
A slice of toast, half a cup of tuna and a cup of coffee or tea (optional).
Dinner:
A 3-oz (85 grams) serving of meat with a cup of green beans, a small apple, half a banana and one cup vanilla ice cream.
Day 2
Breakfast:
A slice of toast, one hard-boiled egg, half a banana and a cup of coffee or tea (optional).
Lunch:
One hard-boiled egg, a cup of cottage cheese, 5 saltine crackers and a cup of coffee or tea (optional).
Dinner:
Two hot dogs with no bun, half a cup of carrots, half a cup of broccoli, half a banana and half a cup of vanilla ice cream.
Day 3
Breakfast:
A 1-ounce slice of cheddar cheese, 5 saltine crackers, a small apple and cup of coffee or tea (optional).
Lunch:
A slice of toast, one egg, cooked however you like, and a cup of coffee or tea (optional).
Dinner:
A cup of tuna, half a banana, and a cup of vanilla ice cream.
So how many calories is the military diet?
For the 3 days you are taking part in the active diet phase you will be eating between 1100 to 1400 calories day, for the 4 days off you are still encouraged to eat healthily and make responsible choices when it comes to food and drink consumption. This diet is very popular and claims to strip the excess weight from you, it is thought you can lose up to 10 pounds a week.
By following a diet plan that works for you it optimises your chances of success. The military diet is quite forgiving when it comes to minor slip ups but is also great because for 4 out of 7 days you can eat what you want (within reason!)
