The Fat Smash Diet

Used on VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club and developed by Ian K. Smith, MD, this Hollywood diet promises to provide a sustained lifestyle approach for healthy weight loss.

What it is: The Fat Smash Diet is a low-calorie diet plan that does not call for counting calories, but instead provides lists of foods to enjoy and those to avoid, in addition to more than 50 recipes. The diet calls for lots of exercise also.

How it works: The 90-day diet is divided into four phases. In the first phase, dieters detox with a lower-calorie plan and shed bad habits. Phase two introduces additional foods, but maintains a schedule of four to five meals per day. Phase three and four continue to add slightly larger portions and more foods, alongside guiding principles of exercise.

What you do: Dieters eat four to five meals per day throughout the diet. In the first detox phase, dieters drink lots of water to flush out the system and only eat foods that are raw, grilled or steamed. Phase 2 introduces limited quantities of egg, cheese, whole-grains, coffee and more. Phase 3 introduces pasta and bread for the first time. Phase four allows you to eat limited quantities of pizza, beer and potatoes with portion control and daily exercise.

Benefits: The diet gives you a sustained approach to healthy living, without depriving you of the foods you love in the long-term.

Downside: The concept of a “detox” phase is much contested by many doctors and nutritionists. The diet may be difficult enough without an extensive list of forbidden foods in these first phases.