According to the Fat Flush Diet, this program works as both a weight loss plan and a detoxification plan. Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., developed the Fat Flush diet as a way to clear out toxins in the liver, which she states slow digestion. Detoxing the liver, in her opinion, enhances the liver's ability to burn fat. Whether you agree with the premise behind detox dieting or not, the Fat Flush plan is a moderate calorie diet that emphasizes healthy foods. Users can expect to lose weight on the three-step plan.
Phase One
Phase one of the Fat Flush diet lasts two weeks. Like most diets divided into phases, the first phase is the most rigid. During this stage, your caloric intake will hover between 1,100 and 1,200 calories. While this is not a super restrictive number of calories, more problematic for most people is the list of foods that are not permitted. They include margarine, oils and other fats (with the exception of flaxseed oil), sugar, alcohol and all grain and starch products, including whole grains, breads, cereals and starchy vegetables. No dairy is permitted in phase one either. A typical meal during the first phase could include lean protein, such as chicken or fish, a green salad with homemade vinaigrette of flaxseed oil, vinegar and spices, and steamed broccoli.
Phase Two
Phase two of the Fat Flush diet is the main weight loss portion of the program. You will stay on phase two until you reach your weight loss goal. It is still restrictive, but you can add a couple hundred calories to your diet in the form of whole grain carbohydrates such as brown rice, or starchy carbs like sweet potatoes or peas. The other dietary restrictions, such as lean cuts of meat and using flaxseed oil, remain.
Phase Three
Once you reach your weight loss goal, you enter phase three of the Fat Flush diet, or the maintenance phase. In phase three, you can add more carbohydrates, although they are still restricted and the emphasis is on whole grain products, and low-fat dairy products. You are permitted two servings of low-fat dairy and four servings of carbohydrates each day. It is important to carefully monitor serving sizes during this phase, as many people are surprised at how small an actual serving of brown rice (one-half cup) or one sweet potato (about three and one-half ounces) is.
Exercise
The Fat Flush diet encourages dieters to include both cardiovascular exercise and weight training in their diet programs. The emphasis on exercise will help dieters lose weight and firm up, which may encourage the dieter to remain on the program.
References
- The Fat Flush Plan; Gittleman, Ann Louise; 2002.
- Free Dieting: Fat Flush Plan
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