Mythbusters: Dieticians separate fact from fiction from the Military Diet

The Military Diet is a well known weight loss technique, but there are a lot of myths surrounding it. Here we debunk those myths.

Military Diet, a three-day diet programme, helps you to lose up to four to five kgs of weight within a week, say experts. But watch out for the myths.

Though the first three days of the military diet put you through a strict and controlled diet, the other four days are definitely not cheat days.(Shutterstock)

Mehar Rajput, dietician and nutritionist, FITPASS, an app for fitness enthusiasts, and Sonia Narang, dietician at New Delhi’s Sonia Narang’s Diet and Wellness clinic, have busted a few myths:

* Myth: You are on diet for only three days.

Fact: This isn’t true. Though the diet plan is designed for three days, you continue observing your calorie intake for the remaining days of the week. This practically keeps you on a diet for all the seven days of the week.

Though the first three days put you through a strict and controlled diet, the other four days are definitely not cheat days. You need to eat in moderation, though this may result in mood swings due to low calorie intake.

* Myth: You don’t count calories in this diet.

Fact: Whether it is a three-day diet programme or the rest of the four days of the week, you have to eat in moderation. If you are switching one type of food with another, for instance salmon with a lean protein or non-vegetarian with a vegetarian one, you need to make sure the calorie intake is the same.

* Myth: This diet speeds up your metabolism.

Fact: Diet alone can’t do that for you. Along with diet, you need to exercise regularly. There are stimulants like caffeine that can speed up the metabolism but that is for a short span of time.

* Myth: Nutrition experts develop this diet.

Fact: No one knows accurately about the root base of the Military Diet. Nevertheless, sources suggest that it’s design came from junk mail, bulletin board, faxed from one person to another and word-of-mouth.

* Myth: This is very healthy and nutritious diet.

Fact: It is not low-fat, low cholesterol, or a low-salt diet and it is only a low-calorie diet. As a result, it is not a healthy and balanced choice for most people with specified problems including high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.

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