Military Diet Day 3: Your Final Push — Complete Meal Guide

Day 3: The Finish Line

Day 3 of the military diet is the lowest-calorie day of the plan, coming in at approximately 900 to 1,100 calories. It is also, for many followers, the easiest day — not because the calorie count is lowest, but because you know you are almost done. The psychological lift of being on the final day is powerful enough that most people report Day 3 as more manageable than Day 2 despite the slightly lower intake.

Day 3 dinner marks the completion of the active phase. After that meal, you transition into the four off-days and more moderate eating. Understanding that the finish line is only a few meals away makes the relatively sparse Day 3 food list feel entirely tolerable.

Day 3 Breakfast

What you eat: 1 oz cheddar cheese, 5 saltine crackers, 1 small apple.

Day 3 breakfast is the lightest of the three-day plan at approximately 260 calories. The cheddar cheese provides fat and calcium — roughly 113 calories per ounce with meaningful contributions to your daily calcium intake. The saltine crackers add carbohydrates for morning energy, and the apple provides fiber, vitamin C, and natural sugars.

Hunger management: This is a light breakfast. Follow it immediately with a large glass of water, and have your black coffee if you use it. The caffeine and liquid volume will carry you through the morning more effectively than the calorie count alone suggests.

Day 3 Lunch

What you eat: 1 egg (cooked any plain way), 1 slice whole-grain toast.

Day 3 lunch is the simplest meal of the entire three-day plan — approximately 155 calories. This is intentionally minimal because the protein load is shifted to Day 3 dinner (a full cup of tuna). The egg provides protein and fat; the toast provides carbohydrates and some fiber.

Cook your egg however you prefer as long as you use no added oil or butter — hard-boiled, poached, or dry-scrambled are all appropriate. Seasoning with salt, pepper, and herbs is fine.

Day 3 Dinner

What you eat: 1 cup canned tuna (drained), ½ medium banana, ½ cup vanilla ice cream.

Day 3 dinner is the final meal of the military diet's active phase, and it ends on a genuinely satisfying note. One cup of canned tuna provides approximately 180 calories and a full 22 grams of protein — one of the most protein-dense single servings of the entire plan. This protein serves a critical function on the lowest-calorie day: it minimizes muscle tissue breakdown by ensuring ample amino acids are available for preservation.

The half banana provides potassium and carbohydrates that begin restoring some glycogen before the off-days begin. The half cup of vanilla ice cream — roughly 135 calories — closes out the plan with something sweet and satisfying. Eat it slowly and enjoy it. You have earned it.

After Day 3 Dinner: What Happens Next

After finishing Day 3 dinner, the active phase of the military diet is complete. You do not eat anything else until the following morning, when you begin the four off-days. During those four days, eat approximately 1,500 calories daily from whole foods, avoiding junk food, alcohol, and excessive processed carbohydrates. After those four days, you can begin another cycle if you still have weight to lose.

Expect the scale to show a slight increase — typically one to two pounds — during the first one or two off-days. This is glycogen and its bound water returning, not fat gain. Your net weight loss from the cycle remains real.