Following a diet that involves healthful foods like cottage cheese, canned tuna and steamed vegetables may seem like a nutritious and quick way to lose weight. But if you're only eating very low-calorie portions of these foods, it is not a safe or sustainable way to lose weight and keep the weight off. The three day diet is not recommended or created by doctors; consult your doctor before trying the diet or making any other changes in your meal plan.
History
The creator of the three day diet is unknown, but it has been passed around the internet as a fast and effective way to lose weight. Despite claims on the internet, the diet was not created by a doctor or medical center, nor is it condoned by doctors. The diet is considered a fad diet because it involves eating very low-calorie portions of the same foods -- such as cottage cheese -- over and over again, according to the American Heart Association in the article "Quick-Weight-Loss and Fad Diets."
Meal Plan
The three day diet plan involves eating strictly controlled portions for every meal. A typical breakfast is half a grapefruit, a piece of toast with 1 tbsp. peanut butter and a cup of black tea or coffee. A typical lunch includes 1 cup cottage cheese, five crackers and a cup of black tea or coffee. A typical dinner includes five crackers, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup melon, 1 cup cauliflower, 1 cup canned tuna and a cup of black tea or coffee. While following the diet, dieters consume approximately 240 calories and 5.5 g of fat per lunch, which is far less than a third of the daily recommended intake of 2,000 calories.
Weight-Loss Results
Because you are following a restricted calorie diet, you may lose weight. Any time you consume fewer calories than you burn on a regular basis, your weight will drop. However, unless you plan to continue following the diet every day, your weight will yo-yo up and down. As soon as you resume your normal eating habits, you will gain all of the weight you lost back again.
Healthier Options
Instead of starving your body for three days in an attempt to lose weight, eat a nutritious diet full of healthy foods that you can actually stick with in the long run. Eat a diet consisting of mostly whole grains, lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, and eat fried foods, sugary treats and foods that are high in saturated fat only sparingly. Balance out your new diet with a daily exercise routine to burn additional calories and keep the weight off for good.
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