The 3-Day Diet

My friend, Kristin, sent me this diet via email.  (She mentioned it in the comment section last Thursday.)  I am leaving her comments intact because I appreciate them so much.  Kristin has lost a ton of weight herself and now runs races for fun.  She looks amazing! 

*  *  *  (THESE ARE ALL KRISTIN'S WORDS, NOT MINE) *  *  *

3-Day Diet

This is not just a diet, it is a very doable eating plan, although it is quite low in calories—I calculated less than 1200 calories per day. They recommend adding 200 calories of food per day if you want to do it more than three days. I did it for a while last winter/spring when I wanted to get back on track and lose a few more pounds after being stuck for a while. What I did was follow the plan strictly Monday through Wednesday, then lightened up a bit for the rest of the week (while still following the same basic principles). Although the immediate weight loss is undoubtedly water weight at least in part, it is a good boost. And I never really gained the weight back (except for a few pounds when I was training for a half marathon then went on vacation, then it did take me all summer to lose those pounds again).

This plan centers around foods that are supposed to help boost your metabolism, and also really features low-glycemic, anti-inflammatory foods. There is plenty to eat, only the snacks seem a bit spare! So if I were to add some additional calories, I would probably boost up the afternoon snack with some sliced turkey and a few almonds, and maybe add some yoghurt with a little fruit as a bedtime snack.

There are a few quirky things which probably should not be omitted… such as the glasses of water with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, and the extra virgin coconut oil (Spectrum makes an organic coconut oil which can be bought in the supermarket—it looks like shortening).

There is just one menu which you repeat daily. What I like to do is cook oatmeal in advance, then reheat it in the microwave in the mornings, and also cook the salmon, chicken, and sweet potatoes in the beginning and just use a portion each day.

Upon rising

8 oz water mixed with 2 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (I did the lemon in the morning and the vinegar at dinner)

Breakfast

1 egg plus 3 egg whites cooked in ½ tsp extra virgin coconut oil, topped with 2 Tbsp spicy salsa or pico de gallo (you can buy egg whites in a carton so you don’t have to waste whole eggs—I use 1/3 cup egg whites to equal 3 egg whites) (I probably use more than 2 Tbsp salsa, especially if it’s pico de gallo)

¾ cup cooked steel-cut oats, ½ tsp maple syrup, dash cinnamon (the steel-cut oats are much yummier than regular oatmeal!) (I made one substitution here—I reduced the oatmeal to ½ cup and added fresh or frozen blueberries. I stir in a lot of cinnamon before reheating the oatmeal, then stir in the thawed blueberries and trickle on the maple syrup—measured in a measuring spoon.)

Coffee Break

8 oz skim latte or warm nonfat milk, dash cinnamon (if you want), 1 small apple. I know you don’t drink coffee, so you could just go with the milk. You could flavor it with flavored Splenda or sugar-free syrup (like the kind they use for lattes), or get the sugar-free hot cocoa mix to make hot chocolate (but using the skim milk instead of water). I supposed you could substitute nonfat yoghurt, but there is something very satisfying about a hot beverage, and you can really make it last a long time. I saved the apple here for a bedtime snack—I would often cut it up and heat it in the microwave with cinnamon for a dessert-like treat. Cutting it up makes it go a lot further too.

Lunch

3 cups mixed salad (greens, bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, parsley, or other low glycemic raw vegetables), 3 oz. chicken breast or tuna, ½ tsp. olive oil, apple cider vinegar and seasoning to taste. This makes a great salad. I also add pico de gallo and/or salsa, which I consider a vegetable anyway.

Snack

8 oz. spicy V-8 juice or low-sodium tomato juice with 3 (or more, to taste) shakes of Tabasco, 1 stalk celery (cut up into celery sticks—and you could have extra celery if you wanted).

Pre-Dinner

8 oz. water mixed with 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Dinner

4 oz. salmon or tuna, 1 Tbsp spice rub (if you have it)

2 cups broccoli or green beans, ½ tsp coconut oil, melted and drizzled onto vegetables. (I would frequently substitute, or add, a salad and use ½ tsp olive oil plus lemon or vinegar on the salad in lieu of the coconut oil here.)

½ cup brown rice or small sweet potato (This is what makes it all worth it! I love the sweet potatoes. But they don’t really come in small. So what I would do is cook medium or large sweet potatoes and portion them out—I figure 2 medium equals 3 small, or 1 large equals 2 small.  The way I cook sweet potatoes is cut them into small chunks and put them on a foil lined baking sheet, spray with olive oil, and optionally sprinkle with cumin and cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes, and you can also toss with rosemary if you like rosemary, then roast at 450 degrees until they are browned and tender—depending on your oven they may or may not get crispy on the outside.)

Snack

6 almonds or walnut halves (if you’ve saved your apple, this is quite a nice snack!)

 

Here’s the explanation behind all the foods…

Eggs – Protein stimulates metabolism, and eggs are nutrient dense.

Salsa – Capsaicin, a compound that gives peppers their heat, stimulates the release of adrenaline, speeding metabolism by up to 20%.

Coffee – Caffeine cuts hunger and boosts metabolism.

Oatmeal – Fiber helps whisk calories through the digestive tract unabsorbed. It is filling, and folks who have it for breakfast eat 30% less at lunch.

Coconut oil – The unique structure of this natural fat stimulates metabolism as it is broken down, boosting calorie burn by up to 50%.

Cinnamon – Just ½ tsp of cinnamon causes the body to metabolize sugar 20 times faster, resulting in less hunger and fewer fat-storage hormones.

Apple cider vinegar – Vinegar’s acetic acid slashes the production of fat-storage hormones and makes food feel up to 200% more satisfying.

Salmon and tuna – Seafood contains anti-hunger, anti-craving, metabolism-boosting properties so powerful, one serving a day can help dieters lose 22% more weight. (Salmon should be wild Alaska or Pacific caught, not farm raised. I know this is the most expensive food here. But with 4-oz servings you are eating it very frugally.)

Nuts – A study found that after a dose of good fat from nuts, folks felt full for 90 minutes longer than folks eating fat-free food with the same calories.

Comments

[Jill]

I can't do this due to food allergies, but I can do part of it, and will.

It's funny, because I have recently started adding cinnamon to lots of things. Who knew it was a good idea? I sprinkle it on my bananas, in my oatmeal pancakes, etc. I look forward to hearing if anyone does this diet for the three days, and how they do.

[Debbie]

This reminded me that I haven't had oatmeal in a while. I've got to try it for breakfast again and see if it really does make me eat less for lunch.

[Cindy K]

I am in such a need of a kick in the pants jump start type of thing... This sounds like just the thing. Thanks!! :)

[MJ]

This is just what I need. Precise directions that I can't screw up or alter. LOL I'm gonna give it a try! I love salmon so I should do ok. But I agree with the lack of snacks. I'll be hording apples from the kids.....(heh)

[Cindy Swanson]

Interesting! I recently found out I'm diabetic, and have been taking apple cider vinegar twice a day, and using cinnamon in my coffee and cereal every day. I also recently found out that flax seed is great for controlling blood sugar, so I'm having that in smoothies and other things. It all makes good sense.

[Keri]

I think I'll be trying this too. (totally agree with the precise directions comment, MJ! LOL) Have to start next Monday because of family in for the weekend, but I'll make a note of the results in my weigh in next Thursday.

[ALICIA]

It is not that impossible but, It Is Hard as hELL.

[rosa]

i am a female 44 years old and in a wheelchair am diabetic my weight is
160 i was taking herballife pills that do not help me i have not lost a pound,what do you recoment,i need a diet,need to lose a lease 20 pounds.iam going to try the 3 days diet my daughter is getting married in jan 19-2008 may be by then i weight less.

[Melody]

Thanks ever so much for this great jump start idea!! I started in mid Oct, it got me back in control and off sugar (the bane of my life) and am down 20 kilos but better than that I feel great. Now just on GI diet but am keeping the lemon/vinegar, mid meal snacks and coconut oil.
Andrea, I did herbalife in the distant past and I found that it threw me off afterwards so that for a while NOTHING worked. It might take a while for your metabolism to get back to normal but healthy eating is a plus no matter what you do!
3 days was an easy promise, but now I am excited about being in control again for once.
Melody