Diet 101: The Military Diet

This diet gets a surge in popularity every few years. Find out if it’s worth the hype.

Overview

Following this three-day prescription of “chemically combatable foods” (whatever that means!), plus water, coffee and stevia (the only allowable artificial sweetener), promises a loss of up to 10 pounds a week.

The Plan

A specific three-day plan is paired up with four days of anything so long as it’s 1,500 calories or less. There are no specific guidelines for exercise or anything else on this plan.

Sample Day

Each day is made up of a framework of three meals. Some of the other allowable foods not mentioned in the sample menu below are apples, hot dogs, cottage cheese and saltine crackers.

Breakfast

1/2 grapefruit

1 slice toast

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1 cup coffee or tea

Lunch

1/2 cup canned tuna

1 slice toast

1 cup coffee or tea

Dinner

3 ounces meat

1 cup green beans

1/2 banana

1 small apple

1 cup vanilla ice cream

The Costs

You certainly won’t go broke following this plan — it’s free. And the recommended foods are simple and affordable.

The Good

The Military Diet provides a straightforward regimen of foods that is mindlessly easy to follow.

The Not So Good

A diet can be too simple! This three-day plan is nothing but a peculiar combination of foods that will undoubtedly fall short of anyone’s nutrient needs. The website is essentially useless, dedicated to nothing but empty promises of rapid weight loss (which can ultimately be dangerous).

Bottom Line: This bizarre combination of foods is not only unappetizing but also doesn’t have much nutrition to offer.

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.

from Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog http://ift.tt/1InBGzU