The fat smash diet is designed to make small but
significant adjustments in food consumption and in
attitudes toward food and physical activity. It can be
followed easily by vegetarians and vegans as well as
meat lovers. It is a diet for people who eat too much
junk food and are not used to exercising very much;
for people who need to lose anywhere from 50–100 lb
(23–46 kg) or more. It is probably too strict a diet for
active people with only a few pounds to lose.
Benefits
The fat smash diet is a healthy, well-balanced, and
flexible plan. It is a sustainable diet that allows unlimited
fruits and vegetables and relies on regular inexpensive
foods. Its calorie control, via portion control, and
emphasis on exercise should lead to weight loss. Smith
claims that people can lose from 6—10 lb (3—5 kg)
during phase 1. He further claims that the fat smash
diet:
-detoxifies the body
-promotes rapid weight loss
-teaches sustainable weight-maintenance skills
-reduces the risk of diet-related disease
-leads to a healthier lifestyle.
Portion control is a key to the fat smash diet and
Smith claims that even people who eat unhealthy
foods can lose 10–15 lb (5–7 kg) in a year by practicing
portion control—eating smaller meals that still satisfy
hunger—without making any other changes.
Precautions
The fat smash diet may be difficult for some people
to adhere to, particularly during the nine-day
detoxification phase. The weight loss in phase 1 is
due to its severe calorie restriction. There is little
allowance for occasional indulgences. Eating out is
almost impossible during phases 1 and 2. The recipes
in the book are sometimes inconsistent, with some
phase 1 recipes containing prohibited ingredients.
The extreme fat smash may be too extreme and
inflexible for many people.
Risks
The fat smash plan is a healthy well-balanced diet
that should have few health risks. The extreme fat smash diet may be too rapid a weight loss for some
people.
Research and general acceptance
Research
With its emphasis on fruits and vegetables, wholegrain
foods, lean meats, portion control, and physical
activity, the fat smash diet is considered to be scientifically
sound. Tara Gidus of the American Dietetic
Association told AOL Diet & Fitness: ‘It helps people
eat more low-calorie, nutrient dense foods, exercise
more and get rid of unhealthy habits. I love that it
encourages so much aerobic exercise.’ Although the
fat smash detox is relatively moderate, there is no scientific
evidecne to show a person can detoxify their
body through diet.
Most research suggests that slow, gradual, and
consistent weight loss is the healthiest way to lose
weight and increases the likelihood of maintaining the
weight loss.
General acceptance
Although The Fat Smash Diet earned mixed
reviews among diet critics, Ian Smith enjoys a high
degree of credibility among his audience. He is a Harvard-
trained medical doctor and on the board of directors
of the American Council on Exercise. Before
joining the Celebrity Fit Club Smith was medical correspondent
for the Today show and NBC News. Millions
of viewers have watched celebrities lose as much
as 41 lb (19 kg) in a season of Celebrity Fit Club. Thus
Smith’s legions of fans have been accepting of his diet
plan.
On April 7, 2007, Dr. Ian, as he is commonly
called, launched the ‘50 Million Pound Challenge.’
Aimed primarily at the black community, he called
on five million people to lose 10 lb (4.5 kg) each.
