The Cleveland Clinic 3-Day Diet is a three-day program that claims to eliminate mucus and other toxins from the body. It is also claimed that dieters will lose as much as ten pounds in three days. This program has been given a number of other names including: American Heart Association 3-Day Diet, Dr. Perricone 3-Day Diet, Kaiser 3-Day Diet, 3-Day Navy Diet, and 3-Day Army Diet. Because of the food recommended with this diet, it is also sometimes known as the Hot Dog Diet or the Cabbage Diet. Despite some of the names given this diet, the Cleveland Clinic denies any association with the so-called Cleveland Clinic 3-day diet, as does the American Heart Association with the so-called American Heart Association 3-day diet.

The Rigid Menu of the Cleveland Clinic 3 Day Diet

Menus for this diet can be found at various Web sites. The menus are very specific about the amounts and kinds of foods that are to be eaten for the three days. There are three meals indicated for each day, and the total daily calorie intake on these diets is about 600 calories. The foods that characterize this diet include: hot dogs, vanilla ice cream, cabbage, and eggs. The foods chosen for the diet are intended to increase the metabolism so that fat is burned more quickly. Dieters are directed to take at least four days off before repeating the 3-day cycle.

Cleveland Clinic 3 Day Diet: the unsustainable diet?

The Cleveland Clinic 3-Day Diet generally is not viewed as a healthy or sustainable plan. Much of the weight loss from it is caused by severe reduction in carbohydrate intake, which means that dieters experience mainly water loss. There is also an extreme reduction in caloric intake. Once the three days is over, regaining any lost weight is almost inevitable. As a result, this type of diet commonly leads to yo-yo weight loses and gains. Anyone considering such a diet should first obtain medical advice.

	This diet is about as "Fad" as a diet gets. Even if it works and you lose weight, you won't keep the weight off long term and you will probably feel like crap the whole 3 days you are on it. Instead of chasing the latest "get thin quick" fad, why not take the plunge and make a real commitment to weight loss? The Jillian Michaels Diet is all about that very type of life change. More on this diet below...