The 3-day hospital diet, which is also known as the Birmingham hospital diet, has become popular due to claims that the diet was created as a means of allowing patients destined for surgery to lose up to 10 pounds. of weight over a period of three days. . Other sources attribute the origin of this diet plan to the University of Alabama.

It should be noted that these institutions do not make this claim and do not accept any responsibility towards those who follow the diet.

Despite the uncertainty of its origins, there is little doubt that this simple diet plan has become widespread and that many people have used it, often finding the weight loss strategy one of its many names. In addition to the 3-day hospital diet, it is also known as the Alabama 3-day diet, 3-day tuna diet, tuna diet, 3-day cardiac diet, and others.

The content of these weight loss diet plans is very similar and will be treated here as essentially the same.

A key element of the 3-Day Hospital Diet is that it contains a low daily calorie level of approximately 1,000 calories with specific ingredients to provide the protein, carbohydrates, fats (very little), and other nutrients we need to survive. For a complete description of the menu plan, do a quick search for my article “3-Day Tuna Diet: Menu and Diet Plan.”

In summary, the plan describes the foods that will be included in breakfast, lunch, and dinner over a three-day period.

There are many reports of weight reduction from those who have followed the diet. The amount of weight lost reported during that time varies, as might be expected with so many different metabolisms and food requirements involved. However, a minimal weight reduction of at least 2.5 pounds seems achievable and likely.

Much of the weight loss from such a short-lived diet is likely due to water loss. Also, with a calorie count of about 1,000, this would be well below normal requirements for most adults, so energy expended would also explain part of the loss.

However, while not a “starvation diet”, the Birmingham Hospital Diet is likely to create problems for users if continued beyond the recommended 3 days. For example, it is normal for our bodies to make adjustments when a food shortage is detected. This is a survival mechanism that protects us when little food is available, such as in times of famine. The body slows down metabolism and conserves fat stores so that we can survive longer on less food. This actually makes it harder to lose weight, we have less energy, and we tire more easily. It is not a long-term satisfactory condition!

Although there may be some short-term loss advantage, the feeling of hunger experienced at the end of the diet encourages additional food intake once the diet has been completed. A better alternative is a program that does not produce a food craving, does not cause the body to slow down its activities, and takes nutritional requirements into account so that changes in eating habits allow fat loss to occur over a longer period and be durable. .

Instead of following a simple, low-calorie diet plan, losing weight for an extended period allows for other tactics in the plan, such as “shifting calories,” with a greater emphasis on fat loss and proper nutrition. In the long term, this is more likely to provide health benefits and sustainable weight loss.