Three-day cardiac diets have few pros and many cons. In fact, three-day cardiac diets are something of a con. The American Heart Association has denounced three-day cardiac diets that purport to be published by the American Heart Association or sometimes simply by the "Heart Association." The diet goes by other names as well. It has been marketed as the Spokane Heart Diet, the Cleveland Clinic Diet, the Birmingham Hospital Diet and the Miami Heart Institute Diet, among others.
Pros
There are very few. Three-day cardiac diets claim that you can lose as much as 10 pounds in three days. The diets require you to eat specific foods at each meal. Since you don't each much food for the three days, you may lose a bit of weight, but you are likely to put it back on when you go back to a regular diet, says Cindy Moore of the (real) Cleveland Clinic. "The [three-day cardiac diet] yields about 1,000 calories a day, which has the ability to lower metabolism, so when you revert back to normal eating, you regain the weight even quicker."
The diets feature some healthy food. A typical three-day cardiac diet on the Heart & Soul network site calls for small servings of grapefruit, apples, melon, and bananas over the three days, as well as some vegetables.
Cons
The three-day cardiac diet is condemned by legitimate medical organizations. The American Heart Association states that its actual eating plan recommends daily servings from various food categories, not specific foods. The eating plan is "a nutritionally adequate eating plan that's intended for a lifetime of use. It can help healthy people lose excess weight or maintain a proper body weight, but its goal is not quick weight loss."
A number of the foods mandated by the three-day cardiac diets are not particularly healthy. The diets usually include cheese, eggs, hot dogs, as well as ice cream for dessert on all three nights. The American Heart Association states, "For years, we have recommended that Americans cut saturated fat and cholesterol by limiting egg yolks, whole-milk dairy products such as ice cream and cheddar cheese, and luncheon meats."
Some versions of the three-day cardiac diet recommend continuing the diet over a longer period of time with three days on the diet, four days of eating "normally," and three days on again. Over time, such a diet can be quite unhealthy.
The three-day diet gives people false hope of quick weight loss and fools them into thinking that such diets are endorsed by legitimate cardiac institutions. The Heart & Soul site, for example, states, "The 3-day Diet, or Birmingham Hospital Diet, is designed to give you a quick-start to Weight Loss. We've used it, and find it to be successful."
Considerations
Three-day cardiac diets have attained the status of an urban legend. But like most legends, they are rooted in fantasy.
So be sure that you are receiving authoritative advice if you are trying to lose weight and/or protect your heart. Consult your doctor for legitimate and healthy ways to lose weight. Or adopt the (real) American Heart Association eating plan. (See Resources)
