3-Hour Diet Review
Review At A Glance
Jorge Cruise's "3-hour" aspect of the 3-Hour Diet is based on the idea that eating every three hours during the day will lower your cortisol levels, and therefore facilitate weight loss. Increasing lean muscle mass is one of the goals of the diet, and the three hour "nibbling" schedule is also meant to ensure that you are losing fat rather than muscle. One of the claims the diet makes is that cortisol is particularly related to "belly fat" and that following the diet should lead to a reduction in excess fat around your middle, essentially targeting that area. The timing of your eating is as important with this diet as what you eat. The 3hourdiet.com site declares: "Eat every three hours and you will lose weight - starting with belly fat first."
How Does It Work?
The three rules of this diet are: 1. Eat every three hours; 2. Eat breakfast one hour after rising; 3. Stop eating three hours before bed. You eat from all of the food groups, and guidelines are given for visual portion sizes, i.e. how much of what type of food should be on your plate. Once you join you use the meal planner to map out your eating schedule. You are expected to do a "weigh in" every Sunday. On the "3-Hour Diet at Home" plan, meals and snacks are delivered to your home weekly.
Who Is It Good For?
If you tend to store fat around your midsection, this diet may be helpful; likewise if you're concerned with conserving or increasing lean muscle as opposed to just dropping pounds, you will appreciate the program's approach to sensible, regular meals and snacks combined with easy exercise sessions. The 3-Hour Diet at Home plan may be beneficial for those who prefer the convenience of home-delivered food.
Keys: 3-Hour Diet Membership
- General Membership ($5 per week, billed monthly)
- Platinum Membership ($12 per week, billed yearly)
Keys: Membership Benefits
- Online meal planner and shopping guides
- Access to Recipes
- Eating out guidelines for fast food restaurants
- Motivational e-mails and coaching audio messages
- Support message boards
- 8-minute exercises
- Platinum membership includes access to monthly live teleconference motivation forums and "VIP access" to phone/email support line.
- The 3-Hour Diet at Home plan includes three fresh meals, two snacks and one "treat" per day, which you choose from the menu options
Keys: Additional Focused Offerings
In addition to the online memberships, a "3-Hour Diet at Home" option is available for those who want home-delivered meals. Within this program you can choose the Basic plan for $19.95 a day, or the Gourmet plan for $24.00 per day.
Pros
- According to recent studies, there does appear to be a connection between excess cortisol and "belly fat."
- No food groups are excluded.
- Fast food recommendations are included for practicality.
- Frequent meals and snacks discourage hunger, regulate blood sugar levels and optimize metabolism.
- Membership plans are relatively affordable.
At-home prepackaged meals plan includes fresh rather than freeze-dried or frozen meals. - 8-minute exercises are practical and non-demanding.
Cons
- Membership benefits are limited: you must buy 3-Hour Diet book and products separately.
- The at-home prepackaged meals plans are expensive.
- The 8-minute exercise routines, while convenience, may not provide enough activity to maximize weight loss.
- Customer service can be somewhat slow.
Further Thoughts
Cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal cortex in response to adrenal cortical stimulating hormone (ACTH), which is produced by the pituitary gland. Cortisol helps in regulating blood sugar, energy production, inflammation, and the immune system. Low levels of cortisol can result in chronic fatigue, and problems with the endocrine system. Too much cortisol in the system can lead to weight gain around the middle, a depressed immune system, and digestive complains. Elevated cortisol levels are commonly associated with increased levels of stress or anxiety, so while eating every three hours may help, this strategy alone may not be sufficient to lower your cortisol levels if you're experiencing a lot of stress. Getting sufficient exercise, sleep and good nutrition can help stress levels, as can lifestyle adjustment, relaxation practices, and counseling.
