Don’t fall for the Military Diet hype – it’s dangerous and unsustainable
The Military Diet, which is growing in popularity in the United States, helps with rapid weight loss, but at the cost of good health
Lose up to 4.5 kilograms in a week? Sounds like a dream diet. There are online testimonials – complete with “before” and “after” full-body pictures – that claim the Military Diet really does work, and it’s trending in the US (which means it probably won’t be long before it makes it to Hong Kong), so enough people are buying into it.
But look deeper, and it’s obvious this isn’t as easy as it sounds. The Military Diet is an intermittent-fasting regime, it consists of three days of a calorie-controlled programme and four days off each week. On dieting days, there’s a strict list of approved foods for the three main meals – no snacks are allowed. Even the rest or “off-diet” days, it’s not easy. One is advised to exercise and keep intake to just 1,500 calories. With all that, there will be weight loss.
It’s hard to be a social butterfly while on such a restrictive – and prescriptive – diet, though the approved items are relatively easy to procure and require little or no preparation.
Like every diet, the key to success with the Military Diet is discipline – and dare I say, a certain amount of faith. Nutritionists and dietitians say that it’s little surprise the diet works.
“The main reason why people lose weight on this diet is because of calorie restriction,” says Singapore-based nutritionist Jaclyn Reutens.
She adds that the plan expects dieters to limit calories to 1,100 to 1,400 a day, which is far lower than the typical caloric intake of the average person.
What do you actually get to eat in the Military Diet?
Worse, much of the weight loss actually comes from the loss of muscle, says Karen Lee Weiss, a nutrition and health coach.
“As a result, your metabolic rate slows down and you burn fewer calories doing daily activities. You start to feel tired so you can’t do much. Since you are not taking enough food for energy, your body will start to break down muscle tissue and convert it to glucose for fuel.”
“You want weight loss to be permanent,” adds Reutens. “Yo-yo dieting results in lowered self-esteem and increased health risks.”
Nutrition-wise, the Military Diet doesn’t encourage good eating habits. Lee Weiss, the founder of wellness company Re:Health, says: “If you go on this diet, your body will miss out on all the vital nutrients it needs for optimal functioning. A healthy diet consists of a well-balanced mix of protein, fats and carbohydrates and focuses on high quality and minimally processed foods.”
Reutens agrees: “There are too little vegetables, especially on day three. Fruits and vegetables may seem like they can replace each other, but they can’t. They each offer a different array of vitamins and minerals.”
Cheryl Tay, 29, founder of positive body image movement Rock Your Naked Truth (rockthenakedtruth.com), says that ultimately, the Military Diet is just a gimmick.
“Such a fad diet may work for a start because it is new to your body and you suddenly drop your calorie intake, but we shouldn’t be aiming to lose so much weight in such a short time. Sustainable results take time.”
