The 4 Day Diet Plan in a Nutshell:

The 4 Day Diet is the brain child of Dr. Ian Smith who also wrote Fat Smash and Extreme Fat Smash diets. The name of this diet is a little deceiving. It’s not really a diet that lasts 4 days. It actually has seven parts to the diet, each lasting 4 days a piece. The 4 Day Diet is geared to help dieters avoid common dieting mishaps like plateaus, food restrictions, boredom and repetition in food choices. By keeping each segment at 4 days each you’re able to focus on the immediate future rather than worrying about what you will accomplish weeks or months down the line. This also helps keep boredom at bay and allows the dieter to eat a wide variety of foods, which may help keep your metabolism running high.

If you did your math right the entire diet lasts 28 days, but there is an option to create a customized program that starts with the first two phases and allows you to mix the order of the other five around to your choosing.

As for exercise each phase has its own guidelines for physical activity and takes into account your current fitness level.

In addition to the food part of the diet Dr. Ian Smith emphasizes the psychological factors. he believes that dieting is 80% mental and 20% physical and gives you instructions on how to set goals, visualization and avoid temptations.

The seven dieting modules are:

1. Induction (detox/cleansing)
2. Transition (to reintroduce all food groups)
3. Protein Stretch (to avoid plateaus)
4. Smooth (when you can have some formerly forbidden foods like pizza and French fries)
5. Push (the sprint just before the final stretch, back to a stricter eating plan)
6. Pace (a comfortable module for you to catch your breath)
7. Vigorous (the final module to lose those last few pounds)

Pros:

• Perfect for dieters who get bored easily
• Not restrictive on food
• Can be customized
• Emphasizes exercise and behavior modifications
• Great for vegetarians
• The book includes recipes
• Take a very different approach to dieting and weight loss
• No supplements required; eat real food

Cons:

• Lists foods to eat each day, but does not break it down for each meal
• No routine to this diet

Recommended Foods:

Fruit, vegetables, low fat dairy, lean protein, whole grains, legumes, nuts, avocado, low calorie salad dressing.

Potential Risks:

No potential risks.

Oodora’s Opinion:

I’m actually intrigued by The 4 Day Diet. I like that there is a cleansing and detox portion followed by six steps to teach those who have failed with diets before the proper way to change your eating habits for the long run. There is also a lot of variety in terms of food options on The 4 Day Diet. One of the down sides that I see is that foods to eat are listed per day, but do not tell you when to eat them or how far apart they are spaced. For someone who needs more structure this diet may not be for them. I also appreciate that Dr. Ian Smith incorporated exercise into the mix. Without proper inclusion of physical activity I’d say any diet is a wash.

Sample 4 Day Diet Meal Plan (from the Induction Phase):

• 2 cups coffee. Limit sugar to one packet and cream or milk to one teaspoon per cup.
• 2 cups of raw or cooked green leafy vegetables.
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemonade with no more than a tablespoon of sugar.
• 1 tablespoon psyillium husk.
• 4 servings of fruit.
• 6 oz plain fat free yogurt.
• 2 cups green garden salad with 3 tablespoons fat free dressing.
• 1 cup cooked beans (chickpeas, lentils etc.)
• 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
• Unlimited plain water

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