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Super SHRED by Ian K Smith MD (2013): Food list

Super Shred diet book by Ian K Smith MDThe Shred Diet Cookbook by Ian K Smith MDSuper SHRED (2013) is a 4-week very rapid weight loss diet, written by Dr. Ian Smith of The Doctors. It’s a follow-up to the SHRED diet.

  • Negative energy balance – eat fewer calories than you burn.
  • Calorie disruption – intermittent fasting, with dramatically varying calorie consumption.
  • Sliding nutrient density – load up on healthy nutrients while minimizing calorie consumption.
  • Every meal and snack is listed, with some flexibility in the meal plan so that you can have some choice in what you eat and drink.
  • Some liquid meals.
  • After 4 weeks, if you still want to lose more weight, move to the regular SHRED diet.

Below is a description of the food recommendations in the diet.  General guidelines  |  Week 1 Foundation  |  Week 2 Accelerate  |  Week 3 Shape  |  Week 4 tenacious  |  Vegetarians.  There’s a lot more in the book.

Use this page as a cheat sheet alongside the book. Send this page to friends, family, and anyone else who you want to understand what you’re eating on this diet.

Get a copy of SUPER SHRED for shopping lists, detailed meal plans for each day of the 4-week diet, exercise guidelines for each day, snack ideas for 100-calorie and 150-calorie snacks, smoothie recipes, soup recipes, and more.

Get The Shred Diet Cookbook for recipes (for both Shred and Super Shred).

The reasoning behind Super SHRED

This book argues that SUPER SHRED puts your body in a state of negative energy balance so that you will go into your fat stores for the energy, thus reducing the amount of fat while at the same time losing pounds. Exercise is critical for this.

Research has shown that with intermittent fasting, blood pressure is reduced, levels of sugars and fats in circulation are improved, and inflammation— an indicator of heart disease risk— can be limited.  Every week there is a day when you are eating a reduced amount of calories compared to the other days, to achieve this.

The ideal situation is to get the most nutrients for the fewest calories. The daily menus are constructed so that the majority of your choices in the later part of each day will be plant-based instead of meat-based. In other words, this is an omnivore’s diet with a lot of nutrient density, but it tilts toward the plant aspect, thus loading you up on all kinds of disease fighters such as antioxidants and fiber.

Super SHRED diet plan – what to eat and foods to avoid

General guidelines  |  Week 1 Foundation  |  Week 2 Accelerate  |  Week 3 Shape  |  Week 4 tenacious  |  Vegetarians

General guidelines

  • Meal spacing: Each week is different, so pay attention to the eating instructions for that week as well as the schedule of meals. Sometimes you will have three snacks, sometimes only two. Some weeks you will have four meals, others only two. Don’t skip meals. If you are not hungry enough to eat all of the meal, then don’t eat it all. Just eat some of it. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. If you miss a meal or snack, you can’t save it and eat it later or combine them – once that time has passed, move on to your next meal at the designated time.
  • Substitutions: While it’s advised to make as few changes to the plan as possible, you can make substitutions where necessary. Modifying it too much can impact your chances of succeeding. If you become confused or find yourself unsure, err on the side of caution. Vegetables, for example, can always be substituted in the program – just be careful how they’re cooked. The goal is to eat as cleanly as possible, so when you are faced with a choice, choose the item that’s lower in calories, closer to how it exists in nature (less processed), and most abundant in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.
  • Slips: Each day you overeat, skip more than one meal, or eat food that’s not on the daily menu is considered a slip, and it takes you backward, away from your goal. If you slip when you are less than halfway through the week (days 1 to 3), go back to the beginning of the week. If you slip on any of days 5 to 7, go back one day and do it again. If you slip on day 4, do day 4 again. Minor slips, such as having one extra small snack or eating your meal 30 minutes later than scheduled, do not necessitate your starting over.

Foundation – first week 1

Understand the importance of meal timing and preparation and how to pace yourself so that your exercise and eating are synchronized to give you the results you desire.

Foods to eat in Super SHRED week 1

  • Meal timing
    • 4 meals a day, 3-4 hours apart; 2 snacks between meals 1 and 2
    • Consume 1 cup of water before every meal
    • Meal 1 – 1 hour after waking, e.g. 8.30am if you wake at 7.30am
    • Snack 1 – 1 ½ hours after meal 1, e.g. 10am
    • Snack 2 – 1 ½ hours after snack 1, e.g. 11.30am
    • Meal 2 – 1 hour after snack 2, e.g. 12.30pm
    • Meal 3 – 3 hours after meal 2, e.g. 4.30pm
    • Meal 4 – 3 hours after meal 3, e.g. 7.30pm
    • Note that this is only a sample. All of us get up and go to sleep at different times, so you have to set your schedule accordingly. Keep in mind that the meals should be 3-4 hours apart and the snacks are 1 ½ hours after the meal that precedes it
    • Do not eat your last meal within 90 minutes of going to sleep. If because of circumstances you’re eating late and know you’re going right to bed, then consume half the meal.
  • Follow the meal plan in the book, which includes substitutes
  • Fruits
    • Serving size – 1 piece of fruit or ½ cup berries or large/small fruits
    • 2 lemons plus 6 other servings of fruit for this week
    • Lemons (must have), + other fruits e.g. apple, banana, berries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, grapefruit, kiwis, mango, melon, orange, pear, pineapple, plums, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon
    • Canned and frozen fruits are allowed, either packed in water or with no sugar added
  • Breakfast options
    • 6 breakfast meals for this week
    • Grains and cereals (1 cup cooked = 1 meal) – oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, sugar-free or low-sugar (under 5 grams) cereal (e.g. Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs, Cheerios, Fiber One)
    • Eggs (2 eggs = 1 meal) or egg whites, bacon (turkey or pork – 1 strip per meal)
    • Bread, whole-wheat or whole-grain; can use for grilled cheese sandwich made with 2 slices of regular cheese on 2 pieces of bread
    • Pancakes, preferably whole-grain (1 pancakes the size of a CD= 1 meal)
    • Yogurt, low-fat or fat-free (6-ounce serving size)
  • Beverages
    • Water (as much as you want) – plain/fizzy
    • 6 cups green tea or hibiscus tea, plus 32 additional drink options (serving size 1 cup) for this week. Mix up your drinks; don’t have the same all the time
    • Juice – fresh juice is preferred; if you drink store-bought juice, make sure it says “not from concentrate” and “no sugar added”. If you’re diabetic or have blood sugar regulation difficulties, try another beverage such as water, milk, or tea
    • Coffee – plain/nothing fancy, with up to 1 packet of sugar (about ½ – 1 ½ teaspoons) and a little half-and-half or milk if you want, max 2/day
    • Diet soda – 12-oz, max 1/day
    • Low-fat/reduced-fat/fat-free milk or unsweetened soy or almond milk
    • Unsweetened iced tea
    • Lemonade
    • Flavored water
    • You’re allowed to have a total of 3 alcoholic drinks for the week: 2 mixed drinks or 3 light beers or 3 glasses of wine or a combination of these drinks. Serving sizes: 1 beer = 12 fluid ounces; 1 serving of wine = 5 fluid ounces (a little more than half a cup); a mixed drink has about 1 ½ fluid ounces of hard liquor. Also, you can’t have them all in one day, so you can’t save them up for the weekend.
  • Salads
    • 4 large and 1 small green garden salads
    • Lots of lettuce
    • Limited amounts of beets, carrots, olives, onions, tomatoes. Limited fat-free dressing depending on the size of the salad, no bacon bits, no croutons
  • Vegetables
    • Serving size about the size of your fist; for a tomato, serving size = 1 tomato
    • Must have 12 servings this week, plus optional 3 further servings
    • Canned and frozen vegetables are allowed; check that they aren’t high-sodium; they should have about 480 mg sodium/serving
    • E.g. avocados, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumber, garlic, green beans, leeks, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
  • Meat and fish
    • 1 serving = 5 ounces, cooked, approximately the size of a deck and a half of playing cards
    • Must have 4 servings, can have up to 5 servings total for the week
    • You have to mix up the types of protein; can’t have the same all the time
    • Lean beef, chicken, fish, turkey
    • Baked, grilled, or broiled; not fried, no skin
  • Snacks
    • These are encouraged but optional
    • 7 SHRED BARs or other snack items 150 calories or less
    • 7 SHRED POP popcorn or other snack items 100 calories or less
    • Other snack examples include fruit, nuts, seeds, deli turkey slices, vegetables with guacamole, wasabi peas, baby carrots, roasted chickpeas, natural peanut butter, frozen grapes
  • Soups, smoothies, protein shakes
    • Must have 1 cup of soup, 12 additional servings from the list below, all 200 calories or less with no added sugar
    • Serving sizes for smoothies and shakes aren’t standardized; you probably just have to stick to the calorie and sugar restrictions
    • If the recipe makes more than one serving, be sure you drink only one at that time. If the store-bought product contains more than 1 serving, just drink the equivalent of 1 serving and refrigerate the rest for next time.
    • Low-salt soup (1 cup serving with less than 480 mg sodium) – no potatoes (although there are potatoes in several of the soup recipes), no heavy cream. Good choices are chicken noodle, vegetable, lentil, chickpea, split pea, black bean, tomato basil, minestrone.
    • Fruit smoothies, protein shakes
  • Optional meal choices
    • Can choose all or none of these
    • 1 cup of pasta
    • 2 slices of small cheese pizza (no larger than 5 inches across the crust and 5 inches long)
    • 1 serving of lasagna, with or without meat (4 inches × 3 inches × 1 inch)
    • 1 veggie burger (3 inches in diameter, ½ inch thick)
  • Extras
    • Vegetables – diced vegetables, tomatoes, lettuce
    • Sweet foods – 1 dessert of 100 calories or less, 1 small jar of jelly, sugar packets (to help with portion control), 1 ½ tablespoons of syrup
    • Fatty foods – 1 stick of butter, half-and-half, 1 tablespoon of grated cheese, extra milk for cereal
    • Meal enhancements – ground beef/marinara sauce for pasta, 1 slice of cheese for turkey sandwich
    • Condiments – mustard, mayo
  • Spices
    • These are unlimited
    • Salt is not a spice. You are allowed to add no more than ½ teaspoon of salt to your food each day.

Foods to avoid or limit with Super SHRED week 1

  • Any food or beverage not listed above
  • Foods in larger serving sizes or more calories than listed above
  • Regular soda
  • Salty foods

Accelerate – second week 2

To help you avoid a plateau, this week is designed to help you accelerate through the natural slowdown. You might not lose as much weight as you did during the first week, but you will keep losing.

Foods to eat in Super SHRED week 2

  • Meal timing
    • 3 meals and 2 snacks
    • Consume 1 cup of water before every meal
    • Meal 1 – 1 hour after waking, e.g. 8.30am if you wake at 7.30am
    • Snack 1 – 1 ½ hours after meal 1, e.g. 10am
    • Meal 2 – 2 ½ hours after snack 1, e.g. 12.30pm
    • Meal 3 – 3 ½ hours after meal 2, e.g. 5pm
    • Snack 2 – 3 hours after meal 3, e.g. 8pm
    • Note that this is only a sample and you should build a schedule that works for your sleep-wake cycle and work-activity schedule. But be mindful of the basic guidelines. Waiting time between meal and snack should be 1 ½ hours, except the last snack, which can be eaten more than 1 ½ hours after the meal. The waiting time between meals this week is 3 to 4 ½ hours.
    • Do not eat your last meal within 90 minutes of going to sleep. If because of circumstances you’re eating late and know you’re going right to bed, then consume half the meal.
  • Follow the meal plan in the book, which includes substitutes
  • Fruits
    • Same as week 1: 2 lemons plus 6 other servings of fruit for this week
  • Breakfast options
    • Same as week 1, only 4 breakfast meals for this week. Another option is given: grits.
  • Beverages
    • Same as week 1, only 21 drink options for the week in addition to water
  • Salads
    • Similar to week 1, some more flexibility in number of salads
  • Vegetables
    • Similar to week 1; must have 6 servings this week, plus optional 4 further servings
  • Meat and fish
    • Similar to week 1; must have 2 servings, plus an additional 3 optional servings for the week
    • Other options given include chicken fingers, shrimp, chicken or turkey sandwiches, turkey burgers, lean hamburgers, lean country ham, chicken stir fry, cooked cod
  • Snacks
    • Same as week 1
    • Other snack examples – Fudgsicles, small baked potato topped with salsa, low-fat frozen yogurt, all-natural granola, olives, hummus, hard-boiled egg, peanuts, tuna
  • Soups, smoothies, protein shakes
    • Similar to week 1 – must have 4 cups of soup, plus 11 additional servings from the list in week 1
  • Optional meal choices
    • Can choose all or none of these
    • 1 cup of pasta
    • 1 ½ cups brown rice
    • 1 cup of beans, chickpeas, or lentils
  • Extras
    • Similar to week 1
  • Spices
    • Same as week 1

Foods to avoid or limit with Super SHRED week 2

  • Same as week 1

Shape – third week 3

This is the week you will experience true calorie disruption. This week is specifically designed to be challenging but not overwhelming.

Foods to eat in Super SHRED week 3

  • Meal timing
    • 2 meals and 4 snacks
    • Consume 1 cup of water before every meal and every snack
    • Meal 1 – 1 hour after waking, e.g. 8.30am if you wake at 7.30am
    • Snack 1 – 2 hours after meal 1, e.g. 10.30am
    • Snack 2 – 2 hours after snack 1, e.g. 12.30pm
    • Snack 3 – 2 hours after snack 2, e.g. 2.30pm
    • Meal 2 – 3 hours after snack 3, e.g. 5.30pm
    • Snack 4 – 1 ½ hours after meal 2, e.g. 7pm
    • Snacks remain optional but are strongly recommended. You are allowed to have a “floating bonus snack.” This is an extra snack in addition to what is written in the daily menu. It can be eaten at any time of the day, but it must be 100 calories or less. Use this snack only if you need it. It’s meant to be an emergency relief if your body really needs it
    • Do not eat your last meal within 90 minutes of going to sleep. If because of circumstances you’re eating late and know you’re going right to bed, then consume half the meal
  • Follow the meal plan in the book, which includes substitutes
  • Fruits
    • Similar options to week 1; 6 servings minimum, plus optional 2 servings
  • Breakfast options
    • Same as week 1, only 5 breakfast meals for this week
  • Beverages
    • Same as week 1, only 19 drink options for the week in addition to water
    • No alcohol this week
  • Salads
    • Similar to week 1, some more flexibility in number of salads
  • Vegetables
    • Similar to week 1; must have 10 servings this week, plus optional 2 further servings
  • Meat and fish
    • Similar to week 1; must have 6 servings, plus an additional 4 optional servings for the week
  • Snacks
    • Double the amounts in week 1:
    • 14 SHRED BARs or other snack items 150 calories or less
    • 14 SHRED POP popcorn or other snack items 100 calories or less
    • Floating bonus snack – this week you are allowed 1 extra snack of 100 calories or less any time throughout the day when you feel like you absolutely need it. If you really don’t need this snack, don’t use it. But if you are feeling like your body is simply shutting down or the hunger pangs are too intense, then go ahead and treat yourself to this snack.
    • Other snack examples – Ritz crackers, smoked salmon, oysters, shrimp with cocktail sauce, low-fat salsa with tortilla chips, tiny chocolate chip cookies, dried apricots
  • Smoothies, protein shakes
    • Only 2 servings this week; options same as week 1, smoothies and protein shakes only, no soup
  • Optional meal choices
    • Can choose all or none of these
    • 2 cups of pasta
    • 2 slices of small cheese pizza (no larger than 5 inches across the crust and 5 inches long)
    • 1 serving of lasagna, with or without meat (4 inches × 3 inches × 1 inch)
    • 1 veggie burger (3 inches in diameter, ½ inch thick)
  • Extras
    • Similar to week 1
  • Spices
    • Same as week 1

Foods to avoid or limit with Super SHRED week 3

  • Same as week 1
  • No alcohol this week

Tenacious – fourth week 4

Use all that you have learned and developed in this last push toward your goal.

Foods to eat in Super SHRED week 4

  • Meal timing
    • 4 meals and 1 snack
    • Consume 1 cup of water before every meal
    • Meal 1 – 1 hour after waking, e.g. 8.30am if you wake at 7.30am
    • Meal 2 – 3 ½ hours after snack 1, e.g. 12pm
    • Snack – 1 ½ hours after snack 2, e.g. 1.30pm
    • Meal 3 – 2 ½ hours after snack, e.g. 4pm
    • Meal 4 – 3 ½ hours after meal 2, e.g. 7.30pm
    • During the course of the week you should never go more than 4 hours without eating something. Your meals should be 3 to 4 hours apart. Your snacks should fall about 1 ½ hours after meals.
    • Do not eat your last meal within 90 minutes of going to sleep. If because of circumstances you’re eating late and know you’re going right to bed, then consume half the meal
  • Follow the meal plan in the book, which includes substitutes
  • Fruits
    • Similar options to week 1; 7 servings minimum, plus optional 5 servings
  • Breakfast options
    • Same as week 1, but 7 breakfast meals for this week
  • Beverages
    • Same as week 1, only 20 drink options for the week in addition to water
    • You can have alcohol again this week, same guidelines as week 1
  • Salads
    • Similar to week 1, some more flexibility in number of salads
  • Vegetables
    • Similar to week 1; must have 13 servings this week, plus optional 4 further servings
  • Meat and fish
    • Similar to week 1; must have 3 servings, plus an additional 2 optional servings for the week
  • Snacks
    • Similar to week 1, only fewer snacks
    • 2 SHRED BARs or other snack items 150 calories or less
    • 5 SHRED POP popcorn or other snack items 100 calories or less
    • Other snack examples – red kidney beans, quinoa, black bean salsa spread on eggplant
  • Soups, smoothies, protein shakes
    • Similar to week 1 – 9 servings this week
  • Optional meal choices
    • Can choose all or none of these
    • 2 slices of small cheese pizza (no larger than 5 inches across the crust and 5 inches long)
    • 1 serving of lasagna, with or without meat, 4 inches × 3 inches × 1 inch
    • 2 veggie burgers (3 inches in diameter, ½ inch thick)
  • Extras
    • Similar to week 1
  • Spices
    • Same as week 1

Foods to avoid or limit with Super SHRED week 4

  • Same as week 1

Super SHRED for vegetarians

Make substitutions in the daily menus. Be mindful of calorie counts and portion sizes

As always, this is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition. Consult your doctor before starting a new diet. This page describes what the authors of the diet recommend – Chewfo is describing the diet only, not endorsing it.

Get a copy of SUPER SHRED for shopping lists, detailed meal plans for each day of the 4-week diet, exercise guidelines, snack ideas for 100-calorie and 150-calorie snacks, smoothie recipes, and soup recipes.

Buy now from Amazon
Get The Shred Diet Cookbook for recipes (for both Shred and Super Shred).

Buy now from Amazon
Dr. Smith’s website is www.doctoriansmith.com; he’s on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DrIanSmith, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Dr.IanKSmith and www.facebook.com/ShredderNation.

How has this diet helped you? Please add a comment or question below.

{ 155 comments… add one }

  • Nancy January 26, 2014, 12:09 pm

    I can’t find a recipe anywhere for what a Super Shred protein shake is comprised of. Do I just add whey protein? There are lots of smoothie recipes, but nowhere can I find info on the protein shake. Disappointing.

    • Penny Hammond January 26, 2014, 1:05 pm

      It looks like you can use store-bought protein shakes as long as they meet these guidelines: they should be 200 calories or less and not contain any added sugar.
      I can’t find any recipes in the book for protein shakes. And I’m surprised they’re not selling any of their own brand!

      On some forums, brands that people have suggested include Atkins shakes and EAS. If shopping online is convenient for you, try doing a search for low-carb shakes; check that they meet the restrictions.

      • Jean Rhodes June 19, 2014, 8:41 pm

        I buy protein shakes at GNC. Be careful with the Atkins shakes, I was experiencing high potassium in my blood tests (drinking Adkins shakes for breakfast almost daily). I cut out the shakes and now am back to normal.
        The GNC Lean shakes are good, I use strawberry and chocolate and like them both. I also have protein shake powder that I can carry with me and mix on the run when needed.

  • Margot January 27, 2014, 1:43 pm

    Odwalla brand makes good fruit smoothies and protein shakes in addition to GNC LEAN drinks, but Dr Ian does give recipes, I saw this one online:
    Blueberry Swizzle
    Ingredients
    2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
    6 ounces fat- free plain or vanilla yogurt
    ½ cup apple juice (not from concentrate)
    1 medium ripe banana, peeled and sliced
    2 teaspoons honey
    8 ice cubes

    Directions
    Combine all ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. This recipe makes multiple servings; drink only one at this time.

    Total prep time: 5 minutes
    Serves 3
    Under 200 calories

  • Becky February 22, 2014, 4:43 pm

    Where can I buy the workout video for this?

  • janet talbert February 28, 2014, 5:03 pm

    Can you use sugar substitutes on the super shred diet?

    • Penny Hammond March 2, 2014, 10:18 am

      It’s not really clear whether you can use sugar substitutes. I searched for common ones – splenda, sucralose, aspartame, stevia, and xylitol – but there weren’t any mentions in the book. Also no mention of the word “sweetener”.
      The author says you can have up to one 12-oz can of diet soda a day – diet sodas contain sugar substitutes, so that means they aren’t not allowed, but maybe they should be used only in small amounts once a day (as long as you’re not having diet soda that day).

  • Audrey Peasley March 4, 2014, 4:10 pm

    I’m still trying to figure out what I’m supposed to do with the lemons that are on the list each week. Anyone know?

    • Penny Hammond March 5, 2014, 8:46 am

      Look at the beverages – there are days when a “must” beverage is water with lemon juice squeezed in it.

  • Alicia March 5, 2014, 12:12 pm

    I have lost 7 pounds the first week but believe it would have been better but I did mess up once off schedule for my b.day weekend. I am kicking it up a notch with my workouts and looking forward to week 2!!

    • Amanda Brooks July 11, 2014, 3:58 pm

      Did you complete this plan? Are you still following this plan? Very interested to learn more!

  • Jennifer March 5, 2014, 2:19 pm

    I’m new to the super shred diet. I had to start week one over because I’m finding it hard to eat all the meals and snacks that you are suppose to in the time frame. I’m trying to get a good schedule going but finding that I’m not really hungry for the snacks. I do exercise everyday. Would this diet work if snacks or protein shakes are skipped once in a while? Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond March 5, 2014, 2:31 pm

      Here’s what the author says about skipping meals (which presumably also applies to scheduled snacks):
      “Skipping meals is a big mistake, and it can be counterproductive on SUPER SHRED. If you are not hungry enough to eat all of the meal, then don’t eat it all. Just eat some of it. But skipping it altogether is not the solution. Your body must grow accustomed to a regular eating schedule, as it is counting on those energy calories to nourish and fuel it so it can carry out the basic functions of life. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed.” (pp. 11-12)

    • Chrissy March 30, 2014, 3:30 pm

      According to the book, snacks are encouraged but completely optional.

      • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 1:26 pm

        The way I read it, snacks are encouraged as part of the meal plan. If you miss one, it’s not the end of the world.

        “Each week there is a day in which the amount of calories you consume will be quite different from what you have consumed earlier in the week and what you will consume later in the week. It’s very important during these days to stick to the plan and make sure you eat all of your snacks and meals that day.” (p.7)
        “Each week is different, so pay attention to the eating instructions for that week as well as the schedule of meals. Sometimes you will have three snacks, sometimes only two. Some weeks you will have four meals, others only two . Each week is specifically designed so that no two are alike. This is why it’s so important to pay attention to the week’s layout at the beginning of each chapter.” (p.11)
        “Skipping meals is a big mistake, and it can be counterproductive on SUPER SHRED. If you are not hungry enough to eat all of the meal, then don’t eat it all. Just eat some of it. But skipping it altogether is not the solution. Your body must grow accustomed to a regular eating schedule , as it is counting on those energy calories to nourish and fuel it so it can carry out the basic functions of life. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed.” (pp.11-12) – this seems to apply to snacks as well.

  • Charity March 7, 2014, 9:22 am

    I recently purchased the super shred book and plan to start soon. My question would be I got to work really early @ 5:30am, so if I start eating that early on most days my last meal would be around 4:30-5 pm. Can I adjust the times slightly to line up with my work lunch time or maybe have a snack first and my meal later at my scheduled work lunch time as long as I have the amount required that day

    • Penny Hammond March 7, 2014, 7:25 pm

      You could try stretching things out slightly – each week Dr. Smith tells you what’s the longest you should be between meals, and that’s included in the meal timing section for each week, above.

  • Karen March 8, 2014, 10:37 pm

    Lost 3 pounds each weeks 1 and 2. Week 3 I lost nothing. I’ m 5′ 1″ and weigh 130 pounds (age 54). I’m just starting week 4 of Super Shred. Any tips to insure weight loss again.

    • Penny Hammond March 9, 2014, 3:17 pm

      This book doesn’t give different portion sizes for people of different sizes, and I can’t see any guidance on whether you should be eating slightly smaller portions because of your height.

    • Liz March 24, 2014, 2:39 pm

      Hi Karen,

      I am also petite, and trying this diet. I am 5’0″, starting weight 142.5 lbs. I lost 4 lbs on week 1, and I am just starting week 2.

      I notice that the diet doesn’t really give calorie recommendations for all meals. I know from previous experience that at my height and weight, a recommended calorie intake for weight loss would be somewhere under 1300 calories per day, so that is what I’m keeping in mind when following this diet. So I try to keep the meals at 300 or less, and the snacks at 100-150.

      Hope this helps, good luck!

  • jazzyjay March 10, 2014, 8:19 pm

    Please help. Week one day three meal 4 does not state choose the following. Do we eat all that’s there or pick one

    • Penny Hammond March 11, 2014, 5:57 pm

      It looks like you should eat all of the foods listed – water, soup, vegetables, and dessert.

  • sharon March 14, 2014, 8:42 am

    My question is this: I’ve looked the book over and it seems really overwhelming. (suffer from major depression) Is there a site that shows the meal plans already figured out so I don’t have to sit tgere and try to pick from the meals, snacks and smoothies ????? Someone please help! I need to lose 75 lbs.
    My sincere thanks to whomever can help me.

    • Penny Hammond March 17, 2014, 7:56 pm

      Both Shred and Super Shred give you a choice for the meal plans, and I can’t find any website that removes that choice for this diet plan.

      So I’m looking for something that will tell you exactly what to eat, if that’s going to make it easier for you. The diet books I’ve reviewed over the past few years tend to give you guidelines, not exact meal plans – when they have meal plans, they usually give you a choice as many people don’t want to feel too restricted.

      Here’s a diet that gives you an option of exactly what to eat on each day, and includes prepared foods like Super Shred does: The New Atkins Made Easy by Colette Heimowitz.

    • denise September 19, 2014, 2:12 pm

      Hello I jus wanted to tell u about a diet called bread for life it’s suppose to help with depression by raising serotonin and in return it also causes weight loss I did it for a week and lost 2 lbs. Hope it helps….There is not much info on the Internet about thus diet I stumbled upon it on amazon.

      • Marlene January 10, 2015, 1:36 pm

        My husband & I followed the plan last spring. On Sundays I would prepare an excel spreadsheet for all the meals and snacks based on the choices for each day. Once that was done, it made following the plan very easy. We each lost about 12 pounds which we were happy with. A few pounds have found their way back after the holidays so we’re back on the plan and all I need to do is make some minor adjustments to my original plan. Well worth the initial investment of time.

        • Penny Hammond January 10, 2015, 2:08 pm

          It’s great that you’re so organized!
          Good luck getting back on track.

    • Elle August 21, 2015, 5:18 am

      Actually dr Ian’s previous book called “Extreme Fat Smash” is pretty much Super Shred but without the options. I did 2 weeks of it a few years back and easily lost 10lbs.

  • Sharon K March 16, 2014, 6:48 pm

    I am about to get started with super shred. I’m not sure about lemonade, what kind should I have. What fruit juices besides orange juice would be best.

    • Penny Hammond March 17, 2014, 8:24 pm

      What type of lemonade isn’t clear – the book just says “lemonade”; several people have asked on the Facebook page and haven’t had a response.
      What it probably isn’t: Lemonade soda (sodas are listed separately) or lemonade concentrate (which is mostly sugar).
      It would probably be safe to say that still or sparkling water with real lemon juice added to it will be okay.

      Here’s what the book says about fruit juice:
      “While fresh-squeezed juice is definitely preferred, you can drink store-bought juice. Just make sure it says “not from concentrate” and “no sugar added.” If you’re a diabetic or have trouble regulating your blood sugar, choose a different beverage option, such as water, milk, or tea.”
      On his website, Dr. Smith includes some suggestions: grapefruit juice, apple juice, orange juice, tomato juice, carrot juice.

      • Kelly July 11, 2014, 11:31 pm

        We are in week three and down 14 pounds. Crystal Light is the best option and almost zero calories. Tastes great too!

        • mayar August 17, 2014, 11:36 pm

          can you tell me please your meal plan for the diet ?

          • Penny Hammond August 18, 2014, 8:35 am

            The meal plan is in the book – exactly what to eat for each meal.

  • Dee March 18, 2014, 11:45 am

    My question is: with my work schudule it would be better to move meal #2 200 cal. to meal #3 time and meal #3 to meal #2 spot. Is that possible to loss the weight.

    • Penny Hammond March 19, 2014, 7:29 pm

      I can’t see anything on meal order in the book. The only time I can think of where it may be an issue is in week 3 when you’re trying to achieve calorie disruption.

  • marium March 20, 2014, 4:29 pm

    Hello, can anyone please give me week2, 3 and 4 meals schedule and diet from shred the revolutionary diet book, cause I can’t find the book anywhere and I’m in great need for it. Thanks in advance.

  • Sharon March 20, 2014, 5:04 pm

    Just now looking at the super shred diet. I am wondering if there is a difference between the shred and super shred book as to recipes included in the books.. are they the same or different recipes.

    • Penny Hammond March 23, 2014, 2:49 pm

      They’ve got different recipes (as well as different meal plans).
      You can look in the index of the book in Amazon – click on the book image (it says Look Inside), then click on the book section Index.
      Here’s the link for the Shred diet.
      Here’s the link for Super Shred.

  • sweety March 26, 2014, 9:21 am

    Thank you very much for this topic
    I am from Egypt so I couldn’t buy the book , you helped so much

    but actually I still cannot understand some points , is it OK to ask you ?

    for example , in week 2 , how come to have 4 breakfast ?? what am I going to eat the other 3 days breakfast in the week ??
    I hope you don not mind asking , I have so many questions

    excuse my bad language , it is not my native

    • Penny Hammond March 26, 2014, 9:09 pm

      This diet tells you exactly what to eat on which day – you definitely won’t be able to follow the diet from this summary. I’d suggest looking for a different diet – the popular diets of the moment are listed in the top right hand side of the page, and there’s a full list of diet writeups in the Diets tab.

      In week 2, the book tells you to buy 4 breakfasts because the other 3 breakfast meals are either a fruit smoothie or a protein shake.

      • sweety May 28, 2014, 1:50 am

        thanks for answering , donnot you know any link for the free pdf of the book ??
        i tried to buy it , but it is so hard from here ……

        • Penny Hammond May 29, 2014, 6:08 pm

          I don’t know of any, sorry.

  • Heather March 27, 2014, 9:07 am

    Can you have a protein shake for your 150 calorie snack as long as it is under 150 calories???

    • Penny Hammond April 2, 2014, 7:49 pm

      Chapter 7 is a whole chapter of snack ideas. They’re all solid food – but I can’t see anything saying you can’t have a protein shake as a 150 calorie snack, if you don’t feel too hungry afterwards.

  • Chrissy March 30, 2014, 3:34 pm

    Does anyone have a recipe for the chicken stir fry for week 2??? I am assuming I should use low sodium soy or teriyaki sauce but I have never made it.

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 1:27 pm

      There isn’t a recipe in the book, or any guidelines on what to look for if you’re buying it…

  • Selina April 3, 2014, 3:43 pm

    I’d really like to try this but I have one major problem: I absolutely HATE smoothies. The texture just creeps me out. Any suggestions?

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 3:11 pm

      On most of the weeks you could have soup instead of smoothies, but on week 3 you’re only allowed either smoothies or protein shakes. Try to find a protein shake that has a texture you’re okay with.

  • Lattice April 9, 2014, 9:42 am

    I been trying to find a diet that works for me (African American). I am not trying to be funny but some diets just isn’t for african americans. I saw Ian on the Queen Latifah and what I love about his diet, I can still eat majority of the things I like just in smaller portions. I suffer with chronic hives so my meal selections going to be substituted alot because i am allergic to so much stuff. Dieting has never been my strong suit but I am going to try this one and after researching and reading the comments above, I think I will give this diet a try and add some Zumba classes along with some jump roping. Thanks for the motivation everyone.

  • Barbara McPherson April 9, 2014, 7:12 pm

    I am new to the Super Shred Diet ..i wake up at 2:00 a.m. so my first meal 1 hour after waking in the morning.
    My first meal is at 3:00 and my last meal is at 1:00 p.m
    I usually sleep from 12 p.m. To 3:30
    How could I work a schedule or adjust to eat my meals 3 hours apart.

    Thanks
    Barb

    • Penny Hammond April 10, 2014, 10:30 am

      Hi Barb,
      The times listed above are guidelines, not the exact times when you should eat meals.
      For each week, you’ll see listed how far apart meals and snacks should be. E.g. week 1, meals should be 3-4 hours apart and the snacks are 1 ½ hours after the meal that precedes it.

  • Kim April 14, 2014, 1:53 pm

    I just purchased the book and started super shred yesterday. Many 100 and 150 calorie snacks re listed in the book. Can you choose any of these snacks any week or are some snacks limited the first few weeks?

    • Penny Hammond April 14, 2014, 8:00 pm

      I haven’t seen anything that says that you need to eat certain snacks for certain weeks – just follow the calorie restrictions given for each snack.

  • Rachel April 28, 2014, 8:02 am

    I’d like to start this diet this wk. questions::
    I’m usually at excercise from 7-9 pm , is it better for me to eat supper before or after?
    Should I be saving one snack for post workout? Any preference? R nuts good?
    I take medicine before bed, I need to eat something starchy w it, will that mess diet? Is rice cake or oatmeal ok?
    If I only need to loose 10 lb, do I complete the 4 weeks, or stop sooner?
    Ty

    • Penny Hammond April 29, 2014, 8:11 am

      I concentrate on the food side of diets, not exercise… with a quick scan of the book, I can’t see anything about recommended exercise times or whether to eat dinner or snacks before or after an exercise session.
      This is tough to answer as Dr. Smith is very prescriptive about what you should eat and at what time.
      Look at the spacing between meals – to maintain the recommended number of hours between meals for each phase, would you have to eat before or after your exercise slot?

      You’re not supposed to have a meal within 90 minutes of going to bed, but Dr. Smith says that if because of circumstances you’re eating late and know you’re going right to bed, you can eat but in a smaller amount – so it wouldn’t be entirely against the diet to eat a little just before going to bed. There just aren’t any guidelines on how to adjust the recommended meal and snack schedule to suit.

      If you only need to lose a small amount of weight, continue the diet until you have reached your goal weight.

  • Kelly April 28, 2014, 10:56 am

    What are you suppose to do with the “must” lemons? Eat them straight up (oh my!) or squeeze them on food? Confused about that one.

    • Penny Hammond April 28, 2014, 2:55 pm

      There are days when a “must” beverage is water with lemon juice squeezed in it. The lemons are to be used for that.

  • Nikki May 6, 2014, 11:42 am

    I can’t seem to find a list of vegetables, are there certain ones we can’t have like carrots or potatoes?

    • Penny Hammond May 8, 2014, 7:18 pm

      In this diet, Dr. Smith doesn’t clearly tell you which foods you’re not allowed. However, whenever he mentions soups he says no potatoes, so I’d assume that’s not a veggie he wants you to eat on the diet.
      See Foods to Eat in Week 1 for examples of vegetables I found in the book – avocados, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumber, garlic, green beans, leeks, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes. If corn and sweet potatoes are allowed, I’d assume that carrots would be okay as well.

  • Lisa Maner May 18, 2014, 8:21 am

    I tried the super shred diet lost a total of 12 pounds the first
    2 weeks but nothing on week 3, what could be the problem?
    Love the diet its easy to follow just at times difficult to get the
    Snacks in during work.

    • Penny Hammond May 18, 2014, 1:56 pm

      Week 3, calorie disruption, can be difficult to follow to the letter when you’re busy. It’s possible that you didn’t follow it exactly, or that you personally don’t respond well to calorie disruption. Hopefully you’ll have better luck in week 4.

  • Carrie May 24, 2014, 1:36 pm

    I just ordered the Shred diet and then saw that there is a SUPER Shred. Kind of bummed. Anyone have success on the shred or have moved past the SUPER onto the Shred with success? Anyone know how different the two plans are? This sounds like a pretty cool/ successful diet plan. Wondering if I should try this one before starting the Shred (it’s in the mail – ordered it from Groupon). Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond May 25, 2014, 2:40 pm

      Shred is a 6-week weight loss program, and Super Shred is a 4-week very rapid weight loss diet, which could be considered a kick-start.
      If you have a lot of weight to lose and want to lose it quickly, you could consider starting on Super Shred and then moving on to Shred.

    • Kelly July 11, 2014, 11:37 pm

      I looked at both and they are very similar. I think you’re fine with just the Shred version.

  • sheila May 30, 2014, 10:47 am

    Just saw super shred on Rachael Ray this morning have always been an exercise . Started a 9 hour – 5 day a week job. Did this for a year but am now 3 days a week. Getting back into regular exercise which I love. Super shred sounds fantastic to get my weight coming off. Called t wait to start. Get the book Monday. Woo hoo!!!

  • WS May 31, 2014, 12:44 pm

    Hi all,
    Dose anyone have 5th & 6th week for this program?

    • Penny Hammond June 1, 2014, 1:11 pm

      Hi,
      This is a 4-week very rapid weight loss program, not intended for long-term use – Dr. Smith says that if you still want to lose weight after 4 weeks you should move to the SHRED diet.

  • lisa June 4, 2014, 8:06 pm

    What if I can’t find the exercise DVD, what types of exercise can I do?

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2014, 1:04 pm

      This website talks about the food side of diets, not exercise – it’s not an area I know much about.
      Dr. Smith says that the exercise requirements typically center on cardio exercises.

  • Barb June 5, 2014, 7:55 pm

    Getting ready to start the diet and have one primary concern. Our last meal will be at 6:30 and typically we don’t go to sleep until 11:00. It seems a long stretch of time to not be able to eat or drink anything (except water). I’m reading that right or is it possible to have a snack before bedtime? Thank you!

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2014, 1:22 pm

      You don’t need to follow the exact timing shown above – see above in the “meal timing” section of each week, which shows the amount of time between meals and snacks (usually a range, such as 3-4 hours).
      Using these guidelines, create a meal and snack schedule which works for you.
      Dr. Smith says that your last meal should be at least 90 minutes before you go to bed.

  • Laura June 8, 2014, 8:33 pm

    The Shred diet sounds fascinating. I have 10 pounds Id like to lose however, I am a bit intimidated by the eating schedule. I’ve read through the posts and there sounds like there are some unclear guidelines. I need a plan that is easy to follow and works. I am also curious as to what life after the Shred Diet will look like. Does the book explain how to maintain weight loss?

    • Penny Hammond June 10, 2014, 5:16 pm

      Dr. Smith says that after you finish the 4-week Super Shred plan, if you want to continue to lose weight you should move to the 6-week Shred plan.

      In the Shred plan, you can stay on the diet for more than six weeks, but each six weeks is considered to be a cycle. Once you have completed an initial six-week cycle, if you still have more weight to lose, the program is designed for you to cycle it again. After the first cycle, you can reorder the weeks of a new cycle in any way that works best for you.

      After that, for maintenance, he says that once a month you should choose a Shred week and stick to that week vigilantly. After six months of maintaining your weight loss, you can move this to once every two months.

  • Carrie June 11, 2014, 12:35 pm

    Has anyone tried the Shred Bars – cookies & creme – how do they taste?

  • MFINLEY June 12, 2014, 12:41 pm

    I am a vegan and I didn’t see substitutes for beef, chicken fish or pork or anything else from an animal. Any suggestions???

    • Penny Hammond June 12, 2014, 1:02 pm

      Dr. Smith doesn’t mention vegans at all. For vegetarians, he says “you don’t need to eat the meat meals. Make appropriate substitutions, but be mindful of calorie counts.” (p. 58). He doesn’t say what those substitutions might be.

  • Jennifer June 20, 2014, 5:43 pm

    In jamaica, saw the programme on the Doctors, would love to loose the lower tummy fat, tried everything including exercise and diet, pleas e help.

    • Penny Hammond June 22, 2014, 9:11 am

      I don’t think there’s a single answer that works for everyone. Try a few different types of diet (cleansing/detox, paleo, etc.) to see if any of them makes a difference for you personally.

  • sandra June 22, 2014, 12:29 am

    Is this Super Shred diet safe for a healthy, overweight 70 something year-old ——————-

    • Penny Hammond June 22, 2014, 9:41 am

      On this website we describe the food recommendations of different diets – we don’t vouch for the safety of any diet. Have a look at the foods and quantities listed to see whether you feel comfortable with them.

  • A small June 28, 2014, 11:05 pm

    I’m going to start the diet but I have a dinner to go to this week. What should I eat if I’m out and what if it’s not at a scheduled time?

    • Penny Hammond June 29, 2014, 11:06 am

      Adjust your meal times for that day so you’re not having a too-long or too-short gap between meals.
      Dr. Smith says to “choose the item that’s lower in calories, closer to how it exists in nature (less processed), and most abundant in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.” (p. 13)

  • Carla July 2, 2014, 2:21 pm

    I am not a fan of salad but love cooked veggies. Can I sub veggies for some of the salads and still expect good results?

    • Penny Hammond July 3, 2014, 12:07 pm

      There are a number of diets that suggest you eat salad or raw veggies, or a mixture of raw and cooked veggies, for faster weight loss and better health. There are several theories – that you get enzymes with salads/raw vegetables that help you digest better, that salads/raw veggies fill you up better so you don’t need to eat so much to feel full, or that salads/raw veggies are usually lower calorie than cooked.

      However, this book doesn’t tell you that you have to eat raw for the diet to work. It’s possible that the author thinks that way, but he hasn’t put it in words.

      If you hate salads, it probably isn’t the end of the world to have cooked veggies instead, and your results might not be that different.

  • JJ July 5, 2014, 6:10 am

    I love the science behind the Shred Diet book but because of severe back and leg problems I cannot exercise except for physiotherapy water gym. Will I still lose weight? Would I need to alter my calorie intake?

    • Penny Hammond July 6, 2014, 7:58 am

      Sorry to hear about your back and leg problems.
      It’s possibly you might still lose weight without the recommended level of exercise on this program. There aren’t any guidelines in the book about adjusting your calories if you can’t exercise much.

  • Angela July 7, 2014, 1:23 pm

    Hello,
    I am interested in the super shred diet plan as i need to lose exactly 20 pounds :), may I ask before i purchase the book from Amazon, if it includes recipes for all the meals/snacks? Also if i need to sustain the weight, after i reached my desired number, how does it work? is it mentioned in that same book?and work out plan as well?
    Thanks
    Angela

    • Penny Hammond July 7, 2014, 6:17 pm

      Hello Angela,

      The book has recipes for snacks, smoothies, and soups. For the rest of the meals, it gives you guidelines on what to eat for every single meal and snack. E.g. “2 egg whites or 1 egg-white omelet with diced veggies prepared with cooking spray or a little oil or butter” (p. 27); “1 grilled cheese sandwich made with 2 slices of regular cheese on 2 pieces of 100 percent whole-grain or whole-wheat bread” (p. 59). So they’re not exactly recipes, but they do tell you what you should be eating.
      There are also workout plans for every day of the diet listed in the book.

      This is a diet for 4 weeks only; if you haven’t reached your goal weight by that time Dr. Smith says you should switch to the Shred diet, which is a 6-week diet cycle. After you reach your desired number, for maintenance, once a month you should choose a SHRED week and stick to that week vigilantly. After six months of maintaining your weight loss, you can move this to once every two months.

      • Angela July 9, 2014, 1:06 pm

        Thanks Penny, it was helpful but anyways i will go with the Super Shred as it is the only one available at one of my local book stores and i couldn’t wait to order online as I am relocating to a different country soon 🙂

      • Angela October 1, 2014, 9:00 am

        Hi Penny

        I am almost done with week 4 of my super shred diet, note the following:
        – first 3 weeks were very hard on me, was very hungry especially at the end of the day (found it funny when it mentioned in book if one is not hungry or other dieters didn’t feel hungry) but managed not to give in or binge
        – hardly lost 6pounds so far, I think it’s due to: having period between week 2-3 and also I am following a slightly different work out plan (having personal trainer 2-3 times/week and sometimes doing Pilates for example): do you think that’s reason I didn’t lose as much? I am thinking of long term, lifestyle change that’s why took PT
        – for the serving veggies parts I am using cooked ones with tsp veg oil to cool, since no suggestions were given in book
        – there’s a difference between fluid cup and dry cup in measuring, found it hard to choose when following guidance of book what do you think is the correct one for all the suggestions?
        – in snacks section: mentioned cup of grape tomatoes under 150cal then in 100 cal says cup grape tomToes with crackers how is that mathematicLly possible? I am sure it’s a mistake, what is correct?
        Also in snack section sometimes same snack is repeated
        – for soups and smoothies: for soups he says no potatoes etc…but in his book there are recipes with potatoes in it, it’s a suggestion to use after my diet is done?

        • Penny Hammond October 1, 2014, 1:30 pm

          Hi Angela

          Well done not binging for 4 weeks!

          Have you put on muscle, from working out with a personal trainer? Muscle is great and helps you burn calories, but it weighs more than fat so some people lose inches without losing at many pounds as they’d like. If you’ve got more muscle, “credit” yourself for it because you’ve probably lost more than 6 pounds of fat.

          You’re right, there’s not much detail in the book about veggies. Which ones did you have mostly? The book lists sweet potatoes and corn as okay to eat, but the calories can add up for them. 1 tsp oil probably isn’t a big deal, but you could try steamed or baked veggies for fewer calories.

          For cup measurements, probably best to use a fluid cup measurement (like a pyrex measuring jug) for fluid measurements and a dry cup measurement (like measuring cups) for dry measurements. But it doesn’t really make much difference – if you fill a cup of water in a liquid measuring cup and pour it into a one-cup dry measuring cup, you’ll see they take up the same amount of space; it’s just more convenient to measure them in containers designed for fluid or solid measurement.

          It looks like a cup of grape tomatoes is well under 100 calories – I’m seeing 41 calories in Sparkpeople and 22 calories on MyFitnessPal (they aren’t in the USDA database). You probably wouldn’t eat more than one cup of grape tomatoes for a snack. Any snack that’s under 100 calories is also under 150 calories.

          Potato is mentioned 45 times in the book, and half of those mentions are for soup with no potato! But yes, there are a few recipes in the book that contain potatoes. There’s not much potato in any of them.
          There’s also a snack of 1 small baked potato topped with salsa, mentioned a couple of times. I think that for the soups he just wants you to have more fiber, rather than a heavy potato-based or cream-based soup.

  • Ruben July 11, 2014, 12:51 pm

    Is this diet good for Type 2 diabetic person?

    • Penny Hammond July 11, 2014, 7:42 pm

      The book doesn’t claim that this diet helps diabetes, however it gives a couple of guidelines for diabetics who follow the diet:
      – If you’re a diabetic or have trouble regulating your blood sugar, choose a different beverage option instead of fruit juice, such as water, milk, or tea
      – If you’re diabetic, it’s acceptable to make substitutions, as long as they’re smart substitutions and you’re mindful of the portion sizes

  • eg July 11, 2014, 10:40 pm

    I wanted to know if this meal plan is ok for nursing moms as well? I just purchased the book

    • Penny Hammond July 13, 2014, 8:29 am

      It’s probably better to have some stability in what you’re eating while you’re nursing/breastfeeding, and this diet involves a lot of switching around.
      Probably better to leave it until later, and cut back on processed foods in the meantime.

  • Tanya Schwinn July 12, 2014, 5:04 pm

    Hi,
    I am getting my list together for the first week of the Super Shred diet and I have one questions. When a snack refers to 8 olives, what kind of olives does it refer to? Are black olives ok??

    Thanks,
    Tanya

    • Penny Hammond July 13, 2014, 8:19 am

      Black olives or green olives would be okay – there’s nothing in the book that limits which color olives you can eat.

  • Beverly Simon July 13, 2014, 2:27 pm

    I am a successful Shredder as well as shredder for life. If you want more information and all details always check out http://www.shredlife.com and feel free to email the shred team at ShredderNation@gmail.com …Dr. Ian himself will respond to your emails.

  • Helen July 14, 2014, 8:47 pm

    I am only at the end of Week 1 Day 2….. I am very concerned…. I am 5 foot 3 inches tall and 140.8 pounds. I need to loose exactly 20 pounds for now. My concern is that I am eating so much more food/calories in these first 2 days of the program, than I normally eat to just maintain my current weight. I feel full the whole day (and extremely stuffed right now after Meal 4). I wasn’t even hungry at all before beginning Meal 4, but it says to not skip meals. At this rate, I will gain weight very quickly. Also, I am never hungry for the snacks so quickly after breakfast – I feel like my stomach is being stretched out a lot. I realize that next week I will be eating a lot less, but not before I gain 5 pounds this week…. Do you have any advice?

    • Penny Hammond July 15, 2014, 7:27 am

      Hmm… Dr. Smith talks about this being a negative energy balance diet, eating fewer calories than you burn. But he doesn’t give different serving sizes for men and women, or for larger and smaller people in general. It would make sense for you to eat less as you’re smaller, however there are no guidelines in the book about how much less to eat.

  • char narcisse July 16, 2014, 3:41 pm

    I am in my 3rd week of the the shred diet and I have lost 20 lbs. Of course I worked out 3 to 4 days a week. In this final week I am pushing for 5 more pounds.

    • Penny Hammond July 17, 2014, 7:44 am

      That’s great!

  • Leslie Cooper July 27, 2014, 7:54 pm

    I am not a big fan of fruit…the textures bother me. What can be substituted or is it okay to eat apples each time a fruit is called for?

    • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 7:02 pm

      Different fruits have different textures – you could try to experiment a little.
      You could have an apple every time, but it may benefit you to have some more variety.

  • jasmine July 30, 2014, 8:07 pm

    I work nights and go to work at 11pm-7:30am and average about 64 hours a week I’m health care provider do my sleep patterns are awkward. Any suggestions on how to start this super shred? I typically drink a protein shake and eat almonds at night and work out at the gym when I get off from work if I’m not too tired.

    • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 7:41 pm

      Ooh, that’s tough for you!
      Plan what times you would like to eat, taking into account the suggested gaps between meals, and stick to them as much as possible (don’t beat yourself up if you’re not exactly on time). So, if you wake up at 9pm, in week 1 have your first meal at 10pm and snack 1 at 11.30pm, etc.
      Would you be able to prepare the meals for a day (night) in advance, to make it easier and faster to eat regularly?

  • danielle August 4, 2014, 12:59 pm

    salad dressing, I know it states low fat or fat free anyone have any idea what max cal is?

    • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 8:46 pm

      I can’t find any guidelines in the book – suggest that you use products that say “low fat” or “fat free” or make your own, and use in moderation.

    • Christopher770 November 10, 2014, 9:27 pm

      Look for infused Balsamic vinegar’s. Especially the blueberry or fig. They’re awesome on their on and makes for a great salad with nuts (pecans are my fav). Its even better with blue-cheese, but kick out the cheese for this diet.

  • Tame August 5, 2014, 11:31 am

    Can you substitute the protein shakes? I don’t care for shakes of any kind

    • Penny Hammond August 5, 2014, 1:03 pm

      Most of the time you can choose between a a protein shake and a fruit smoothie or soup or some another alternative. I can’t find any meals that say you have to have a protein shake.

  • Dayna August 12, 2014, 4:34 am

    What are the vegetarian/vegan options for the 5oz of lean protein?

    • Penny Hammond August 12, 2014, 3:32 pm

      Dr. Smith gives no other guidelines than “If you are a vegetarian, you don’t need to eat the meat meals. Make appropriate substitutions, but be mindful of calorie counts.” (p. 58 and several other locations)

      Some ideas:
      If you eat eggs, you could have egg whites or a mixture of whites and yolks.
      If you eat milk products, you could try cheese or yogurt (probably a larger amount than 5oz for partially liquid milk products)
      If you’re vegan, you could have tofu or other soy products. It’s not clear whether you could have grains/beans for veggie protein on this diet.

  • Freddy Fazbear August 14, 2014, 10:22 pm

    Okay, this may be the dumbest question you’ve heard so far, but I just gotta get this straight for myself: does ‘a cup’ mean a literal measurement of a cup or just that I should pull your average sized cup out of my cabinet and fill it up with whatever food/drink it’s talking about?

    • Penny Hammond August 17, 2014, 8:31 pm

      I’d assume it’s 1 cup as in a measuring cup, a volume equivalent to 8 fl oz.

      • Freddy Fazbear August 18, 2014, 6:38 pm

        Yeah, I’m inclined to agree. I was just unsure because it never actually states that, as far as I’ve found. Thanks!

  • kathy peterson November 14, 2014, 10:02 am

    I have a workout question: I like to do my cardio and weight lifting in the morning btwn 7-10 am, but according to the diet I am supposed to eat my first meal at 7:30 am. Eating, then doing cardio makes me feel sick. For those of you that workout in the mornings, how do you juggle the eating ?

    • Penny Hammond November 14, 2014, 6:06 pm

      The exact times for eating aren’t set in stone – Dr. Smith asks you to eat 1 hour after waking. Can you do your workout straight after waking up and then eat?

  • Phil Koch November 25, 2014, 12:43 pm

    Wow, what a pain. Way to much planning, calculating and time re-arrangeing. All I did three years ago was change my nutrition profile to 30% protein, 15% carbs and 65% fat. I went from 226 to 160 in seven months; 42″ inch waist to 32″. Maintained muscle mass w/o much exercise. My numbers, BP, Cholesterol, Triglycerides, etc. all fell in line very quickly and are maintained to this day. I’m 72, 160 lbs, 6’0″ and I now do 3-5 High Intensity Resistance workouts a week, (because I WANT to), and have never been healthier in my life. When I told my doctor how I did it, he adopted the diet, (after considerable research), and now has reaped similar results. It’s not rocket science and you don’t need so-called “health drinks/bars.

  • Phil Koch November 27, 2014, 7:59 am

    Correction: 55% fat

  • emma January 16, 2015, 11:55 am

    On week two, i had my period and was not able to workout. Only saw weight loss of one pound. Do you suggest i repeat this week before moving on?

    • Penny Hammond January 16, 2015, 6:14 pm

      Yeah, that usually throws things off. However, Dr Smith says that in week 2 you might not lose as much weight as you did during the first week, but you will keep losing… and one pound is better than nothing.

      You’re only supposed to follow this diet for 4 weeks… but that means you’ll have your period in one of those weeks! I’d suggest you just move on to the next week.

  • tara January 18, 2015, 5:52 pm

    Im going to a hard time with this but want to give it a try, I am up between 4 and 430am M-F and so that means I would eat my last meal at like 430pm which is super early.

    • Penny Hammond January 18, 2015, 6:53 pm

      Try stretching out the spacing between the meals/snacks, to 4 hours instead of 3.

  • Vanessa las chelae January 19, 2015, 4:11 pm

    How can I use shred diet to my advantage being tht I work nights i usually sleep til 2/3pm how can I or should I do my meals and if I make a meal or snack can I go bk to sleep

    • Penny Hammond January 19, 2015, 5:26 pm

      Adjust the meal timing to match your waking time – look at the time you wake up (e.g. 2pm), have the first meal (meal 1) 1 hour after you wake up (e.g. 3pm), and then time the next meal or snack for each week – e.g. in week 1, have a snack 1 1/2 hours after meal 1 (e.g. 4.30pm), etc.

  • Lori January 20, 2015, 3:53 pm

    I do not eat processed foods; like pasta, bread, white flour (any products), oatmeal, cereal…would I still be able to do this diet?

    • Penny Hammond January 20, 2015, 4:21 pm

      Most of the meals don’t contain processed carbohydrates. In the few cases where they’re included, there are usually alternative options given.

  • Julie January 21, 2015, 12:22 pm

    Just started the Shred diet this week… Really like it so far. One question: is hot tea permitted? Iced tea and green tea and coffee are listed, but wondered if basic black hot tea is allowed as well.

    • Penny Hammond January 21, 2015, 2:08 pm

      I think it’s permitted, although he doesn’t say so explicitly. Use it where he says “coffee or tea”, and mix your drinks up so you’re not drinking the same thing all the time.

  • Nikki January 28, 2015, 5:41 pm

    I am in class all day on Saturdays so it’s hard for me to follow meal 2 when it calls for a smoothie or a soup. Can I switch the menu for that day with another day in the same week which offers a turkey sandwich for meal 2?

    • Penny Hammond February 2, 2015, 8:50 pm

      That should be fine, as long as you’re swapping menus from the same week.

  • upset February 2, 2015, 4:19 am

    I want to start this diet seems encouraging to me plz guide me how much i will lose approximately in 4 weeks i am 90 kg right now

    • Penny Hammond February 3, 2015, 5:25 pm

      The book claims that you will lose 20 pounds in 4 weeks on this diet, but I usually take those claims with a pinch of salt – I don’t think it’s possible to know how much weight you will lose on a specific diet in a limited time period.

  • Ashley February 2, 2015, 4:51 pm

    How do you differentiate between small, medium, and large salads? There is nothing to state how much goes into each. Also, what is considered a serving size for different veggies/fruits? And the timing of snack #3 seems to change from day 1 to day 2-7. When should snack #3 be consumed?

    Just started Week 3 and going strong!

    • Penny Hammond February 3, 2015, 5:40 pm

      A small salad contains 2 cups of greens, plus whatever else you put in the salad (p.35, p.49, etc.). On the pages I’m listing here, there’s often a description of how much “other stuff” goes into the same salad.
      A medium salad contains 3 cups of greens (p.35, p.43, etc.)
      A large salad contains 4 cups of greens (p.28, p.33, etc.)

      For vegetables, the serving size is about the size of your fist; for a tomato, serving size = 1 tomato
      For fruits, the servings size is 1 piece of fruit or ½ cup berries or large/small fruits

      I’m not sure I see a snack 3 in the first week?

      Good luck with the rest of the diet!

  • Patricia February 20, 2015, 2:12 pm

    On Feb 22, 2015, I will begin my journey with the Shred diet. My waist line is 46 inches and my blood sugar court is way off the chart. What is a good website to capture my progress.

    • Penny Hammond February 20, 2015, 8:13 pm

      There are lots of website and apps out there – does anyone have any favorites or suggestions?

  • Yvonne March 16, 2015, 7:56 am

    I am starting Super Shred today but can eat meal 3 at the meal 2 time and vice versa? I work, so it would much easier for me to eat a salad(currently meal 3) during my lunch hour and a cup of soup currently meal 2) around 4:00.
    Thanks

    • Penny Hammond March 16, 2015, 7:21 pm

      This diet is so specific, it’s difficult to tell if meals can be swapped out! There’s a different order each week for when you can eat meals and snacks. If the two meals are around the same size and don’t have vastly different nutrition profiles, you could probably swap them.

  • catherine March 20, 2015, 5:14 pm

    I agree with Ashley’s Feb 2, 2015 question about timing…”And the timing of snack #3 seems to change from day 1 to day 2-7. When should snack #3 be consumed?”

    ? Do I follow the timing bar chart or do I follow the Meal/Snack sequence as listed
    on the detailed food choices lists? … and why is Snack #3 listed

    – There is a Snack #3 everyday, of each week, on the six week program.
    – Under ‘Guidelines’, every chapter week shows the same ‘timing’ bar chart
    (Meal 1, Snack 1, Meal 2, Snack 2, Meal 3, Meal 4, Snack 3)
    – In each chapters’ detailed food choice lists …..
    *On Day 1, Snack 3 is listed last … after Meal 4 (just like the bar chart)
    * On Days 2 – 7, Snack 3 is listed before Meal 4.
    – What’s the sequence on the days when there is a Snack 4?

    Thanks, I am assuming the sequence is an important part of the program
    … just need some clarification.

  • Norma Priolo June 9, 2015, 12:01 am

    I wold like to know the calories of the salads : Small 1 cup, Large 3cups and Large 4 cups.
    I’m going into week four in two days, so far I absolutely love this diet, I’m a diabetic 2, and
    seen an incredible low numbers when I check my glucose . Although I have to be careful not
    to let it go too low. I had to reduce the amount of Insulin. Every one with My kind of diabetes
    should try this diet.
    Thank you so much. I had lost 10 lb. in two weeks.

    • Penny Hammond June 15, 2015, 11:53 am

      Well done with your sugar levels!

      This isn’t a calorie-counting diet – the only place calories are counted is for snacks.

  • dee bores November 27, 2015, 9:13 am

    Iwas on shred diet for 3months. Gained 3lbs. Help

    • Penny Hammond November 29, 2015, 2:44 pm

      Sounds like the diet didn’t work for you – did you find there were trigger foods you were eating that made it difficult to stop?

  • chelrenee February 18, 2016, 6:21 pm

    chapter 8 has the smoothies

  • Priscilla Hayes March 8, 2016, 8:02 am

    I am on week 2 of Shred and was thinking about starting Super Shred after this cycle. I know in the Shred book you are encouraged to continue using Shred if you need to lose more weight. Does Dr. Smith also encourage you to repeat the Super Shred cycle for more weight loss?

    • Penny Hammond March 10, 2016, 7:31 pm

      The book says that after 4 weeks on Super SHRED, if you still want to lose more weight, move to the regular SHRED diet.

  • Erin March 20, 2016, 10:57 pm

    I also get very overwhelmed but I got a hard back journal with lined paper and I wrote down what I would eat for meals, I would specify the calories of the snacks for that specific time and then allow myself to fill that later. I then made a grocery list after I had planned out the week. When I got home I cooked all my food and prepped everything for the next week. It is hard to get into at first but it is so worth it to just have everything already done and it makes it alot harder to cheat on it.

    • Penny Hammond March 23, 2016, 8:31 am

      Thanks for the tips!

  • Annette February 19, 2017, 9:54 am

    I get up a 3am in order to be at work at 5am. I get my first break at 8am and lunch at 11am. What should be my meal schedule?

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 8:03 pm

      Can you eat before you get to work, say at 4am, then 8am (4 hours later), then 11am (3 hours later)? And have snacks inbetween while you’re working?

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