Crack the Fat-Loss Code: Outsmart Your Metabolism and Conquer the Diet Plateau

by Wendy Chant

The New York Times Bestseller! LOSE UP TO 25 POUNDS IN 8 WEEKS AND KEEP IT OFF! The human body evolved to resist starvation by holding on to fat. No wonder it's so difficult to lose weight! Now a revolutionary lifestyle plan finally cracks the code for efficient fat loss. Developed by leading nutrition specialist Wendy Chant, the plan is scientifically designed to help you "outsmart" your body's natural cycles for storing and burning calories. Crack the Fat Loss Code teaches you how to boost your metabolism through "macro-patterning"--a simple routine of alternating carb-up, carb-down, and baseline days. There are even built-in cheat days, so you can enjoy the foods you love. Once you get your eating habits on schedule, you'll find that you can lose weight . . . for good. In just eight short weeks, you'll be able

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Health, Diets, Cooking

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[TPK · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before I begin to review this book, there are two things you should know about me:

1) I'm fat. Really fat. As in morbidly obese. As in, right now I need to lose 115 lbs. to be at a weight considered healthy-to-acceptable for my height. I'm not proud of this fact by any means, but there's a good reason why I happened across this book.

2) I'm a foodie. I come from a long line of excellent cooks; in our family we do not eat to live, we live to eat. And while I believe it's quite possible to be a foodie and also be slim and healthy, it's a continual challenge to do so -- especially when, like me, you don't have the benefit of a revved-up metabolism.

I'd heard from friends who were following this particular program (called ForeverFit, if you're curious) and thought perhaps I should look into it, so I checked out the book from the local library. Author Wendy Chant has put together an eight-week regimen designed to help her readers lose fat, not just weight. This is accomplished through regular exercise and a high-protein, variable-carbohydrate diet designed to keep your body guessing and thus defeat its usual adaptation response.

After first reading the book, I immediately came across some problems. The text is indifferently written and poorly edited; the first "carb deplete" week seemed fairly straightforward to follow, but after that things got a little messy. Chant advocates three types of days: baseline, carb-down and carb-up (with additional "cheat" days added in later). Readers are asked to cycle strategically between baseline days and carb-down days, with the occasional carb-up day to help stimulate the metabolism. This may sound simple enough, but it's not set forth in a straightforward manner at all in the book. Rules about what to eat and what not to eat are scattered haphazardly around, not put in one place; foods which do not appear anywhere in the approved substitution lists show up in the sample menus; certain foods, such as milk and yogurt, don't seem to have a place in the program at all; etc. If you decide to tough it out past the first week, you're going to need to go at it with scratch paper and a calculator just to figure it all out.

That's assuming you do decide to tough it out after the first week, because here's the thing I quickly realized: Wendy Chant is no foodie. The recipes given in this book range from mediocre to inedible -- horrible protein shakes and weird food combinations -- and during the first week of carb-deplete the hapless ForeverFit dieter is not even allowed to use powdered spices to jazz up a meal. (Seriously -- spices are only on the approved list starting in the second week, and I have no idea why; I very much doubt any spices contribute significantly to carb content. Feel free to let me know if I'm wrong.) If you're the eat-to-live type, you might do very well on ForeverFit, but if you're more the live-to-eat type who loves the taste of good food and regards it as an experience far more sublime than simple stomach fuel, you're going to hate this diet with a white-hot passion.

For people like me, who need to lose more than 100 pounds, this diet seems far from ideal. There's a limit to how much one can lose in eight weeks, and Chant's answer to "What if I need to lose more?" is "Start over again." Ugh.

Then there's another thing... and I don't wish to speak ill of anyone, nor do I want to press the full-on paranoia button, but I'm hesitant to stick with any program where I discover the founder died unexpectedly young of an illness; such deaths may be coincidental, but they don't exactly inspire me to new heights of confidence in the program's long-term efficacy. I've been cautious of the Lean & Free 2000 Plus diet ever since discovering Dana Thornock died at the age of 46 due to a rare autoimmune disorder. Well, Wendy Chant, the author of the ForeverFit program, died in 2009 at the age of 44, a victim of colorectal cancer.

Does this program work? Well, I've been on it a week and I've lost 10 pounds. However, my fancy-pants scale reports that none of that weight loss was fat; my fat percentage actually went up a point or two during the week. It was almost certainly water-weight loss. Which is fine, I suppose, but for a book which touts itself as a means to fat loss, it's not terribly heartening. Plus, I cannot stand the awful recipes. It wouldn't be so bad if I could whip up my own recipes while adhering to program guidelines, but Chant simply doesn't give her readers the necessary information to do that effectively. Nope, look forward to grilled protein, rationed carbs, no milk, and a cup of broccoli a day for the rest of your life. I'm honestly left wondering whether I'd rather be ForeverFat.

Bottom line: I just enjoy good food too much to continue this diet, and I don't think that's a crime. More than anything else, I know, a diet has to be something you can live with for the long haul -- and I'm simply unwilling to go on for months with an eat-to-live diet. Maybe South Beach will prove to be a better fit.

[Barry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I borrowed this book thinking it would explain how our bodies metabolize food and how that affects our weight. Instead, this is pretty much a straight diet book with some science to justify the claims. Although I’m not overweight, I’m looking for tips to help me with healthy eating.

I’m heartened to see that Wendy Chant has qualifications and experience but the comparisons to Dr. Scott Connelly and his Body Rx book were obvious. Both believe in the heavy protein/low carb diet. Both have corporate offices and their own line of protein powders. This is worrisome. Google Bill Phillips and Connelly or MET-Rx to find out about their scam marketing program. This is not to say that Wendy Chant is a fraud but diet book writers tend to inhabit the same ethical neighbourhood as Wall Street traders.

Connelly strikes me as more credible. He’s a MD and a UCLA professor specializing in this area. Chant has her BSc and MPT and SPN. Connelly graduated summa cum laude in neuro-physiology; Chant is a Master Physical Trainer.

Chant’s book is littered with effusive testimonials from people that subscribed to her program. She headlines one with “I lost Seven Pounds That First Week”. This is worrisome. If she truly lost seven pounds of fat, rather than just water, she would have created a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories per day. This implies that she ran a marathon each day. Quite the feat for someone who “struggled to get through thirty miles on the treadmill.”

Chant looks for a hook to sell her mundane message of eat your fruits and veggies, lean protein; shun refined, sugary goods; eat less of everything. Her plan, like many diet books, is to go through hell week and then make comparatively easy changes. This appeals to most of us – we feel guilty for being negligent and then cram for the exam or hit the treadmill like a demon before a wedding.

What appealed to me was that Chant applied her bodybuilding observations to diet. As Chant points out, our body is an incredibly adaptive organism and seeks to conserve energy. Just as we tend to plateau if we stick with the same weightlifting regimen, our bodies will adapt to our diet. Chant recommends changing it up. Usually diet books will dismiss any fallback as the dieter’s problem – virtually nobody can be that disciplined over long period of time.

So Chant’s diet sustainable? Probably not, for the average person. She has a complicated cycle of carb-deplete days and carb-up, baseline days. There are forbidden foods on certain days. And an Atkins-like 20 grams carbs maximum on certain days. Only for the truly dedicated.

[P. J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it when people review diet books and haven't actually been on the diet or been on it long enough to give an honest opinion. Many obviously don't want to give up their current way of life so work hard to find something wrong with any diet. If a person loses ten pounds in a week, that's pretty good. Why not stick with it for a while and see what happens.

I didn't have a weight problem until my forties when my thyroid stopped working. I gained over forty pounds. I did several diets and found Crack the fat Loss Code to be the only one I could stay on long-term. The book isn't well laid out, but I actually corresponded with the Chant team (before Wendy's death) and was told that the publishing company insisted on that particular layout for the book. Take it one chapter at a time and it works.

The book allows for a variety of carb days and even has "D" days that allow the dieter to eat whatever he/she wants in moderation. I find this really helps me stay on track and helps with my sugar addiction. I eat a small amount of what I want and go right back on the program the next day. I write the days on my calendar and that keeps me on track.

The book also gives an eating plan for maintenance, which also works very well. I've done a lot of plans and this is one I could stay on easily for the rest of my life and that's saying a lot. The reality is that a person has to WANT to change his or her eating habits. We can eat what we want, but not often enough to be overweight. I think that makes some people very angry.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, my... I wish I could only give this one a half shar.

I won't even get into to faulty science included in this book. That's better left for a weight-loss or medical forum. I'm sure that some people are able to lose weight/get healthy using this book, but they must not have anything else going on in their lives. I also realize that this is a FAT LOSS diet, not necessarily weight-loss. This may be a great diet for body-builders or people who need to do some body recomposition.

The book has numerous typos, resulting in conflicting statements. It is soooo confusing that I spent the better part of 2 days working up my own charts and lists, just so I could make some sense of the plan. After I did all that, I realized that I was obsessing over it. When I sought help from some practitioners on a weight-loss forum, I realized that they were all obsessing about it, too. The diet claims to be flexible - but the way that you have to rearrange your menu to accomodate a "cheat day" is just too much work. And that much work will lead to failure. Unfortunately, a lot of people will think that they failed - when it is the diet that has failed them.

But the main thing I want to say is that this book bases the diet on "research" that has been refuted.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many "diet/life changing" books in my life but this one is the very best! I am following the life eating plan and have already lost almost 10 lbs in a two week period. I think Wendy Chant has hit the nail on the head with this plan. At least, this one works for me. I carry the book with me so I can keep up with the current week meal plans and also to read the inspirational pieces that I have highlighted that keep me motivated. The most motivating thing so far? The change in my clothes. They fit looser and I am feeling so much better than I have in years!
I stongly recommend this book to anyone that wants to lose a few pounds, feel better, and be more healthy.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband I read this book and followed it for the whole 8 weeks, I lost 20 pounds and my husband lost 10 pounds. It gave us a lot of perspective on how our body works and to get back into the habit of portion control and that treats are great... once in a while. I hated it at times the first few weeks because I wanted my sugar! But I felt great and I liked the dinner outlined for the weeks. We don't follow it exactly now but we follow the guidelines given and overall make better choices.

[tomlinton · Rating 4 out of 5]

After years of Atkins
where I lost some weight
and had side benefits

Like the disappearance
of reflux and diabetes symptoms
I could speak of personal experience
of the suitability for me
of a low-carb diet

Then came research
which my cardiologist posted
in each of his exam rooms
That the Atkins diet lead
in lowering key indicators
which currently signal healthy heart

Next came Dr Gundry's Diet Evolution
I was looking for something
more normal I think
Something closer to what one would eat
in old age and institutionalized

Gundry suggested gradually replacing
meat protein with what you can get
from greens
and I tried that for awhile
and still incorporate elements

A friend suggested
switching diets periodically
so I was reading samples
on my Kindle
when I discovered Wendy Chant

Wendy cycles the carbs
starting with deplete
to baseline then up then down
and finally settling into
a long term maintenance diet
which you use when you have
no more to lose

Carb cycling is what I'm trying now
Initial results are good
I haven't finished the patterned eight weeks

But if I hit unbreakable plateaus again
why then I might just follow my friend's advice
and now I have three diets to choose from

Plus Mediterranean
and South Beach which is a variant
and as it turns out
Atkins evolves at later stages
into something which suspiciously looks
like Mediterranean

[Glasdow Teacosy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am finishing my 8th week on this diet. It has been a harsh one to follow, but I've eaten healthily, sustained my protein needs, and lost 20lbs. I had hoped for the promised 25, but one needs good sleep and regular exercise to maximize this diet's effects. I was poor in both areas in the past month.

The book is very difficult to follow and some of the recipes are horribly bland. Those are the two reasons I cannot give the book four stars, even though the diet was successful for me. I became very bored with the diet, losing dedication to it within the past two weeks. There simply was not enough tasty variation to the proposed menus. Perhaps her sequel will be better.

Another failing of the diet is a lack of roughage since those are often high in carbs. I don't think it is a small coincidence that the author of this book, who lived by this diet, died of colon cancer. Now, I can't say that more roughage would have saved Chant, but it is one of those things that makes one pause.

After all is said, however, I did lose 20lbs. because of this diet. That is a testimony to its strengths. The science in this diet made sense to me and worked when I applied it. I just never stopped craving donuts. I can hardly blame Chant for that, can I?

(Oh, what the heck. I'll give it four stars. It helped me lose 20lbs and drop a pant size. No sense being stingy with my praise.)

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been on this diet for 4 weeks and have lost 12 pounds so far. The diet is strict and I plan on going back to weight watchers once I get to my goal weight. This is about carbs, limiting them and eating them on kind of a rotation schedule. I was stuck at a plateau on WW and this helped me get through that. I just don't see myself doing this for life. WW is a better plan for the long term for me.

Her recipes in the book do not interest me at all.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of repetitive content

A lot of what Wendy says in the first 3 to 4 chapters make sense. I gave it 3 stars due to the same meal plan guidelines being repeated over many chapters. Plus the gym attendee endorsement s throughout each chapter....

Not really inspired to crack the fat code.

[Ruhegeist · Rating 2 out of 5]

fast read. very repetative. don't know how well this 'lifestyle' will work especially for emotional eaters since following this would seem to require a huge paradigm shift. all the logs and plans appear to be helpful.

haven't tried any of it yet but once we do will update the review.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a very good book. I like her concept of loosing weight. She was also very helpful when I emailed her about a question regarding the diet, she personally responded to me very quickly.
I was sorry to hear of her passing.

[jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a disappointment. I learned a couple of things, but it wasn't what I'd hoped. She's basically pro-protein and anti wheat.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

eight week program, kind of complicated...but it worked for me. Gave me the jump start I needed now going on WW

[Krystal Slivka]

Need to Read

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now I know what all the fuss is about at work. What a relief! I don't think I could consume that much broccoli but glad it's helping people.