The ebook “Fat Loss 4 Idiots” starts out with the declaration that (a) low-calorie diets do not work, (b) low-fat diets also do not work, and (c) low-carbohydrate diets make you miserable. Well, if you think about it, it is kinda true isn’t it. I can’t tell you how many times I felt the craving for bread—glorious freshly baked bread—only to be told (by myself) “No! Think of the calories each slice has” or “A moment on your lips, forever on your hips”.

The weight loss program that the ebook “Fat Loss 4 Idiots” presents is based on the premise that by adjusting your diet frequency, shifting the sources from where you take your daily calories, and by making better choices in the types of food you eat you can trick your body into speeding up your metabolism into a safe and steady rate.

The ebook stresses the importance of not just speeding up your metabolism, but to make sure that your metabolism is at a constant steady rate. By keeping one’s metabolism steady, fluctuations are avoided. But why exactly are metabolism fluctuations bad for you? Metabolism fluctuations results in calories being processed at different rates throughout the day, resulting in fat being stored more at certain times of the day. This can in turn result in varying rates of progress in your weight loss program, with you experiencing weight loss on some days, and actual weight gain on others. Not only is this emotionally and psychologically taxing to someone who is earnestly trying to lose weight, it is actually bad for your body.

“Fat Loss 4 Idiots” offers a way to help you keep your metabolism steady, and this is by eating consistent meals at regular intervals throughout the day. This way, your body will have a consistent amount of food being processed at any given time in the day. It also introduces the concept of “calorie shifting”—tricking your body into thinking that you are eating one type of food, when you are actually eating another type. This results in your body cranking up to metabolize the food it thinks you will eat, and the extra metabolic power produced will be used instead to burn fat. These two main strategies are supplemented with a light, slow and relaxing exercise plan that is easy to incorporate in anyone’s lifestyle.

Despite the promise of weight loss at an almost miraculous pace, the concepts presented in the ebook “Fat Loss 4 Idiots” are based on sound nutritional and physiological theories, making it worth checking out.

According to my aunt, the concept of the Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet is designed in such a way that your metabolism is boosted. And although the kinds of food featured in this diet would not make you raise an eyebrow, the methods it recommends might.

The diet includes two plans:

1. You can create your own diet by following the List of Rules. The rules include the inclusion of carbohydrates (carb) meals and protein meals or a combo. The body supposedly locks into the carb meals while the protein shocks the system afterwards.

2. There is the Diet Generator which also has a version for vegans. The Generator provides different choices and lets you choose. You can then print out the entire menu which you are to adhere to for the next 11 days.

After Aunt Velma hung up the phone I did my own research for she really got me all curious. I found out that the Fat Loss 4 Idiots is basically a weight loss program that encourages its participants to alter their diet to include foods like vegetables, fruits and lean proteins and whole foods like eggs and cheese that act as sources of fat.  Anything processed and/or has lots of sugar should be avoided like the plague. But eating carbohydrates like oatmeal or pasta get the thumbs up.

Compared with the other diets, Fat Loss 4 Idiots switches the types of foods consumed after every period of several days in order to “trick” your metabolism. It claims that your body will adjust to the lower number of calories if you, say, eat 2500 calories for several days and then suddenly drop down to 1000 calories. Because your body “thinks” it is being starved, it will adjust itself to the lower caloric count which will be retained if you lessen your intake of water.

I think the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet is simple and seems healthy enough. And is it just a fad? I’d have to get back to you on that for I’m still waiting for what Aunt Velma has to say.