The 3-Hour Diet was developed by weight loss and fitness expert Jorge Cruise. The basic idea behind this diet is that weight control depends more on when you eat, than on what you eat. This diet gets away from either a low-carbohydrate or a low-fat diet approach.

When to eat on the 3-hour-diet

With this diet, the dieter is supposed to eat approximately every three hours. Cruise believes that when a person eats at longer intervals than three hours, the body starts to consume muscle rather than fat; weight loss generated through muscle loss is not desirable. The diet emphasizes weight loss through control of calories, and does not make restrictions based on types of foods that may be considered healthy or unhealthy. It is expected that this diet will work without requiring any increase in exercise.

What to eat and how much on the 3-hour-diet?

The 3-Hour Diet’s regimen calls for eating a mix of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins every three hours; that mix needs to put those foods into correct portions. This diet does not rely on having the dieter count calories or carbohydrates. Instead, the 3-Hour Diet book offers a kind of template to enable the dieter to visualize the proper sized portions that should be eaten.

In the course of a day, dieters on the 3-Hour Diet will consume three meals, two snacks, and one treat. No foods are specifically ruled out. Breakfast can be eaten at around 7 a.m., followed by a snack at around 10 a.m. Three hours later comes lunch, followed in three hours by a snack, followed in three more hours by dinner. A treat can then be had either with dinner or separately. The three meals are intended to be well-balanced and to have approximately 400 calories per meal; snacks should have around 100 calories each. Typical snacks include Nabisco Snack Packs and Chips Ahoy. The treat should have about 50 calories. One recommended treat is a mini-sized Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

	The 3 Hour Diet assumes a personal has the schedule flexibility that permits this level of regiment. Those of us with a life and a job can't stop everything every 3 hours. This diet emphasizes calorie control and moderation and doesn't limit food choices. Sonoma and eDiets Weight Loss Program are similar in that regard. More on these diets below...

Sonoma Diet

The Sonoma Diet is a unique weight loss plan that brings together, for the first time, the art and science of food. The appreciation and enjoyment of flavorful meals makes for a healthy eating style that becomes second nature. Simple instructions for the amounts and combinations of food make the plate your guide - and it was all designed so that you can shed pounds safely and easily until you reach your target weight.

eDiets Weight Loss Plan

Though eDiets.com hosts a number of different diets on their site, they also propose one of their own. The eDiets Plan is a highly personalized and customized diet plan meant to take into account every individual's different needs and goals. Whatever a person's tastes, preferences and dietary needs, this plan may be customized accordingly. Also, the plan may be changed at any time and is noted for its wide variety and good balance.