If you're a veteran dieter, the Stewardess Three-Day Diet may sound hauntingly familiar. That's because this diet, which was never endorsed by stewardesses of any airline -- although TWA most often gets credit for it -- follows the same general guidelines as a number of other fad diets. Most fad diets include restrictive food plans that must be followed exactly as written. Both the Grapefruit Diet and the Cabbage Soup Diet also go by the name "The Stewardess Diet" on the internet.
Promises
Like all fad diets, this one uses a name that makes it sound legitimate. Most people know that stewardesses -- or flight attendants, to be more politically correct -- need to watch their weight. Putting "TWA," the name of a now defunct airline, in front of it gives it even more authority. Weight loss promises of up to 10 pounds in three days are ridiculous, because it takes a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories to lose a single pound. You'd have to cut or burn slightly more than 10,000 calories per day to lose 3 pounds per day. If you normally eat an average 2,500 calorie per day diet, this is impossible unless you're doing extreme physical labor to burn that many calories.
Allowed Foods
There are several variations on this diet. One stresses grapefruit, lots of lettuce, small protein servings and some vegetables. In other words, this is a low-carb diet with a bit of fruit thrown in. The other stresses cabbage soup along with differing amounts of vegetables, including a baked potato one day, and protein. All versions of fad diets insist that the diet be followed exactly as written to gain the magical fat-burning properties produced by eating certain foods in certain combinations.
Problems
Following this type of diet for three days won't hurt you. In fact, it may even be healthier than the typical American diet, since it includes fruits and vegetables. However, there is nothing magical about eating certain foods in combination with others. This diet also contains too few calories for long-term dieting. You may become lightheaded or dizzy if you stay on this diet too long. The cabbage soup version can cause excessive gas. Lastly, you won't lose 10 pounds in three days on this or any other diet. Dieters should aim for a steady and sustainable weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week, according to MayoClinic.com.
Considerations
If you have more than a few pounds to lose, this diet isn't going to help much. While you may lose a few pounds in the three days on the diet, the weight consists mostly of water weight, which will return quickly as soon as you start eating normally again. If you follow the grapefruit version of the diet, check with your doctor first; grapefruit can interfere with many prescription medications, registered dietitian Maria Adams, M.S., warns.
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