[Red Diablo]

Is anyone here on this? Its a little different than the Fat Smash Diet, which a lot of people on this forum are on. Today is my 4th day on this and the end of the 1st phase. I wanted to wait until tomorrow morning to weigh myself, but I got anxious this morning. Mostly because I feel like I've been eating so much food that I was almost convinced that I didn't even lose any weight! Well this morning I couldn't hold out anymore and I got on the dreaded scale. I was down 4.8 lbs! Woohoo! I still have today in this phase and I plan on taking this kick-a** kickboxing class at the gym tonight so hopefully I can lose at least .2 by tomorrow morning to make it an even 5 lbs in 4 days!

But I have some questions about this diet going forward. So if anyone has been on it, please speak up

[calmommy3]

I just finished day 12 and I've lost 6 pounds. I'm always a little hungry but it's my fault because I don't eat all the food (laziness and just plain desire for other foods). I'm curious to know how you are doing. I have about 15 more pounds to lose and I'm getting a little desperate. I must say that this diet has been pretty easy to do and the ingredients are simple to put together. I think I've lost more weight, more quickly on this particular diet and believe me I've tried a few. Good luck!!!

[Red Diablo]

Woohoo! Good for you! I follow this, but also added my own twist. It works for me, so far I've lost 13.8 lbs and I just finished the 5th week. I've been consistently losing over 2 lbs a week. I do 4 days, then on the 5th day (Friday) I eat like a combo of the stuff that I've eaten over the past 4 days, then on sat and sun I eat what I want, but just watch and make smarter choices. I don't really lose over the weekend, except for maybe a few ounces here and there, but I'm not gaining..so thats good for me! I would never stick with it if I did the phases consecutively. I know I wouldn't be able to eat the specific foods on the weekends. So, maybe I would have lost 5 more lbs than I have already, but I also may have stuck with it this long. I think dieting is about finding what works for you. This way works for me, even if it is slower than the diet plan was designed for. I also go to the gym a lot, so I know that helps me.

15 more lbs to go is awesome! I have 16 more for my first goal, so I'm right behind ya! Then I want to lose another 20 past that, but I'm not even thinking about that right now. For now, its 16 more to go and then I'll see how I feel
I do love this diet. Once I'm done, I'll go back to weight watcher for maintenance, since I was maintaining on WW for the past 2 years when I was trying to lose lol I think my body needed a jolt of something different!
Keep me updated on this, no one else here seems to be on this diet

[calmommy3]

Wow, you are doing really well!!! I continue with the same loss of 6lbs. I'm not disappointed because for 14 days I consider that pretty good. You on the other hand seem to be having more success, so awesome. My exercising habits are not as good as yours. I'm getting only 3 (maybe 4) workouts into my week. I really have no good excuse for it. It is what it is!!!

I'm definitely going to finish the seven modules. Hopefully, I will lose at least another 2-4lbs. I will probably start all over again depending on my results. I'm hoping that more weight loss will motivate me to exercise more (wishful thinking).

So have you done all the modules? I'm scared to start the smooth module (I saved it for tomorrow so I could eat pizza at a Super Bowl party). Feel as though I will overindulge. Thanks for sharing with me. I can't seem to find anywhere else to get information.

Wishing you continued success!!!!

[Red Diablo]

6 lbs is great! Think of it this way, you could have not followed any plan and been 6 llbs heavier. The days are gonna pass whether you are dieting or not, so if the day passes, might as well be 1 lbs lighter!
Today I'm starting the 4th stage-I don't have the book on my right now, but I think its the Smooth Module. I know how you feel with thinking that this one may slow down your weight loss! For me, I'm probably going to modify the foods a bit. For example, today it says to eat 2 pieces of pizza. I'm actually going to eat a Lean Cuisine pizza. Its still delicious but yet as much fat and cals as regular pizza. Plus, I'm not gonna order a whole pie for 2 slices :-p
There are some other low fat choices you can make to take the place of the foods on this weeks list that seem a little indulgent. Like I mentioned, I cheat on the weekends, so I try to really strict during the week when its a lot easier for me. So I really don't need to eat a burger and fries when I would have that on sat if I wanted to lol Instead, I'd rather have a veggie burger with maybe some sauted red onion and portabella mushroom on top with a nice salad.
There's also a day that says to eat chili. Sometimes (even during phase 1) I'll just mix rice, red kidney beans, and a little bit of hot sauce (hardly any cals and no fat) with that packaged chilli powder. Tastes like chili to me! And the spicy makes it very filling! I try to add chili powder or hot sauce to a lot of things because of the filling factor.

I hope some of my little tips helped! Like I said, I add my own little twists to this to make it livable for me

[jenne1017]

I am on South Beach but saw Celebrity Fit Club (DVR) tonight and saw the new diet. I'd be interested in both your progress Sounds like a neat and doable concept (I love my SB though!).

[Winnie]

Today is Day 4 of the first module (detox) for me. It is easy to prepare the food and inexpensive. I'm used to much more protein.

I was really hungry both afternoons the second day and third. I saved some of the more substantial foods for supper and that cured it. Rice, lentils, cabbage soup. There were just two or three hours there that my mind kept going back to food. I had a piece of fruit and a salad, but that just doesn't stop hunger very well for me. The "4-Day" part keeps me honest. I can do 4 days! Also, I look ahead at the next module and see some meat in my future! Yea!!

I was really exhausted all day yesterday. Didn't workout at all. This morning I feel much more energetic. I think I'll be up for some cardio. Oh, and I'm also having 3 cups of coffee every morning. I don't find any good reason not to. I will weigh this afternoon, but feel like I've lost some. I don't look as puffy in the middle.

It is hard to find any other information from people who have done it. I'll try to keep updating. Thanks to everyone else who is posting their experience!

[ohmai]

I'm on SB too, but this looks really interesting. I'm not finding much information on the diet though. Can any one give an idea of what the foods are like?

[Red Diablo]

The first phase is a detox phase. So its mostly fruits (2-3 servings a day, except on day 4 when its unlimited) veggies, lots of salad, lots of beans, and brown rice. I'm actually a really big fan of this phase and I feel great when the week is over. That's why I actually go back to this phase every other week.

The other phases start to incorporate more foods in. Phase 2 allows you to eat 4 oz of chicken or fish daily, as well as 2 100-150 calorie snacks throughout the day. Phase 3 allows some turkey sandwichs, more eggs, and veggie or turkey burgers. In Phase 4 you can start to eat even more foods (pizza on day 1, hamburger and fries on another day) Once you get to phase 4 and 5, its all about portion control and having you fill up on good foods (beans, veggies, salad, fruit, etc) so that your not terribly hungry for the "bad" foods you are allowed to eat. Since I do the detox phase in between each phase, I've only gotten to phase 3. I should have started phase 4 this week, but I was really bad last weekend (ate horribly and no gym at all!) and then Monday I was sick so I ate soup and oatmeal all day (those are my comfort sick foods). I didn't want to backtrack on my 13+ lbs lost, so I did another week of detox.
I think what they do the show is Fat Smash--same doctor, similar diet. I really like the 4 day diet. I did weight watchers and lost 53 lbs, but then I think my body got into a groove and I wound up only maintaining for almost a year. Which is good, I didn't gain, but I also wasn't losing. I wanted to try this to give my body a jolt. So far, so good!

[Winnie]

I was down 4 lbs. yesterday afternoon. Today, I should start the Transition Phase. I'm considering modifying it. For one, I just bought some low-fat yogurt and this morning realize there is none in this phase. Also, I don't like fruit alone for breakfast. I like plain oatmeal with a little banana.

Awh, it looks like that is too much variation. I guess I'll stick with Dr. Ian's plan. I hope I can get myself to get through this four days. Overall, it seems like the Fat Smash diet is much less restrictive. I may switch to that if I cant make it on this.

WebMD has a good description of the 4-Day diet. It includes the Day One menu choices.

I just looked and find I could slip the yogurt in under the "snack" list! It's the little things that make it doable!!

[Red Diablo]

I always make little changes where I need to. I think this is basically a calorie watching diet, and not a chemical diet (chemical diet=having to eat a certain combo of foods to make weight loss happen) So, the way I see it, if the substitutions you are making are of equal, or as close to equal, calories to what you are substituting, you'll be fine. I also don't like to just have fruit for breakfast, so no matter what phase I'm in, I pretty much always have either egg white (thats on the weekend) or yogurt with fruit for breakfast.
I've still been successful on this diet, even with the substitutions I've made. You've gotta do what you gotta do to stick to it. So if you have to make some changes in order for it to be livable for you, then so be it! At least it will keep you sticking to it...and its better than the alternative of NOT doing anything

Your doing great!! Good luck with this phase! I start phase 4 on Monday.

[Winnie]

Thanks, Red! Your success so far is inspiring. I appreciate you sharing your tips.

I just had a yogurt and feel really well. It does seem like eating well is 80% mental. I am really looking forward to a little chicken breast this evening.

[Red Diablo]

Aww, thank you! That was very sweet and I'm glad I can help!

I was actually very bad this past week--I haven't gone to the gym since last Tues (due to being very busy last week, then sick, then crazy snow storm here!) And I didn't really follow and phase too well. So, this morning I weighed in an gained 1.6 lbs. But, this is the ups and downs of weight loss. Sometimes life gets in the way, but you just gotta get right back on that horse! I'm going to the gym tomorrow and then picking myself right back up again. This week I plan on losing at least 2 lbs--the 1.6 I gained and then some!

[calmommy3]

I'm still @ a 6lb loss but surprisingly, I'm still happy. I've done SB but never lost 6lbs in the first phase. I like the this food plan because its doable. In defense of the diet, I haven't done much exercising and I've cheated a couple days. And when I say "cheated", I really really really cheated.
I finally started a zumba class and hoping that kick starts my loss. Good luck to everyone. I'm happy to see some movement on this page.

[Winnie]

Hi Calmommy3! I haven't been too regimented with the exercise either. My cardio is cycling, paddling, or NordicTrack. Unfortunately, we are having remarkably cold weather for Florida and I can't get myself to paddle or cycle. Then, our drywallers started working the third day of Phase 1 so I had to put my NordicTrack in storage. We're living on site in a construction trailer while building our house. Anyhow, I have been doing work related to house building that I'm kinda switching out for the regular cardio.

Yesterday, we went to a Mardi Gras Parade. I did really well - drank seltzer water while everyone else had alcohol. We all chased lots of beads and moon pies. That's exercise, right? But then, we went to a Chinese Buffet! I restrained myself, but am sure I ate at least 500 calories and little of it Dr. Ian approved.

So, today I will strive to maintain Module 2 more strictly. I'm still having 3 cups of coffee daily. But, I feel well and pretty energetic. I'm not hungry anymore in the afternoons. Also, I noticed at the buffet, I wasn't tempted by as much and was feeling full early. I think that just that first module kicked in my "healthy eating" system again. I'm not craving chips or croissants. Usually, I'm a 'fat and carboholic.'

I never did South Beach, but was on The Zone before. I had great luck with that and pretty much followed it's basics until last year when we moved out here to build our house. That's when the fast-food and lack of exercise really started adding up. I think The Zone is similar to South Beach. Low fat, lots of simple carbs and protein at every meal/snack.