Clinical nutritionist Jay Robb previously suffered from reactive hypoglycemia and developed the Fat Burning Diet as a means to stabilize his own blood sugar levels.

He claims he did not write it as a weight loss book but as a method to increase energy. Once the dieter’s energy levels increase any excess weight will be lost naturally without even trying he says.

Diet Basics

Robb explains that while low carb diets can produce fast results they can often leave dieters feeling tired and in the long run are associated with certain health risks. His solution is to advise dieters to cycle between high carb and low carb days.

Each day Robb recommends three meals. Once a week dieters have a free meal where they can eat whatever they want but only for one hour.

The diet is based on the concept of making the body burn fat as its primary energy source. Robb explains that alternating low and high carb days manipulates glycogen metabolism and this tricks the body so that fat doesn’t get stored.

Robb also gives twelve different variations on the structure of the diet that are designed to suit a range of specific goals.

Recommended Foods

Robb provides dieters with advice on how to select foods that are sources of good carbohydrates. He says that the wrong carbs are a major cause of fatigue and can produce sleepiness after a meal.

Recommended carbohydrate foods include sweet and white potatoes, brown rice, pasta, corn, whole wheat bread and fruit.

He also emphasizes the importance of high quality protein and healthy fats. Supplying protein in each meal is the key to keeping the blood glucose levels stable and will result in a constant supply of energy throughout the day.

Sample Diet Plan

Low Carb Day

Breakfast

Egg white omelet with cheddar cheese and salsa

Lunch

Large raw vegetable salad with tuna and avocado

Dinner

Stir-fry lean beef with broccoli and peanut sauce

High Carb Day

Breakfast

Fruit salad and yogurt
Wholegrain toast with honey

Lunch

Turkey breast with baked sweet potato
Green salad with low fat dressing

Dinner

Chicken breast, whole grain pasta and zucchini

Dessert

Fresh fruit

Exercise Recommendations

Robb recommends walking and weight training to increase muscle strength and metabolism however he makes the point that dietary changes are the most important factor for those who wish to lose weight.

Costs and Expenses

The book costs $12.95.

Pros

Good for people who don’t want to give up carbs but still would like the benefits of a low carb diet.
Can help reduce food cravings and addiction to carbohydrates. It may assist with the management of hypoglycemia and other blood glucose imbalances.
Once a week ‘cheat meal’ can help reduce the stress of dieting continually and may increase the ability to stick with the diet.
Carb and calorie cycling can keep the metabolism running smoothly.
Can be adapted to suit vegetarians.
Emphasizes high quality nutritious foods.
Includes meal plans and recipes.

Cons

Fairly restrictive plan especially on low carb days.
May require more expense and time spent on food preparation as no processed foods are allowed.
Some dieters may have difficulty maintaining control after the ‘cheat meal’
Robb includes religious references in his book that may be disagreeable to non-Christian readers.

Conclusions

This diet will take a certain degree of discipline to maintain but for dieters who are committed it may provide a solution for the reduction in energy levels and metabolism that can occur with low carb diets.

It is especially recommended for dieters who have difficulty sticking to low carbohydrate diets but also do not achieve results on standard dietary approaches. Allowing dieters to eat carbs every other day has psychological and physiological benefits that may increase the likelihood of success.