"The 400 Calorie Fix" is a good idea, but nothing new

Prevention Editor-in-Chief Liz Vaccariello presented her latest book The 400 Calorie Fix on the Rachael Ray Show this morning.

Vaccariello, who co-authored the wildly popular Flat Belly Diet brought up some interesting points. She explained that the average woman consumes 2700 calories a day which is 1000 more than the suggested total.

She went on to say that registered dietitians tout eating four 400-calorie meals would leave one satiated, craving-free, while offering a variety of tastes and textures as well as enough disease-fighting nutrients to help a person stay healthy.

Hmm.  Where would your disease-fighting nutrients come from if all you ate was cake and ice cream at each 400-calorie seating?

Vaccariello claimed, "We show you how to eyeball foods, to read menus, so you're not counting calories, you are controlling it. It's the easiest weight loss solution ever because it's one simple rule: you learn to see the world through a 400-calorie lens."

Honestly, she can call it "controlling" calories, but at the end of the day, it's still counting them. Any registered dietitian or reasonably sound fitness professional will tell you that weight loss happens when the amount of calories consumed is less than the amount expended. That is what's simple.

Is it easy to lose weight? If your thyroid is in check, surprisingly the answer is yes.

A member of Rachael's audience proved this when she lost six pounds after following The 400 Calorie Fix for a mere two days.

But conforming to any diet will do it. It doesn't matter if it's Atkin's, South Beach, Low-fat, Low-sugar, or The GI Diet. They all work, at least for a while.

Remember that it's also easy to gain the weight back. Only five percent of those who lose weight manage to keep it off for a period of five years or more, mainly because they go off the diet or don't stick to the changes they made when they were following the program.

That said, The 400 Calorie Fix seems to be a little more realistic than some of its predecessors. No food is off limits. It is more about a change in perspective than anything, which is a step in the right direction.

Although, there's nothing new about calorie counting, being more mindful of what you eat, keeping a food journal for accountability, becoming familiar with proper food portions and eating more small meals a day. 

Overall, if this book helps people to use the basic ideology or it brings awareness back to the forefront through the repackaging of tried-and-true ideas, then it's a good thing. You may even be able to pick up a couple of new recipes that will show how to make a 400-calorie meal.

Speaking of tried-and-true, two other words come to mind--Weight Watchers.

Regardless of the nutrition regime you choose, an additional way to sustain a healthy lifestyle is to exercise regularly.

The 400 Calorie Fix is currently available for pre-order and will hit the shelves in January 2010.

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