Fad diet claims weight loss in 3 days

A fad diet circulating on the Internet claims people can lose 10 pounds in three days by following its all-day menu. While it has drawn some hoping for a quick solution for shedding pounds, would a cardiac doctor recommend it?

Sylvia McNair said while she is trying to lose some weight, she still enjoys her meat and potatoes. So, when she heard about the so-called "Cardiac Unit of Birmingham Hospital Diet," she said bring it on.

"Ten pounds in three days?" she said. "I want to try it."

The three-day diet starts with drinking black coffee or tea, a half a grapefruit, one slice of toast and a tablespoon of peanut butter. For lunch, the dieter eats a half a cup of tuna, one slice of toast and coffee or tea. For dinner, it's two slices of any meat, one cup of green beans, one cup of carrots and one small apple.

On days two and three, the menu changes up a bit, including hot dogs and vanilla ice cream for dinner. So, is the diet too good to be true?

"I would not recommend this," said Dr. David W. Markham, a cardiologist at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. "What we typically recommend is low fat, low cholesterol diet."

Dr. Markham said the three-day diet could be far too little fuel for a dieter.

"It's very difficult to imagine long term, good weight loss with good health on this particular diet," he said.

However, he said some studies show eating a diet high in protein, like the Atkins diet, works. But, he said diets such as Atkins are harder to maintain over a long period.

In fact, there is no Birmingham Hospital. While the diet is called the "Cardiac Unit of Birmingham Hospital Diet," the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital said there is no validity to the diet.

For those seeking healthy ways to drop pounds, Dr. Markham recommended the American Heart Association website for diets and tips to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Meanwhile, McNair said she still may give the three-day diet a go.

"It sounds too good to be true, but I want to try it anyway," she said.