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What is the 5-Day Miracle Diet?

Erin J. Hill
Erin J. Hill

The 5-day miracle diet is a weight loss plan that promotes eating at specific times of the day while limiting certain foods from the diet. Key points of the plan state that spikes in blood sugar throughout the day not only lead to weight gain but also to chronic conditions like diabetes. By limiting high glycemic foods, meaning foods that cause a strong spike in blood sugar after consumption, one can help offset the negative side effects. The 5-day miracle diet also recommends eating most of one's daily calories early in the day and avoiding large meals in the evening and nighttime hours.

Most dieters find that the 5-day miracle diet has both good and bad points. While restricting foods that are high in sugars and refined carbs is a good thing, taking away any food or food group almost entirely will generally lead to feelings of deprivation. The diet does provide moderate to high levels of weight loss, but once the restricted foods are put back into the diet, the weight tends to pile back on. Eating the heaviest meals of the day in the morning and early afternoon is thought to promote weight loss by many researchers, so this element of the diet is good to follow and can be done long term.

The 5-day miracle diet can help with weight loss.
The 5-day miracle diet can help with weight loss.

One of the major cons of the 5-day miracle diet is that the plan does not promote regular exercise. Although it does not limit or discourage regular physical activity, it is not mentioned at all in the diet plan. In order for any diet to provide long term results exercise must be included. The recommended amount of exercise for healthy individuals is three to five times a week in half an hour to one hour intervals.

The 5-day miracle diet relies on eating only during certain times of the day to encourage weight loss.
The 5-day miracle diet relies on eating only during certain times of the day to encourage weight loss.

Overall, the 5-day miracle diet is good for a quick fix when it comes to weight loss. Since most foods that are restricted on the diet will eventually be added back into the diet, even in smaller portions, this plan is not good for long-term results. To lose weight following similar principles, one may consider simply cutting back on sweets and high starch foods and adding more exercise into everyday activities. Weight loss may be slower with this more moderate approach, but the results will likely be longer lasting because a more relaxed plan will be easier to stick with.

The 5-day miracle diet recommends not eating during the evening and night hours.
The 5-day miracle diet recommends not eating during the evening and night hours.

As with any diet plan, a doctor should be notified before beginning a new regimen. Healthy individuals should have no problem getting back into shape, but new dieters should be checked for any underlying conditions. Once given approval by a doctor, it is a good idea to ease back into exercise slowly to avoid over exertion.

Discussion Comments

anon991927

My wife and I have been on this "diet" for two months. My wife has just over 6 kilos and I have lost 22 kgs!

It is more of a healthy eating plan which you could use for the rest of your life because, as we have found, after getting your blood sugar balanced, you just don't get hungry.

Mor

@Fa5t3r - I think the problem is that most people won't analyze it like that. In my experience my friends who try diets will always go all or nothing and if the diet fails then they consider it to be worthless. They never pick and choose different bits of diet or fitness plans that might work personally for them and then combine them into a sensible plan.

Fa5t3r

@bythewell - Diets that restrict you to only eating during certain times of the day can actually be very helpful in showing you habits that you might not have been aware of otherwise.

People especially tend to eat a lot at the end of the day when they are starting to feel bored and tired and like they need energy and often will consume far more calories than they would during the times that they are more active.

If this diet can show you what a difference it makes when you change your eating habits so that you aren't allowed to eat when you are at your most likely to pig out then that's a good thing.

bythewell

I'm not a big fan of any diet that requires this much planning and restriction. Anything that requires you to change your life in a way that isn't sustainable isn't a good diet because you'll just go straight back to the way you were before once it's finished.

The 5-day miracle diet probably does help a lot, because it seems to have some good principals embedded in the overall plan, but it isn't a long term solution and I doubt it would do anything in the five days that wouldn't be almost immediately gained back as soon as it was over.

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    • The 5-day miracle diet can help with weight loss.
      By: mocker_bat
      The 5-day miracle diet can help with weight loss.
    • The 5-day miracle diet relies on eating only during certain times of the day to encourage weight loss.
      By: Kzenon
      The 5-day miracle diet relies on eating only during certain times of the day to encourage weight loss.
    • The 5-day miracle diet recommends not eating during the evening and night hours.
      By: LoloStock
      The 5-day miracle diet recommends not eating during the evening and night hours.