3 days with the Military Diet: The 3-Day Meal Plan

Mental conditioning is crucial for weight loss success. Since the Military Diet involves a strict caloric intake, sticking to the meal plan can be extremely challenging, especially if you are used to eating a large amount of food on a regular basis.
Simply put, if you are really dedicated to reach your weight-related goals, you must first develop a strong mindset. Instead of putting just one foot forward, you must be ready to take a leap with both feet, and fully commit to this program.

Important Considerations
The 3 Day Military Diet restricts your caloric intake to around 1250 to 1700 per day (1500 for females; 1700 for males) without depriving your body of its recommended nutritional intake. By following a well-calculated menu plan for the rest of the day, you can avoid unwanted crashing, making it easier for you to shed off some unwanted pounds.
During the 3-day cycle, it is important for you to strictly follow the meal plan. Also, you have to be extremely careful about food substitution specifically because caloric count varies from one food item to another.
For instance, one fruit should not be carelessly replaced by another as miscalculations on your caloric intake can affect the overall effectivity of the program. Not to mention, the enzymes present on fruits also differ, so it is vital for you to at least find the perfect substitute if you can’t religiously follow the program.

To keep you guided, the meal plan for the first day is as follows:

Breakfast

• 1 cup of tea or coffee
• 1 slice of toast (whole wheat toast is ideal, but if it is not available, you can replace it with a classic toast)
• ½ slice of grapefruit
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter

Lunch

• 1 cup of tea or coffee
• 1 slice of toast
• ½ cup of tuna

Dinner

• 1 small-sized apple
• ½ slice of ripe banana
• Around 3 oz. of meat
• 1 cup of green beans
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream

The first day is always the hardest because you are at the phase of adjustment. However, it doesn’t mean that day 2 and 3 are going to be easy. As mentioned earlier, the Military Diet requires consistency, so if you are really determined to lose weight, you have to stick to the program until the end. If you feel like giving up, pause and focus on your goals so you can regain control.

During the 2nd day of the program, your caloric intake is limited to around 1230 kcal—about half of this amount is served during dinnertime. This is mainly because the Military Diet does not focus on the time of food consumption, but at food-to-food interaction. Since each food item has its own chemical components, eating specific food items that work harmoniously together can help you burn more fats and lose significant weight.

Breakfast (around 245 kcal):

• 1 slice of toast (120 kcal)
• 1/2 slice of banana (50 kcal)
• 1 piece of egg (75 kcal)

Lunch (around 375 kcal):

• 1 piece of hard-boiled egg (75 kcal)
• 5 pieces of saltine crackers (70 kcal)
• 1 cup of cottage cheese (230 kcal)

Dinner (around 610 kcal):

• 1 cup of broccoli (35 kcal)
• 1/2 slice of banana (50 kcal)
• 1/2 cup of carrots (25 kcal)
• 2 hot dogs without a bun (350 kcal)
• 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream (150 kcal)

If you are a vegetarian or you are allergic to some of the food items on the list, you can find a food substitute of equal nutritional value. For example, you can replace fats with fats or protein for protein.
However, be cautious when substituting. Vanilla ice cream should not be replaced with a chocolate-flavored one the same way that low carb food should not be substituted with high carb ones. In the like manner, the Military Diet only allows Stevia as a sweetener as it is proven safe, and it does not alter the caloric count of the entire meal plan.

Recommended Substitutes:
• Toast: Saltine crackers, rice cake, tortilla or whole grain cereal
• Saltine crackers: Gluten-free crackers or rice cake
• Hot dog: Baloney, luncheon meat, lentils, deli meat, tofu, turkey or soy dogs
• Eggs: Chicken wings, milk, bacon, nuts or seeds
• Broccoli: Cauliflower, asparagus or spinach
• Vanilla ice cream: Almond milk, soy milk, fruit yogurt or frozen yogurt

Sticking to the Military Diet until day 3 can help you get the best out of your weight loss plan. Nonetheless, this does not mean that you should continue restricting your caloric intake at a minimum even when the program is over as this can have negative effects on your body’s capability to lose weight through intermittent fasting.
More importantly, not because you already survived the first 2 days, it already means you’re already allowed to indulge yourself in cheat treats on your 3rd day. Again, consistency is crucial for a successful weight loss regimen.

Basically, on the last day of the Military Diet, your caloric intake is restricted to about 1,110 kcal. As a summary, below is the meal plan you should follow:

Breakfast (265 kcal)

• 1 slice of cheddar cheese (120kcal)
• 5 pieces of saltine crackers (70kcal)
• 1 small-sized apple (75kcal) Lunch (195kcal)
• 1 slice of toast (120kcal)
• 1 piece of egg (cooked however you like) (75kcal) Dinner (650kcal)
• 1/2 slice of banana (50kcal)
• 1 cup of tuna (300kcal)
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream (300kcal)

Recommended Substitutes:

• Saltine cracker: Whole grain cereal or rice cake
• Tuna: Tofu, chicken, cottage cheese or almonds
• Apple: Peaches, zucchini, plums, grapes or pear
• Toast: Saltine crackers, rice cake, tortilla or whole grain cereal
• Vanilla Ice cream: Almond milk, soy milk, fruit yogurt or frozen yogurt
• Banana: Kiwi, apricot or grapes
• Cheddar cheese: Egg, tofu, soy milk, ricotta cheese or cottage cheese

The third day of the Military Diet is just as important as its first and second days. Without completing the program as a whole, all your efforts will just go down the drain.