The 3E Diet – Three Eggs a Day Diet

Unfortunately, I’ve been on dozens of diets in my lifetime – losing weight isn’t really a problem, but keeping it off is.  If you have the key to keeping it off please let me know!!!  Anyways, I have formulated different foods over the years and some of those diets left me plain tired and hungry.  Over the last few years, I formulated the 3E Diet below, which keeps me mildly energetic, not hungry, and allows me to lose weight for travel and health.   I continue to have low cholesterol and blood pressure on this diet. 

I’ve been having some leg pain lately and decided my ability to fully enjoy travel in the future depends on my ability to lose weight and keep it off.  I’ve also had some poor experiences while traveling in certain countries, like this time lots of things went wrong while traveling fat in Indonesia.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight for better health, or better mobility, please try the diet below and let me know how it goes.

Disclaimer:  check with your doctor before starting this or any other diet.

3E Diet – Overview

Brace yourself – your goal calorie intake on this diet is 1200 calories a day.  You can expect to lose 2 pounds a week on this diet.

The 3E Diet Breakfast

Breakfast has to be easy, I’m usually up, want a quick bite, then get into work.  Breakfast is around 200 calories and consists of one of the following each day:

• Cheerios – 2 cups.  This is by far the best choice for breakfast cereal, gluten free with only 2 grams of sugar and over 6 grams of protein in 2 cups.  Plus 22% of your daily fiber and lots of added minerals.
• A small to medium avocado.  If I’m craving fat, and avocados are on sale, this is a good, quick breakfast.
• If I need a protein pick me up – A pre-made protein shake – the newer keto-like shakes come in around 165 calories and have lots of protein, vitamins, and a little fiber. I especially like these gluten-free, low sugar, but tasty Atkins Protein Shakes.

The 3E Diet Lunch

I target 400 calories at lunch.  Here’s where the 3 eggs come in – it’s lunch time so now’s your chance to eat 3 eggs. 

During the work week, my typical packed lunch is:

• 3 hard boiled eggs.  Hint: I boil a dozen at a time so it’s easy to pack lunch.  It’s fine to season the eggs with various spices or squirt a little mustard or low sugar salsa to make them more interesting.
• 2 tablespoons of flax seeds.  These have to be ground to get the full effect but I put a few in my mouth and chew them up really good, they taste like nuts.  A great way to get omega oils and fiber.
• A veggie salad or bunch of raw vegetables.  The veggies I like to eat raw include:
  • Celery
  • Radishes
  • Carrots
  • Peppers – bell and mini sweet
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Kohlrabi
  • Green beans
  • Cabbage

During the weekend, I typically have 3 scrambled eggs and vegetables.  Here’s my easy, no fat added scrambled egg method:

• Get a pyrex bowl (I most like this Pyrex 4 Cup Round Bowl)
• Break 3 eggs
• Add a little water and stir
• Consider adding veggies such as diced onions or peppers, or a sliced turkey link sausage, and stir.  If adding sausage, you may have to cook a little longer.
• Put in microwave for 2 minutes.  Stir at 1:00 and 1:30 so get the runny spots cooked.
• If you’re craving dairy, add a slice of cheese when you have about 15 seconds left, it will melt on top.

The 3E Diet Dinner

I target 400 calories at dinner.  As you can see above, there isn’t a lot of variety in this diet, so dinner is your chance to get a little more creative.   I buy frozen chicken breast and vegetables in bulk, and then supplement with fresh things.  Some things I will eat for dinner include:

• Grilled or Sautéed Chicken, Pork, Fish, or Steak and vegetables
• Grill Chicken Salad – greens, chicken, other low-carb toppings and light dressing
• Chicken Taco Salad – greens, chicken, a scoop of cottage cheese (decent sour cream alternative), salsa.
• Stir-fry with riced cauliflower
• Fried Cabbage with sliced link turkey sausage
• Cottage Cheese and vegetables
• If I’m in a snacking mood, I’ll pop a bag of butter flavored microwave popcorn and eat that as my meal – I especially like this on a weekend when I’m enjoying a movie.
• Canned Tuna Ceviche – tuna with lime or lemon juice, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro
• If I’m on the go, I try to make my own microwave meal of some of the above, but I do occasionally eat prepared foods such as a microwave meal or chunky soup or chili.

The 3E Diet Other

If you’re doing the math, the above only adds to 1000, so you have 200 calories to spare. You can either have a light snack, a drink, or add it to one or more of your meal allowances.

Allowable Beverages in on 3E Diet

With limited calories it’s important to stay well hydrated on this diet, it also helps prevent the hunger.  Here are the drinks I have on this diet:

• Unlimited – Water, tea (black, green, herbal) without added milk or sugar, black coffee.  Spruce up water by adding a slice of lemon, lime, strawberry, etc. 
• Limited – diet soda and sugar free drink mixes.  I try to only have diet soda a couple times a week.  It helps with my sweet tooth but I know the chemicals are not the best for you.   My favorite soda right now is Pepsi Zero (formerly Pepsi Max).

If I know I’m going to a social event, I might save up some calories so I can have a beer or glass of wine. 

Food No-No’s on the 3E Diet

You should try to avoid these foods on the 3D diet –

• Sugar – this is the biggest no-no.  You will likely see an immediate change in your body and mental health if you can cut out added sugar.  I do eat fruit, with natural sugars, but in limited quantities.  This includes all kinds of food – all your traditional desserts, candies, sodas, fancy coffees, as well as some sauces that have loads of added sugar. 
• Bread and Pasta – bread is basically sugar – carbs with little nutritious value
• Chips – again, no nutrition and difficult to not overeat on salty snacks. 

Tracking Calories on the 3E Diet

Consider downloading an app that keeps count for you. I personally estimate calories so don’t exactly hit 1200 a day. If you want to be more exact, you may consider purchasing a food scale.

3E Diet Exercise

You should try to exercise at least 3 times a week.  It’s important to lift weights/use your muscles and do weight-bearing exercises to keep your legs in shape for travel, which includes lots of walking if you want it to. 

Cost of the 3E Diet

I’ve heard of some crazy expensive diets, with lots of prepared foods that aren’t that much easier to prepare than this diet.  The 3E diet is one of the cheapest diets you can do.  Eggs are one of the consistently cheap sources of protein.  If I watch for sales on chicken, eggs, veggies, Cheerios, etc., you can spend $5 or less per day for food on this diet.  Think of all the money you will save!    If you wish, keep a “piggy bank” to store your savings and then use it for a fun trip or to buy some new clothes after/while you lose your weight!

What do you think of this diet?    If you try this diet, I’d love to get your feedback and share your success stories below!

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