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The Diet Channel. ‘‘3 Day Diet.’’ 2007.<http://www.the
dietchannel.com/3-day-diet.htm>Tish Davidson, A.M.3-hour diet
Definition
The 3-Hour diet is based on the concept that
weight loss is best achieved by eating small amounts
frequently, in this case, every three hours.Origins
The 3-Hour diet was originated by Jorge Cruise in
the mid-2000s, Cruise was an overweight child who
went on to lose weight, shape up, and become a self-
proclaimed weight-loss expert. He has no formal
nutrition training.
Cruise is the author of theNew York Timesbestseller
8 Minutes in the Morning,an exercise and diet program,
andThe 3-Hour Diet.He is a columnist forUSA Week-
end Magazineand is the diet and fitness editor forGood
Housekeepingmagazine. Cruise has discussed his diet
andfitnessphilosophyonmanytelevisiontalkshows
and is the weight-loss coach on AOL. He maintains a
Web site at<http://www.jorgecruise.com>Description
The 3-Hour diet is a diet regimen based on the
philosophy that the timing of meals is more important
than the type of food eaten in those meals. Cruise says
the body’s basal (baseline) metabolic rate (BMR) can
be increased by eating every three hours. Keeping the
metabolic rate high is desirable because this makes the
body burn more calories.
The three basic rules of the 3-Hour diet are:
Eat breakfast within one hour of arising.
Eat every three hours after that.
Stop eating three hours before going to bed.
The 3-hour diet requires three meals alternating
with two snacks at regular three-hour intervals. Cer-
tain foods are recommended, but the diet does not
provide a day-by-day meal plan. Cruise also recom-
mends drinking eight glasses ofwaterdaily. On the
diet,caffeineis not limited, but dieters must drink two
glasses of water for every cup of coffee. This offsets the
dehydrating effect of caffeine, Cruise says. Alcohol isto be drunk only rarely. However, the diet does allow
occasional fast food and some frozen or processed
foods. One key to success on the 3-Hour diet is plan-
ning meals and snacks ahead of time. Knowing what
they will eat for the next meal helps dieters stick to the
diet.
The 3-Hour diet is not a low carbohydrate, high
protein, or verylow fat diet. Meals are required to
consist of a reasonable balance ofcarbohydrates, pro-
tein, andfats. The emphasis is on choosing appropri-
ate foods and on strict portion control. Although
Cruise claims people can eat anything they want and
still lose weight on his diet, in reality, by following the
diet correctly, an individual is limited to about 1,450
calories a day. Many nutritionists consider this an
appropriate calorie intake for slow, steady weight
loss. Cruise claims that people following the 3-Hour
Diet will lose 2 lb (0.9 kg) per week, and that they can
target the spots on the body where they can lose fat.
The diet is intended to last 28 days, with a repeat cycle
for people who need to lose more weight.
The exercise aspect of the 3-Hour diet is somewhat
confusing. Cruise initially claims that exercise is not a
part of this weight-loss program and that the 3-Hour
diet is good for individuals with arthritis or limited
mobility. However, he also says that building muscle
mass is important in weight loss because even at rest a
pound of muscle burns twice as many calories as a
pound of fat. This occurs because metabolic activity
is higher in muscle cells. Ultimately Cruise does sug-
gest exercises to go along with the 3-Hour diet, and
they are generally not appropriate for people with sore
joints or mobility limitations.
The final piece to the 3-Hour diet is motivation. In
his book, Cruise devotes considerable space to a 28-
day success planner. The planner helps dieters plan
meals, and is filled with motivational quotations, diet-
ing tips, and visualization exercises that encourage the
dieter to picture a slimmer, happier version of him or
herself. Cruise also maintains Web site where for a fee
($5 per week in 2007), dieters get access to additionalKEY TERMS
Dietary supplement—A product, such as a vitamin,
mineral, herb, amino acid, or enzyme, that is
intended to be consumed in addition to an individ-
ual’s diet with the expectation that it will improve
health.3-hour diet