How to Lose Weight in 3 Days

Co-authored by Adam Shuty

Last Updated: February 11, 2023 References Approved

Maintaining a healthy weight is an ongoing, life-long pursuit. But sometimes you want to shed a few pounds quickly, whether it's to meet a weight requirement, feel better in a bikini, or fit into your dream wedding dress. There's only so much one can safely do in 3 days to slim down, but you can take off a little bit of extra weight and girth in a short period of time by following a fad diet or taking measures to cut down on water weight and bloating. To really shed calories, burn fat, build muscle, and achieve longer lasting results, you'll have to tackle some bigger dietary and lifestyle changes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Following a “Fad” Diet for Short Term Results

1
Try the “3-Day Diet.” The 3-Day Diet, sometimes referred to as The Military Diet, is a three day diet plan with a strict breakfast, lunch, and dinner regimen. Proponents of this method recommend following the meal plans as closely as possible, and then returning to a more normalized 1,500 calorie diet for the remainder of the week.^{[1]
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- Breakfast for day 1 consists of:
  - 1 cup (.25 liters) of unsweetened black coffee or tea
  - 1 slice of toast, preferably whole wheat
  - 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of peanut butter
  - 1/2 grapefruit
- Lunch for day 1 consists of:
  - 1 cup (.25 liters) of unsweetened black coffee or tea
  - 1 slice of toast, preferably whole wheat
  - 1/2 can of tuna
- Dinner for day 1 consists of:
  - 3 ounces (85 grams – about the size of a deck of playing cards) of any meat
  - 1 cup (340 grams) green beans, steamed or raw
  - 1/2 banana
  - 1 small apple
  - 1 cup (.25 liters) of vanilla ice cream (yay, dessert!)
- Breakfast for day 2 consists of:
  - 1 egg, cooked however you prefer
  - 1 slice of toast, preferably whole wheat
  - 1/2 banana
- Lunch for day 2 consists of:
  - 1 hardboiled egg
  - 1 cup (.25 liters) of cottage cheese
  - .7 ounces (20 grams) of baked sweet potato chips
- Dinner for day 2 consists of:
  - 2 hotdogs (without any hotdog buns)
  - 1 cup (340 grams) of broccoli
  - 1/2 cup (170 grams) of carrots
  - 1/2 banana
  - 1/2 cup (.12 liters) of vanilla ice cream (dessert again, yes!)
- Breakfast for day 3 consists of:
  - 1 small apple
  - 1 slice of cheddar cheese
  - .7 ounces (20 grams) of baked sweet potato chips
- Lunch for day 3 consists of:
  - 1 egg, cooked however you prefer
  - 1 slice of toast, preferably whole wheat
- Dinner for day 3 consists of:
  - 1 cup (340 grams) of tuna
  - 1/2 banana
  - 1 cup (.25 liters) of vanilla ice cream (dessert trifecta!)
2
Consider a 3-day fast. Some research has shown that drinking only water and limiting yourself to less than 200 calories per day for only 3 days can help you reboot your immune system in addition to dropping some quick pounds.^{[2]
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- This form of “forced starvation” depletes your energy reserves (in the form of glycogen), which triggers your body to recycle and then create new immune cells once you finish the fast.^{[3]
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- Warning! Fasting can be harmful, especially for young or old people, or for those with other health problems. If you’re seriously thinking of trying a 3-day fast, you should consult your doctor first.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Shedding Water Weight for Short Term Results

1
Hold the salt. Sodium helps to store water in the body, and limiting your intake of salt and other foods high in sodium can help you get rid of extra girth-widening water weight.^{[4]
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- Limit your daily sodium intake to 1-1.5 grams (.04-.05 oz) a day. (Less than 2.3 grams, or .09 oz, is the medically recommended amount for those under 50).^{[5]
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  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- Avoid canned and prepackaged foods, including sauces and dressings. These types of preserved foods often rely on salt as a preservative and are thus packed full of sodium.
- Drop deli meats and cold cuts. These are also packed with sodium.^{[6]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Mayo Clinic
  Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
  Go to source}
- Skimp on the salt when cooking.
- Cut down on cheese. Cheese is high in salt.
2
Drink water.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Adam Shuty
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.} It's important to stay hydrated.
- Get lots of water. It might seem counter-intuitive, but drinking a lot of water is quite important when you're trying to lose water weight. Drinking about a gallon (3.8 liters) of water throughout the day will help to normalize your hydration levels and keep you fluids in balance.^{[8]
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- Add some lemon to your water. Lemon can act as a digestive aid and diuretic, which can help with both water retention and bloat.
- Go for that second cup of coffee or tea. These drinks can act as diuretics, which means they stimulate your body to release more water.
3
Get lots of rest and sleep.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Adam Shuty
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.} Besides sodium, the levels of cortisol in the body also affect water retention.^{[10]
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- Make sure your cortisol levels are in check by getting at least 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
- Try scaling back on your exercise activities for 3 days. Exercise can actually elevate cortisol.^{[11]
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- Relax and de-stress with calming tea, soothing music, meditation, and breathing exercises. These can all help chill you out and bring down your cortisol levels.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Beating Bloat

1
Take an anti-gas pill. While it is not recommended to turn to water shedding or "diet" pills, you can safely try taking one over-the-counter anti-gas pill to reduce excess air, gas, or other forms of intestinal bloat for a quick slimming effect.
2
Try a magnesium supplement. If you don't have gastrointestinal issues, try taking a magnesium supplement to help clear out your gut.^{[12]
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3
Do some stomach-specific stretches. This will help to elongate and relax your stomach muscles.^{[13]
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- Try bending both of your knees into your stomach while lying on the floor. In some cases, this posture can temporarily improve your bowel function.
- Focus on your posture, too. Try to sit and stand up straight and don't hunch over or collapse your stomach. This can cause your stomach to seize and cramp up.
4
Make some dietary changes. Changing what and when you eat can help you banish the bloat.^{[14]
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- Avoid beans, the notoriously gassy musical fruit.
- Eat smaller meals, slowly, and more frequently throughout the day to avoid bloating up when you eat.
- Eat plenty of fiber.^{[15]
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  Expert Source
  
  Adam Shuty
  Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
  Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.}
- Go for protein smoothies, yogurt, and low sodium soups instead of solid food. Liquids are easier to digest and don't pouch out your stomach as much as solid meals. Throw some fiber-rich fruit into your smoothies and yogurt to help move things along in (and out of) your intestines.^{[16]
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- Avoid carbonated beverages and chewing gum. The bubbles in these drinks can bloat you up, and you ingest a lot of extra air when you chew gum.^{[17]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Making Better Food Choices for Long Term Results

1
Don’t skip breakfast. This really is the most important meal of the day, even when you’re trying to lose weight. Focus on eating lean protein (eggs or low-fat Greek yogurt) for breakfast as a way to jump-start your metabolism, stay fuller longer, and help you burn calories throughout the day.
2
Veg out on veggies.^{[18]
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Expert Source

Adam Shuty
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.} Eating fiber-rich fresh vegetables as part of your meals and as snacks will help you curb hunger and eat less throughout the day.
3
Drink lots of water.^{[19]
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Expert Source

Adam Shuty
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Expert Interview. 26 August 2020.}Skip sugary types of drinks and stick to pure, simple water.^{[20]
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Research source}
- Drink 8 ounces (.25 liters) of water before every meal to help you feel full even before you start eating. Water also helps boost your metabolism and aid in digestion.
- Be sure to drink at least 64 ounces (1.9 liters) of water every day.
- Try infusing your water with non-sugary flavor sources, like fresh mint, basil, or cucumber slices to make hydration more palatable.
4
Avoid liquid calories. High calorie drinks can be dangerous in that you end up consuming more calories that you notice. Try to limit drinks like sugary juices, sweetened coffee or tea, and alcoholic beverages.^{[21]
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5
Cut back on “problem foods.” The biggest “problem foods” are solid fats, added sugars, salts, and starches. These count for more than 800 of our daily calories, and we often consume them without even noticing!^{[22]
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- Pay attention to food labels and avoid products with solid, trans, and saturated fats as well as added sugars.
- Eliminate fast foods and refined grains (white bread, for example) which are loaded with fats and often pumped full of extra, unnecessary sugars.
- Limiting salt and starches will help you reduce fluid retention and shed water weight, which is great for a quick slim-down fix.
6
Control your portions. It's just as important to consider how much food you’re eating, in addition to what kinds of foods you’re eating.^{[23]
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Research source} Try to cut back on your portions to save calories, and follow these basic guidelines for portion control:^{[24]
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- Eat 5-6.5 ounces (142-184 grams) of lean (not fatty) proteins like chicken, beans, and fish.
- Eat 5-8 ounces (142-227 grams) of grains, with 1/2 from whole grains.
- Eat 1.5-2 cups (.35-.5 liters) of fruits.
- Eat 2.5-3.5 cups (.6-.8 liters) of vegetables.
- Consume 3 cups (.7 liters) of nonfat or low-fat diary.
- Eat no more than 5-7 teaspoons (25-35 ml) of oils (try to get these from plant and protein sources).
- Eat no more than 121 calories from solid fats and added sugars.
7
Eat smaller meals more often. Instead of having just a few big meals in a day, spread out your food into several smaller sized meals. This will help keep your blood sugars and metabolism up, and reduce the temptation for snacking in between meals.^{[25]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Increasing Physical Activity for Long Term Results

1
Focus on cardio. Cardiovascular exercises, like running, swimming, or aerobics, burns more calories which is ideal for quick weight loss.
- Always consult your doctor before you begin a new exercise (or diet) routine.
- Be sure to break a sweat after you finish warming up, and keep the intensity up for an hour of cardio work.
- Try including intervals, which are short bursts of high-intensity, in your workout.
- Aim for 70 minutes of cardio exercise a day for 3 days to melt away fat.^{[26]
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2
Work in weight-lifting. Engaging in light weightlifting and strength training will help you build muscle and burn fat.
- Muscles eat up fat and calories, even when your’re at rest.^{[27]
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- Don’t go crazy when you first start to lift weights. You don’t want to injure yourself. Instead, start with some basic weight lifting techniques.
3
Go for max calorie burn. If you burn 500 calories more than you eat every day for week, you can expect to lose around 1-2 pounds. If you’re eating between 1,000-1,200 calories a day and exercise for one hour per day, you can lose between 3-5 pounds.

Workout Plan, Foods to Eat and Avoid, and Fad Diets to Avoid

3 Day Workout Plan to Lose Weight

Foods to Eat and Avoid to Lose Weight in 3 Days

Fad Diets to Avoid

Lose Weight the Right Way with this Expert Series

Losing weight is hard. We’ve put together this series of expert articles to help you lose weight and keep it off in a healthy and sustainable way.

Break a Weight Loss Plateau

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Expert Q&A
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Question

Is it possible to lose weight in 3 days?

Adam Shuty
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Adam Shuty is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and owner of ATOMIC Total Fitness, a fitness training studio in New York, New York. With over 15 years of experience, Adam specializes in weightlifting, strength and conditioning, and martial arts. Adam holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. In 2014, Adam appeared on the Live With Kelly and Michael Show as one of the top five fitness instructors in the country.

Adam Shuty

Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist

Expert Answer

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You can lose up to 3 pounds in a week, but that's really the max anyone should lose if they're following a healthy weight-loss regimen.
Question

I was 101 kg, got down to 82 kg, but I am up to 84 kg now. How can I lose 8 kg more quickly?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

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Without knowing whether 84 kg is a healthy weight for you, it is difficult to suggest a course of action. However, plateaus are common after weight loss, so it is super important to hold the course and do not drop off the healthy eating or exercise. Your body may be trying to re-adjust to your new weight and that may take time.
Question

How do I go on a diet to lose weight quickly?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer

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You can try the methods described above, however remember this - if it took 2 years to put the weight on - you cannot expect to take it off in 2 days. Patience and perseverance with a healthy diet, low in sugar with moderate calorie intake combined with daily exercise is the only truly healthy way to lose the weight and keep it off.

Warnings

Avoid crash diets if you can and instead focus on making lasting lifestyle changes to your diet and exercise. This will help you lose and keep off weight for much longer than 3 days.

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Always consult your doctor before starting a new diet, exercise, or vitamin regimen.

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