Among the various existing dietary programs, there is one that arouses a lot of curiosity due to its ability to generate satisfactory results after just 3 days. But will it really be effective and free of contraindications?
In this article we discover together what the three-day diet is, when it is recommended and a practical example of a menu to follow to experience its benefits firsthand.
Naturally, before starting this particular diet it is good to know its rules to understand if it requires specific precautions and what results to expect in a given period of time.
What is the 3 day diet
The three-day diet, also called the Birmingham diet, is a precise dietary regime in which you must follow a scheme that includes 3 days of a true low-calorie diet and 4 days of rest.
During the three days you should not skip meals but prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner regularly but with different proportions compared to usual meals. The main macronutrients must not be missing and we must try to enrich the food plan with healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables, reducing carbohydrates and sugars.
Be careful not to make it a rule of life: it is still a diet and therefore you only need to do it for a maximum of 4 weeks, otherwise you risk causing imbalances in the body and above all no longer benefiting from weight loss.
Fast 3 day diet: why?
But why decide to take this path?
The three-day diet has several advantages, which can be found both in the methods and in the results:
- The diet is excellent for both deflating and losing weight;
- It doesn't have a rigid pattern for 7 days straight;
- It does not involve mental stress because the idea of being able to rest after the 3 days helps mentally to resume with determination;
- It can also be done before important events, such as Christmas or holidays.
- Helps lower water retention;
- Detoxifies the liver and kidneys, eliminating excess toxins.
During the days off you have to be careful not to overdo it to avoid regaining all the lost weight and in any case avoid the most caloric foods which, in addition to making you fat, are not healthy at all.
Even if it is called the three-day diet, it is important that all the good will is not concentrated exclusively on these, but that it is well distributed throughout the week, precisely following the dietary pattern where foreseen. And the results? They are immediately evident!
When to do the three day diet
We have already said that the three-day diet cannot be done for a lifetime but for a few weeks. This does not mean that during the year it can be resumed and suspended at will.
But who is it recommended for? There are two categories of people: those I want lose weight and those who instead want to deflate.
Let's see what difference the two paths make.
Three day diet to lose weight
A three-day diet done well really allows you to achieve weight loss results: the benefits in this sense depend on the low-calorie diet of the three days which facilitates a change in metabolism so that the following 4 days do not cause a yo-yo effect .
Naturally it is necessary to set rules for these moments of rest, avoiding large meals and laying the foundations for the days of resuming the diet which would otherwise become even heavier.
It should be added that this diet is not made for those who are overweight, but for those who have a few pounds to lose. In fact, it does not affect the loss of fat and therefore adipose tissue, but only of water and glycogen, visible on the scale in terms of weight.
Three day diet to deflate
As a diet to deflate it has excellent benefits. As anticipated, a lot of body fluids are lost in this way. This makes you feel much more deflated, lighter and energetic.
So stop detox diets! With the 3 day diet you get the same results but in less time. Yet there is a but: these results can only be temporary if you do not continue with a balanced diet even at the end of the journey, while still maintaining healthy habits to stay fit.
Example of menu
And now are you curious to know an example of a menu to immediately try this innovative American diet?
Here, then, is how to distribute the food in the three daily meals over these three days.
Day 1
For breakfast, start the day with a fruit, for example half a grapefruit, accompanied by a slice of toast and a spoonful of peanut butter. Drink coffee or tea as desired.
For lunch, eat a can of natural tuna with a slice of toast.
And at dinner, ensure your protein intake with a slice of meat, carrot salad, and a fruit, for example an apple.
Day 2
For breakfast, prepare a hard-boiled egg with a slice of toast. Coffee or tea of your choice.
For lunch, eat 250 g of flaked cheese accompanied by 5 crackers.
At dinner you can include non-fat cured meats, broccoli salad and steamed carrots in the menu, concluding the meal with half a banana.
Day 3
Breakfast like the day before, maintaining a protein diet with eggs and toast, coffee or tea.
Lunch should be made with 40g cheese, 5 salty crackers and a piece of fruit.
Finally, prepare 250 g of tuna for dinner, to be paired with a carrot or beetroot and cauliflower salad. Finish with a fruit, such as melon or kiwi.
Final advice
The three-day diet is excellent for losing weight, deflating and detoxifying. Its popularity has grown over the years, especially among celebrities who often need immediate results and do not have the time to dedicate themselves to long diet programs but want to eliminate toxins, purify themselves and eat healthily.
Obviously, those who undertake this diet must practice constant physical activity, even for just 30 minutes, to speed up the results of this low-calorie regime.
Here are some rules to follow to avoid making mistakes:
- Decrease carbohydrates;
- Eliminate fatty foods;
- Do not eat sweets and foods rich in sugar;
- Avoid alcohol;
- Avoid pre-cooked and pre-packaged foods;
- Replace pasta with whole grains and legumes;
- Prefer lean meats and white fish;
- Eat lots of vegetables;
- Drink two liters of water a day;
- Don't snack.
Finally, always remember not to let the body lack the right amount of vitamins and proteins to obtain the daily dose of energy and stay away from temptations, so as not to alter its effectiveness and take advantage of all the benefits of the three-day diet .
