Hi, has anyone gone on the "Fat Flush Plan" (by Ann Louise Gittleman, Barry Sears)? (Also has: "The Complete Fat Flush Plan", "The Fat Flush Fitness Plan" and "The Fat Flush Cookbook", etc.)

The Complete Fat Flush Program: (from Amazon)

"This pack includes: The Fat Flush Plan, The Fat Flush Cookbook, and The Fat Flush Journal and Shopping Guide. The Fat Flush Plan is a program based on a smart combination of healthy essential fats, balanced proteins and quality carbohydrates arranged in a strict daily routine. Detoxifying the liver and cleansing the lymphatic system, the program increases metabolism while eliminating the appearance of cellulite. The Fat Flush Cookbook is a companion to the above, although it can also be used on its own. Not just another low-carb cookbook, it features over 200 recipes targeted for each phase of the program. These recipes contain the world's best fat-flushing foods, plus unique cleansing and metabolism-boosting herbs and spices (like ginger, cayenne, mustard, anise, fennel and cinnamon). The Fat Flush Journal and Shopping Guide provides readers with a convenient way of recording their daily and weekly progress in the Fat Flush diet, along with giving them helpful checklists to use while shopping for their favorite Fat Flush foods."

It sounds pretty good, but it might be too strict and too restrictive for me. I want a plan that I can stay on for the rest of my life...I'm just wondering if that is possible with this. I think though I know enough about healthy eating to transition to a lifelong plan after being on a plan like this. My metabolism is really slow, so I could use some help. I'm 54, oops, just turned 55.

Also, how about "The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet" by Ann Louise Gittleman. The full name of the book is: "The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet: Boost metabolism, get rid of fattening toxins, safely lose up to 8 pounds overnight and keep them off for good"

From Amazon re: The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet:

"Once again, renowned health pioneer and bestselling author Ann Louise Gittleman has a quick, no-strings-attached solution that is also good for you. She is always on the cutting edge of developing new methods to rejuvenate the body and facilitate weight loss and she’s done it again in The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet. Gittleman takes the age-old method of fasting and incorporates it into a safe and healthy one-day plan that helps you lose weight fast, gets rid of toxins, and gives your body a cleansing boost to prepare it for even more weight loss down the road."

"So, use The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet to jump start an over-40 metabolism, melt away vacation or holiday pounds, break a diet plateau, get in shape for that high school reunion or wedding, and even help heal a chronic illness. Even if you’ve been slow to lose weight in the past, the pounds will melt away quickly during your one-day fast. Inside there are recipes to prepare for the fast, shopping lists, and tips for sailing through the fast."

I've been reading about them on Amazon (I have my doubts in regards to the One-Day Detox Diet, but the Fat Flush Plan I may check out), so far, they've both received pretty good reviews (I'm going to check the books out of our public library first before I decide if I want to buy the books). I am still a fan of lowering calories (lowering fat & eating good carbs), exercising, and drinking plenty of water. I just am looking for something to help me as based on my metabolism, there's no way I can lose more than 1 pound a week without going down to around 600-800 calories (which I tried and had some short term health problems as a result).

Thanks all!

Cheree

I've not been on the Fat Flush Plan but I have read the book. It is a good diet but it is VERY structured and strict. It is both low calorie and low carb and you would likely lose some weight quickly on it. She has some odd things on it, like drinking a cranberry juice cocktail with ground flaxseeds in it. She is also against any artificial sweeteners except stevia, and also against caffeine. She recommends an herbal coffee called teecino which I have tried and find it a bit odd. Interestingly, no one mentions this but Ann Louise Gittleman is Jewish and there is clearly a bias against pork in her book that seems completely irrational. She seems fine with seafood though. One of the positive things about it is that it is one of the few low carb diets that allows you to eat fruit from day one. Hope that helps.

Thanks for replying petra65. I'm not sure I want to try something that is as structured and strict like this sounds!!! Thanks again, your insight was very helpful and very much appreciated.

Cheree

Hi Cheree, I have the book and decided it was just way too structured and complicated for me - and I'm an experienced dieter. (Note I said experienced, not successful!)
If you go to the 3FC home page you can get some info on the differnt diets in this Forum. Perhaps that will help you make up your mind.

A good friend of mine and his ex-wife (while they were still married) both did the Fat Flush Plan and lost a good deal of weight. However, it was very strict, and he lamented it every chance he got. And as soon as he stopped following the plan exactly, although he was still careful about what he ate (he went to more of a calorie-counting diet), he gained back almost all of the weight he had lost. His ex gained back most of her weight too, though I admit I don't know about her dietary habits since they separated.

Also, about the "Fast Track One Day Detox" plan--it takes about 2 weeks. You have to "prepare" your body for the detox (which is basically just a juice fast), then the one day of detox, then another 4+ days of "recovery." This version is even more strict than the Fat Flush Plan, and I'm willing to bet the same re-gain would happen as soon as it's over.

~Elisha

Thanks to everyone for their response. I guess it's the ole "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.". Thanks again!

Cheree

P.S. I'm a lifelong WW and I've tried South Beach some as well. Basically, because of my lower metabolism, I just have to be patient with less of a weight loss per week than I'd like (I use to be able to lose 2 pounds a week without a problem, but now that I'm older, I need to be happy with 1 pound a week). (I'm 55). My doctor suggested losing 5-10 pounds over a six month period, then maintain that for six months, then go for another 5-10 pounds, etc. My goal is to lose a total of 30 pounds and keep it off THIS time. To be honest, losing weight isn't as hard for me as keeping it off. I need to make lifelong changes to my eating habits, which I can do and I've actually made a lot of very good changes (I need to push back up my exercising), but it seems like I'm going to have to plan on a lower daily calorie count - even though what I eat would work for those with a higher metabolism, for me, I have to go much less. I just thought one of these plans could be a healthy jump start for me...but neither one really sounds worth it.

Thanks again!!

Hi there. I just thought I'd weigh in here on the Fat Flush plan. I have been on the plan for the last couple of months. (I have not done the 1 day detox thing) Now, I have to admit that the plan is very restrictive for the first 2 weeks. I honestly didn't think I would get through it but after a week all the cravings I had for carbs, sweet stuff and fatty junk food was gone. If you can make it through the first two weeks, then you can do the plan becuase the first 2 weeks are the hardest. THe plan emphasizes vegetables, protein, fruit, and good fats. It also emphasizes detoxifying the liver and helping the lympatic system to work better. I like it becuase it is a whole body apporach to health and not just a diet. If you really want to know what it's all about, I would suggest reading the book or doing a little further reasearch on the Internet. I hope this helps.

I haven't read the book, but the news program 20/20 interviewed some of the most respected nutrition and health experts in the country and asked their opinion of the program.

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Health/st...=651133&page=1

Here are some snippets:

Thanks everyone for the information! I appreciate it.

Cheree

I have read the book and found that lemon/water mixture in the morning to be awful. I am sticking with the cranberry juice.

Well, I have to jump in here. I read her book "Eat Fat, Lose Weight" and a lot of what she said just made a lot of sense to me. I then picked up the Fat Flush Plan Book and read it and again a lot of it makes sense. It is not a eating plan that I would follow but I do think her ideas about fats in our diets make sense and so I have included both flaxseed and evening primrose into my daily program along with a multi vitamin. I started this on the 19th and upon weigh in today had lost 3.6 pounds on my 11th week at WW.

I started including the Cranberry juice with water at night and the lemon water in the morning as well though I hate Stevia and am using a bit of Splenda.

Before I started WW I stopped eating White Flour and Sugar and I have stopped using all diet products except for Splenda which I limit. I feel a lot better since making these changes and I have seen an improvement in the shine of my hair and my excema has improved a lot.

I think you really need to take any "DIET Program" with a grain of salt. If it makes sense and fits into your lifestyle then go for it, or as I do take the elements from it that work for you and that you can afford and incorporate them into your program.

I made sure with my doctor that the oils would not be a problem for me and she said they certainly cannot hurt you and you may see some improvement.

And I have.