The 400 Calorie Fix Diet is a simple eating plan created by Prevention magazine editor, Liz Vaccariello, author of the Flat Belly Diet. The appeal of the program is that you’re allowed to eat your favorite foods as long as you maintain control over your portion sizes and calorie amounts.
According to a woman who appeared on Rachel Ray’s TV show, she managed to lose 6 pounds in 2 days with this plan while the official diet claims you can lose up to 11 pounds in 14 days.
How does the 400 Calorie Fix Work?
The diet is very simple: you need to eat 3-4 meals each day and each of these meals should include 400 calories.
No food is forbidden as long as you stick to the allotted calorie amount. You can have anything you like but you need to keep the overall calorie consumption at the back of your mind to make sure you don’t overeat.
By letting you enjoy the food that you like, you can much more easily stick to this plan and not give in to temptation. The 1,600 calories a day amount is supposed to help you lose weight without feeling starved or suffering from hunger pangs and cravings.
You can kickstart your weight loss by eating just three 400 meals a day for a total of 1,200 for 14 days. This is called the 2-week Quick Slim and can prove a great way to shed some weight if you have a deadline. Just don’t do it for more than 2 weeks.
The book contains 400 recipes and ideas to create 400 calorie meals. This should help you avoid having to calculate the necessary calories yourself. These recipes and tips cover eating at home, ordering take-out, or dining out. The recipes cover diverse foods which should work for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. You have great freedom in choosing the foods that you enjoy.
Regular exercise is recommended but this plan does not include any structured workout plan. However, I advise working out 3 times a week at the very least.
To make sure you get the necessary nutrients you need each day, the recipes are labeled with colored stars:
- Blue star signifies protein rich meals.
- Orange signifies fiber rich meals.
- Green is for fruit and vegetables.
- Red is for meals with good fats.
It is recommended that you pick one meal a day from each of these star groups to make sure you’re eating a balanced diet.
Pros and cons of 400 Calorie Fix
Pros:
- Simple eating plan which is very easy to follow.
- You can eat every kind of food.
- Should fit any schedule or social activity.
- Allows snacking in moderation.
- Promotes a balanced diet.
- Has a tremendous section of recipes and meal ideas.
Cons:
- Does not have a structured exercise plan.
- Allows eating unhealthy foods including fast-food meals.
- Requires careful planning and some calorie counting.
- Makes exaggerated weight loss expectations.
- Simply a 1,600 calories a day plan packaged in a nice and cathy way.
In Conclusion
400 Calorie Fix is a nice diet plan but there is nothing revolutionary about it. Quite the opposite, this is simply a calorie controlled diet plan that’s packaged in four meals each day. The program does a great job in sharing a great number of recipes and can be used by anyone.
I believe that this program can help you lose weight. However, it may not be as fast as the official site of the diet claims. In addition, the lack of exercise guidelines is a definite minus of this plan and one you should be aware of.
