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Fat Flush Diet
The Fat Flush Plan can be found in a book by Ann Louise Gittleman. Ann has previously written a number of books and articles about nutrition and detox diets.
Fat Flush – Detox and Weight Loss
The Fat Flush Plan is both a detox diet and a weight loss diet. The idea is to provide all the necessary ingredients to boost metabolism, reduce water retention, and promote fat loss.
The program has 3 phases:
Phase 1 – 2 weeks
This is a restrictive phase of between 1100-1200 calories per day. The intention here is to “lose bloat” – which refers to reducing water retention as well as some fat loss. In this phase you are not allowed to eat; margarine, alcohol, sugar, oils or fats (except flaxseed oil), grains, bread, cereal, starchy vegetables, dairy products. Even the herbs and spices are restricted to a small list.
Phase 2 – Ongoing
Here the calorie allowance is lifted – to 1200-1500 calories. The idea is to continue on with the program until the desired weight loss is achieved.
Phase 3 – The maintenance phase
Essentially a weight maintenance phase, with a caloric intake of 1500 calories or over. Some starchy carbs are gradually re-introduced, along with @gluten-free grains@, and some dairy.
Exercise
The program contains a significant exercise component. This can be anything from 20 to 40 minutes of exercise per day, depending on the phase. This is typically low-impact (walking). Strength training (lifting weights) is also on the list (twice a week). A sleep prescription of exactly 8 hours per night is also required.
Sample Meal Plan – Fat Flush Phase 1
| Upon Waking “Long Life” cocktail [psyllium husks in cran-water - see below] |
| Before Breakfast 8 oz hot water with lemon juice |
| Breakfast Vegetable scramble – 2 scrambled eggs, with spinach, green peppers, scallions, and parsley. 8 oz glass of cran-water [diluted unsweetened cranberry juice] |
| Snack 1/2 Large grapefruit |
| 20 minutes before lunch 8 oz glass of cran water |
| Lunch 4 ounces of salmon with lemon and garlic, warm asparagus, mixed-green salad with broccoli florets and cucumber, 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil, and one 8 oz glass of cran-water |
| Mid afternoon snack 2 8 oz glass cran-water |
| 4pm Snack 1 apple |
| 20 minutes before dinner 8 oz glass of cran water |
| Dinner 4 ounces of grilled lamb chop with pinch of cinnamon and dried mustard, sautéed kale in broth, baked summer squash with a touch of cloves, and 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil |
| Mid evening “Long life” cocktail |
Look for other recipes that could be used with the Fat Flush Diet here.
Program Costs
The Fat Flush Plan retails for $24.95.
Click Here to purchase the book at a discounted price.
Your grocery bill may also raise due to special foods needed such as gluten-free items.
Fat Flush Pros and Cons
The Up side
The Fat Flush program has all the elements of a good and healthy weight loss program. It isn’t hard to find success stories regarding this program (however the true test is always the test of time – is the fat loss sustained or temporary?).
Remember this diet is a detox or cleansing diet, thus the very restrictive phase one. Unless healthy eating patterns are applied to your lifestyle, any benefits gained will soon be lost.
The Down side
One criticism is that the calorie level in Phase 1 may be too low for some people (particularly men), and the lower calorie levels could have the affect of slowing down metabolism rather than speeding it up.
There is a significant exercise portion (which is a good thing) and fortunately the longer exercise is added during phase 3. However there is little chance the calorie levels of phase 1 (or 2) will support a strong exercise regimen.
This diet is like many other diet books – the one size fits all approach will never suit everyone. Eight hours a sleep a night may be excellent for some, but with 40 minutes brisk walking a day, plus 2 weights sessions per week, this sleep is simply not enough for some people.
Recommendations
This diet is a book and like all those hundreds of diet books sitting on the shelves, you need to be a fairly motivated and focused person. This is why many of the on-line diet programs have been successful – they offer community, personalized support, lots of on-line tools and menu generators etc, AND can personalize your diet for YOU.
How many times have you tried the “latest new diet”? Only to find yourself back where you started 6 months later. It’s good to have a buddy system.
NOTE: Many medical professionals question the validity of most detox diets as there is little empirical evidence to suggest that any detoxification occurs.
See Also
Fat Flush for Life which is Ann Louise Gittleman’s latest book.
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Fantastic diet. Both the Fat and Gut flush helped me to lose weight and change my everyday habits. I was not strict to the rules of the diet but I never strayed far. I lost weight, felt more energetic and was able to maintain. The first 2 weeks are very difficult and I need to set aside 1 month every year for the diet as weak eating habits re occur. This diet well worth it for both weight loss and lifestyle change.
This is great thanks for the information.
Already lost 23lbs in 1 week.
Bought this book back in 2001. Done the diet many times since. It won’t be easy for some but hang in there. My first time was 2001 & lived in the South. It was very difficult then b/c organic stuff were expensive & hard to find. I’m a carb addict & must have my coffee so I feel your pain. The main key to success is PREPARATION, mentally & physically. Don’t use your kids, jobs, school as excuses, although doing the diet with your spouse helps. My husband lost 7# & several inches in 9 days. Use your clothes to gauge your success rather than the scale. And ladies, your belly will stick out near your periods but it’s only temporary. Don’t freak out. The diet is working. I went off track a couple of times. Just get right back the next day and keep going. This works because you are eating food not engineered substances or doing surgery. I’m a working mom with 3 kids, 2 part time jobs and in school full time. If I can do it, you can do it too. It’s worth the investment.
THE ONLY ONE THAT WORKS FOR ME!
I`ve started this fat flush diet 3 weeks ago. I was 171lbs and now I`m 154lbs. YES I LOST 17LBS IN 3 WEEKS. I don`t follow every single meal of the book but I keep the vegetables, salads and proteins that they said. I run/walk about 20min per day. It takes time to shop and prepare all the meals but I don`t really mind that. I`ll stay in phase 1 for 1 more week then go to phase 2 until I reach my goal of 130lbs. This really work guys.
I’m 5’7″ and almost 180 lbs. This is the heaviest I have been in my entire life…I used to weigh about 150 and still wasn’t happy then, not sure how I let myself go like I have but over the course of 4 years I’ve put on these 30 lbs that will NOT go away! I just ordered the Fat Flush Plan Program book that has the Plan, Shopping List and Cookbook in it and I am so thrilled to start it! I’ve only heard good things about it and I’m hoping so badly I get the same results everyone else does! So, thank you to everyone who posted on here because you’ve given me the extra boost I need!
This is an awesome detox diet and the book has so much detail about our toxic environment. When I first tried it a few years ago I lost 11 lbs in 8 days with no exercise! I felt great and others noticed the changes too (better skin and hair, etc). It’s definitely a “go to” diet when you know you’ve been using bad eating habits or after the bulky holidays. Since the results were almost immediate, it was easier to stay on this diet than others.
Dont go looking for Cranberry JUICE…look for Cranberry EXTRACT. Its a bit pricey (about 10-12/bottle) but it will last you 2 weeks because…you do a 1:8ratio. Which means 1 part Cranberry Extract to 8 parts water. That is the major reason for the ‘flushing’ of the system. It is a bit tart but you will be used to it in no time.
I got this book from the library a few years ago and tried it for 1 week. I had great results,especially with abdominal bloat shrinking away. It was impossible for me to give up coffee w/out extreme migraines,so i found a low caffeine green tea and subbed it. Just dropping the half and half helped. The psyllium is found in metamucil or other fiber laxitives,but most contain sugar, i found the SWAN brand to be pure and the cheapest anywhere. Trader joes sells the cheapest pure cranberry juice,but the Knudsens brand,which at first appears very expensive, needs to be diluted down,making it much cheaper.I like this brand because they are trying to become non-GMO,and orgainic when possible. When you look for soy products try to find the non-GMO label,our bodies are not meant to eat these un-natural products.If we buy these,our dollars make producers take notice. I try when i can. This is a hard diet but it works, and when i told by very overweight sister about it,she tried it and immediately saw results,losing 20+ pounds in 3 weeks and excercising for the first time in 40 years. Her boss was so impressed he he got her a membership to curves. We never bought the supplements,we couldnt afford them,and we both have no other underlying issues,ie, yeast,arthritits,etc, which i think these supplements can be very helpful t0o people who are deficient in certain vitamins,minerals,etc,but im not for ‘blanket treatment’for everyone.There is a website called CALORIE COUNT @ about.com that you can enter in everything you eat, and it gives you a visual graph of all the vitamins and minerals you are lacking. that way you can focus on what things you need to eat to meet nutritional goals. You can see in black and white what you need to add,and its never junk. by pre-entering what you plan to eat the next day, you can see there is no room for garbage,in fact it is very difficult to eat so much healthy food, 1500 calories of fruit veges lean protein and especially 30 gramsor more of fiber is a challenge!!!! good luck and remember our bodies are the temple our soul lives in,we need to respect it and give it the proper fuel so we have the energy to help others who need us.
I am a very small woman so I have found that I have to eat slightly smaller portions. Nevertheless, this is the only diet I have ever used and try to do it twice a year. I usually lose about 6-7 pounds in phase one which is just right for me. The eating habits are sustainable and I am able to maintain the general principles on my own. By the end of phase one I am ready to kill for a cracker!
I have done this diet with my husband, spring and fall, since 2006.
we LOVE the way we feel- i NEVER cheat, i ALWAYS lose at least 10lbs in two weeks. The first year we did it we kept on into phase two and three and within six months I lost 23 lbs. After phase two we did the 80/20 rule: we ate healthy all week and splurged on weekends. I didnt start a weight gain until I fell back into my old ‘ways’, so every six months we do it, and YES for some reason we slip back. BUT now are hooked on feeling good! We are 54 and 64 yrs old.
I did this diet a little while ago for 2 weeks before my vacation to Florida. I am 5′ 7″ and was 175 pounds. In only 2 weeks, I was down to 155. I still want to weigh less (145 lbs is my goal) so I am starting the fat flush again today!
I am really amazed at my sister’s weight loss in just a few weeks. I am concerned about her ability to stay on it at length, but she says that she is sure that she is addicted to carbs and that while she is on this diet, she is feeling great! She looks wonderful. She has lost that red, splotchy look; she has lost the bloating and her cloths are looking lose and lovely. I am sure of this; she feels a lot better and more active. I am thinking about starting the diet today. I had the two poached eggs and veggies for breakfast and have cod fixed for lunch to go with a salad with vinegar and oil. It may not be the true diet, ( I haven’t read the book..) but I am looking at the basic theory and working toward the goal of treating my body better. That means, I will eat less bread, pasta, and fewer bananas, that’s for sure.
Did this diet a few years ago and loved it (great for short-term weight loss) but did have some strange reactions. I broke out in a rash all over my body from the cranberry water- guess this is common so if sensitive substitute cranberry with pomegranite or half and half.
I have only been on this for one week. But OMG I feel GREAT already… I know I am losing lbs, but plan to weigh in exactly one week which will be Monday. My husband is doing it also, which is helping a lot. And, LIBIDO – YES, and helped my hot flashes during the night on this eating plan. LOVE IT so far!
I HAVE DONE THIS PLAN – FOUND THE CRANBERRY JUICE CONCENTRATE – KNUDSENS – SMALL 8 OZ BOTTLE – IT IS USUALLY AMONG THE VITAMIN OR HEALTH FOOD SECTION IN THE STORE – OR IN SPECIALTY FOODS – ASK THE STORE MANAGER IF YOU CANNOT FIND IT – IT IS PRICEY, BUT MAKES GALLONS OF WATER – KEEP IT IN FRIDGE ONCE OPENED. YOU CAN BUY THE VITAMIN PACKS ONLINE, BUT I GO TO THE VITAMIN SECTION AND BUY BOTTLES OF THE COMPONENTS MENTIONED IN THE BOOK- CHEAPER BY FAR! YOU FEEL “GOOD” ON THIS PLAN – A NICE CHANGE. KEEP THE ATTITUDE POSITIVE! FEEL BETTER
The Cranberry Juice can be found at Trader Joe’s and is also cheaper to buy there!
Trying this fat flush would like some more details I’ve been active @ the gym I feel i’am not losing any weight tried all kinds of foods from high protein to low carbs it does not work……I need carbs to work out but I does not help to lose any weight…..or gain any muscle either it’s all crazy going nuts!!!!
i didnt find cranberry juice,,….the available one in market is with sugar……., is there anyother alternative???or i carryon with sugar cranberry juice???plz anyone cld help?
instead of the lamb chop can you use chicken breast or like steak instead??? and also if i didnt buy the flaxseed oil or the physillum would the diet still work the same but i wouldn loose that much right?
I am currently on this diet and couldn’t be happier. It’s the first diet in 15 years where I can see the results immediately—- 30 pounds in 5 weeks! (granted, I am on the heftier side). Regardless, I am not hungry on this diet and the food is good. I recommend switching up the recipes a bit (within the guidleines) to suit your personal taste. For instance, my family and I have created a spectacular chicken salad recipe by making a “fat flush” mayo by substituting the normal unhealthy ingredients with fat flush ingredients. I really recommend this diet. I think it is also easier to do it with another person since it is a little cooking heavy. It also helps to keep up the motivation when multiple people are losing weight!
I lost 50 pounds doing this diet in just phase 1 and 2! I highly recommend it. Not only does it provide you with a meal plan you have the option of doing your own plan as well. There is also lots of insights to foods and how they affect your body, how different spices speed up your metabolism and step by step instructions to almost each thing. There is also recipes in the back of the book which were very helpful. My husband did the diet with me and he lost 30 pounds by the end of phase 2. Good luck if you decide to try it just remember the first week is the hardest but if you stay strong and do not cheat it is all down hill from there.
CAN I USE NU-SALT, A SALT SUBSTITUE DURING THE FIRST TWO WEEKS FAT FLUSH PLAN? (IT’S MOSTLY POTASSIUM CHLORIDE).
I was diagnosed with fatty liver by my doctor and was told that I had to make changes in my eating habits or I was going to become a very sick individual. I searched for a detox diet and found the Fat Flush System. I tried it for 4 weeks and went back to the doctor to get my blood levels checked. They were normal and I had lost 17 pounds! I felt amazing and healthy for the first time in a long time!
i am going for it! i like the diet and i think its a positive direction for me, losing weight in a healthy manner and improving the way i prepare foods…the presoaking,combining the right foods, snacks, and seasonings… its a challenge that i am so ready for! wish me luck.
i tried this after a friend told me of her success! just by doing the cran water and lemon water she lost a significant amount! we did not stop the caffeine! with us working weird shifts, could not do that but still lost 20lbs! starting the new year with drinking the water! got 10 bags of cranberries popping away now! gonna can them!
I am starting this fat flush again to boost my weight loss. I tried it a few years ago and the first 3 weeks I lost 17 lbs. Around the 3rd week, I wasn’t completely following everything b/c I was using some processed diet foods. But my energy increased and I felt wonderful after the first week. One downside is if you use alot of caffiene, you will have an awful headache the first week, it will eventually go away. But my body became so healthy that even my eye prescription had became significantly better. I would recommend this as a boost. It’s very hard for most busy people to maintain this as a lifestyle.
i did this diet but did not loose at all. wt can be the reason????????????
Did the flash flush diet several years ago. Lost 8 lbs the first week. Overal ended up losing 14 lbs. and two dress sizes. Whenever I am looking to jump start a weight loss habit I start with this program for the detoxing effects. On the downside I have never completed all three phazes or did this for an extended period of time. If you are ready to diet and want some quick weight loss to get you excited than this one is for you. You will feel awsome a few days into the program !
Only the strong will survive, especially if you have partner that eats whatever they want and not gain a pound. I started this diet a week ago and I’ve lost 7 pounds. Phase 1 is kind of boring, will be moving to phase 20 real soon.
I WENT AHEAD AND STARTED THIS DIET TO ALMOST A T, BECAUSE I DONT HAVE MONEY TO BUY THE EXPENSIVE FLAX OR PRIMEROSE OILS AND SPECIAL WHEY PROTEIN, BUT IN 3 DAYS IVE LOST 5 POUNDS AND COUNTING. THAT IS MORE THAN WHAT I LOST IN A WHOLE MONTH OF STARVING AND DOING EXTREME WORKOUTS AT THE GYM…
THIS CLEANSE REALLY ELIMINATES EXCESS TOXINS, FATS, AND WATER IN YOUR SYSTEM! PLUS IT MAKES YOU FEEL GREAT FROM THE INSIDE OUT… I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IF YOU ARE 150% SERIOUS ABOUT LOOSING THE WEIGHT