The military diet is the latest fad to take the world by storm as it claims to help lose weight fast in just a week.
The extremely restrictive diet is said to see a weight loss of up to 4.5kg in seven days.
The diet is said to jump-start the metabolism by undergoing three days of calories restriction followed by a period of unrestricted feeding.
Although the diet can aid rapid weight loss, experts have warned that it is not sustainable long term, and its restrictive nature could impact your relationship with food.
The military diet gained notoriety through social media as participants followed a three-day calorie-restricted plan followed by four days off.
Those following the diet are told to repeat the cycle for up to one month until their weight goal is reached.
During the first three days, candidates follow a meal plan that amounts to a total calorie intake of roughly 1,100–1,400 calories per day, below the recommended intake of 1,600 to 1,800 calories for women and 2,200 to 2,400 for men.
The diet plan recommends eating foods such as toast, saltine crackers, peanut butter, grapefruit, apples, bananas, hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, any type of meat, canned tuna, green beans, carrots, and broccoli.
For the remaining four days of the week, people are encouraged to follow a balanced diet but not to restrict themselves.
Is it safe?
The military diet is relatively safe if only followed for a short amount of time.
Long term use of the diet could lead to some nutrient deficiencies as your food is limited.
Research has also shown that restrictive diets can lead to a poor relationship with food, creating unhealthy eating patterns.
For example, if you limit your calorie intake and then gorge on foods as soon as you allow yourself to no longer restrict.
In terms of sustainability, the diet can be easy to follow, as it only requires you to adhere to it for a short amount of time.
Nevertheless, the fast weight loss diet works, but it is unlikely that the weight will stay off in the long run.
Realistic and lasting weight loss can only really be achieved by making changes to your lifestyle.
