The ABC Diet stands for Ana Boot Camp Diet, and it’s a bit different from your usual diet. It’s not about counting calories or measuring every morsel you eat, instead, it follows a specific schedule of calorie intake.
However, the ABC diet is not safe. It’s an extreme weight loss diet plan that’s not recommended by nutritionists.
On this guide, I’ll explain the basics of the ABC diet, its benefits, foods to eat, and provide a few important tips for anyone considering trying it.
Here I will also share my personal experiences and recommendations.
What is ABC Diet?
The full form of the ABC diet is the Ana Boot Camp Diet, developed by Robert S Wider. It is a type of diet system where the food names usually start with A, B, and C, forming a structured body plan.
Although this diet system has been derided since its development, people have surprisingly benefited from it in terms of weight loss.
In the ABC diet plan, foods are generally divided into three categories: category A, category B, and Category C.
Asparagus, abalone, and apples are in Category A bean curd, bouillon, and beluga caviar are in Category B and celery, carrots, chard, and other items are in Category C.
This diet plan has a 50-day schedule that allows a person to consume only a set number of calories daily. The diet also emphasizes the importance of recording daily ABC meals to ensure adherence to the plan.
ABC Diet Meal Plan and Diet Journal
I mentioned earlier that the ABC diet is a 50-day plan divided into 5 phases for easy understanding. Using a diet journal with ample recording spaces can help you document your daily meals and track your progress effectively.
However, I’ll present the meal plan in a table below so that you can get a clear idea about the daily range and food intake rules of each phase, including tracking the fats consumed:
| Phase | Count of Days | Daily Calorie Intake |
|---|---|---|
| First 10 Days | Days 1-2 | Consume 500 calories per day |
| Day 3 | Reduce your calorie intake to 300 | |
| Day 4 | Increase calorie intake to 400 | |
| Day 5 | Limit your intake to just 100 calories. | |
| Day 6 | Increase it to 200 calories. | |
| Days 7-9 | Until you consume 500 calories daily, gradually increase your daily calorie intake by 100. | |
| Day 10 | Skip all food and observe a fast for the entire day. | |
| Day 11 to Day 20 | Day 11 | Start with 150 calories |
| Day 12 | Enhance your intake to 200 calories | |
| Day 13 | Raise it to 400 calories | |
| Days 14-16 | Reduce your daily calorie intake by 350, 250, and 200 over time. | |
| Day 17 | Fast | |
| Day 18 | Consume 200 calories | |
| Day 19 | Take 100 calories | |
| Day 20 | Fast | |
| Day 21 to Day 30 | Day 21 | Start with 300 calories and reduce by 50 calories daily until you only consume 50 calories daily. |
| Days 22-23 | Take in 100 calories. | |
| Days 24-25 | Increase it to 200 calories | |
| Day 26 | Take 300 calories | |
| Day 27 | Consume 800 calories | |
| Days 28-30 | End this phase with a full-day fast. | |
| Day 31 to Day 34 | Day 31 | For the first two days, start with 250 calories and add 100 daily. |
| Day 34 | Fast on this day. | |
| Day 35 to Day 50 | Days 35-50 | This is the longest phase. Cut that amount from 500 calories at the beginning by 50 calories every day until, on the seventh day, you are down to 200 calories. |
Benefits of the ABC Diet for Weight Loss
Here are some of the pros of the ABC diet.
- Rapid weight loss
The most significant benefit of the ABC diet is that it works as a perfect system for weight loss. It burns enough calories and stimulates the body to use pre-stored body fat for energy.
By following the ABC diet, some people aim to burn fat forever and maintain their weight loss in the long term.
Also, this diet plan can help reduce or prevent diabetes. In this case, adding or subtracting some foods may be necessary.
- Low in saturated fat and cholesterol
The focus on fruits, vegetables, and lean protein sources naturally keeps saturated fat and cholesterol intake low.
- Structured Eating Plan
The ABC Diet assigns calorie targets for each day of the week. It provides a structured eating plan. Some people like this strict regimen because it tells them exactly what and how much they can eat each day.
Of course, I appreciate this benefit, but you must remember that this diet plan is unhealthy. Moreover, your weight may come back after a certain diet period.
A Few Tips for a Successful Rollout
If you follow an ABC diet plan, I suggest you do it successfully. Therefore, I would like to share some tips here. Hopefully, you will definitely succeed in:
- Follow the instructions carefully
Follow the diet chart mindfully to get maximum effectiveness.
- Manage your portions
Pay attention to the portion of food you consume. Never take more than the prescribed amount.
- Conscious eating
Consciously consume food, follow the chart, and enjoy every bite. Listen for cues when your stomach is full or empty.
- Include physical activity
Regular exercise is necessary to make the diet plan successful. No doubt it will work to improve overall health.
- Continue to be hydrated
Regardless of the amount of food you consume, it is essential to digest and metabolize it on time. You should drink enough water daily.
- Monitor your electrolyte intake
Monitor your electrolyte intake to avoid imbalances and maintain overall health.
- Keep track of your supplement intake
Keep track of your supplement intake to ensure you are meeting your nutritional needs.
5 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Doing ABC Diet
I am almost sure that even after knowing everything, there are probably some tiny mistakes in your diet until you know them.
So, for added awareness, I would like to remind you of potential mistakes:
- Combining fish and meat
Choosing food items rich in protein is essential. But never combine fish and meat as eating them together is out of this diet rule.
- Taking outside of specified alcohol
Although alcohol consumption is allowed on this diet, it is limited to the prescribed few. Therefore, taking anything outside of this will spoil the diet. You can only drink a martini, whiskey, or dry wine.
- Consuming food in large portions
Do not consume the amount of food given in the chart at one time. Instead, divide it into 5 to 6 portions and eat throughout the day.
- Strenuous physical activity
Avoid strenuous physical activity. You already know that you will feel a little weak while on this diet plan. Furthermore, strenuous exercise during this time will weaken you even more.
- Going to bed after meals
If you have such a habit, avoid it at least during diet periods. To facilitate digestion and metabolism, take a short walk after meals and then go to bed.
- Combining the ABC diet with intermittent fasting
Avoid combining the ABC diet with intermittent fasting unless advised by a healthcare professional.
Read Also: Meat and Fruit Diet Review
Unfavorable Reactions to the ABC Diet
Surprisingly, I have also found some serious risk factors or side effects that you should not avoid.
Some individuals may experience abc flu symptoms, such as headaches and leg cramps, while on this diet.
Your body will store more fat than before, and you will gain more than your lost weight.
One of the risk factors of the ABC diet is low blood sugar, which leads to low energy levels.
Besides, there is a risk of losing muscle mass because the body constantly lacks essential vitamins. The side effects are below:
- Weakness feeling
- Fatigue
- Malnutrition
- dizziness
- Cortisol problems
- Low blood pressure
- Sleep problems and stress
- Dysregulation of metabolism
- Feelings of cold sensitivity
- Leg cramps: A common issue due to electrolyte imbalances.
You can also consider trying different healthy diets, such as the BBBE diet or the Agoge Diet.
ABC Diet Food: Daily ABC Meals
While on the ABC diet, you need to eat healthy and definitely not processed foods. These include:
- Peanuts
- Apples
- Chicken
- Almonds
- Broccoli
- Oats
- Tuna
- Rice
- Pineapple
- Eggs
It is recommended that you eat low-fat yogurt of your choice. You can have eggs without butter or oil.
Also, enjoy tuna, but don’t make a salad with it. Moreover, you can add any vegetables of your choice to the diet plan only when calories are required.
ABC Diet Before After Success Story
People on the internet also share their weekly positive achievements of doing the ABC Diet.
One example is Simon, who managed to lose weight and shed more than 30 pounds on the ABC Diet after years of yo-yo dieting. He credits the diet’s focus on protein and healthy eating for his success.
Another success story comes from Sarah, who lost 20 pounds on the ABC Diet and has kept it off for over a year.
She says the diet helped her to develop healthy eating habits that she can stick with for the long term.
Is the ABC Diet Safe?
Generally, it is not safe. The ABC diet plan is not healthy as it causes several physical issues.
This diet system reduces weight excessively and raises your calories to a dangerous level.
Therefore, I suggest consulting a healthcare professional before starting this diet plan. If he conveys that it is safe according to your health status, then carry on. While the diet aims for rapid weight loss, it may not support long-term optimum health.
Wrap Up
So that’s it! The ABC Diet promises fast weight loss and a structured eating plan.
Some people have had success, but there can be negative reactions like weakness, fatigue, and nutritional deficiencies. Additionally, monitoring your supplement intake can help mitigate some of the diet’s negative effects.
The diet’s strict phases and calorie restrictions may cause the body to store more fat and lose muscle mass.
