Want a fast way to lose weight? Low calorie diets are crash diets -- useless for long term weight loss. So be warned. :-)

Let's look at one low calorie diet.

The "3 day heart diet" is a diet program supposedly put out by the American Heart Association. You should know that the AHA had nothing to do with the development of this meal program and does not endorse it. The 3 day heart diet is known by a variety of names including the Mayo Clinic Diet and the Cleveland Clinic Diet.

The 3 day heart diet follows a prescribed 750 calorie a day diet. Other than salt, pepper, diet soda, tea, coffee, and sugar substitute, you can have no other foods than those prescribed. You must drink 32 ounces of water a day.

Breakfast is about 200 calories. Day one looks like:

1/2 Grapefuit or Juice
1 Slice of Toast
1 tbsp. Peanut Butter
Black Coffee or Tea

Day 2 on the 3 day heart diet looks like:

1 hard-boiled Egg
1 Slice of Toast
1/2 Banana
Black Coffee or Tea

Day 3 on the 3 day heart diet looks like:

1 hard-boiled Egg
1 Slice Toast
Black Coffee or Tea

Lunch is also about 200 calories. Day one looks like:

1/2 cup Tuna
1 Slice Toast
Black Coffee or Tea

Day 2 on the 3 day heart diet looks like:

1 cup Cottage Cheese
or: 1/2 cup Tuna
5 Saltine Crackers

Day 3 on the 3 day heart diet looks like:

1 Slice Cheddar Cheese
5 Saltine Crackers
1 small Apple
Black Coffee or Tea

At dinner time you get a few more calories ñ about 350. Day 1 looks like:

2 Slices (3 oz.) of any Meat
1 cup String Beans
1 cup Carrots or Beets
1 small Apple
1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream

Day two:

2 all beef hot dogs
1 cup Cabbage or Broccoli
1/2 cup Carrots
1/2 Banana
1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream

Day 3:

1 cup Tuna
1 cup Beets
1 cup Green Beans
1 cup Cantaloupe
1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream

The diet is supposedly based on a chemical breakdown in the body using these specific foods. There is no scientific evidence to back up this claim. Instead, most dietitians suggest that you lose weight because you are eating such low calorie meals. Indeed, it's hard to not lose weight eating just 750 calories a day.

There are a couple of good things about this diet. The first is that it is easy to follow and the meals are easily prepared. If you can boil an egg and use your microwave, you shouldn't have any difficulty making the meals. It also uses real food rather than chemical substitutes.

The second good thing about the diet is that you really will lose a small amount of weight in a short period of time. Most people lose 3 to 6 pounds and some larger people have even claimed to have lost 10 pounds following the 3 day heart diet. Again, that is because it is basically a modified fast where you don't eat replacement calories.

You will probably be quite hungry on the 3 day heart diet. If you can keep in mind that it is only for three days, you will probably survive.

This diet should not be used for an extended period of time. Your metabolism will shut down after a few days and the fat burning process will stop.

The 3 day heart diet does have its uses such as when you want to lose a little bit of weight in a short period of time. When you have an event coming up where you want to look your best, the 3 day heart diet can be of assistance. But, it's not a long term weight loss strategy.

If you're up for it, here's what I recommend, rather than a low calorie diet -- Eat Stop Eat. This intermittent fasting program works.

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