Conference rocks::weight_control

     My wife and I have been trying this for the past month with good success
(defined as average loss of 6lbs per 3 day period).  So far we haven't gained
back any of the weight we lost.  It really helps me to have someone else
working with me towards a similar goal.  We thought this looked like a good
way to start getting back to where we once were on the scales.  I'm not a
vegetable fan at all but I didn't find it difficult to adjust to this menu.
Since we've managed to keep the weight off and continue to loose more we will
stick with it.  We've had no ill effects or cravings at the end of the 3 days,
although I'll admit the last day was a little scarce on food for me.

     I really appreciate the existance of this file and the input everyone
has been providing.  Lots of good ideas and plenty of support.  Thanks to
all of you!

                                              Kevin

re: .1

I tried this diet this past Fri., Sat., and Sun.  Monday morning the
scale said that I was 7 lbs. lighter.  Nothing could have surprised me
more.  I didn't expect this to work.  I have checked my measurements,
they are the same; but I did lose 7 lbs.

Unlike the last couple, I thought the last day had too much food.  The
breakfast and the lunch are small, but the dinner contained more food
than I wanted.

There were a few rough spots in this menu for me.  I hate cottage cheese.
It makes me gag.  The way I got the 8 oz. down was to swallow a mouthful
of diet soda with each spoonful.

The only "cheat" that I was guilty of was I have a cup of decaf coffee
each morning.  Instead of having it black, I put milk and Sweet & Low into
it.  I also took my multi-vitamin each morning.

I don't know if this had any effect on the results.  Perhaps I would have
lost 10 instead of 7 lbs.  Since my ideal weight is 5 lbs. lighter than
my current weight, I intend to try it one more time.  I'll eliminate the
milk and the vitamins and let you know if that makes any difference in
thre results.

I'm pleased that this worked out so well.  I can start to wear my bathing
suit by May 15th.

    I eliminated the grapefruit since I can't eat them, and got good
    results.  If you feel like living dangerously, try substituting
    skim ricotta for cottage cheese, and let us know how that works.
    
    I was considering experimenting with adding a cup of coffee, so
    I may do it.
    
    If other people have varied this with good results, I'd like to
    know!

    I followed this plan RELIGIOUSLY for the three-day period.  
    I did not pick between meals or add/substitute anything during the
    three days.  On the morning of the fourth day I got on the scale.
    Weight loss = 0!  What happened?  Talk about depressed...
    
    
 

    This happened to me the 3rd week that I did it.  Yes it is depressing!
    Take into consideration the "time of the month", how much fluid you
    drank (it must be a lot to help wash away the excess water), plus
    it also depends on how much weight you really need to lose.  Try
    it again next week and see if there is a change.  If not, than maybe
    this isn't the diet for you, some metabolisms are not set up for
    this. 

Re: .2 & .5

It's me again.  I did this diet again this Mon., Tues., Wed.  Before I
started I weighed myself and found that I had gained back 1 1/2 of the
7 lbs.  Not really surprising due to PMS.  I seemed to eliminate even
more fluid this time than last time.  However, this morning I weighed
myself and found that I had lost only 3 1/2 lbs.

My period will not be over for three more days.  I may notice another
weight loss at that time.  I am in agreement with the last response.
I think that the diet did not work as well because of the time of the
month.  Also I found that I am lightheaded and a little dizzy this
morning.  My close friends have not noticed any appreciable difference
when I complained of these symptoms.

I would not recommend that anyone try this diet just before or during
their period.  I may try it one more time next week.  (Cottage Cheese
is still the BIG stumbling block.)  After all, I did loose 9 lbs. net,
though I don't feel very well today.

    Please EVERYONE, if you do not feel well, DO NOT continue with this,
    or any diet.  It may be the flu, or some virus, but it could also
    be something very serious, having to do with the diet.  If after
    going off the diet you still feel bad, it was probably just an illness.
    If you start to feel better, go back on the diet and keep an eye
    on yourself.  If you again start to feel bad, it most likely is the
    diet, so stop the diet for good, and go to a different way of reducing.
    
    I have known of people who ignored the *sick* feelings and ended
    up in the hospital, this includes me.  (BTW, it was not with this
    diet).  Don't ignore symtoms, but use them to see what they are
    caused by.
    
    Mary-Lynn

    As a long time dieter I found this diet very interesting; it's
    the very first one that i've seen with foods like hot dogs and ice
    cream.  (That made it worthwhile, especially after choking down
    some of the foods, like the dry tuna and beets.  After this diet,
    I don't think that i will EVERY eat beets again!)
    
    Subsitutions: i bought low cal bread, used medium size eggs, bought
    weight watcher cheese, tuna in water, and on the third day had trouble
    with the tuna and most of the beet.  Instead i ate less and just
    drank more spring water.
    
    Total weight loss: 2 pounds.  I found this somewhat discouraging,
    though experience has taught me that even when you am on the verge
    of fasting (300 calories a day and LOTS of water) the most that
    a person can seem to lose is about 7-8 lbs a week.  It was an
    interesting diet to try, but now I'm going back to counting
    carbohydrates; something that has always worked for me in the past.
    
    I think that it is also important to point out that nutritionally,
    this is an EXTREMELY HIGH cholesterol diet.  Plain and simple,
    continued high cholesterol over a period of time will lead to a
    heart attack.  So for those of you out there that continue to use
    the diet, please be careful, and adhere to the 3 days on/4 days
    off.            
    

I'm curious as to how people are doing with this diet; it's been a while since
it first appeared and it sounded like many were going to try it.

I read an article on it in a local paper, which first and foremost stated that
it was not really from the American Heart Association.  It also stated that it
was not a healthy diet, way too high in fat, and explained that the high weight
loss was due to water loss; you couldn't lose "real" body-weight that quickly
on that amount of calories.  It also suggested you write to the Heart assoc.
for a good diet...

Jill

    I am planning to try the 3-day diet this coming Thursday, Friday,
    Saturday, however I have some questions about it:
    
    1) Saltine Crackers: what are they? will just any type of salty
       crackers do the trick, or is it a special "brand" or ... ?
       
    2) What's "cantaloupe"? is it a fruit or a vegetable? what does
       it look like? My English-French dictionary does not mention it...
       
    Thanks for your help,
    
    Joana
    
    PS: I find this note very interesting, and a great help.
    

    RE .10
    
    SALTINES are just regular soup crackers.  The little white squares!
    
    Cantaloupe is a melon fruit.  It has a beige skin with the fruit
    part being bright orange.
    
    Good luck!
    
    Mary-Lynn
    
    BTW  where are you?

    RE. 11
    
    Thank you!  
    
    I'll replace the cantaloup with melon and the saltines with ...
    nothing, as I dont't really know what soup crackers/little white
    squares are made of!
    
    RE. BTW 
    
    I am in Geneva/Switzerland,   European Headquarters
    

    saltines are also called "soda crakcers' does that help the
    translation?

    
    I tried the 3 day diet last week and lost 6 pounds.  I ate regular
    meals for four days, (gained 1 pound back), and now will go back
    on the 3 day diet.  It's not a bad combination of foods but again
    it's not something you want to go on the rest of your life. 
    
    I didn't follow the diet exactly by the book, I used a dash of mayo
    on my tuna and sprinkled parmesean cheese on my veggies.  So it
    was a pretty easy 3 days.
    
    Your probably right in that it's just water you loose the first
    time around.  It will be interesting to see how much I loose on
    the second attempt.  I'll let you know.
    
    Enjoy

    I was going to try the diet but I decided it didn't fit well with
    the general careful eating I have been trying recently - eggs and
    hot dogs didn't seem to be the best things to eat.
    					regards,
    						Hazel Donaldson
    						Santa Clara, Calif.

    I did try the 3-day diet.... Unfortunately, I dropped put after
    1 1/2 day because... well, you know what the usual excuses are:
    because it rained, because my husband had to work on Saturday, because
    any good old reason will do!
    
    Anyway, I'll try again next week, using the "mid-week" days as
    recommended rather than the "end-of-week" days I tried this time.
    Or maybe I'll try the Dave Maynard Diet, or maybe if the weather
    gets nice (doubtful, it's been pouring cats and dogs sine Friday
    almost non-stop) the Beverly Hills Diet (all those fruits really
    need a warm weather, or you - or at least, I - feel frozen to the
    marrow!).
    
    Depressed, but not desperate,
    
    Joana

    Okay gang I'm gonna try this thing for 4 count 'em FOUR weeks and
    see what happens. 3 days on and 4 days off...gonna be real strict
    on those 3 days...plus I'm gonna make an attempt to run a coupla
    miles every day or every other day...lately it's been maybe once
    a week which isn't too healthy.
    
    Anyway I'll let you know the outcome from every week and my first
    report will come on June 16th. I really don't plan to eat "regular"
    those other 4 days just Saturdays and Sundays. I will just "take
    it easy" on Mondays and Fridays.
    
    I think that the key to this thing is doing it on Tues-Wed-Thurs
    and hopefully I'll be a success story.
    
    I'll settle for a 5 lb. loss per week which will get me down 20
    lbs. by Fourth of July.........just in time for those cook-outs.
    
    Mike

    re .17:
    
    
    GO FOR IT MAJ!!!!!!!!
    
    
    Best of luck from a fellow wrestling noter. 

    
    ...well folks, the three day diet didn't work the second time around.
    I didn't loose an ounce on that 2nd week.  I'm sure the 6lbs I lost
    the first week were pure water.
    
    

    After the first round with this diet I am somewhere between 6 and
    8 pounds lighter than I was on Monday........I cheated a bit on
    the diet but still am impressed. I've got parties to go to this
    weekend but I shall be good.
    
    Next report, June 19th
    
    Maj

    Does anyone know of any controlled studies of this diet in the research
    literature?  It's curious that it works so well for some people
    and so poorly for others.

    
    My parents and I have been on this Diet for three days so
    far I have lost 7 and my mother 6.. My father didn't weight 
    himself yet..
    
    One thing I want to ask has anyone felt drozy when they were
    on it ?  I don't feel so bad today, but yesturday I felt it
    more.. It is a change to your body so I was wondering if 
    anyone else felt this way?
    
    I still feel funny today,  I will be off it tomorrow so I 
    can tell if it's the diet of me..
    
    I like the evening meal best!!
    
    Ann
    
    
    

    
    
    I Lost 12 1/2 pounds on the three day diet.. My parents and I
    have been on it for two weeks.. We lost more last week..
    We are sticking to it but it seems to be coming off slower 
    this time..
    
    One good thing about this diet you learn to enjoy Veg's without
    Margine or Butter on it.. I really didn't miss it and I noticed
    when I was off for four days .. when I did put margine on things
    it would be very little.. also I haven't been craving sweets as
    much.. even when I am off of it..
    
    I might try it again next week as my parents are too... 
    
    I will like to try it a week or two after the Holidays as well..
    
    Happy Holidays to you ..
    
    Ann
    
    

    re .24:
    
    
    >					    We lost more last week..
    >	We are sticking to it but it seems to be coming off slower 
    >	this time..
                                          
    The same could probably be said for all weightloss programs; I'm
    sure that's not unique to this plan.
    
    Using my own progress as an example, I dropped just over 10 pounds
    my first two weeks on the WW plan.  After those first two weeks,
    my average loss was just under two pounds a week.
                                                         
    Steady consistent progress (even if its a pound a week) is what
    you'll want to strive for as you continue your weightloss program.
    
    Great start -- keep us posted!
    
    
    py

    I am totally convinced that to be successful, get and keep it off,
    you must do it slow and steady.  That is the ONLY way I know of
    to change a lifetime habit of food abuse.  Changing that habit
    is the success, not some arbitrary number of pounds lost.
    
    -Joe
    

    re .26:
    
    >	I am totally convinced that to be successful, get and keep it off,
    >	you must do it slow and steady.  That is the ONLY way I know of
    >	to change a lifetime habit of food abuse.  Changing that habit
    >	is the success, not some arbitrary number of pounds lost.
        
    Well said Joe, and I agree 100%.  (That outlook is undoubtedly a
    big reason why you've been so successful in your weightloss efforts).  
                                                                 
    This is why, despite the short-term success some people report with
    this plan, I must question whether it is really an effective weightloss
    tool.  Sure, you get some weight off, but do you learn good, effective
    eating habits and strategies that you can use for the rest of your
    life?  I think not.  
    
    
    py

    Hey, this SOUNDS great!  10 pounds is exactly what I want to lose,
    and getting it taken care of in 3 days is very appealing.  BUT!
    how much of that 10 pounds would be water weight, which would come
    right back (the "rebound")?  If after the 3 days, I go back to a
    normal (but prudent) pattern of eating, will I really gain none of 
    those 10 pounds back?

    I've tried the 3 day diet and in 3 weeks took off 14 lbs.  I haven't
    done it in about 4 weeks to test the gain back theory and have gained
    only 3 lbs back and that includes over some "major eating events"
    from family get-togethers.  
    
    I like it.  My mom tried it and it's the only diet she's been able
    to loose weight on.
    
    

.28>    Hey, this SOUNDS great!  10 pounds is exactly what I want to lose,
.28>    and getting it taken care of in 3 days is very appealing.  BUT!
.28>    how much of that 10 pounds would be water weight, which would come

    	Remember that 1lb fat has 3500 calories, and to lose 10 lbs
    fat means to expend 35,000 more calories than consumed.
    
    	This is not possible in 3 days.  If you're sedentary, figure
    on a maximum loss (both fat and lean tissue) of .5lbs/day.  If you're
    moderately active (or very overweight), it can approach 1lb/day.
    
    	The rest is water and waste.  Fat acts as an antilaxative and
    antidiuretic and a low fat diet will flush your digestive tract out
    when you start it.
    
    -mike z

    Hi there... I have been reading these notes for a while and have
    decided to try the 3 Day Diet to lose about 15 pounds.
    
    One thing I have noted is that while I am on the diet and for the
    following few days I have experienced a very high degree of tiredness.
    In fact, it is almost to the point of being excessive.  Has anyone
    out there experienced the same thing?
    
    I must admit that this is the first diet that I have ever tried,
    and don't know if this is to be expected or what.
    
    Would like to hear about others' experiences.
    
    Regards,
    
    Joe.
    

.34>    One thing I have noted is that while I am on the diet and for the
.34>    following few days I have experienced a very high degree of tiredness.
.34>    In fact, it is almost to the point of being excessive.
    
    	That shouldn't occur on a balanced diet.
    
    	Are you taking any vitamin or mineral supplements?
    
    	Have you tried to snack on fruits or bread in between meals?
    
    	Are you sleeping well?  Are you waking up tired or does the
    fatigue hit you during the day?
    
    -mike z

    Re .35
    
    Thanks for your response.  Sorry I haven't replied sooner but, I
    have just gotten back from a trip.
    
    No, I don't take any vitamin/mineral supplement.
    
    I do sleep real well, and it is the waking up that is real hard
    to do.  During the day I feel as though I could doze off at any
    time.
    
    Interestingly, I haven't been on the diet for a couple of weeks
    now, have only gained about 5 pounds on a 2 week trip, and feel
    great.  Maybe I was just in a rut???
    
    Thanks again for your response.
    
    Regards,
    
    Joe Beaumont
    

.36>    Interestingly, I haven't been on the diet for a couple of weeks
.36>    now, have only gained about 5 pounds on a 2 week trip, and feel
.36>    great.  Maybe I was just in a rut???

       	Is it true that you are no longer suffering from midday fatigue?
    
    -mike z

	I have a copy of the 3-day diet which I am willing to mail to
	anyone who requests it (in spite of the fact that I don't think
	it's a particularly good idea).  Please send me mail to request 
	a copy.

	Replies to this topic asking for a copy will be deleted.

	Beverly
	Co-moderator and silly responsibility junkie :-)

    
    	Well, I just tried to contact the author of the last note to 
    	get a copy of this 3 Day Diet, but that person is no longer on that
    	node, and not listed it ELF either. So if anyone has a copy of this
    	diet, could you please send it to me.  
    
    	Thanks in advance!
    
    	Dina

    Another request for a copy of this diet.  Thanks.