The 4 Day Diet (Hardcover)

~ Ian K. Smith (Author)
Key Phrases: green garden salad, motivational engines, own fresh fruit, Coach Murphy, The Scoop, Body Mass Index (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Dr. Ian Smith’s diets really work. America has lost millions of pounds following his Fat Smash and Extreme Fat Smash diets.  Now, in The 4 Day Diet, Smith has developed a program that allows readers to avoid the normal (and fatal) pitfalls of dieting: boredom, no treats allowed, too much repetition, plateauing.  The 4 Day Diet is an ingenious program of dieting modules lasting only four days each:

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

You can follow The 4 Day Diet straight through for a month for stunning results. But Smith also designed The 4 Day Diet so you can customize your own program. After the first two modules, you can do the remaining 5 in whichever order suits your schedule or preferences or you can repeat the modules you like best.  It also features over sixty delicious recipes for breakfasts, lunches and dinners and a complete snack list—food that will make you forget you’re on a diet.

Full of Ian Smith’s motivating tips and tricks and his smart, sensible eating advice that really works to take weight off fast, The 4 Day Diet is a diet you’ll be able to stick to, have success on, and even enjoy!

 

About the Author

Ian K. Smith, M.D. is the #1 bestselling author of The Fat Smash Diet and Extreme Fat Smash Diet. He is the diet expert on VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club”, a medical contributor to many network news programs such as ABC’s “The View” and “The CBS Early Show”, and the creator of the national weight loss initiative  “The 50 Million Pound Challenge”.

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Product Details Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (December 30, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 0312373589 ISBN-13: 978-0312373580 Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (89 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,017 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #83 in  Books > Health, Mind & Body > Diets & Weight Loss > Diets > Weight Loss

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More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Ian Smith Page

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
green garden salad, motivational engines, own fresh fruit, snacks list, every bite counts, lean sirloin

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Coach Murphy, The Scoop, Body Mass Index, Caloriesfrom Fat

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	75% buy the item featured on this page: The 4 Day Diet 3.9 out of 5 stars (89) $13.20
	11% buy The Fat Smash Diet: The Last Diet You'll Ever Need 4.0 out of 5 stars (239) $5.18
	7% buy Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment 4.2 out of 5 stars (762) $12.69
	6% buy Extreme Fat Smash Diet 4.3 out of 5 stars (115) $10.04

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Customer Reviews

89 Reviews 5 star:  (44) 4 star:  (19) 3 star:  (10) 2 star:  (7) 1 star:  (9)           Average Customer Review 3.9 out of 5 stars (89 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 136 of 141 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Program!!!, January 3, 2009 By  Lifelong Dieter - See all my reviews I am someone who knows more about dieting than most diet experts. I have battled with weight problems all of my life and I've been on more diets than I can remember. I am a typically yo-yo dieter. My weight goes up and down every year. This year I decided that I had enough and I was going to get one book and stick to that book. A couple of days ago I was shopping for that book and found what I think is a message from above. I took a look at the 4 Day Diet and fell in love with it right away. The book starts out talking about the importance of getting your mind together. The chapters are very concise and make sense and give you exercises you can do at the end if you like. The style of writing is VERY accessible, unlike some of these books where you feel like you need a PhD in order to understand it. I found so many of my own problems in those first few chapters. I felt like I had gone to a shrink and got a diagnosis for free. Now I have such a better understanding of my emotional eating and stress eating and other stuff I've been doing wrong for so long. Then I read the actual 4 Day Diet plan and it blew my mind away. It is so simple to follow. It makes so much sense, because every 4 days you switch the type of food that you eat. The diet is broken up into 4-day modules. There are 7 modules in the book. Here are the modules and what they represent. Induction (detox/cleansing) Transition (to reintroduce all food groups) Protein Stretch (to avoid plateaus) Smooth (you can have some formerly forbidden foods like pizza and fries) Push (just before the final stretch, back to a stricter eating plan) Pace (a comfortable module for you to catch your breath) Vigorous (the final module to lose those last few pounds) These modules make SO much sense and they're laid out so perfectly. The food you can eat is spelled out very clearly and most importantly, you don't have to spend a lot of money on organic stuff like other diets make you spend. I went and got my food for the first week from a regular grocery store. The recipes are some of the best I've ever seen in a diet book. I couldn't believe they were actually in a diet book. Pesto-crusted chickent breast with eggplant caponata,spicy turkey-chipotle meatloaf with sweet potato puree and grilled vegetables, steamed clams with whole wheat linguine and basil-white wine sauce. You get the point. They are like meals you would get in a restaurant. I've already made 2 and my husband can't stop talking about how good they are. One of my children is a vegetarian and she can follow the 4 Day Diet too, because it has so many options and it allows you to make smart substitutions where necessary. I recommend this book to anyone who is serious about losing weight and like me is frustrated not being able to stick to a plan. I'll stick to this for the rest of my life because it doesn't feel like a diet. Thanks for this great book, Dr. Smith. 36 of 41 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars I'm Hungry!, January 26, 2009 By  gdeezy - See all my reviews I'm trying so hard to give this diet a chance. I'm on Week #3 and I have lost about 3-4 lbs. However, I'm terribly hungry!! The first module is basically fruit, veggies, beans, and rice. There is a cabbage soup recipe that you start on day 3 that is pretty good. The downside is that the recipe makes enough soup to feed a kindergarten class! I should have reduced the size. Module 2 is the same food everyday and that's where it starts to get very boring. I am so saladed out that I don't know what to do!! During Module 2, 4 oz of meat is added, but the only thing to eat with the meat is beans or...guess what.... a salad!! I actually got through that one and now according to the good doctor's instructions, I can pick any of the other modules in any order. I chose the Pace module which adds 5 oz of meat, sandwiches, and chili. I thought this one would be easier, but I just got through eating lunch which was 1 Cup of vegetable soup and I'm still hungry! Most of the modules do allow 2 snacks a day, but for me they just make me hungrier (rice cakes, yogurt, more fruit!, air-popped popcorn (where in the heck do you get that?), etc.). There is also a lot of exercising required almost everyday. I've done pretty good on that, but not as much as is required. The plan is sensible and really didn't take a doctor to figure out. There is no big secret to this diet, it is just very low caloric intake and exercising. I can't rate this very high because there is just not enough variety in the meal plans. Also, there are recipes at the end of the book, but I can't figure out how to incorporate them into the plan. I was somewhat disappointed with this book. 25 of 28 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars It's Worth the Money!!!, January 3, 2009 By  Food Lover (L.A., CA) - See all my reviews I bought this book because I lost over 50 pounds on Dr. Smith's last book, the Fat Smash Diet. That book was so easy to follow and all of my girlfriends lost weight too. I still have about 25 pounds to go and I thought I would try something different for the New Year. I ran across the 4 Day Diet because another girlfriend bought it for her mother. I was not disappointed. This book is so easy. It also is friendly for families and vegetarians. You can make substitutions if you don't eat certain foods and you can switch up the order of the modules any way you want. The modules are part of the eating plan. The diet is broken down into 4-day modules. You change your cuisine every 4 days. The book calls this "modular eating." I've never heard of this before, but as I read more about it and what it does to help people lose weight, it made complete sense. I also like the snacks and recipes in the back of the book. I would buy the book just for them, because they give you great food that's healthy and tastes great and is easy to make. I watched Dr. Smith help celebrities on his show Celebrity Fit Club lose a lot of weight, especially Maureen McCormick who played Marcia on the Brady Bunch. Dr. Smith really turned her life around. He's done the same for me and I know the 4 Day Diet will help me get rid of these last 25 pounds.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars easy Finally a plan I can follow! I have food allergies that make most plans difficult to follow. Since the modules are simple, I can make easy substitutions that still work. Published 6 days ago by B. Dietz 5.0 out of 5 stars great easy instruction and really works Loved this plan. Easy for people who don't like to cook and it featured inexspensive foods. The plan worked for me!!! Published 1 month ago by Judith Briley 3.0 out of 5 stars A little frustrated right now - Don't order this for 6" Kindle Whatever you do, don't order this book for your 6" Kindle. You can't read most of the actual diet tables. Read more Published 1 month ago by Deborah Jones 5.0 out of 5 stars Good but not so easy...requires dedication and creativity I enjoyed reading this book. I love the concept. It's an easy read. He does especially well with addressing the mental part of weight loss. Read more Published 1 month ago by Angelanne 2.0 out of 5 stars 4 day diet I did not find this helpful. Good service, received as advertised, but not what I expected. Published 2 months ago by Ella M. Greene 3.0 out of 5 stars I just couldn't get into it. I really couldn't get into The 4 Day Diet audio book. I found the book to be full of fluff and very little useful information. Read more Published 2 months ago by Nicole T. 5.0 out of 5 stars The 4 day Diet The book is exactly what is shown in the 50 million pound challenge and just what I was looking for. Published 3 months ago by L. Cummings 5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!! Received book in a very timely manner. Have read the book, practicing what Dr. Smith recommends and lost 4 lbs. in 3 days. Read more Published 3 months ago by Barbara Briggs 5.0 out of 5 stars Great Motivator I really feel committed to losing the weight. The more of the book I read, the better I feel. It has helped me with my exercise goals as well and I'm back to losing weight again. Published 3 months ago by Reader to Make it Righter 5.0 out of 5 stars The 4 day diet This book is hard core. I am a healthy eater in the first place so I was used to the meals Dr. Smith was advising you to eat. Read more Published 4 months ago by Robin Blair Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (December 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312373589
• ISBN-13: 978-0312373580
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (89 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,017 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #83 in

  Books > Health, Mind & Body > Diets & Weight Loss > Diets > Weight Loss

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

136 of 141 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Program!!!, January 3, 2009

By	Lifelong Dieter - See all my reviews

I am someone who knows more about dieting than most diet experts. I have battled with weight problems all of my life and I've been on more diets than I can remember. I am a typically yo-yo dieter. My weight goes up and down every year. This year I decided that I had enough and I was going to get one book and stick to that book. A couple of days ago I was shopping for that book and found what I think is a message from above. I took a look at the 4 Day Diet and fell in love with it right away. The book starts out talking about the importance of getting your mind together. The chapters are very concise and make sense and give you exercises you can do at the end if you like. The style of writing is VERY accessible, unlike some of these books where you feel like you need a PhD in order to understand it. I found so many of my own problems in those first few chapters. I felt like I had gone to a shrink and got a diagnosis for free. Now I have such a better understanding of my emotional eating and stress eating and other stuff I've been doing wrong for so long. Then I read the actual 4 Day Diet plan and it blew my mind away. It is so simple to follow. It makes so much sense, because every 4 days you switch the type of food that you eat. The diet is broken up into 4-day modules. There are 7 modules in the book. Here are the modules and what they represent.
Induction (detox/cleansing)
Transition (to reintroduce all food groups)
Protein Stretch (to avoid plateaus)
Smooth (you can have some formerly forbidden foods like pizza and fries)
Push (just before the final stretch, back to a stricter eating plan)
Pace (a comfortable module for you to catch your breath)
Vigorous (the final module to lose those last few pounds)

These modules make SO much sense and they're laid out so perfectly. The food you can eat is spelled out very clearly and most importantly, you don't have to spend a lot of money on organic stuff like other diets make you spend. I went and got my food for the first week from a regular grocery store.

The recipes are some of the best I've ever seen in a diet book. I couldn't believe they were actually in a diet book. Pesto-crusted chickent breast with eggplant caponata,spicy turkey-chipotle meatloaf with sweet potato puree and grilled vegetables, steamed clams with whole wheat linguine and basil-white wine sauce. You get the point. They are like meals you would get in a restaurant. I've already made 2 and my husband can't stop talking about how good they are.

One of my children is a vegetarian and she can follow the 4 Day Diet too, because it has so many options and it allows you to make smart substitutions where necessary. I recommend this book to anyone who is serious about losing weight and like me is frustrated not being able to stick to a plan. I'll stick to this for the rest of my life because it doesn't feel like a diet. Thanks for this great book, Dr. Smith.

36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I'm Hungry!, January 26, 2009

By	gdeezy - See all my reviews

I'm trying so hard to give this diet a chance. I'm on Week #3 and I have lost about 3-4 lbs. However, I'm terribly hungry!! The first module is basically fruit, veggies, beans, and rice. There is a cabbage soup recipe that you start on day 3 that is pretty good. The downside is that the recipe makes enough soup to feed a kindergarten class! I should have reduced the size. Module 2 is the same food everyday and that's where it starts to get very boring. I am so saladed out that I don't know what to do!! During Module 2, 4 oz of meat is added, but the only thing to eat with the meat is beans or...guess what.... a salad!! I actually got through that one and now according to the good doctor's instructions, I can pick any of the other modules in any order. I chose the Pace module which adds 5 oz of meat, sandwiches, and chili. I thought this one would be easier, but I just got through eating lunch which was 1 Cup of vegetable soup and I'm still hungry! Most of the modules do allow 2 snacks a day, but for me they just make me hungrier (rice cakes, yogurt, more fruit!, air-popped popcorn (where in the heck do you get that?), etc.). There is also a lot of exercising required almost everyday. I've done pretty good on that, but not as much as is required. The plan is sensible and really didn't take a doctor to figure out. There is no big secret to this diet, it is just very low caloric intake and exercising. I can't rate this very high because there is just not enough variety in the meal plans. Also, there are recipes at the end of the book, but I can't figure out how to incorporate them into the plan. I was somewhat disappointed with this book.

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Worth the Money!!!, January 3, 2009

By	Food Lover (L.A., CA) - See all my reviews

I bought this book because I lost over 50 pounds on Dr. Smith's last book, the Fat Smash Diet. That book was so easy to follow and all of my girlfriends lost weight too. I still have about 25 pounds to go and I thought I would try something different for the New Year. I ran across the 4 Day Diet because another girlfriend bought it for her mother. I was not disappointed. This book is so easy. It also is friendly for families and vegetarians. You can make substitutions if you don't eat certain foods and you can switch up the order of the modules any way you want. The modules are part of the eating plan. The diet is broken down into 4-day modules. You change your cuisine every 4 days. The book calls this "modular eating." I've never heard of this before, but as I read more about it and what it does to help people lose weight, it made complete sense. I also like the snacks and recipes in the back of the book. I would buy the book just for them, because they give you great food that's healthy and tastes great and is easy to make. I watched Dr. Smith help celebrities on his show Celebrity Fit Club lose a lot of weight, especially Maureen McCormick who played Marcia on the Brady Bunch. Dr. Smith really turned her life around. He's done the same for me and I know the 4 Day Diet will help me get rid of these last 25 pounds.