THREE-DAY DIETS
Definition
There are a variety of three-day diets that circulate from person to person
and on the Internet. They tend to promise weight loss of 10 lb. (4.5 kg) or
more in just three days.
Origins
The origins of the three-day diet are unclear. Some people believe that
they go back to the 1980s when these kinds of diets were faxed from person to
person. Three-day diets go by many different names, including the fax diet,
Army diet, Navy diet, Cleveland Clinic diet, and many others. Often they are
just referred to as three-day diets. Although many versions of this diet are
named after medical institutions, no medical institutions claim responsibility
for or recommend these diets. Institutions such as the British Heart Foundation
and the Cleveland Clinic have issued statements that they do not support the
three-day diet.
Description
There are many versions of the three-day diet in circulation. All of them
promise significant weight loss in just three days, but there are many
variations in what dieters may and may not eat during these three days. One
diet calls for dieters to drink only water for the first day. On the second day
dieters may eat fruit and drink only fruit juice, and on the third day dieters may
eat only vegetables and drink only vegetable juice.
The most common three-day diet—and the one that seems to be the most
popular—is a three-day meal plan that instructs dieters on what to eat for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The specifics of the plan vary, as do what
dieters are allowed to drink while on the plan. Some versions allow anything,
while others specify just water and diet soda, in addition to the coffee and
tea called for in the meal plan. Many require that dieters drink at least four
glasses of water daily. Some allow diet soda to be substituted for the water.
A common version of the diet is:
DAY ONE.
- Breakfast: black tea or coffee, half of a
grapefruit, one piece of toast with one tablespoon of peanut butter. Some
versions specify one-third of a grapefruit, some call for artificial
sweetener to be added to the coffee, and some allow grapefruit juice to be
substituted for the grapefruit.
- Lunch: one-half cup tuna, one piece dry toast, black
coffee or tea. Some versions call for tuna in water, and some call for
artificial sweetener with the coffee or tea.
- Dinner: three ounces lean meat, one cup green beans,
one cup carrots, one apple, one cup vanilla ice cream. Some versions
specify a low-fat ice cream, other do not. Some versions call for one cup
of beets instead of carrots.
DAY TWO.
- Breakfast: one egg, one slice dry toast, half of a
banana, black coffee or tea. Some versions require artificial sweetened in
the coffee or tea. It is not generally specified how the dieter should
prepare the egg. Some versions call for a whole banana.
- Lunch: one cup cottage cheese and six Saltine-brand
crackers. Some versions allow dieters to choose between one cup of cottage
cheese and one cup of tuna. Some require six crackers, some allow eight.
- Dinner: two hot dogs, one cup broccoli, one-half cup
carrots, half of a banana, one-half cup vanilla ice cream. Some versions
specify beef franks. Some call for one cup of cabbage instead of one cup
of broccoli. Some versions require low-fat ice cream.
DAY THREE.
- Breakfast: one apple, one ounce cheddar cheese, five
Saltine crackers, black tea or coffee. Some versions allow or require artificial
sweetener.
- Lunch: one hard-boiled egg, one slice dry toast.
Some versions allow black coffee or tea (with or without artificial
sweetener) with this meal, others do not.
- Dinner: one cup tuna, one cup carrots, one cup
cauliflower, one cup melon, and one-half cup vanilla ice cream. Some
versions call for half of a cantaloupe instead of one cup of melon. Some
versions require low-fat ice cream.
There are other versions of the three-day diet, with some specifying even
more alternatives for the dieter, including an orange instead of grapefruit,
cottage cheese instead of tuna, and various vegetable substitutions. Most
versions tell dieters to use lemon, salt and pepper, mustard, vinegar, herbs,
soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings to add flavoring
to the food, but nothing containing fat, such as butter.
Function
The three-day diet usually promises dieters that they will be able to lose
ten pounds in three days if the diet is followed exactly. Often the diet claims
that the combination of foods called for by the diet causes some kind of
increased metabolism that will burn pounds of fat. It is never made clear
exactly what kind of reaction this is supposed to be or how it is supposed to
work. The three-day diets are intended to provide a dieter with extreme weight
loss in a very short time and are not intended to change the dieters lifestyle
or overall eating habits. Usually the diets go so far as to tell a dieter to
eat whatever he or she was eating before the diet once the diet is over. No
exercise recommendations are made with three-day diets. Weight loss is supposed
to occur from increased metabolism and lowered calorie intake alone.
Benefits
There are many benefits to weight loss if it achieved at a moderate pace
through healthy eating and exercise. Three-day diets, however, are not
considered moderate and do not include exercise or a well-balanced diet. Any
weight lost on a three-day diet is likely to come from lost water weight and
may be quickly regained once the diet is over.
Precautions
Three-day diets are not recommended. Anyone thinking of beginning a new
diet should first consult a physician or other medical professional. Daily
requirements of calories, fat, and nutrients can differ significantly from
person to person depending on age, weight, gender, and other factors. Talking
to a doctor can help people determine which diets best fit their individual
needs and long-term weight loss goals. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should
not attempt to lose weight or engage in fad diets.
Risks
There are some risks associated with any diet, but diets that severely
limit calories or the variety of foods that dieters may eat tend to be more
risky than well-balanced, moderately calorie-reduced diets. The body needs food
from each of the food groups every day for good health. Drinking only fruit
juices or eating a very limited variety of foods can make it nearly impossible
for a dieter to get all of the nutrients required for good health.
The most common three-day diet requires dieters to eat only about 1,000
calories per day, with some versions consisting of as few as 700 calories per
day. This is not enough for most people to maintain good health. A diet that
contains fewer than 800 calories per day is considered a very low-calorie diet.
Very low-calorie diets carry high risks of side effects, such as gallstones and
cardiovascular problems. Very low-calorie diets are intended only for people
who are experiencing significant medical problems due to obesity. These diets
are carried out under the close supervision of physicians. They are not
intended or safe for people to follow on their own.
Dieters who follow a three-day diet may find that any weight lost is gained
back as soon as the diet is over, and may even find that more weight is gained
than was lost. Maintaining a very low caloric intake slows down the metabolism
because the body thinks that it is starving. When a normal number of calories
are reintroduced into the diet, the body wants to store extra fat in case there
is a period of starvation again. This natural defense mechanism of the body
against starvation can cause dieters who alternatively eat very few calories
and then return to normal eating to gain large amounts of fat over time, even
while they are trying to diet. Very low-calorie diets may also result in binge
eating once the diet is over.
Research and general acceptance
Three-day diets are not healthy nor effective for long-term weight loss.
Experts suggest that anything that promises dieters 10 lb. (4.5 kg) of weight
loss in three days is unlikely to be taking off fat. Instead, dieters are
probably losing water weight, with minimal fat loss at most and some muscle
mass lost through the reduced caloric intake.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture makes recommendations for a healthy diet
in its MyPlate guidelines. MyPlate provides recommendations about how many
servings of each food group are required daily for good health. These
recommendations can be found at ChooseMyPlate.gov. The guidelines are more
realistic than those of the three-day diet. Sustainable diets should not be
extremely restrictive or extremely calorie reduced.
Many studies have shown that exercise and diet are more effective at
producing weight loss when done together than when either is done alone.
Three-day diets do not usually have any exercise recommendations. Instead, they
generally claim that a combination of foods will “magically” melt away fat.
This is a false assumption, and healthy weight loss plans should include both a
diet and an exercise component. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention recommends that adults get a minimum of 30 minutes of
light-to-moderate exercise each day for good health.
Resources
Larsen, Laura, ed. Diet and Nutrition Sourcebook. Detroit, MI:
Omnigraphics, 2011.
Willis, Alicia P. ed. Diet Therapy Research Trends. New York: Nova Science,
2007.
British Heart Foundation. “Healthy Eating.”
http://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/prevention/healthyeating.aspx (accessed
August 10, 2012).
Stevens, Melissa. “Cleveland Clinic Diet.” Cleveland Clinic.
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/askdietician/clevelandclinicdiet.aspx
