3 Day Diet

What it is: The 3 Day Diet is based on a “unique metabolic reaction” that is believed to occur from following a strict diet plan for three straight days, followed by normal eating for the subsequent 4 to 5 days. The diet purports to help you lose weight quickly, lower cholesterol and increase your energy. The plan promises that you can lose 10 pounds in three days.

How it works: The combination of suggested foods is designed to create a unique metabolic reaction that boosts fat burning. The diet is designed to be repeated in 3 day cycles, broken up by your typical eating habits in order to prevent your metabolism from slowing down.

What you do: The diet includes a very strict meal plan that requires you to eat specific portions. Dieters are cautioned not to eat more than the given portion but to make sure they consume the portion in its entirety.

The Diet Meal Plan is as follows:

(It is recommended that you consume 4 glasses of water or diet soda per day. You are permitted to add herbs, salt, pepper, lemon, vinegar, Worcestershire, soy sauce, mustard and ketchup to all foods.)

Day 1

BREAKFAST
Black Coffee or Tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal
1/2 Grapefruit or Juice
1 Piece of toast with 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter

LUNCH
1/2 Cup of Tuna
1 Piece of toast
Black Coffee or Tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal

DINNER
3 oz. any lean meat or chicken
1 cup green beans
1 cup carrots
1 apple
1 cup regular vanilla ice cream

Day 2

BREAKFAST
Black coffee or tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal
1 Egg
1/2 Banana
1 Piece of toast

LUNCH
1 cup cottage cheese or tuna
8 regular saltine crackers

DINNER
2 beef franks
1 cup broccoli or cabbage
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 banana
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream

Day 3

BREAKFAST
Black coffee or tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal
5 regular saltine crackers
1 oz. cheddar cheese
1 apple

LUNCH
1 boiled egg
1 piece of toast
Black coffee or tea with 1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal

DINNER
1 cup tuna
1 cup carrots
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup melon
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream

Benefits: Consuming about 1,000 calories a day during the 3 Day Diet will help you lose weight.

The Down Side: The diet does not mention or recommend exercise and there is no scientific explanation or documentation of the supposed “metabolic reaction” that the diet causes. Doctors warn that consuming so few calories per day can lower your metabolism so that when you revert back to normal eating habits, you gain weight quickly. The initial weight loss from the low-carbohydrate 3 Day Diet is most likely water weight (rather than fat) so that when you continue consuming a regular amount of carbohydrates, the weight returns.