7-Day Military Diet Plan: An Effective Weight Loss Method Or Another Fad Diet

Why Do People Try Fad Diets?

Slimming down can be extremely difficult and always requires a lot of effort. That is why sometimes people are desperate to try some new weight loss diet that promises a quick result. However, most of the time, such diets are either not as effective as they claim to be or can significantly harm one’s health. So, is the 7-day military diet plan one of those diets, or does it actually work? If you are wondering, “What is the 7-day military diet?”, “How does the 7-day military diet work?”, and “How much weight can I lose on a 7-day military diet plan?” then this article is exactly what you need. Also, visit Nadula to find high-quality wigs that will meet your standards and keep you standing out from the rest.

The Concept of a 7-Day Military Diet Plan

The 7-day military diet plan is a low-calorie, low-fat, high-protein nutritional plan. This diet consists of two phases. The first phase lasts for 3 days and requires you to have 3 low-calorie meals a day without snacking. The second phase lasts for 4 days and is less restrictive.

Some followers of this diet claim that it was designed by the US military nutritionist for the soldiers to get into top shape quickly, but that is not true.

The 7-day military diet plan claims to help you shed up to 10 pounds in a week, but such a result is not realistic. Since 1 pound of fat equals 3500 calories, you will need to burn around 35 000 calories to lose 10 pounds. And even if you do manage to shed that many pounds in such a short period, it will mostly be water weight and not fat.

Rules of a 7-Day Military Diet Plan

7-day military diet plan: Nutrition

This diet is extremely restrictive and only allowed 1100-1400 calories a day for the first 3 days, and an overall low caloric intake and a healthy diet for the remaining 4 days.

When following this dietary plan, you should avoid artificial sweeteners (except for stevia), butter and creamers, oranges, yogurt (except for Greek yogurt), milk and sugar, fruit juices, and alcohol.

7-day military diet plan: Menu

This diet requires you to carefully follow its meal plan, meaning you can’t adjust it to your needs or taste. Here is the 7-day military diet meal plan:

First Phase (Days 1-3)

Day 1:

Breakfast:

  • 1 slice of toast with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter;
  • ½ grapefruit; and
  • A cup of coffee or tea (optional).

Lunch:

  • A slice of toast;
  • ½ cup of tuna; and
  • A cup of coffee or tea (optional).

Dinner:

  • 85 grams or 3 oz of any meat;
  • 1 cup of green beans;
  • 1 small apple;
  • ½ banana; and
  • A cup of vanilla ice cream.

Total: About 1400 calories.

Day 2

Breakfast:

  • 1 slice of toast;
  • 1 hard-boiled egg;
  • ½ banana; and
  • A cup of coffee or tea (optional).

Lunch:

  • 1 hard-boiled egg;
  • 1 cup of cottage cheese;
  • 5 saltine crackers; and
  • A cup of coffee or tea (optional).

Dinner:

  • 2 hot dogs, with no bun;
  • ½ a cup of carrots and half a cup of broccoli;
  • ½ a banana; and
  • ½ a cup of vanilla ice cream.

Total: About 1200 calories

Day 3

Breakfast:

  • A 1-ounce slice of cheddar cheese;
  • 5 saltine crackers;
  • 1 small apple; and
  • A cup of coffee or tea (optional).

Lunch:

  • 1 slice of toast;
  • 1 egg, prepared as you like; and
  • A cup of coffee or tea (optional).

Dinner:

  • 1 cup of tuna;
  • ½ banana; and
  • A cup of vanilla ice cream.

Total: About 1100 calories

Second Phase (Days 4-7)

The second phase is less restrictive. It encourages a healthy diet and allows snacks. However, it also requires you to keep your caloric intake pretty low – below 1500 calories a day. Here is an example of a 1200-calorie diet plan:

Breakfast

  • A cup green tea;
  • 2 spoons unsweetened Greek yogurt; and
  • 5 almonds.

Morning snack

  • Oatmeal and
  • A cup of lemonade, with no sweeteners.

Lunch

  • Baked or grilled chicken breast;
  • ½ cup cooked brown rice; and
  • 1 cup steamed veggies. No potatoes.

Afternoon snack

  • Celery sticks with low-fat hummus

Supper

  • Grilled salmon;
  • 1 cup steamed veggies. No potatoes;
  • A cup of lemonade, with no sweeteners; and
  • ½ cup quinoa.

Dessert

  • Banana and raspberry smoothie made using half-cup of raspberries and same quantity bananas.

Substitute Food for Military Diet

A trendy diet called the military diet restricts calories and promises to help you lose 10 pounds in one week. It provides comprehensive guidelines on what, when, and how much food to eat. Bread, eggs, apples, bananas, cheese, cottage cheese, saltine crackers, hot dogs, vanilla ice cream, peanut butter, tea, coffee, and grapefruit are some of its staple foods. Yet, some people don’t eat these items because of dislikes, sensitivities, medical conditions, and dietary or religious traditions. Thus, you might be interested in learning about the food changes accepted on this diet. These are ten typical diet-friendly meal replacements for the military.

Replacements for eggs, meat, and fish

Fish, beef, and eggs are among the foods that followers of the military diet frequently desire to substitute. Although the suggested substitutes are naturally gluten-free, cross-contamination is also possible. Four ounces of tuna in a can is a standard recommendation for the military diet. Typically, this quantity has 131 calories and 29 grams of protein. Remember that the military diet does not specify specific meats or amounts, only that tuna be replaced with lean meat or fish. 

Substitutes black tea and coffee

The military diet does not restrict the use of coffee and black tea. But you may substitute caffeinated and caffeine-free substances if you wish to avoid these beverages for whatever reason. Both brewed black tea and coffee are excellent sources of stimulants. Hot chocolate doesn’t contain enough caffeine to be a suitable substitute for coffee; still, it’s a good option if you only want a hot beverage. In addition to herbal tea, guarana, yerba mate, or green coffee bean beverages may also work as stimulants. You can swap out coffee and black tea with green tea, caffeinated energy drinks, or a few other caffeine-free brews on the military diet.

Alternatives to eggs

One big, hard-boiled egg includes six grams of protein and 76 calories. You can substitute this with a meat-based option like two bacon pieces or one cup of skim milk; half an avocado and baked, canned goods are also acceptable substitutes. However, an avocado has less protein and far more calories than an egg, which may not be a good substitute. You might choose bacon, skim milk, or baked beans instead. But if you’re lactose intolerant, stay away from the milk. You can swap out specific animal products for other meats, dairy products, or plant-based protein sources on the military diet. 

Alternatives to cottage cheese

  A common ingredient in the military diet is cottage cheese. This dairy product contains 24 grams of protein and 180 calories in just 1 cup. The military diet suggests replacing 1 cup of cottage cheese with 1 cup of unsweetened plant milk and two tablespoons of hummus; however, this substitution isn’t the best because the plant milk is so low in calories. Another substitute for cottage cheese that is comparable in terms of calories and protein is tofu.

Substitutes for crackers and bread

The substitutes for crackers have comparable levels of carbohydrates because the military diet calls for several baked items high in carbohydrates, such as bread and crackers. Apart from yogurt and tortillas, which may contain lard, all of them are vegan and lactose-free. To be specific, always check the ingredient list. On the military diet, you can choose from a variety of grain items, both gluten-free and not, to replace bread and saltine crackers.

Pros of a 7-day Military Diet Plan

Some of the pros of this diet include the following:

  • Rapid weight loss
  • Meals that are easy to prepare
  • Doesn’t require expensive ingredients or supplements
  • A strict menu that doesn’t require any extra planning
  • Provides plenty of protein

Cons of a 7-day Military Diet Plan

Here are the cons of this nutritional plan:

  • Difficult to follow due to the limited menu alternatives and an extremely low number of calories.
  • Such a restrictive menu may lead to a lack of vital nutrients.
  • The diet is rich in processed foods that contain salt. It is necessary to ensure that your sodium intake doesn’t surpass the recommended 2300 milligrams a day.
  • There are no studies that back up the effectiveness of this diet.
  • This nutritional plan helps you lose water weight that is often regained shortly after you finish dieting.
  • Encourages regular consumption of junk food, which may make you addicted to this type of food.

Advantages and Risks of Military Diet

Military diet advantages could include weight loss, but hazards could also have other issues, including unhealthy starvation.

Advantages of Military Diet

  1. Big Chance of Losing Weight – The ability to reduce weight in a shorter time may be one of the military diet’s advantages, even though it claims that the military diet is not a good way to lose weight because of the health hazards brought by eating fewer calories.
  2. Eating Fruits and vegetables is included in the diet plan. The benefits of a military diet include daily eating of fruits and vegetables. Together with bananas, grapefruit, apples, and other fruits, the regimen consists of carrots, broccoli, green beans, and other vegetables.
  3. Low in Fat and Rich in Protein – The military diet contains a respectable amount of protein, which can aid in reducing appetite and cravings. Studies proved that more protein consumption could reduce binge eating and overeating, which may contribute to the advantages of the military diet. Foods high in protein can help prevent protein deficiencies and are an advantage of the military diet.
  4. Intermittent fasting-like – Military Diet has a lot of similarities to the ways of intermittent fasting. According to studies, intermittent fasting can support weight loss and normal hormone levels, including those that regulate hunger and hormones that control fat storage. The benefits of the military diet are comparable to those of intermittent fasting.

The Risks of Intermittent Fasting

Everything that is done out of a person’s ordinary routine may have disadvantages and health risks. 

  1. The Diet Includes High-processed foods – Notwithstanding the advantages of the military diet, there are also some drawbacks. The diet emphasizes calorie restriction more than the quality of the food you eat. Any food is OK as long as it satisfies your calorie objective. As a result, there is a reasonable risk that consumers will consume more processed meals rather than pay attention to food quality.
  2. May Induce a Starvation Mode Reaction – Weight loss may be one of the advantages of the military diet. Still, it might also be deficient in calories. Too few calories can cause the body to go into starvation mode, which causes it to slow down and burn fewer calories. The dangers of a military diet include the potential for your body to go into starvation mode, which can severely impact hormone levels, brain function, physical activity, and digestion. Adrenal exhaustion may also result from it.
  3. Doesn’t Instill Good Eating Habits – Military diet lacks the potential to develop appropriate eating habits. Instead of emphasizing health, many people regard weight loss as the primary objective. The military diet won’t help you develop healthier eating habits or teach you to recognize and act on your body’s hunger and fullness cues. The fact that the military diet is not a sustainable way of life is one of its hazards.

Conclusion

The 7-day military diet plan is not the best weight loss method out there. Although it provides you with strict guidelines and reduces the need to plan your meals, there is a great chance that you will get sick of its limited menu. This diet promises a rapid weight loss but doesn’t specify that it is an unsustainable water weight loss. Another drawback of this nutritional plan is its questionable choice of foods. The calories that it provides you with are often empty, meaning that they don’t offer you any vital nutrients.

So, you may try following the 7-day military diet plan short-term if you want to lose weight very fast, but make sure that your doctor approves it before going on this diet.

DISCLAIMER
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!