Fat Loss 4 Idiots

Definition

Fat Loss 4 Idiots is an 11-day diet based around the idea that changing the type of calories eaten each day will trick the metabolism into burning fat.

Origins

The origins of Fat Loss 4 Idiots are not clear, although the idea that there are ways of “tricking” the body's metabolism into burning more calories has been around for many years. This diet was released on the Internet in late 2004. The diet is owned by a company named “Internet Made Simple,” which is headquartered in Newport Beach, California. The diet is mainly a downloadable meal plan created for each dieter depending on the dieter's personal food preferences. It is only available on the Internet.

Description

Fat Loss 4 Idiots does not require counting calories, protein grams, carbohydrates, or anything else. This is part of the idea behind the diet being “idiot proof.” Instead, the dieter is allowed to eat as much as desired of the foods listed on his or her meal plan, and is encouraged to eat until just full. The meal plan provides four meals per day. The meals are to be eaten at least two and a half hours apart.

The diet begins with a questionnaire about the dieter's food preferences. The 11-day meal plan designed for the dieter can then be downloaded. Although each dieter's meal plan may be different, there seem to be some general themes. Because the diet is created around the idea that the types of calories consumed need to be changed frequently, many days of the meal plan may contain a lot of one type of food, such as protein, but none of another type of food, such as dairy.

The diet contains a lot of lean protein, such as fish and chicken. Some dieters may find that their meal plan contains fish or chicken nearly every day. The plan also contains some fruits and vegetables, although they do not seem to be included in every day.

Simple carbohydrates seem to be especially limited on the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet. Some days have carbohydrates in the form of oatmeal or pasta, or the bread from a sandwich. Other days seem to contain no significant sources of carbohydrates at all. Many days seem to contain some dairy, such as cottage cheese, although others may contain no dairy at all.

The diet contains no preserved, pre-packaged, or processed foods. Most of the foods are to be eaten in a very natural state and minimally prepared. There is very little sugar allowed while on the diet, and none of the days seem to contain any type of dessert.

The meals that are on the created meal plan may often seem more like foods than actual meals. Often the dieter will be allowed to eat chicken for one of his or her meals. This means that he dieter can have as much chicken as he or she would like to eat, but it must be minimally prepared (that is, not breaded, fried, etc.) and it is possible that nothing else will be listed for that meal. Another meal for that day might be just cottage cheese, or just a fish fillet.

KEY TERMS
Dietary supplement—
A product, such as a vitamin, mineral, herb, amino acid, or enzyme, that is intended to be consumed in addition to an individual's diet with the expectation that it will improve health.
Mineral—
An inorganic substance found in the earth that is necessary in small quantities for the body to maintain health. Examples: zinc, copper, iron.
Obese—
More than 20% over an individual's ideal weight for height and age or having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater.
Vitamin—
A nutrient that the body needs in small amounts to remain healthy but that the body cannot manufacture for itself and must acquire through diet.

The meal plans lasts 11 days, during which time the dieter is supposed to be able to lose 9 pounds. After these 11 days the dieter is allowed three “cheat” days during which anything desired can be eaten, then the diet can be begun again. The diet claims that it can be repeated as often as desired until the dieter has attained his or her goal weight.

When the dieter purchases the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet he or she will then be able to download the personalized 11-day meal plan. Dieters can also download a “Diet Handbook” that promises to give the dieter other helpful diet secrets. There are no exercise recommendations given by this diet, and no stress reduction or other healthy living suggestions. There is no significant support available for dieters on this program from the program's website or by telephone.

Function

Fat Loss 4 Idiots reports that it allows dieters to lose 9 pounds every 11 days. This is a diet intended solely for weight loss, and is not intended to be a general guide for healthy living. It does not include exercise recommendations, recipes, or stress-reduction advice. The diet says that it can be repeated as desired for weight loss. It allows three “cheat” days after the diet is completed before the diet is begun again.

Benefits

Some dieters may find that the specific meal plans provided are a considerable benefit of this diet. Dieters do not have to make choices about which foods to eat, or count calories or grams of carbohydrates. The requirement of eating four meals per day may also be beneficial, as it may help dieters to eat less overall by allowing them to eat more frequently. This diet does not limit the amount of food that can be consumed except for saying that dieters should stop eating just before being full. This may make the diet easier to stick to for some dieters.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR

Precautions

Anyone thinking of beginning a new diet should consult a medical practitioner. Requirements of calories, fat, and nutrients can differ significantly from person to person, depending on gender, age, weight, and other factors such as the presence of diseases or conditions. This diet may be of special concern because it only allows a few foods to be eaten each day. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should be especially cautious because the foods a mother eats can impact the baby who is receiving nutrients from her.

Risks

There are some risks to any diet. Fat Loss 4 Idiots severely limits the foods that can be eaten each day. It does not generally include many fruits or vegetables, which are important sources of many vitamins and minerals. This means that it is likely that the dieter will not get enough of all vitamins and minerals required each day for good health. It is difficult, however, to determine how severe the risk of deficiency is because each dieter is given a personalized meal plan, and quantities of food are not specified. Any dieter thinking of beginning this diet may want to consult a healthcare provider about taking a multivitamin or other dietary supplement to help reduce the risk of deficiencies. Supplements have their own associated risks.

Research and general acceptance

There have been no significant scientific studies of the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet. It is not clear what evidence may support the idea that changing the types of foods eaten each day will trick the metabolism into burning fat. There is no evidence cited, and no significant scientific studies have been done that support this idea.

Although the diet provides different meal plans to different dieters based on the dieter's preferences and goals, the diet does seem to have some common components for each dieter. Because the diet attempts to change the kinds of food that are consumed each day, it is difficult for a dieter to eat a balanced diet.

Fat Loss 4 Idiots only includes one type of food in most meals. This makes getting enough vegetables difficult because vegetables are often seen as a side dish. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that healthy adults eat the equivalent of 2 to 3 cups of vegetables each day. The Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet is unlikely to meet this recommendation on most days.

The USDA also recommends that healthy adults eat the equivalent of 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day. It is unlikely that a person following the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet would eat this much fruit. Some daily meal plans for this diet do not include fruit at all.

Dairy products are generally considered to be part of a healthy diet. The USDA recommends the equivalent of 3 cups of low-fat or nonfat dairy per day for healthy adults. Some days of the diet may not include any dairy products. If a dairy product, such as cottage cheese, is included in one meal it is unlikely that a dieter would want to eat enough of it in one sitting to get three full servings.

The USDA recommends that healthy adults eat between 5 and 6 servings of protein each day. The Fat Loss 4 Idiots would probably meet, and in most cases probably exceed, this recommendation on most days. Many different lean meats seem to be included in this diet on a daily basis.

Fat Loss 4 Idiots does not include any specific recommendations for exercise. Exercise is generally accepted to be an important part of any weight-loss program, and is required for general good health. Many studies have found that dieting and exercise are more effective for weight loss when done together than either is when done alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that healthy adults get 30 minutes or more of light to moderate exercise each day. Following the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet without adding exercise to the plan would not meet this requirement.

Resources

BOOKS

Jones, Keith. Diet and Nutrition Sourcebook. 5th ed. Detroit: Omnigraphics, 2016.

Robitaille, Francis P., ed. Diet Therapy Research Trends. New York: Nova Biomedical Books, 2007.

WEBSITES

U.S. Department of Agriculture. “MyPlate.” ChooseMyPlate.gov . http://www.choosemyplate.gov (accessed April 16, 2018).

Helen M. Davidson

  This information is not a tool for self-diagnosis or a substitute for professional care.