Experts Explain the 30-30-30 Diet Plan: Does It Work?

PERHAPS YOU'VE SEEN 30-30-30, the three-part morning routine touted as a weight loss miracle on TikTok. The straightforward approach to setting up your day focuses on the number 30 (obviously) and applies it to food and exercise.

The 30-30-30 plan isn't even really a diet, at least in the traditional sense, but more of a daily practice intended to lay the foundation for a solid morning and successful day. Though some proponents of 30-30-30 do argue that the approach can help you lose weight.

Can such a simple approach really help with weight loss? And does the whole 30-30-30 thing even check out scientifically? Let's dig in.

What Is the 30-30-30 Diet?

THE 30-30-30 PLAN blew up when biohacker Gary Brecka described it on TikTok, although the diet itself traces back to the 2010 book The Four Hour Body by Tim Ferriss. The method is simple: Eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up. Then, do 30 minutes of steady low-intensity cardio with your heart rate below 135 beats per minute.

Many social media influencers tout 30-30-30 as a weight loss strategy (Brecka has said he’s never seen a diet “strip fat off a human” like this one.) The supposed mechanism on how 30-30-30 works for fat loss: by eating a protein-rich breakfast, you protect your muscles so you burn fat, not lean mass, during the workout that follows.

Does the 30-30-30 Diet Work?

THAT'S KIND OF a complicated question, largely because while 30-30-30 is based in some key practices of good health, it also oversimplifies diet and exercise by leaving out a few critical components.

But let's start first with what makes sense.

Protein is a Smart Breakfast Staple.

Research suggests that high-protein diets can reduce body fat and maintain muscle mass by keeping you full and satisfied so you eat less overall. Experts recommend 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per day for every kilogram of your body weight.

So why not start with 30 grams first thing? “This method allows us to get a good dose of protein first thing in the morning, potentially helping us meet protein goals throughout the day a little easier,” says Sarah Keathley, M.S., R.D., L.D., a nutritionist at Top Nutrition Coaching. A recent study review published in Nutrition Reviews even showed an association between high-protein morning meals and greater muscle mass.

An Early Breakfast is a Good Breakfast.

While there’s no magic to the 30-minute window for eating breakfast, eating early is probably a good idea. One recent study in BMC Nutrition showed that the earlier people ate after waking, the healthier their breakfast, perhaps because they weren’t crunched for time. Another study in the European Journal of Nutrition suggests that eating early is associated with better metabolic health, including insulin function, in men, perhaps because blood sugar processing is most efficient after a night of sleep.

A Morning Workout Can Help You Get Moving.

A rule like this could keep you honest about exercise. “As many of us are lacking in physical activity, this can be a benefit, especially getting active first thing in the morning before potentially sitting all day at a desk,” says Keathley.

You Start Thinking About Your Health Right Away.

A less obvious benefit of the 30-30-30 plan is mindfulness, says Keathley. “It gets you thinking about food, your nutrition plan for the day, how you can squeeze in exercise, and hopefully the quality of what you are eating,” she says.

That's all the good stuff. And it is good. But where 30-30-30 falls flat is science has not yet proven if there's any magic in the combination approach. More research is needed to show whether combining them this way works. “There are no direct research studies that examine the exact 30-30-30 method and its effect on a group of individuals at this time,” says Keathley.

Plus, while 30-30-30 is simple and easy to remember, its simplicity could be a problem. Here are the drawbacks of the strategy.

a portrait of fit mixed race man resting after doing exercise at home, drinking juice

Halfpoint Images//Getty Images

30-30-30 Ignores Calories.

You could, technically, meet your 30-gram morning protein requirements with a Breakfast Baconator™ combo from Wendy’s. But that meal probably won’t help you lose weight at 710 calories and a measly 1 gram of filling fiber.

“Although protein is an excellent macronutrient that our body needs to function, weight loss primarily stems from a calorie deficit,” says Keathley. “During a calorie deficit, our body taps into stored fat as its source of energy, leading to weight loss.” (Here’s how to find your daily calorie count.)

The One-Size-Fits-All Workout Plan Might Not Work For You...

The 30-30-30 plan “does not address whether each individual may need a different level of physical activity to best meet their own health needs,” says Keathley.

…Or Work At All.

Low-intensity cardio has had mixed results in research studies. In a study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, middle-aged people who did workouts similar to the steady light cardio in the 30-30-30 plan didn’t lose weight over 24 weeks. Another study published in the journal Obesity showed that similar levels of exercise helped participants lose about six pounds in 12 weeks, but it didn’t matter whether they worked out in the morning or at night.

“Exercise alone rarely leads to weight loss,” says Leanne Redman, M.S., Ph.D., F.T.O.S., a professor of clinical sciences at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, “and there are several reasons as to why that is.”

Your morning workout can only do so much. For one, if you don’t track overall exercise and make adjustments to your diet, you can easily eat more calories than you burned. Plus, often when we burn calories in exercise, we burn fewer elsewhere through the day, “so the net impact of exercise on daily calories is small for most people,” she says.

Should You Do the 30-30-30 Diet?

MAYBE? THE 30-30-30 diet probably isn’t the secret to dramatic weight loss, but it could help you establish a healthy morning routine. “Be cautious and when implementing any plan, fit it to your own lifestyle needs to make it realistic,” says Keathley. “The end goal of any nutrition journey is to create healthy and sustainable habits.”

For high-quality breakfasts with at least 30 grams of protein, try the following:

Protein Drinks

If you aren’t a big eater in the mornings, protein drinks (whether ready-made or mixed up with protein powder) can help you hit 30 grams fast. Check out our favorite recipes.

Eggs

Every large egg has about six grams of protein. Pair a few with lean meat and a high-fiber grain to make it a complete meal. Or make egg bites. Create an omelet. The options are endless,” says Keathley.