Dr. Ian K. Smith's New York Times best-seller and program, "The Fat Smash Diet: The Last Diet You'll Ever Need," is used on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, where Smith is the medical/diet expert. Based on the belief that "diets don't fail people, rather people fail diets," Smith designed this four-phase weight-loss plan that helps you with those seemingly inevitable diet slip-ups, and claims that you can still lose pounds despite the occasional splurge.
Overview of the Fat Smash Diet
Smith's program works to change and improve your relationship with food, while incorporating regular exercise to boost weight loss and heart health. Fat Smash's four phases are built on the idea of a pyramid: Detoxification, Foundation, Construction and Temple. Each builds on the previous phase, recreating behaviors and introducing more foods and exercise into the regimen.
Guiding Principles
On Fat Smash, you do not need to count calories, but rather focus on not overeating or skipping meals. Smith believes you should eat four or five small meals per day, each with fresh fruits or vegetables, regardless of the phase. Eating every three to four hours is meant to create a routine, so you are less likely to overeat or eat restricted foods. For the Detoxification phase, this means no bread products, cheese, nuts, sweets or alcohol.
Foods on the Fast Smash Diet
During Detoxification, you can eat fruits, vegetables, egg whites, beans, oatmeal, low-fat milk and yogurt, herbal tea and water. Foods with higher fat or carbohydrates, such as avocados, potatoes and dairy, are limited in portion. Foods with more fat and sugar, such as lean meats, cheese, peanut butter, some cereal and sweeteners, can be introduced in the Foundation phase. You can introduce more whole grains and dairy, as well as coffee and diet soda, during Construction, though some quantities are limited. During Temple, white starch options are unlimited, and you can have three beers or glasses of wine per week.
Maintaining Weight Loss
Smith claims Fat Smash is a lifestyle approach to health as it includes a maintenance plan. The Temple phase is your eating plan for life, including a less restrictive diet regimen and five hours of exercise per week. If you gain weight, you can return to the Detoxification phase and then re-continue with the program.
Risks and Benefits
Weight loss during the first phase of Fat Smash is due to extreme calorie restriction, which can be dangerous, so you should do this phase responsibly. It is thought that slow and consistent weight loss is better for long-term maintenance, but the subsequent phases of this diet are less restrictive. The focus throughout is on nutrient-dense foods from each food group and regular exercise, which are both beneficial in reducing the risk of developing chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Before starting any weight loss program, talk with your health care provider to determine if it is a good option for you.
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