What the Experts SayMake no mistake: the 3 Day Diet is not associated with the prestigious Cleveland Clinic. "There is no such thing as a Cleveland Clinic diet," says Cindy Moore, director of nutrition therapy at The Cleveland Clinic. "It is an urban legend that is not nutritionally sound, and the only reason it causes weight loss is because it is so low in calories, not because of any food combinations or metabolic reactions."
Following a plan with fewer than 1,000 calories a day concerns Moore. "The plan yields about 1,000 calories a day which has the ability to lower metabolism so when you revert back to normal eating, you regain weight even quicker."
Moore adds that the diet "sets up a vicious cycle of being hungry during the restrictive three days and most likely overeating on the off days."
And the diet is so monotonous, dieters gladly return to their old eating habits. "What good is it to go back to the old habits that caused the weight gain, without resolving weight issues?" asks Moore. "Hands down, the 3 Day Diet is not conducive to changing habits or encouraging a healthier lifestyle, which are fundamental to weight control," she says.
Because the 3 Day Diet is so low in carbohydrates, it's likely the initial weight loss is primarily water weight, as carbohydrate encourages your body to retain water. As soon as the dieter goes back to consuming a normal amount of carbohydrate, the water weight comes back.
Food for ThoughtExperts worry that when dieters can't follow restrictive plans like the 3 Day Diet, they blame themselves and think they've failed.
But "fad diets are not sustainable for any period of time, and it is the reason so many people throw in the towel, feeling frustrated that diets don't work, when in reality it is the diet, not the dieter," Moore says.
Weight loss is possible on the 3 Day Diet, but only because it is very low in calories. Going back to so-called normal eating does little to promote a healthier lifestyle, instead the pattern promotes undesirable yo-yo dieting or an on-again off-again approach to weight management that is not successful long term.
Bottom line: keep looking for a well-balanced weight loss plan that controls calories every day, includes exercise, and allows a wide variety of healthy foods. To lose weight, it is simply not enough to eat a prescribed diet for three days without addressing eating habits that cause weight gain.By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
Following a plan with fewer than 1,000 calories a day concerns Moore. "The plan yields about 1,000 calories a day which has the ability to lower metabolism so when you revert back to normal eating, you regain weight even quicker."
Moore adds that the diet "sets up a vicious cycle of being hungry during the restrictive three days and most likely overeating on the off days."
And the diet is so monotonous, dieters gladly return to their old eating habits. "What good is it to go back to the old habits that caused the weight gain, without resolving weight issues?" asks Moore. "Hands down, the 3 Day Diet is not conducive to changing habits or encouraging a healthier lifestyle, which are fundamental to weight control," she says.
Because the 3 Day Diet is so low in carbohydrates, it's likely the initial weight loss is primarily water weight, as carbohydrate encourages your body to retain water. As soon as the dieter goes back to consuming a normal amount of carbohydrate, the water weight comes back.
Food for ThoughtExperts worry that when dieters can't follow restrictive plans like the 3 Day Diet, they blame themselves and think they've failed.
But "fad diets are not sustainable for any period of time, and it is the reason so many people throw in the towel, feeling frustrated that diets don't work, when in reality it is the diet, not the dieter," Moore says.
Weight loss is possible on the 3 Day Diet, but only because it is very low in calories. Going back to so-called normal eating does little to promote a healthier lifestyle, instead the pattern promotes undesirable yo-yo dieting or an on-again off-again approach to weight management that is not successful long term.
Bottom line: keep looking for a well-balanced weight loss plan that controls calories every day, includes exercise, and allows a wide variety of healthy foods. To lose weight, it is simply not enough to eat a prescribed diet for three days without addressing eating habits that cause weight gain.By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
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