The Comprehensive Guide to the Military Diet: Diet Plan, Substitutions, Grocery List, Benefits, Side Effects, and FAQs

People often look for easy and quick ways to lose weight. The Military Diet is one of the effective diet plans that assure quick results in shedding more weight. The Military Diet is a calorie-restricted short-term diet plan that promises to lose 10 pounds in a week. 

Wondering what’s the connection of military diet with the military? Well, the military diet has nothing to do with the military. This diet plan is in no way connected to the military. The military diet is a strict 3-day diet plan that restricts you to eating low-calorie food for 3 days and loosens up for the remaining 4 days. 

If you’re intrigued about the military diet and want to understand more about its effectiveness, how to follow it, and the risks associated with this diet, just read this post. Here’s everything you need to know about the military diet, calories in the military diet, how the military diet work, benefits and side effects of the military diet. Have a look!

What Is The Military Diet?

The Military Diet is a 3-day weight loss program that assures the followers to shed 10 pounds in a week. This diet plan is divided into 2 stages. During the first 3 days, you must follow a calorie-restricted meal plan while the remaining 4 days lets you eat in moderation. 

The Military Diet Plan majorly focuses on the consumption of high-protein food and foods low in calories, carbohydrates, and fat. This diet plan has a specific list of food combinations that must be included for breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the 3-day diet. The 3-Day Military Diet permits you to intake 1100 to 1400 calories per day.  

The Military Diet followers can continue this 3 days ‘ON’ and 4 days ‘OFF’ cycle until they achieve an ideal weight. Without making many lifestyle changes, one can easily follow the military diet. Unlike several other modern diet plans, the Military Diet doesn’t require its followers to buy costly foods, supplements, etc. Also, the military diet doesn’t ask you to do complicated exercises for months and months. 

How Does Military Diet Work?

The Military Diet is segregated into 2 phases over 7 days. Phase 1 comprises 3 days during which you must eat low-calorie pre-approved foods. In this phase, you are allowed to eat calorie-restricted food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without snacking between meals. During this phase, you’re permitted to intake 1400 calories on Day 1, 1200 calories on Day 2, and 1100 calories on Day 3. 

Phase 2 is a 4 days Off period in which the followers are encouraged to follow a well-balanced diet by including no more than 1500 calories a day in the meal plan. Even in this phase, you must continue eating low-calorie healthy foods to endure losing weight. However, in this phase, you are allowed to take snacks but make sure to have a limit on the portion size.

As you intake low calories throughout the week, you will go calorie deficit. This, in turn, helps you shed extra weight from the body and ultimately aids you in reaching your ideal weight in less period. This is how the Military Diet works.

7-Day Military Diet Plan

The Military Diet Plan is originally a 3-Day Military Diet that allows you to consume low-calorie food for 3 days a week. However, during the 4 days off period, you are allowed to consume only 1500 calories slightly more compared to the 3 days. As a result, the military diet turns out to be a 7-Day Military Diet Plan. 

As already mentioned, the military diet is categorized into 2 phases. The first phase includes a 3-day meal plan while the second phase comprises a 4-day off meal plan. Download the 7-Day Military Diet Plan PDF to understand more about it and follow the same until you reach your goal of shedding more pounds. 

The 3-Day Meal Plan

The 3 Day Military Diet meal plan features a healthy low-calorie list of foods that must be consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Military Diet plan provides a comprehensive shopping list for people to purchase the required food items to follow during the first phase of the meal plan. Here’s the suggested military diet 3-day Meal Plan for quick weight loss.

Day 1:

On the very first day, the military diet allows you to intake 1400 calories for breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided it must include only the prescribed foods. 

Day 1 Meal Plan
BreakfastLunchDinner
1 Slice of Toast with 2 Tablespoons of Peanut butter
Half a Grapefruit
1 Cup of Black Coffee or Tea
1 Slice of Toast
Half a Cup of Tuna
1 Cup of Caffeinated Coffee or Tea
3 Ounces [85 grams] of any meat [preferred]
1 Small Apple
1 Cup of Green Beans
Half a Banana
1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream

Day 2: 

On Day 2, the followers are permitted to consume 1200 calories for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Make sure you don’t take any kind of snacks between the meals.

Day 2 Meal Plan
BreakfastLunchDinner
1 Slice of Toast
1 Egg
Half a Banana
You can take a cup of black coffee or tea [optional].
1 Hard-boiled Egg
5 Saltine Crackers
1 Cup of Cottage Cheese
2 Bunless Hot Dogs
1 Cup of Broccoli
Half a cup of Carrots
Half a Banana
1 cup of Vanilla Ice Cream

Day 3: 

On Day 3, the dieters are permitted to take only 1100 calories for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can take caffeinated coffee or tea between the meals or along with the meals [optional].

Day 2 Meal Plan
BreakfastLunchDinner
5 Saltine Crackers
1 Slice of Cheddar Cheese
1 small Apple
1 Slice of Toast
1 Egg [prepare as you wish]
1 Cup of Tuna
Half a Banana
1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream

This is the complete 3-Day Military Diet Meal Plan. Apart from the aforementioned list of foods, you can take water throughout the day. If you are a coffee lover, you can even take either coffee or tea between meals. 

The 4-Day Off Meal Plan

The 4-day off meal plan doesn’t have any specific rules in the diet. But, the only thing that must be followed is to intake a 1500-calorie menu comprising healthy foods. You can take 1500 Calories In Military Diet during the 4-day off meal plan. Following the minimal restrictive calorie menu even during the second phase helps in speedy weight loss.

The best thing about the 4-day off meal plan is that there are no food restrictions in this phase. In addition, it allows the dieters to consume snacks in portion sizes in the 2nd phase. For instance, if you are a huge burger lover, you can happily have your favorite burger or fried rice in the 4-day off meal plan.

Make a note that, during the 7-day meal plan, no artificial sweeteners and other beverages must be included in the diet plan. Once you complete this cycle of a 3-day ‘on’ meal plan and a 4-day ‘off’ meal plan, you are good to continue it for the next week. 

Military Diet Substitutions

Are you fed up with repeating the same foods in the military diet? Do you have any allergies or aversions to military diet foods? Whether you have adverse medicinal reactions to certain foods in the military diet or for religious reasons, you have an option of food substitution. 

The Military Diet Substitutions help the dieters continue the diet plan for some more time. Vegans or vegetarians don’t eat meat-based foods like tuna in the military diet. For such people, looking for the perfect Military Diet Substitutes is the better option.

However, make sure that the foods that you substitute for the original foods remain in the calorie range. The primary foods included in the Military Diet Meal Plan include cottage cheese, peanut butter, cheddar cheese, apples, bananas, carrots, grapefruit, toast, tuna, saltine crackers, vanilla ice cream, and more. 

We have compiled a list of the worthy Military Diet Substitutes for each food included in the diet plan. Take a look!

1. Substitutes for Broccoli

Here’s the list of substitutes for Broccoli that can be consumed by people who don’t like Broccoli in the military diet.

Broccoli Substitutes
Asparagus
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Spinach

2. Substitutes for Green Beans

We have listed the major alternatives for Green Beans in the tabular form given below. 

Green Beans Substitutes
Cabbage
Kale
Lettuce
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Tomatoes

3. Substitutes for Apple

Go through the list of Apple substitutes that can be consumed by anyone i.e., both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

Apple Substitutes
Dried Apricots
Grapes
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Zucchini

4. Substitutes for Banana

Some of the fruit substitutes for bananas in the military diet are furnished below in tabular form.

Banana Substitutes
Apple Sauce
Apricots
Grapes
Kiwis
Papaya
Plums

5. Substitutes for Grapefruit

Baking Soda is the only substitute for Grapefruit in the military diet.

Grapefruit Substitute
Half a teaspoon of Baking Soda in a Glass of Water

6. Substitutes for Carrot

Check out the list of substitutes for carrots given below in tabular form.

Carrot Substitutes
Beets
Bell Pepper
Celery
Parsnip
Squash

7. Substitutes for Peanut Butter

Here is the complete list of alternatives for Peanut Butter in the military diet. 

Peanut Butter Substitutes
Almond Butter
Brazil Nut Butter
Cashew Butter
Hazel Nut Butter
Soy Butter
Walnut Butter
Sunflower Seed Butter
Tahini

8. Substitutes for Cottage Cheese

We have furnished the list of vegan/dairy, vegan/non-dairy, and meat-based substitutes for Cottage Cheese in the military diet. 

Vegan/Dairy SubstitutesVegan/Non-Dairy SubstitutesMeat-based Substitutes
Cheddar CheeseAlmond MilkEggs
Greek YogurtHempHam Steak
Mozzarella CheeseHummus
Ricotta CheeseSoy Milk
Tofu

9. Substitutes for Toast

Go through the list of gluten-free and grain-based substitutes for Toast in tabular form.

Gluten-free SubstitutesGrain-based Substitutes
Corn TortillaTortilla Flour
High Protein BarWhole Grain Cereal
Sunflower Seeds
Rice Cakes
Yogurt and Flax Seeds

10. Substitutes for Tuna

Here’s the list of vegetarian, vegan/lactose-free, and meat-based substitutes for Tuna in the military diet. 

VegetarianVegan/Lactose-freeMeat-based
Cottage CheeseAlmondsBeef
HummusChicken
PeanutsEgg White
TofuFish
Lamb
Pork Loin
Sushi-grade Tuna

11. Substitutes for Saltine Crackers

Go through the list of grain-based and gluten-free alternatives for Saltine Crackers in the military diet furnished below in the tabular form. 

Grain-Based SubstitutesGluten-free Substitutes
CouscousGluten-free Crackers
Wheat CrackersQuinoa
Whole Grain CerealRice Cakes

12. Substitutes for Vanilla Ice-Cream

Check out the list of dairy-free and dairy-based alternatives for Vanilla Ice-Cream in the military diet. 

Dairy-free SubstitutesDairy-based Substitutes
Any Dairy-Free Ice CreamGreek Yogurt
Apple JuiceLow Fat Yogurt
Banana Flavoured Almond Milk Strawberry Flavoured Yogurt
Fruit-flavored Yogurt 
Strawberry Flavoured Almond Milk 
Vanilla Flavoured Almond Milk 

13. Substitutes for Coffee and Tea 

We have compiled a list of caffeinated and caffeine-free alternatives for coffee and tea in the military diet. 

Caffeinated SubstitutesCaffeine-free Substitutes
Green TeaHerbal Tea
Sugar-free Red BullSugar-free Hot Chocolate

14. Substitutes for Meat

Check out the list of vegan and vegetarian substitutes for meat in the military diet given below.

Vegan and Vegetarian Substitutes
Beans
Lentils
Mushroom
Tempeh
Tofu

15. Substitutes for Hot Dog 

Here’s the huge compilation of vegan/vegetarian and meat-based alternatives for Hot Dog in the military diet meal plan. 

Vegan/Vegetarian SubstitutesMeat-based Substitutes
BeansBratwurst
Beyond SausageChicken Sausage
LentilsSpam
Portobello MushroomTurkey Hot Dogs
Tofu
Vegan Sausage

16. Substitutes for Egg

We have furnished the list of vegan/lactose-free, vegetarian, and meat-based substitutes for eggs in the military diet. 

Vegan/Lactose-free SubstitutesVegetarian SubstitutesMeat-based Substitutes
AvocadoMilkBacon
BeansChicken Wing
Seeds or Nuts

17. Substitutes for Cheddar Cheese

Go through the list of vegan/non-dairy alternatives for Cheddar Cheese in the military diet.

Cheddar Cheese SubstitutesVegan/Non-Dairy Substitutes
Cottage CheeseCabbage
EggsSoy Cheese
HamTofu

Military Diet Shopping List

The military diet has a set of fixed foods that must be followed by the dieters during the 3-day military diet meal plan. Go through the Military Diet Shopping List furnished below:

  • 1 Grapefruit
  • 2 Apples
  • 2 Bananas
  • 3 Canned Tuna
  • A small amount of Cheddar Cheese
  • Carrots
  • Coffee or Tea
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Green Beans [Frozen/Canned/Fresh]
  • Hot Dogs
  • Peanut Butter
  • Saltine Crackers
  • Small Head of Broccoli
  • Small Piece of Meat [Your Preference of Meat]
  • Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Whole Wheat Bread

All the food items that must be consumed in the military diet are easily available at any grocery store. You can purchase the aforementioned list of foods comprised in the Military Diet Grocery List

Can Exercise Help You Lose More Weight On Military Diet?

The military diet is all about eating low-calorie food for 3 days. By consuming highly restricted calories, the military diet helps people shed more pounds. The military diet doesn’t recommend the followers to do exercise or other typical gymnastics. 

However, exercising every day is a good idea and helps flexibility in the body. As you take extremely low calories, you may not have enough energy to do hard exercises during the military diet. You can do simple exercises instead of exerting yourself by running, doing heavy exercises, and lifting heavy weights while you’re on a low-calorie diet. 

Try to do light exercises like gentle yoga, walking, etc. Exercise may help you lose some additional weight on a military diet. But, the most credit goes to the low-calorie food. 

Benefits of the Military Diet

There are copious benefits to following the military diet. We have compiled a list of advantages for those who follow the military diet.

1. Rapid Weight Loss

The military diet is a perfect diet program that assures rapid weight loss in a less period. People following the military diet can lose up to 10 pounds in just a week by eating low-calorie food. 

Without taking any additional weight-loss pills and supplements, doing complicated exercises, and lifting heavy weights, you can lose more weight through the military diet.

2. Simple to Follow

The military diet is one of the easiest diet plans that provide a complete diet chart to the followers. Every meal is very well planned including the amount of calories and the quantity of food. 

This helps people to overcome the burden of cooking food for a long time. In your hectic schedule, you can simply take your portion of meals and head out to your work.

3. Structured Meal Plan

The military diet provides a structured meal plan so that everyone can follow it with much ease. During the 3-day military diet, the foods to be consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is mentioned clearly. This helps people to pick those items for that particular meal.

4. Inexpensive Diet Program

The military diet is an inexpensive diet program that doesn’t require you to purchase costly items. All the foods mentioned in the military diet meal plan are easily available at any grocery store at extremely low prices.

5. Food Substitutions

One of the noteworthy benefits of the military diet is that it provides Military Diet Substitutions for those who have food allergies, aversions, and other adverse medicinal reactions to specific foods. For people who avoid certain foods due to religious reasons or regular food habits, looking for food alternatives in the military diet is the best thing.

Military Diet Side Effects

We can find good and bad in any weight loss or diet program. Likewise, even in the military diet, we can find certain side effects that must be mentioned. Check it out!

  • The major disadvantage of the 7-Day Military Diet Plan PDF is that it comprises more processed foods like toast, hot dogs, peanut butter, cheese, saltine crackers, etc. These processed foods comprise more salt which is harmful to your body.
  • By consuming low-calorie food, your body may go calorie-deficit. As a result, it leads to calorie deficiency and affects your body’s metabolism.
  • If you look at the list of foods in the military diet, it is low in calories, vitamins, and minerals. If you follow Milatary Dite for the long term, It may cause serious health issues like dizziness, high bp, and other complications.

As the military diet is a short-term weight loss diet, you will follow this meal plan only for a short period. Hence, the military diet may not show a major impact on your overall health.

FAQs

Here are some of the frequently asked questions related to the Military Diet. What can you do and what else you cannot do in the military diet are explained in these FAQs. Check it out!

  1. Does the Military Diet work?

    Yes, the military diet meal plan works for people who follow the diet as is. People who wish to lose more weight in less time can find the best result. 

  2. How Much weight can you lose on the Military Diet?

    The military diet helps people to lose 10 pounds in a week. 

  3. Can I do Military Diet for 6 Days?

    The military diet lasts for only 3 days and further, you can get back to a healthy regular diet for the remaining 4 days.

  4. Can I Do the Military Diet for a Month?

    The military diet can be followed for a month but in 3 days ‘on’ and 4 days ‘off’ procedure. We suggest you consult a professional nutritionist if you want to follow the Military Diet plan for the long term.

  5. Can I drink alcohol on the Military Diet?

    No, drinking alcohol or wine is strictly prohibited during the 3-day military diet.

  6. Can I have snacks on the Military Diet?

    No, eating snacks is not permitted between meals in the military diet.

  7. Can you cheat on the Military Diet?

    Yes, you can have a cheat meal on the military diet but make sure it doesn’t affect your ultimate goal of losing weight.

  8. Can you chew gum on the Military Diet?

    You can chew low-calorie gum when you feel hungry during the military diet.

  9. How much water can you drink on the Military Diet?

    You can drink as much water as you can while you’re on the military diet.

Conclusion

Well, this is everything you need to know about the Military Diet. Through the military diet, you can witness rapid weight loss by restricting calories. We hope you understood the main concept of this military diet program. If you have any other doubts or queries about this diet plan, feel free to ask us in the comments space. Visit our website MilitaryDiet.Net for more articles related to the Military Diet, Military Diet food substitutions, calorie intake, military diet shopping list, and more.