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The Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomroy (2013): What to eat and foods to avoid

The Fast Metabolism Diet - book by Haylie PomroyThe Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook by Haylie PomroyThe Fast Metabolism Diet (FMD) (2013) is a weight loss and healthy eating book

  • No wheat, corn, dairy, soy, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dried fruit or fruit juices, artificial sweeteners, fat-free “diet” foods.
  • Diet confusion, cycling diet with a change in strategy every few days.
  • Phase 1 – high-glycemic, moderate-protein, low-fat – days 1 and 2.
  • Phase 2 – high-protein, high-vegetable, low-carbohydrate, low-fat – days 3 and 4.
  • Phase 3 – high healthy-fat, moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, low-glycemic fruit – days 5, 6, and 7.
  • The more weight you aim to lose, the bigger the portion sizes.

Below is a description of the food recommendations in the diet. Summary  |  General guidelines  |  Portion sizes  |  Foods to avoid in all phases  |  Phase 1  |  Phase 2  |  Phase 3  |  Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free  |  Lifetime maintenance. 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 you’re eating with so they can understand what you’re eating.

Get a copy of The Fast Metabolism Diet for reasons why low-calorie diets don’t help you lose weight, the science behind the diet, tests your doctor should prescribe, exercise guidelines, and recipes for each phase.

Also, get a copy of The Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook for many more recipes.

The reasoning behind The Fast Metabolism Diet

Many people follow low-calorie diets, which make your body move to starvation mode and stubbornly hold on to weight. This diet claims to kick you out of that habit. In all the phases, you’re avoiding foods that cause irritation or inflammation in the GI tract and can slow your bowels and create insulin resistance. Phase 1, Unwind, gently persuades your metabolism that it is no longer in an emergency situation – it’s okay to actually digest the food you are eating rather than storing it. Fat and protein are harder to digest than carbohydrates like grains and fruit, so by keeping these low, the body is soothed and encouraged. Phase 2, Unlock, allows for the mobilization of stored energy in the form of fat, so that you can burn it as fuel. Phase 3, Unleash, is when you start burning the fat you unlocked in Phase 2, as well as the fat you’re eating

The Fast Metabolism Diet diet plan – food list

The initial diet takes 28 days / 4 weeks. Every week, you follow 3 phases, and there are general guidelines on portion sizes and foods to avoid in all phases, as well as phase-specific guidelines

There are guidelines for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets, and for a lifetime maintenance diet.

Fast Metabolism Diet all phases – general rules

The author recommends starting on a Monday so you are in phase 3 for the weekend, when the food choices are a little more liberal. Other start days may work better for you depending on your schedule. The foods listed here as foods to eat on each phase are taken from the diet book and the iPhone app.

Portion size – overall guidelines

  • If you have a lot of weight to lose, it’s going to take more food (not less) to keep your metabolism roaring
  • First determine your goal weight
  • In the original printings of the book, the portion guideline was “For every additional 20 pounds you want to lose, add half a portion” (p.104). That meant that if you wanted to lose 41-60 pounds you should double the portions, and if you wanted to lose 61-80 pounds you should have 2½ x the portions – if you had a lot of weight that would mean that you would have to eat an incredible amount of food. In the latest printings, that advice changed, so if you have higher amounts of weight to lose you don’t have to eat so much. Note that the edition of the book didn’t change – it’s still first edition, but now has different advice.

How to adjust portion sizes for different levels of weight loss:

  • Up to 20 pounds to lose – basic portion size x 1 (see below for portion sizes for each phase)
  • 21-40 pounds to lose – basic portion x 1½
  • 41 or more pounds to lose – basic portion x 1½, veggies portion x2 (note that salad greens and veggies are unlimited; at a minimum double the suggested portion)

As you lose weight, lower the portion sizes to match the current amount of weight you still want to lose. E.g. if you’ve got 45 pounds to lose, use the basic portion x 1½ and the veggies portion x2 until you get to 40 pounds over your target weight, then drop to the basic portion x 1½ until you’re 20 pounds over your target weight, at which point you drop to the basic portion size. See each phase (below) for phase-specific portion sizes. For example – in phase 1 the basic portion size for grains is 1 cup. That’s for if you’ve got 20 pounds or less to lose. If you’ve got more than 20 pounds to lose, have 1½ cups.

Fast Metabolism Diet foods to avoid for all phases

  • Wheat
    • Avoid wheat and foods containing it – e.g. bread, crackers, rolls, cereals, cakes, cookies, etc.
    • Wheat in a sprouted form is the exception
  • Corn
    • Avoid corn in all forms – e.g. corn tortillas, corn chips, corn cereals, cornstarch, grits, hominy, polenta, sweet corn, popcorn, processed foods containing corn, etc.
  • Dairy
    • Avoid dairy in all forms – e.g. milk, cheese, cottage cheese, butter, yogurt, Greek yogurt, whey
    • The worst form of dairy is fat-free, which aggressively slows fat metabolism
  • Soy
    • Avoid soy in all forms – e.g. tofu, miso, tempeh, meat substitutes, processed foods containing soy, etc.
    • Two exceptions: tamari and Bragg Liquid Aminos
  • Refined sugar
    • Avoid all types of refined sugar
    • Just 2 teaspoons of refined sugar can inhibit your weight loss for 3-4 days
  • Caffeine
    • Avoid caffeine, including decaffeinated coffee
    • If you absolutely cannot see giving up coffee right now, your best bet is organic decaffeinated coffee – just note that this stresses your adrenals
  • Alcohol
    • Avoid alcohol
  • Dried fruit and fruit juices
    • Avoid dried fruit
    • Avoid fruit juices
  • Artificial sweeteners
    • Avoid artificial sweeteners
    • If you must use a sweetener, use natural ones like Truvia, Stevia, or Xylitol
  • Fat-free “diet” foods
    • If it’s fake, take a break
    • Avoid foods that say “Diet Something” or “Zero-Calorie Something” or “Fat-Free Something.” No frozen diet dinners, no packaged junk food, no prepackaged 100-calorie snacks
  • Possible restriction – animal proteins fed on corn and soy
    • It’s not stated in the book, but there are some hints on the website that it may be better to avoid farmed meats and fish, which could be fed corn and soy

Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 1 food list – Unwind stress and calm the adrenals

This is a high-glycemic, moderate-protein, low-fat phase. High in carbohydrate-rich foods, high in natural sugars, high in B and C vitamins

Portion sizes  |  What to eat  |  Foods to avoid

Portion sizes in The Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 1

These are the portion sizes for losing 20 pounds or less (see below if you have more to lose):

  • Vegetables – unlimited phase-appropriate veggies
  • Protein – 4 ounces of meat, 6 ounces of fish, ½ cup cooked legumes, or 3 egg whites
  • Grains – 1 cup cooked grains, or 1 ounce (about 28-30 grams) or about ¼ cup of crackers or pretzels. Portion size isn’t listed in the book for sprouted grain products for this phase, but the phase 1 recipes show 1 slice sprouted-grain bread or 1 sprouted-grain tortilla per serving
  • Fruit – 1 piece or 1 cup of phase-appropriate fruit
  • Fat – none added to food or cooking
  • Smoothies – 1 x 12-ounce glass
  • These portions are per meal (for each meal with that food listed), not for the whole day

If you want to lose 21-40 pounds:

  • Vegetables – 1½ times the suggested portion, unlimited if you want to eat more
  • Protein – 6 ounces of meat, 9 ounces of fish, ¾  cup cooked legumes, or 4½ egg whites (either 4 or 5)
  • Grains – 1½ cup cooked grains, or 1½ ounce (about 42-45 grams) or about 3/8 cup of crackers or pretzels. Portion size isn’t listed in the book for sprouted grain products for this phase, but the phase 1 recipes show 1 slice sprouted-grain bread or 1 sprouted-grain tortilla per serving
  • Fruit – 1½ piece or 1½ cup of phase-appropriate fruit
  • Fat – none added to food or cooking
  • Smoothies – 1 x 16-ounce glass
  • These portions are per meal (for each meal with that food listed), not for the whole day

If you want to lose more than 40 pounds:

  • Vegetables – double the suggested portion, unlimited if you want to eat more
  • All other foods – same as to lose 21-40 pounds

Foods to eat in The Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 1

  • Meals
    • Eat 3 carb-rich, moderate-protein, low-fat meals, and 2 fruit snacks. Eat 5 times a day, every 3-4 hours
    • Make sure you eat enough complex carbohydrates each day
    • Breakfast: grain and fruit – within 30 minutes of waking
    • Snack: fruit – 3 hours later
    • Lunch: grain, protein, fruit, vegetable – 3 hours later
    • Snack: fruit (3-4 hours later)
    • Dinner: grain, protein, vegetable (3-4 hours later)
  • Choose organic where possible
  • Vegetables and salad greens
    • Fresh, canned, or frozen
    • Arrowroot, arugula, bamboo shoots, beans (green beans, yellow beans, wax beans, french beans, haricots vert, string beans), bean sprouts, beets (fresh okay, canned/jarred check for sugar), beet greens, broccoli florets, butternut squash, cabbage (all types), carrots, celery (including tops), chicory, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic scapes, green chiles, green onions/scallions, jicama, kale, leeks, lettuce (any except iceberg, so you can eat e.g. bibb lettuce, frisée, green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce), mixed greens, mushrooms (all types), onions (all types – e.g. red onions, white onions, yellow onions, vidalia onions), parsnips, peppers (all kinds – e.g. anaheim peppers, banana peppers, bell peppers, cherry peppers, chipotle peppers, habanero peppers, Italian peppers, jalapeno peppers, pepperoncini, poblano peppers), pumpkin, radishes, rutabaga, snap peas, snowpeas, spinach, spirulina, sprouts, sweet potatoes/yams, tomatoes (including cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, roma tomatoes and canned tomatoes), turnips, winter squash (all types), yellow squash, zucchini/summer squash
  • Fruits
    • Fresh or frozen
    • Apples, apricots, asian pears, berries (blackberries, blueberries, mulberries, raspberries), cantaloupe, cherries/black cherries, figs, grapefruit, guava, honeydew melon, kiwis, kumquats, lemons, limes, loganberries, mangos, oranges, papaya, peaches, pears, pineapples, pomegranates, strawberries, tangerines, watermelon
  • Animal protein
    • Lean meat: beef (beef filet, lean ground beef, beef strip steak), buffalo meat (ground), pork (tenderloin)
    • Lean poultry: chicken (skinless, boneless white meat chicken breast), game (partridge, pheasant), guinea fowl, turkey (breast meat, lean ground turkey, smoked turkey)
    • Processed meats: corned beef (USA / unfatty type only), deli meats (nitrate-free: turkey, chicken, roast beef), sausages (nitrate-free: turkey, chicken), turkey bacon (nitrate-free)
    • Lean fish: haddock (fillet), halibut (fillet, steak), pollock (fillet), sardines (packed in water), sole (fillet), tuna (solid white, packed in water)
    • Eggs – white only
  • Vegetable protein / legumes
    • Beans (dried or canned: adzuki, black beans, butter beans, fava beans, great northern beans, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, white beans), black-eyed peas, chickpeas/garbanzo beans, fava beans (fresh or canned), lentils/chana dal
  • Broth, herbs, spices, and condiments
    • Arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, brewer’s yeast, broth (beef broth, chicken broth, vegetable broth; free of additives and preservatives if possible), cream of tartar, dijon mustard (sugar-free only), dill pickles (sugar-free only), horseradish (prepared), ketchup (no sugar added, no corn syrup), mustard (prepared or dry), liquid smoke, natural seasonings (Bragg Liquid Aminos, coconut amino acids, tamari), pickles (no sugar added), salsa, raw cacao powder, tamari, tomato sauce (sugar-free, corn-free only) tomato paste, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, vinegar (any type, e.g. apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, coconut vinegar, malt vinegar, red wine vinegar, white vinegar)
    • Herbs – fresh or dried – all types, e.g. basil, bay leaves, chives, cilantro, dill, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme
    • Garlic (fresh or dried), ginger (fresh or dried)
    • Spices and seasonings: black pepper, white pepper, caraway seeds, cardamom, celery seed, chili powder, cinnamon, chophouse seasoning, coriander, crushed red pepper flakes, cumin, curry powder, fennel, ginger, ginger paste, ketchup (sugar-free/corn syrup-free only), mustard seed, nutmeg, paprika, onion salt, sea salt, Simply Organic seasoning
  • Sweeteners – if you must use them
    • Stevia (powdered or liquid) (Truvia is listed as okay in one part of the book), xylitol (birch xylitol or hardwood only)
  • Grains and starch
  • Healthy fats
    • None for this phase
  • Beverages
    • Water. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day
    • Noncaffeinated herbal teas
    • Pero beverage

Foods to avoid or limit in The Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 1

  • General foods to avoid, see above
  • You shouldn’t eat foods that aren’t on the list of what you can eat for this phase, above
  • Very sugary / very high GI fruits
    • Avoid high-sugar fruits like bananas and grapes
  • Fats
    • Avoid all fats, including healthy fats
    • Avoid avocados and olives
    • Avoid nuts and seeds

Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 2 food list – Unlock stored fat and build muscle

This is a very high-protein, high-vegetable, low-carbohydrate, low-fat phase. High in foods that support liver function (onion family, leafy greens, lemons), high in lean proteins, rich in alkalizing green, low-glycemic vegetables, high in carnitine-producing foods

Portion sizes  |  What to eat  |  Foods to avoid

Portion sizes in The Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 2

These are the portion sizes for losing 20 pounds or less (see below if you have more to lose):

  • Vegetables – unlimited phase-appropriate veggies
  • Protein – 4 ounces of meat, 6 ounces of fish, ½ cup cooked legumes, or 3 egg whites. If you are eating deli meat as a snack, one portion is 2 ounces, or about 3-4 thin slices from the deli counter.
  • Grains – none
  • Fruit – 1 piece or 1 cup of phase-appropriate fruit (note that the only phase-appropriate fruits are lemons and limes)
  • Fat – none added to food or cooking
  • Smoothies – 1 x 12-ounce glass
  • These portions are per meal (for each meal with that food listed), not for the whole day

If you want to lose 21-40 pounds:

  • Vegetables – 1½ times the suggested portion, unlimited if you want to eat more
  • Protein – 6 ounces of meat, 9 ounces of fish, ¾  cup cooked legumes, or 4½ egg whites (either 4 or 5). If you are eating deli meat as a snack, one portion is 3 ounces, or about 4-6 thin slices from the deli counter.
  • Grains – none
  • Fruit – 1½ piece or 1½ cup of phase-appropriate fruit (note that the only phase-appropriate fruits are lemons and limes)
  • Fat – none added to food or cooking
  • Smoothies – 1 x 16-ounce glass
  • These portions are per meal (for each meal with that food listed), not for the whole day

If you want to lose more than 40 pounds:

  • Vegetables – double the suggested portion, unlimited if you want to eat more
  • All other foods – same as to lose 21-40 pounds

Foods to eat in The Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 2

  • Meals
    • Eat 3 high-protein, low-carb, low-fat meals, and 2 protein snacks. Eat 5 times a day, every 3-4 hours
    • Make sure you eat enough lean protein and green vegetables each day
    • Breakfast: protein and veggie – within 30 minutes of waking
    • Snack: protein – 2-3 hours later
    • Lunch: protein, vegetable – 3 hours later
    • Snack: protein (3-4 hours later)
    • Dinner: protein, vegetable (3-4 hours later)
  • Choose organic where possible
  • Vegetables and salad greens
    • Eat a LOT of vegetables – especially low-glycemic, alkalizing vegetables like the green ones
    • Fresh, canned, or frozen
    • Arrowroot, arugula, asparagus, beans (green beans, yellow beans, wax beans, french beans, haricots vert, string beans), broccoli florets, cabbage (all types), celery (including tops), collard greens, cucumbers, endive, fennel, garlic scapes, green onions/scallions, jicama, kale, leeks, lettuce (any except iceberg – e.g. bibb lettuce, frisée, green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce), mixed greens, mushrooms (all types), mustard greens, onions (all types – e.g. red onions, white onions, yellow onions, vidalia onions), peppers (any kind – e.g. anaheim peppers, banana peppers, bell peppers, cherry peppers, chipotle pepper, green chiles, habanero peppers, Italian peppers, jalapeño peppers, pepperoncini, poblano peppers), radishes, rhubarb, shallots, spinach, spirulina, swiss chard, watercress
  • Fruits
    • Lemons, limes (juice and zest)
  • Animal protein
    • Lean meat: beef (all lean cuts: beef filet, beef tenderloin, beef strip, sirloin steak, shell steak, London broil, beef round steak, beef rump roast, skirt steak, beef stew meat, lean ground beef), buffalo meat (steaks, stew meat, ground buffalo), game (venison, ostrich, elk), lamb (lean cuts, ground lamb, lamb leg, lamb loin chops, lamb shank), pork (loin roast, tenderloin)
    • Lean poultry: chicken (skinless, boneless white meat, chicken breast), turkey (turkey breast steaks, lean ground turkey, smoked turkey), ostrich
    • Processed meats: corned beef (USA / unfatty type only), deli meats (nitrate-free: turkey, chicken, roast beef), jerky (nitrate-free: beef jerky, buffalo jerky, turkey jerky, elk jerky, ostrich jerky), turkey bacon (nitrate-free)
    • Lean fish: cod/scrod (fillet), dory (fillet), flounder (fillet), halibut (fillet, steak), smoked salmon (nitrate-free), sardines (packed in water), sole (fillet), tuna (packed in water)
    • Shellfish: oysters (packed in water)
    • Eggs – white only
  • Vegetable protein / legumes
    • None in this phase
  • Broth, herbs, spices, and condiments
    • Arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, brewer’s yeast, broth (beef broth, chicken broth, vegetable broth; free of additives and preservatives if possible), cream of tartar, horseradish (prepared), liquid smoke, mustard (prepared or dry, all types), natural seasonings (Bragg Liquid Aminos, coconut amino acids, tamari), pickles (no sugar added), raw cacao powder, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, Tabasco, tamari, vinegar (any type except rice vinegar – e.g. e.g. apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, coconut vinegar, malt vinegar, red wine vinegar, white vinegar)
    • Herbs – fresh or dried – all types, e.g. basil, bay leaves, chives, cilantro, dill, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme
    • Garlic (fresh or powdered), ginger (fresh or dried)
    • Spices and seasonings: black and white peppers, caraway seed, cardamom, cayenne, celery seed, chili powder, chili paste, cinnamon, coriander, crushed red pepper flakes, cumin, curry powder, fennel, nutmeg, onion salt, sea salt, Simply Organic seasoning
  • Sweeteners – if you must use them
    • Stevia (powdered or liquid) (Truvia is listed as okay in one part of the book), xylitol (birch or hardwood only)
  • Grains and starch
    • None in this phase
  • Healthy fats
    • None for this phase
  • Beverages
    • Water. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day
    • Non-caffeinated herbal teas
    • Pero beverage

Foods to avoid or limit in The Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 2

  • General foods to avoid, see above
  • You shouldn’t eat foods that aren’t on the list of what you can eat for this phase, above
  • Vegetable protein / legumes
  • Starchy vegetables
    • These are listed in phase 1 but not in phase 2: bamboo shoots, beets, carrots, eggplant, parsnips, pumpkin, rutabaga, snap peas, snowpeas, sprouts, sweet potatoes/yams, tomatoes, turnips, winter squash, zucchini/summer squash. Presumably potatoes are out as well
  • Fruits
    • All types except lemons and limes
  • Broth, herbs, spices, and condiments
    • Ketchup, salsa, tomato paste
  • Fats
    • Avoid all fats, including healthy fats
    • Avoid avocados and olives
    • Avoid nuts and seeds

Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 3 food list – Unleash the burn – hormones, heart, and heat

This is the high healthy-fat, moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, low-glycemic fruit phase. High in healthy fats, higher-fat proteins in moderate amounts, lower-glycemic fruits, lower-glycemic vegetables, moderate amounts of unrefined carbohydrates, thyroid-stimulating foods, foods rich in inositol and choline

Portion sizes  |  What to eat  |  Foods to avoid

Portion sizes in The Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 3

These are the portion sizes for losing 20 pounds or less (see below if you have more to lose):

  • Vegetables – unlimited phase-appropriate veggies
  • Protein – 4 ounces of meat (2 ounces for snack), 6 ounces of fish (3 ounces for snack), ½ cup cooked legumes, or 1 whole egg
  • Grains – ½ cup cooked grains or ½ ounce (about 15 grams) of crackers or pretzels, 1 slice sprouted grain bread, ½ sprouted grain bagel, 1 sprouted grain tortilla, ½  cup cooked oats 
  • Fruit – 1 piece or 1 cup of phase-appropriate fruit
  • Fat – ½ avocado, ¼ cup raw nuts, 1/3 cup hummus or guacamole, 2 tablespoons raw nut or seed butter, 3 tablespoons oils, 2-4 tablespoons salad dressing
  • Smoothies – 1 x 12-ounce glass
  • These portions are per meal (for each meal with that food listed), not for the whole day

If you want to lose 21-40 pounds:

  • Vegetables – 1½ times the suggested portion, unlimited if you want to eat more
  • Protein – 6 ounces of meat (3 ounces for snack), 9 ounces of fish (4½ ounces for snack), ¾  cup cooked legumes, or 1½ whole eggs (This is difficult! – suggest alternating between 1 egg and 2 eggs)
  • Grains –  ¾ cup cooked grains or ¾ ounce (about 23 grams) of crackers or pretzels;  1 slice sprouted grain bread, ½ sprouted grain bagel, 1 sprouted grain tortilla (curiously the portion sizes for sprouted grain products are the same as for 20 pounds or less), ½  cup cooked oats
  • Fruit – 1½ pieces or 1½ cups of phase-appropriate fruit
  • Fat – ¾ avocado, 3/8 cup raw nuts, 1/3 cup hummus, ½ cup guacamole, 3 tablespoons raw nut or seed butter, 4½ tablespoons oils, 3-6 tablespoons salad dressing
  • Smoothies – 1 x 16-ounce glass
  • These portions are per meal (for each meal with that food listed), not for the whole day

If you want to lose more than 40 pounds:

  • Vegetables – double the suggested portion, unlimited if you want to eat more
  • All other foods – same as to lose 21-40 pounds

Foods to eat in The Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 3

  • Meals
    • Eat 3 meals, and 2 snacks. Eat 5 times a day, every 3-4 hours
    • Make sure you eat enough healthy fats each day.
    • Breakfast: fruit, *fat/protein, grain, and veggie – within 30 minutes of waking. Don’t neglect the vegetable serving
    • Snack: veggie, *fat/protein – 2-3 hours later
    • Lunch: *fat/protein, vegetable, fruit – 3 hours later
    • Snack: vegetable, *fat/protein (3-4 hours later)
    • Dinner: *fat/protein, vegetable, grain/starch (one place in the book says that grain/starch is optional, another says that it is required, and the app says that it is required for dinner in phase 3) (3-4 hours later)
    • *Fat/protein appears to mean higher-fat protein or fat plus protein
  • Choose organic where possible
  • Vegetables and salad greens
    • Fresh, canned, or frozen
    • Arrowroot, artichokes/artichoke hearts, arugula, asparagus, avocados, bean sprouts, beans (green beans, yellow beans, wax beans, french beans, haricots vert, string beans), beets(fresh okay, canned/jarred check for sugar), beet greens, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cabbage (all types), carrots, cauliflower florets, celery, chicory (curly endive), collard greens, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, fennel, garlic scapes, green chiles, green onions/scallions, hearts of palm,  jicama, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce (any except iceberg), mixed greens, mushrooms (any type), okra, olives (any type), onions (all types), peppers (only bell peppers, Italian peppers/pepperoncini, poblano peppers), radishes, rhubarb, seaweed, shallots, spinach, spirulina, sprouts/bean sprouts, sweet potatoes/yams, tomatoes (fresh and canned), watercress, winter squash (all types), zucchini/summer squash
  • Fruits
    • Fresh or frozen
    • Blackberries, blueberries, cherries/black cherries, cranberries (fresh or frozen, unsweetened), grapefruit, lemons, limes, peaches, plums, prickly pears, raspberries, rhubarb
    • Coconut, coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut water
  • Animal protein
    • Meat: beef (beef filet, beef steaks, beef tenderloin, lean ground beef, London broil, round steak, shell steak, sirloin steak, skirt steak), buffalo meat and ground buffalo, lamb (ground lamb, lamb leg, lamb loin chops, lamb shank), liver, pork (chops, loin roast), rabbit
    • Liver
    • Poultry: chicken (skinless, boneless dark or white meat, chicken breast, ground chicken), game (pheasant), turkey (including ground turkey)
    • Processed meats: corned beef (USA / unfatty type only), deli meats (nitrate-free: turkey, chicken, roast beef), sausages (nitrate-free: turkey, chicken), turkey bacon (nitrate-free)
    • Fish, including fatty fish: halibut (fillet), herring, salmon (fresh, frozen, or nitrate-free smoked), sardines (packed in water or olive oil), sea bass (fillet), skate, trout, tuna (packed in water or oil)
    • Shellfish: calamari, clams, crab (lump meat), lobster meat, oysters (water-packed or fresh), smoked oysters (packed in olive oil), scallops, shrimp
    • Eggs – whole
  • Vegetable protein / legumes, nuts, and seeds
    • Beans (dried or canned: adzuki beans, black beans, butter beans, cannellini beans, fava beans, great northern beans, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, pinto beans, white beans), black-eyed peas, chickpeas/garbanzo beans, lentils/chana dal
    • Almond milk (unsweetened), almond cheese, almond flour, cashew milk, hemp milk (unsweetened), vegan cheddar cheese
    • Nuts and seeds are listed under “healthy fats” below
  • Grains and starch
    • Barley (black or white), oats/oatmeal (steel-cut, old-fashioned), quinoa, quinoa pasta such as fusilli, sprouted grain (sugar-free, corn-free only, bagels, breads, English muffin, tortillas), black rice, wild rice
    • Nut flours
    • Arrowroot, tapioca, tapioca flour
  • Broth, herbs, spices, and condiments
    • Arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, brewer’s yeast, broth (beef broth, chicken broth, vegetable broth; free of additives and preservatives if possible), carob chips (unsweetened only), cream of tartar, horseradish (prepared), ketchup (no sugar added, no corn syrup), liquid smoke, mustard (prepared or dry, including Dijon mustard), natural seasonings (Bragg Liquid Aminos, coconut amino acids, tamari), pickles (no sugar added), raw cacao powder, salsa,  tamari, tomato paste, tomato sauce (no sugar added, corn-free), vanilla extract, peppermint extract, vinegar (any type except rice)
    • Herbs – fresh or dried – all types, e.g. basil, bay leaves, chives, cilantro, dill, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme
    • Garlic (fresh or dried), ginger (fresh or dried)
    • Spices and seasonings: black and white peppers, caraway seed, cardamom, celery seed, chili powder, cinnamon, coriander, crushed red pepper flakes, cumin, curry powder, fennel, garlic powder, nutmeg, onion powder, onion salt, paprika, sea salt, Simply Organic seasoning
  • Sweeteners – if you must use them
    • Stevia (powdered or liquid) (Truvia is listed as okay in one part of the book), xylitol (birch or hardwood only)
  • Healthy fats
    • Eat these liberally
    • Avocados
    • Olives (black and green)
    • Nuts (raw): almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts
    • Coconut milk, unsweetened coconut, unsweetened coconut cream, unsweetened coconut milk
    • Unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened cashew milk, unsweetened hemp milk
    • Seeds (raw): chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
    • Nut/seed butters and pastes (raw and unsweetened only) e.g. almond butter, cashew butter, coconut butter, hazelnut butter, tahini, walnut butter
    • Oils: coconut oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, sesame oil, toasted sesame oil (Asian)
    • Hummus
    • Mayonnaise (safflower)
  • Beverages
    • Water. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water every day. Drink a LOT of water during this phase
    • Non-caffeinated herbal teas
    • Pero beverage

Foods to avoid or limit in The Fast Metabolism Diet Phase 3

  • General foods to avoid, see above
  • Carbs should be limited to the foods and serving sizes above
  • You shouldn’t eat foods that aren’t on the list of what you can eat for this phase, above
  • Avoid roasted nuts; peanuts

Guidelines for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free

  • Vegetarian
    • Phases 1 and 3 – substitute legumes or phase-specific fish for meat in any recipe
    • Phase 2 – eat eggs and fish. If you are unwilling to eat these, follow the guidelines for vegans, below
  • Vegan
    • Phases 1 and 3 – substitute legumes for meat in any recipe
    • Phase 2 – for vegans, the no-soy rule can be broken. Replace any meat with any of the following (but no other soy products): organic non-GMO tofu, organic non-GMO soy tempeh, organic non-GMO edamame. Cook the tofu without fat and grill or bake it yourself, rather than buying pre-baked tofu, which is more processed.
    • Your weight loss might slow down somewhat, but you can still eat low-carb for those two phase 2 days if you stick to these three options. But you should still avoid soy in phases 1 and 3
  • Gluten-free
    • Avoid sprouted-grain bread and products containing spelt, barley, kamut, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, triticale, or semolina; also conventional oatmeal
    • If a recipe contains a gluten grain, you can replace it with a gluten-free grain such as brown rice or quinoa. Other gluten-free grains include amaranth, buckwheat, millet, teff, and wild rice

Lifetime / maintenance diet

If you still have weight to lose after 28 days on the diet, the author suggests repeating the 28-day cycle – or do as many weeks as it takes to reach the weight you want to be. Even if you are just a few pounds away from your ideal weight, even fewer than 5 pounds away, keep going until you reach it. Some people do the 28 days every quarter, or once or twice a year, to keep their metabolism trained. Once you’ve reached your healthy weight, follow these rules:

  • Carry on avoiding fake foods. If you don’t know what every ingredient on a food is, put it down. In particular, watch out for fake sugars and fake fats – they are huge metabolism killers and not real food. Also avoid “enriched” breads and pastas
  • Keep avoiding caffeine, gluten, corn, soy, sugar, alcohol, and processed foods most of the time – only have an occasional splurge on special occasions
  • Stay organic, especially with dairy, chicken, eggs, and beef
  • Always eat within 30 minutes of waking
  • Always eat at least 30 minutes before exercising
  • Continue to eat 3 meals, 2 snacks a day
  • Eat seasonally
  • Make holidays special
  • If you have treats, make them yourself
  • Plan your week’s meals and snacks ahead of time
  • Keep cooking and freezing food, and always have a stash of snacks
  • Continue drinking half your body weight in fluid ounces every day

If you’re going to splurge:

  • Big dinner: Eat 10-15 grams of protein every 2 hours throughout the day, and get really excited about the event
  • Sugar binge: Eat natural sugars all day, have fruit at breakfast and fruit with lunch (no juice), change all your snacks to protein-only, have good fats for dinner, and enjoy yourself
  • Boozing: One drink a week is okay. Organic, sulfite-free wine seems to have the least effect on liver function; if you really want a cocktail, go for the top-shelf liquors; always drink 8 ounces of water for every drink in addition to your regular water consumption; don’t drink alone; don’t have alcohol in the morning

Health benefits claimed in The Fast Metabolism Diet

The diet in this book claims to reduce the risks for: arthritis, celiac disease, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, hormonal issues, infertility, overweight/obesity, thyroid disorders

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 The Fast Metabolism Diet for reasons why low-calorie diets don’t help you lose weight, the science behind the diet, tests your doctor should prescribe, exercise guidelines, and recipes for each phase
Buy now from Amazon Diet book

Also, get a copy of The Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook for many more recipes.
Buy now from Amazon Cookbook

See http://hayliepomroy.com for a community forum, blog with tips, FAQs, and more (this has replaced fastmetabolismdiet.com). See The Fast Metabolism App for iOS on iTunes. Hayley answers some FAQs at http://hayliepomroy.com/your-questions-answered-the-fast-metabolism-diet/, and she’s active on her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/hayliepomroy. See http://shophayliepomroy.com for recommended products including bars, shake powders, supplements and sweeteners.

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

{ 1347 comments… add one }

  • Joni August 2, 2013, 1:26 pm

    Nice job, Penny! I’m about to finish 28 days.
    🙂

    • Janet Trueman July 14, 2015, 9:55 am

      How much weight did you lose if you don’t mind me asking? Also did the weight stay off once you completed the 28 days? I want to lose around 15 pounds but obviously don’t want to gain it back again! I’ve been recommended the 3 week diet (http://www.3weekfatburn.com) and also this diet to speed up my metabolism. Can I do both of them or is it best to stick to one?

      I will appreciate any responses. Thank you!

      Janet

      • Amy Burns August 6, 2015, 12:10 pm

        I read your questions online and wanted to let you know that my son and I did this diet 2 years ago and we were amazed at the weight loss. After running through the 28 days, I lost 26 lbs and my son lost 36 lbs!! Now 2 years later, I have only put back on 5 of the 26 lbs I lost and that was recently so I just started the program again this week. I am 53 years old and menopausal. If you know anything about menopause, it is really difficult to lose weight, but not with this diet. So easy! The key is planning/preparation. If you plan your meals ahead of time and prep the food so that all you basically have to do is eat, this is the best diet that I have ever found. You will not need a second diet.. Stick with the Fast Metabolism diet and feel good, feel full and love what you eat!

  • Janel August 15, 2013, 11:12 am

    We started our 28 day program this Monday. It better work! 🙂

    • Marcella May 6, 2015, 3:22 pm

      Hey, I just started this Monday too. I am trying to keep an open mind eat lots of food and still lose weight. The premise sounds great, but from all the crap info I have received over the years, my brain is just having a hard time comprehending. LOL
      I’m on day 3. It’s going great so far, and unless its a fluke, I’m down 2 lbs.

      • dw June 24, 2015, 11:21 pm

        on day 25–have lost 12 LBS!!

  • Debbie August 23, 2013, 10:21 pm

    I am on day 26 and with almost no exercise I have lost 15 pounds! I plan on doing another 28 days right away. if this keeps working as it has been this could be…or is… A real life changer.

    • Penny Hammond August 25, 2013, 11:27 am

      Congratulations! I hope it continues to go well.

    • Jodi December 27, 2013, 3:58 pm

      Congrats! How has it gone thus far, now that 2013 is almost over?

    • Carol July 14, 2015, 9:56 am

      great job!

  • april August 25, 2013, 4:47 pm

    Thank you so much Penny for summarizing the book! I was really looking for the diet plan and structure in the book but there’s a lot of talk that I didnt need because I already read it in other diet books and articles. thank you so muh for posting just the key points. I wanted to start last week but I wasnt making much headway on it. Because of your post, I can start the diet today!

  • Shandy August 27, 2013, 8:41 am

    Thank you for posting … just started phase 2 and I am feeling better already!!!

  • Esi August 31, 2013, 4:03 pm

    Hello, I am thinking about starting this eating plan but can not get my head around the plan, can anyone give me any suggestions for what to eat for the first week.

    Thanks:)

    • Penny Hammond August 31, 2013, 4:23 pm

      In the book you’ll find 4 weeks worth of recipes, from pages 180-232.

      • Esi September 2, 2013, 3:00 am

        Thanks Penny!:)

      • Martha Fischer December 30, 2013, 12:44 pm

        Penny I’m glad you posted these items – the audio book did not provide meal plans, food lists, or PDF files.
        Unless they got lost in the maill 🙂

        • Nancy March 21, 2015, 9:49 am

          Martha,
          I contacted the website and asked for them to send me the PDF files.

          • Carol May 10, 2015, 1:45 pm

            I have the audiobook – it was supposed to come with a pdf for “enhancement” (supplement guide, chart, recipes, food lists, etc) – but all I could access was the audio.

          • Jenean May 21, 2015, 4:57 pm

            I would like to try this, although it is about 3 times the food I eat now and I don’t eat carbs so I’m skeptical.

            Thank you, Jenean

          • Penny Hammond May 24, 2015, 12:16 pm

            You can follow the guidelines on this page to try out the diet for a short while to see how you feel with it.
            The full details are in the book – the author spent a lot of time researching and writing the book, and I encourage you to buy it!

          • Patty October 4, 2015, 10:46 pm

            Did they send you PDFs? I’d love to get my hands on those. I sent them an email re: printable info, but haven’t heard back yet.

  • Geralyn Waschevski September 4, 2013, 2:18 pm

    My question is on each phase and the food amount. So if you are wanting to lose 20 pounds it lists 4 ounces of meat etc.- is that the total for the day or for each meal and snack?

    • Penny Hammond September 4, 2013, 5:22 pm

      The portion sizes are for each meal or snack.

  • Karen September 9, 2013, 4:40 pm

    Hi Penny, can you drink fizzy water or does it have to be still?

    • Penny Hammond September 9, 2013, 6:57 pm

      Hi Karen,
      The book doesn’t mention whether the water should be still water or fizzy water / sparkling water, but there’s a response to a blog post that says it’s okay and counts towards your water goals, as long as it’s plain/unflavored. http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/are-you-a-heavy-drinker-you-should-be/ You can add lemon or lime if you want to.

      • Ray Simms March 28, 2015, 8:53 am

        I would avoid fizzie water

        • brigit May 1, 2015, 10:01 pm

          i have a sodastream machine and my fizzy water is just tap water it has no sodium etc and i have it plain .. think this is fine as long as there is no sodium

  • Barbara Neves September 16, 2013, 4:15 pm

    Hi Penny,

    Thank you for making this plan so easy to follow. You tell me what to eat and the book tells me why. I would like to know in P3 you may have 5 portions of fat and fat could mean 2 tbs. of nut butter i.e. almond butter. So could I eat 10 tbs. a day? Also, what does one egg count as?
    Thank you, Barbara Neves

    • Penny Hammond September 18, 2013, 9:12 am

      Hi Barbara,
      Yes, theoretically you could eat 10 tablespoons of almond butter a day, if that was the only fat you ate and you spread it across all the meals and snacks. It’ll probably be better to eat a variety of fats – the author recommends avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, sesame oil, grapeseed oil.
      The author gives examples of phase 3 breakfast being an omelette with whole eggs and veggies – she doesn’t list any other fats or proteins in that meal example, so it looks like she considers it both a fat and a protein. She says a portion size is 1 whole egg, but doesn’t say whether it’s a portion of protein, fat, or both. But it looks like she advises 1 egg per meal/snack.

      • Ray Simms March 28, 2015, 8:51 am

        BUY EGG WHITES in the carton… use 1/3 a cup(2 eggs worth) with one regular egg in Phase 3. in phase 1 AND 2 use ALL egg whites(as per the book) about half a cup(I just poor it in)

      • Georgia July 8, 2015, 2:12 pm

        If every recipe had a list of what portions it contained that would be very helpful. How do we know when beans are considered a carb for instance? Why are the recipes randomly for 1, 4, 6, 8 people? Why not make each recipe for 1 service and then let the cook increase as necessary? Also, edamame is soy. Why does she have recipes with it? Also tempeh is soy product. Is that an oversight? Unnecessarily confusing.

        • Penny Hammond July 8, 2015, 7:55 pm

          There are a few recipes that contain tempeh or edamame in the cookbook – they all run with the guidelines in the book by saying “vegans only” in the recipe title and “Because it contains tempeh [or edamame], this recipe is only for vegans or vegetarians who do not eat eggs” at the end of the recipe.

  • Bill September 19, 2013, 4:25 pm

    Up above, where it say’s “Foods to avoid in Phase 3”, it lists condiments and Ketchup. But in the book, the table says unlimited condiments for all three phases.?? What is correct? Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond September 20, 2013, 7:01 pm

      In Phase 2, when you’re eating low carb, the condiment list in the book does not include ketchup, salsa, or tomato paste (page 80). Those condiments all contain carbs. You can eat the other condiments listed, which are low-carb or no-carb.

      Ketchup, salsa, and tomato paste are included in the food lists for phases 1 and 3, which aren’t low-carb phases, along with other condiments.

      • Bill September 21, 2013, 11:16 am

        Thank you very much Penny!!

        • Jane September 27, 2013, 12:06 pm

          The ketchup should not contain sugar (which is found in the most commonly known brands) – check the label.

          • Ray Simmss March 28, 2015, 8:56 am

            Heinz makes a low sugar one(no added sugar) it is only found in the smaller bottels.. tastes the same to me.

    • Jean Jett April 30, 2014, 4:47 pm

      It needs to be unsweetened ketchup. I found mine in a health food store.

  • Edith September 19, 2013, 11:08 pm

    My husband and I started this diet May 6, 2013. On July 8, 2013 I lost 29 pounds and 3 inches in my waist, 31/4 inches in my thighs, 1 1/2 inches in my biceps and a whole cup size. My husband lost 46 pounds and 4 inches in his waist, 3 1/2 inches in his thighs, 2 1/4 inches in his biceps, 3 inches in his chest. I have learned so much about food and the body through this diet. We took the month of August off due to our daughters wedding during August. We didn’t stray far from the diet foods though. I work at a hospital and 3 of my 7 co-workers in my department have bought the book and are doing the diet. I have had several employees stop me in the halls and ask what in the world I was doing to lose all my weight. I wish I had some commission on all the books the employees have bought. LOL! I started out wanting lose weight, but after reading the book I wanted to do it for all the health reasons. It really makes you think about what you put in your mouth. Thank you Lyn-Genet for producing this book. I have so much more energy and feel better about myself. I go next week to have my BP and cholesterol checked. I am anxious to see if it has come down. My daughter started the diet Monday and has lost 8 pounds this week. She has a health issue which causes her to gain. The doctor said if she could figure a way to lose then it would cure her health issue. We are in high hopes she does as well as we have. Again, thank you!!!! I highly recommend this diet.

    • Jazzy-K April 23, 2015, 4:16 pm

      Edith, I am confused, you are commenting on the Fast Metabolism diet page, yet, you thank Lyn-Genet (author of a different diet book). Which diet did you follow?

  • Honey September 21, 2013, 6:13 pm

    You pretty much give people no reason to buy Haylie Pomroy’s book. Way to take any profit away from the author.

    • Penny Hammond September 22, 2013, 10:39 am

      There are lots of reasons to buy the book, and I encourage people to do so.
      – The book gives a great explanation on why low-calorie diets don’t work, which can help people understand why they should break away from the pattern of starvation which is destructive for so many people.
      – It’s got information on how to measure improvement in your body, not just weight loss, with recommended tests that you can ask your doctor for.
      – It suggests supplements that address low nutritional power of foods because of poor soil quality and occasional poor food choices.
      – It has exercise guidelines.
      – It has recipes, which most people find useful or even necessary to give them ideas of what to eat and how to prepare it.

      The author is releasing the Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook at the end of the year, which I hope people will buy to get a lot more ideas of what to eat on each phase of the cycles.

      • patti June 29, 2014, 11:23 pm

        there are recipies on pininterest for phases one, two and three .. that i find very helpful just search phase one fast metobolism recipies.. etc.. each are a separate site

    • Sandy January 13, 2014, 11:42 am

      I disagree Honey. I bought the book long before I found this site and I think this site is helpful for people to try it out to see if it works for them. I have encouraged my friends to buy the book after looking this site over & trying it out first. I find this site very helpful but the book does provide a lot of interesting and detailed information along with some recipes. I love Haylie’s book. I also bought the cookbook as soon as it came out. I am a visual person and wish the cookbook had pictures on each recipe page but that’s just me.

      • sharron krouse February 18, 2014, 4:08 pm

        I agree that this site is awesome, and has been very helpful,when I run out of ideas for meals and exercises, I will probably purchase the book anyway for other guidlines.

      • Annette in Mississippi July 17, 2014, 6:28 pm

        I have wondered the same thing, but I heard about the book, found this site which is very helpful, and will eventually buy the book when I get some money for it.

        • Annette in Mississippi July 25, 2014, 9:28 pm

          The book is full of information which I did not find in this summary. I am finishing my second week and so discouraged that I am seriously considering giving up, but I had to buy the book last weekend to see what I am doing wrong. I learned from the book that I was supposed to do cardio exercise on the first two days, weight lifting the next two, and restful stuff the last three days of the week. I also saw little things like the author has some preference for olive oil because that is what she uses as her healthy fats in phase 3 recipes. Any individual can find things which have been previously missed in this summary and our discussions. Observant folks have to open their eyes and look in the book to get it all. I would give someone an earful if that person wanted to start this diet, and I would insist that they purchase the book or use mine.

          • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 5:30 pm

            This is a summary only of the food side of the diet – “what to eat and foods to avoid”. All the diet summaries on this website are for food only, and don’t cover exercise or supplements.
            You should definitely use the book to get the overall recommendations.

    • Deborah Bryant March 7, 2014, 8:26 am

      In my case, this site got me curious about the diet and allowed me to start right away, albeit imperfectly, while the book was being shipped to me. Those with serious obesity may relate: there is a small window when both hope and willingness are present, and it is incredibly important to START whenever that little miracle occurs. I am thrilled to “get” to read the book today (it came last night), but i already have 3 days off of sugar…a very big deal for me. Very! There’s also the element of sugar detox, which for some is mild, and others potentially horrendous. (“Anyone can quit sugar, I know….I’ve done it hundreds of times.”) Having the diet recommendations all in one place is super helpful during the brain fog of sugar detox. If the book doesn’t have a tear-out sheet, I will continue to use this site while working my way through the book. THANK YOU!

      • Penny Hammond March 7, 2014, 8:34 am

        You’re welcome, and good luck!

      • Robin January 14, 2017, 11:00 am

        Debbie – I wonder how you made out in the end with this diet? I too am very seriously overweight, and I wonder if you were able to continue with the cycles long enough to accomplish what was needed? Is there anything you know now that you wish you had known at the beginning when you were first getting started? I am writing this on a Saturday and trying to get my mind sorted out so that I can be prepared on Monday for week 1. After many years of Atkins type dieting, this seems so confusing. But I know of someone who had good success with this, and I am desperate to try – as you said – I am in the window of willingness and hope and ready to start.

    • Babs October 11, 2014, 9:59 pm

      I listened to the whole audiobook, and I would like to own it as well (borrowed it from the library). I still appreciate having the food and menu lists for the week spelled out here. It is just the bare-bones list, not the whole book that is given here.

    • Ray Simmss March 28, 2015, 8:59 am

      I got my copy of the diet and her recipe book at the library. reading the book was great, but I copied a few pages for reference later. With the obama economy, we all need to save money.

    • Erica November 8, 2015, 10:43 am

      Really? This is a fraction of what’s in the book. Don’t read this if you’re just going to criticize.

    • Cat December 29, 2015, 10:24 am

      That’s ridiculous it’s like saying libraries are stealing from others . Trust me Haylie is doing just fine. Unlike literary Writers , people in the self-help space make billions. If anything this website is drawing people attention to her book and will probably cause people to buy it .

  • Jessica September 24, 2013, 3:15 pm

    I have been on the diet for almost a week and have lost 9 pounds! Perhaps I’m doing it weong and this is unhealthy loss, but I have so far to go I’ll take it! I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks will bring!

  • Jenny September 24, 2013, 10:15 pm

    Hi Penny,

    I’m starting this diet next Monday but have a couple questions first. Can I use coconut sugar as a sweetener? I’m not a fan of stevia or xylitol. Also, I have more than 20lbs to lose but I have a small appetite and I don’t think I can get through that much food each day.

    Thank you!

    • Penny Hammond September 25, 2013, 8:37 am

      Hi Jenny,

      Haylie says to avoid all kinds of “refined sugars” during the diet. She says coconut sugar is okay for after the diet, not during it. See http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/cooking-and-baking-without-sugar/.

      Try to eat the suggested portion sizes if possible. If you get full really easily – don’t drink with your meals, chew really well, and take your time eating.

    • Ray Simms March 28, 2015, 9:00 am

      avoid the sugar

  • Ann Jensen September 28, 2013, 12:29 am

    I had trouble with Haylie’s website. I take synthroid every morning when I wake up (my thyroidwas removed) and I am not supposed to eat for 1 hour. I usually get up, take the pill, throw on some clothes and take the dog for a long walk – he needs it first thing in the morning. How can I work in Haylies recommendation?

    • Penny Hammond September 30, 2013, 8:31 am

      You could check with your doctor whether the 1 hour is a strict rule – looking at the WebMD website, it says 30 minutes – 1 hour. If your doc says you shouldn’t eat for an hour, an hour it is.
      If your walk with your dog is really long, you could take some food with you and take a break to eat.

      • sammi November 15, 2013, 10:36 pm

        Ann, I have hypothyroidism as well, however still have my thyroid. Put your synthroid by your night stand. When your alarm goes off, take your pill. That way with in 1/2 hr of waking you can eat. They say to not eat with in 1/2 hour of taking, not 1 hour. You body will metabolize the pill with in 1/2 hour, an hour is just to be on the safe side. I do this and it works for me. I just recently got my thyroid checked, and the doctor’s said i’m good, and i’ve been taking the medication along with eating this way for the better part of a year. I would still say consult your physician, but I believe you will be alright. Much luck and success to you on your journey!

    • Dawn July 17, 2014, 10:25 pm

      I take synthroid . Take it at night before you go to bed, 2 hrs after a meal 🙂 I’ve been doing that for 26 yrs because I get a headache if I take it in the morning.

      • Islander July 26, 2014, 11:35 am

        Dawn, I do the same thing with my synthroid (take before bed). It works well for me too.

  • Jill September 28, 2013, 8:36 am

    Penny – Thank you so much for this page! It makes the diet so easy to follow.
    Honey – The book is still useful, however, I borrowed it from the library so…
    Jessica – I also started a week ago and I’m losing a pound a day! I’m super happy considering my goal was only 10lbs for the 28-day cycle. I’m now aiming for 15. I’ll keep you posted on the progress.

    • ROBIN July 19, 2014, 2:26 pm

      Jill, how did it go?? My goal is 20 and I’m starting on Monday.

    • Deborah January 10, 2015, 2:12 am

      After trying the Beachbody diet, the cycling diet which made me gain 3 lbs plus another diet – all of which gave me no results just added poundage and discouragement, I happened upon this diet from PBS, bought the book which I’m reading religiously and following the directions almost to the T and I’ve lost 5 pounds in one week. Incredible!! I’m thrilled that I don’t have to workout 6 days a week but have 3 – 4 workouts instead. I love eating again and the weight just keeps melting off me. I especially like knowing that I’m eating so healthy again. The diet is brilliant if you follow it carefully. My goal weight was 8 pounds but at the rate I’m going I’m going to be down another 5 pounds by the end of my 2nd week. I may choose to loose another 3-5 more and that’s my limit. I can’t wait to tell my friends about!

  • Nerea September 30, 2013, 9:10 am

    Can we do the 30 min of walking in the afternoon or should it be in the morning?

    • Penny Hammond September 30, 2013, 9:37 am

      We look mainly at the food side of diets, not the exercise side, sorry… don’t know about when you should walk.

    • Ray Simms March 28, 2015, 9:08 am

      Exercise is exercise… do it when you can… NO where in the book does it say what time of day… just make sure you do it.

  • divyani October 1, 2013, 10:53 am

    Hi Penny, had few doubts. I am looking forward to loose 44 pounds in 1 month if not in 1 month than 2 months almost. I wanted to know about the portion it says. For 20 pounds weight loss – basic portion size and for additional every 20 pounds we need to add half of the basic portion. Is it so?
    And, the phases already show that vegetarians can also follow this diet than why there are guidelines for vegetarians? I am confused about it.
    And, Egg comes in protein section?

    Please Please reply as soon as possible, thinking to follow it from monday onwards, and after 2 months, my cousin’s wedding is coming up. Please Help

    • divyani October 1, 2013, 10:58 am

      Also tell me in total how many calories do I have to take? Or per meal?

      • Penny Hammond October 1, 2013, 12:42 pm

        On this diet, you’re not supposed to count calories or fat grams or anything like that. Instead, follow the portion size guidelines for each stage of the diet.

        • Gabriella July 10, 2015, 1:47 pm

          Hi, So I have been counting calories in myfitnesspal along with the diet. I am on day 5 and have been WAY under my recommended caloric intake (1200-1400) for 3 of the days (like 800/900 or so). I thought this wasn’t supposed to be a “eat less” diet? Also, I am a runner so I run in the morning on an empty stomach (have been doing this for 2 years now) and it is normally fine but the mornings after phase 2, where you just have protein and veggies, i have been super sluggish (no carbs). Will my body just adjust to running on protein instead of carbs for energy? Also, why am I not eating enough, i am following the portion sizes (even without the extra calories from running, I am still not eating enough). I am a female 5’5 weighing 140 and would like to way 130 – 128 ideally.

          Thanks!

          • Penny Hammond July 10, 2015, 6:54 pm

            This isn’t a calorie-counting diet, so it doesn’t give guidelines of how many calories you can expect to eat on each day… but seeing as Haylie talks of clients who are overweight, eating no more than 1,200 to 1,400 calories a day, exercising… and she says that eating less makes it more likely to store fat rather than burn it.

            Looking at this diet I’d expect there to be more calories in phases 1 and 3 and fewer calories in phase 2 (as there are no starches or fats) – you’re having low-calorie days, but it should only be 2 days a week.
            Are you eating (and counting) all the veggies?

            You either get energy from carbs or fat, not from protein (although protein contains some fat and a tiny amount of carbs). Most diets that talk about switching from burning carbs to burning fat tell you there’ll be a run of several days without carbs before you switch – there isn’t enough time in the 2-day cycle for that to happen on this diet. Anyway, in phase 2, you’re probably not getting enough fat to tell your body to switch over to fat burning.

            According to Haylie, this phase is for building muscle. “This phase is about an intensive altering of the body’s structure converting stored fat to fuel to be transformed into muscle.” Haylie recommends that on these days you focus on strength training (weight lifting) for exercise.

    • Penny Hammond October 1, 2013, 12:39 pm

      Haylie says you can lose 20 pounds in 4 weeks – don’t expect to lose all the weight in a month!

      If you want to lose 44 pounds:
      For the first 4 pounds of weight loss, until you get to 40 pounds over your goal weight, have double the portion.
      For the next 20 pounds of weight loss, up to get to 20 pounds over your goal weight, have 1 1/2 times the portion.
      For the last 20 pounds of weight loss, use the basic portion.
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies

      The guidelines for vegetarians are there because not all vegetarian proteins can be eaten on all phases. For example, legumes/pulses should not be eaten in phase 2, because it’s a low-carb phase and legumes are high in carbs.
      Eggs are counted as a protein in this diet – and if you eat them you’re encouraged to eat egg whites in phases 1 and 2 and whole eggs in phase 3.

      There’s a discussion of vegetarian/vegan substitutions at fastmetabolismdiet.com/forums/topic/vegetarianvegan-substitutions-on-the-fmd (update April 2015 – link no longer works).

      Good luck with being slimmer and healthier in time for your cousin’s wedding!

      • divyani October 2, 2013, 9:36 am

        Thank you So Much Penny!!!.. I will follow it as you have directed… Just last question.. I do eat eggs. So, As you have specified of taking egg whites in phase 1 and 2 and whole eggs in phase 3, that means I cannot take legumes after taking eggs ryt? And Can the diet chart be changed weekly on the basis of the foods given in this article?

        • Penny Hammond October 2, 2013, 7:23 pm

          Each week, you follow phase one for days 1 and 2, phase two for days 3 and 4, and phase three for days 5, 6, and 7. Cycle through these phases each week.

          Phase 1 is high carb, moderate protein, low fat. So you can eat legumes (high carb and moderate protein) and egg whites (protein) but not egg yolks (fat). Your meals should be carb-rich, moderate-protein, and low-fat, so it would be possible to have legumes and egg whites at the same meal if you wanted.

          Phase 2 is high protein, high vegetable, low carb, and low fat. So you can eat egg whites (protein) but you can’t eat legumes (high carbs) or egg yolks (fat).

          Phase 3 is high healthy-fat, moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, low-glycemic fruit. So you can eat whole eggs (protein and fat) and moderate amounts of legumes (carbs) – it would be possible to eat them together.

        • Ray Simms March 28, 2015, 9:11 am

          I think phase 1 & 2 says egg whites( i buy a carton of whites and just pour) but in 3 I use 2 eggs worth of egg whites and ONE egg… then scramble them together. I think this is what the book said…..

  • Genny October 4, 2013, 11:08 am

    I haven’t found anywhere that explaines why you can’t eat iceburg lettuce. Does anyone know. All other lettuce’s are permitted. Just currious.

    • Penny Hammond October 4, 2013, 12:36 pm

      There isn’t an explanation in the book, but it’s mentioned on the website – Iceberg lettuce is very much lower in most nutrients than other lettuces.

      • sharron krouse February 18, 2014, 4:16 pm

        Speaking of nutrients, is a multi-vitimin permitted, and other supplements?

        • Penny Hammond March 16, 2014, 10:40 pm

          The book recommends that you take supplements, “especially a high-quality, clean multi-vitamin and a food-based essential fatty acid supplement”. This website concentrates on the food side of diets, so if you want more details please refer to the book.

    • Annette in Mississippi July 17, 2014, 6:52 pm

      I can tell you why not to eat iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce has a very low nutrient density. Different types of lettuces have different qualities. For instance red lettuce is high in antioxidants, while Bibb lettuce has the highest concentration of iron. Iceberg lettuce is so low in nutrient density that the reason it’s good for you is because it is extremely low in calories, and any vitamin, mineral, or antioxidant found in it is considered a freebie. However, there are many much better lettuces which are just as low in calories but have an abundance of nutrients. When I look at the veggies listed in phase 2 and see the emphasis placed on those which help the liver function. Iceberg lettuce doesn’t really help the body do much of anything. I can also tell you that avocados are rich in beta carotene. However, they don’t have that beta carotene orange color which we normally associate with foods rich in beta carotene. Beta carotene is not just a substance, but a family of substances. Nevertheless, avocados help to absorb their own nutrients because of the oil, and if you eat carrots with your avocados, your avocados will help absorb the carotene in the carrots as well as its own. By the way, beta carotene is fat soluble, unlike vitamin c which is water soluble.nutrients, The liver stores fat soluble vitamins, but it does not store water soluble vitamins. Having said all of that, and seeing the emphasis on leafy greens which help the liver function, I would say that unlocking the liver function as stated in Phase 2 and unleashing what is there is of utmost value in this diet, and you would be just wasting your valuable veggie space with iceberg lettuce.

      • Annette in Mississippi July 17, 2014, 7:01 pm

        I am a Family and Consumer Science teacher, and while I do not have the credentials of a registered dietitian, I have taken the prerequisites which dietitians take. I think a lot of qualified people in that industry these days do not recommend artificial supplements now. There is no great replacement for the nutrients found in natural sources. Always prefer natural sources over artificial. Many have been described as a foolish waste of money.

    • Christy April 17, 2015, 4:36 pm

      Iceberg lettuce was developed to be easily shipped. It is low in nutrient density, though. If you do want to use it, mix in other leafy lettuces and spinach greens to up the nutrient value. I heard years ago that it wasn’t good to feed to my guinea pigs because it didn’t provide enough dense nutrition for them. Made me go to other lettuces for them and for me!

  • Ann Burke October 7, 2013, 12:32 am

    I just finished week 1. After the 3rd day, got over the detox headache from no caffeine,sugar, wheat,dairy,alcohol. Years of dieting. I think this is a good one. On 5th day stepped on scale– down 5 lbs. – very encouraging!

  • Alice Benedict October 8, 2013, 6:20 pm

    Thanks for this: it’s a great reference to the information in the book (which frankly could use editing for clarity and consistency). I started this eating pattern in late June after seeing a magazine article about it. Yes, I did buy the book. I didn’t follow everything perfectly, haven’t managed to give up coffee (I drink a LOT less than I used to, mostly decaf), and took a 2-week break. Yet 32 pounds are gone, and I am on track to banish the last 20. I haven’t felt this good in years. And… I get to eat! As far as I am concerned, this is a miracle of the best kind: it makes sense, and it actually works for me.

    • Penny Hammond October 8, 2013, 6:53 pm

      Thanks, and I’m glad it’s going so well for you!

    • Andrea November 16, 2014, 9:16 pm

      I have lost 36 lbs and have about 22 to go. I purchased tofu ” pasta” that has no sugar. The main ingredient is tofu. Is this a protein or a grain? Also, despite having some great organic food stores like Fairway and Whole Foods, I can find a tomato sauce or paste without sugar. Any suggestions?

      • Penny Hammond November 19, 2014, 8:05 am

        Tofu is made from soy, which is a legume. However, Haylie asks that you avoid soy in all its forms on this diet, so tofu’s out and you shouldn’t be eating that pasta on this diet.

        Are you seeing sugar on the ingredients list for the tomato sauce and tomato paste, or in the nutrition panel? You might see it on the nutrition panel and not the ingredients list, because there are natural sugars in tomatoes. What you should look for is a product that doesn’t have any sugars in its ingredients list.

      • Tammy November 30, 2014, 3:51 am

        Tofu is made with Soy and soy is a pseudo estrogen….it acts like estrogen in the body and can get your hormones out of balance.

      • Ray Simms March 28, 2015, 9:05 am

        I have gone without pasta for the whole diet…. and think that is the way to go. Even all the recipes I have for rice noodles involve soy sauce…. I bought some Tamari and may try that… but avoid wheat based pasta

  • Mary October 9, 2013, 11:57 am

    Hi, I am going to start the program next week. I would like to know if during the Phase 3 I can eat crab or lobster meat that is canned or packed? please advise, I will appreciate it.

    • Penny Hammond October 9, 2013, 1:18 pm

      Canned foods are fine on this diet – Haylie specifically says you can have canned vegetables and beans, and mentions canned tuna. She doesn’t mention vacuum packs but I’d assume those are okay as well.

      • Mary October 9, 2013, 1:25 pm

        Thank you so much for the information Penny. I really appreciate your time for all of us with questions.
        I will let you know how I am doing after the first week! 🙂

  • Vickie October 9, 2013, 1:48 pm

    Help!! I am on week 3 phase 2 and have been folling the guide to the tee – with only 10 pound loss!! What am I doing wrong? Why does everyone else seem to be loosing so much more weight? I hope to loose 45 pounds – Feeling really down and craving cake (Which is something I normally NEVER eat)!! What is that about??

    • Penny Hammond October 9, 2013, 2:47 pm

      Hi Vickie,
      Are you eating the portion sizes in the guidelines for losing 45 pounds? That would be double the portion sizes listed above.
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies

    • Annette in Mississippi July 17, 2014, 8:38 pm

      I have no problems as long as my eating sessions are spaced 3-4 hours apart, and I eat enough. If I find myself thinking about other foods at the wrong times, I assume that I did not get enough the last time and cheat a little. It isn’t really cheating. I just eat something I’m allowed to have in the current phase. Like in phase 1 I had to get used to this new routine and found myself feeling a little hungry. So I ate some more fruit. It said that I could have unlimited veggies. I was getting the hang of this by phase 2, but if I had the same problem, I could eat another unlimited veggie. I want you to understand that I am ending phase 2 of my first week. I don’t know how well I am doing yet, but I am not hungry.

    • Ray Simms March 28, 2015, 9:16 am

      I am losing at the pace the book says…. my challenges are

      1. Drinking all that water
      2. shopping since many of the foods spoil and sometimes you do not eat them for 5 days
      3. Eating every 3 hours….. it seems when I leave the house (I retired at age 44) I need to come home to eat(or pack a snack)

  • Carly October 9, 2013, 4:04 pm

    I have been told that if the protein content is high enough foods like plain greek yogurt are ok. What about No fat cottage cheese?

    • Penny Hammond October 9, 2013, 7:10 pm

      During the initial diet, when you’re cycling through the 3 phases, you shouldn’t have any milk products at all, not even greek yogurt or cottage cheese.

      During the lifetime/maintenance diet, you can have milk products if you’ve consciously reintroduced them and confirmed that they don’t cause any issues with you. Even if you’re okay with milk products, you should only eat organic dairy and you should avoid fat-free dairy as it aggressively slows fat metabolism (rule 3 “no dairy” in the Fast Metabolism Do’s and Don’ts).

  • Mary October 10, 2013, 2:11 pm

    Hi Penny, I have another question….on phase 3 we can have as breakfast a shake with fruit, ice and nuts. Can I substitute the ice and nuts with Almond Milk with no sugar? I normally do not drink milk but I like Almond Milk ( 40 calories, no sugar added) If yes, can you please advise the portion. Thanks in advance.

    • Penny Hammond October 10, 2013, 2:16 pm

      Almond milk is allowed on phase 3, but it usually doesn’t have as much fat as nuts do. You could probably replace the ice with an equal amount of almond milk, and use the same amount of nuts or slightly less.

      • Katie October 15, 2015, 12:53 am

        My biggest issue with this (and most diets) is that I’m severely allergic to tree nuts. Basically all the good ones. Most of the offered recipes seem to contain these and it’s just not something I can do. Well, without dying that is. Any suggestions on an alternative?

        • Penny Hammond October 25, 2015, 4:31 pm

          That sucks, definitely a challenge.
          There appear to be quite a few recipes without tree nuts, unless I’m missing something – of the 20 recipes for phase 1 in the book and 24 for phase 2, I don’t find any that contain/require tree nuts; phase 3 has 6 of 28 recipes with a tree nut ingredient (22 recipes without tree nuts), and 2 of the 6 recipes containing nuts have an alternative for seed butters instead of nut butters. Are you also allergic to other food types such as seeds?

  • jennifer October 11, 2013, 10:01 am

    I am on day1 4 I have lost 5 pounds! this very nice!!!!
    Thank you very much

  • Mary October 11, 2013, 4:13 pm

    Hi Penny, is me again….Which brand of Hummus do you think is the best to buy, or do I need to prepare the hummus by myself at home? Please advise, I will appreciate it. Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond October 13, 2013, 10:26 am

      Preparing hummus from scratch is going to give you the most control over what it contains.
      If you want store-bought hummus (or any other food), have a careful look at the ingredient list. Are there any ingredients that you should be avoiding, or any that you’re not sure exactly what the ingredient is? Prepared hummus is more likely to be made with corn oil or soybean oil (could be labeled as “vegetable oil”). You can look at the allergy warnings to see whether it could contain some of the foods you’re supposed to be avoiding – milk, soy, or wheat.

  • Nerea October 13, 2013, 4:23 pm

    Hi
    Can we eat as much as we want of sweet potato (2lbs) in one day or is it limitted ( i want to loose 20lbs)
    Thx

    • Penny Hammond October 14, 2013, 10:04 am

      You can have unlimited amounts of phase-appropriate vegetables. Sweet potatoes are okay to eat on phases 1 and 3, but you should avoid them on phase 2 as it’s a low-carb phase.

  • Mary October 15, 2013, 2:09 pm

    Thank you Penny. Would you suggest any home made hummus recipe that will match the diet requirements? Thank you in advance 🙂

    • Penny Hammond October 16, 2013, 8:05 am

      This recipe shows the traditional way to make hummus: http://mideastfood.about.com/od/appetizerssnacks/r/hummusbitahini.htm. I personally would use water instead of the liquid from the can.
      There are a couple of alternative hummus recipes in the book: White Bean and Dill Hummus, and Sweet Potato Hummus and Cucumbers.
      Remember it’s for phase 3 only.

      • Mary October 17, 2013, 11:26 am

        Thanks a lot!!! 🙂

  • Julia October 18, 2013, 11:19 pm

    I’m wondering when and if oat bran and ground flaxseed fit into the plan? We usually mix that with our oatmeal in the morning, and my Dr is big on the health benefits of oat bran.

    • Penny Hammond October 20, 2013, 8:36 am

      You can have flaxseed on phase 3 days only, because it’s considered a fatty food.
      Oat bran isn’t mentioned in the book and I can’t find any references to it on the website. It’s not a fatty or carby food, and doesn’t contain any of the banned ingredients, so I’d assume there aren’t any restrictions.
      You can only have oats in phases 1 and 3 (as phase 2 is low-carb) – why not tweak your usual habit by having it with oat bran in phase 1 and with both oat bran and ground flax seed in phase 3?
      Also note that Haylie says you can eat both old-fashioned oatmeal and steel-cut oats in phase 3 and she only lists steel-cut oats in phase 1 – it’s unclear why (may just be they forgot to list it) – you could try steel-cut oats if you’re in the habit of eating a lot of oatmeal.

  • Marie October 18, 2013, 11:51 pm

    Is tilapia ok to eat during phase 3? It wasn’t on the list so I wanted to be sure.

    • Penny Hammond October 20, 2013, 8:26 am

      Although tilapia is a low-fat fish, it’s not listed as okay to eat. According to a site admin on the Fast Metabolism website, that’s because it’s a farmed fish which is fed corn and soy. http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/healthy-seafood/.
      Note that there’s nothing in the book saying that you should only eat wild-caught fish (or grass-fed meat, as factory-farmed meat is usually fed corn and soy as well), and I can find nothing written by Haylie on this matter, so it’s unclear.

  • Cindy October 21, 2013, 2:27 pm

    I have a questions about the need to exactly 30 minutes after walking up. I know this seems silly, but I walk up and lay in bed for awhile. When do you think the 30 minutes starts? And why is that so important?

    • Penny Hammond October 22, 2013, 7:21 am

      The best answer I can find in the book is this: “When you are awake and working, you have to keep eating. Otherwise, you leave your body without fuel, and then it thinks you are starving and before you know it, your metabolism is slowing down.” (p.35)

  • Mary October 21, 2013, 4:37 pm

    Hi Penny, If one day I do not have protein at hand, can I use protein whey and mix it only with water on phase 2?
    Thanks 🙂

    • Penny Hammond October 22, 2013, 7:11 am

      Whey is from milk, so it’s a no-go in all phases (although it would probably be acceptable for the lifetime/maintenance diet, if organic)

      • Mary October 22, 2013, 11:14 am

        Thanks again Penny. I have another question….I am on phase 1, can I have a one of the Ezekiel Sprouted Whole grain tortilla? I saw it on the book in one of the menus for phase 3. Can I have one as a ” grain ” in phase 1? Please advise and thank you in advance. 🙂

        • Penny Hammond October 22, 2013, 12:19 pm

          Yes, you can have sprouted grain breads (and bread-like products such as tortillas) as grains/starches in phases 1 and 3.

          • Mary October 22, 2013, 1:06 pm

            Thanks Penny. What is the portion for the sprouted tortilla? 1 or 2 ? Please advise.

          • Penny Hammond October 22, 2013, 3:28 pm

            In Phase 1, portion size for grains/starches is 1 cup cooked grains, or 1 ounce (about 28-30 grams) or about ¼ cup of crackers or pretzels
            In Phase 3, portion size for grains/starches is ½ cup cooked grains or ½ ounce (about 15 grams) of crackers or pretzels – smaller portions than phase 1
            As sprouted wheat tortillas are partly processed, it’s probably better to go with the serving size for crackers or pretzels. Check the weight per unit on the packaging. Depending on the size of the tortilla, the serving size might be 1 sprouted wheat tortilla in phase 1 and 2 in phase 3.

          • Mary October 23, 2013, 9:31 am

            Thanks Penny. Your answer helped me a lot. 🙂

          • Sharon October 31, 2013, 7:43 pm

            Thanks

          • Allison December 11, 2013, 12:37 pm

            Thank you. I am eating the sprouted bread. Not crackers. I think the issue was portion control for the breads between the two phases. Weight loss stopped after first day of ohase 3. So will it start back up now that I am in phase 2 for today and tomorrow. In other words will my body get back on track?

          • Penny Hammond December 15, 2013, 9:47 am

            Try weighing yourself once a week instead of every day, as the author claims it’s the cycle of phases that helps you lose weight.

          • sharron krouse March 27, 2014, 2:16 pm

            I am only weighing myself once a week! LOL

          • Barbara rendall April 21, 2014, 10:57 pm

            Hi! Just started my 2nd week, lost 5.6# in week one. But what I would like to know is what brand of pretzels, and rice crackers can we have. Thank You,Barb

          • Penny Hammond April 24, 2014, 2:21 pm

            I had a look around for wheat-free, soy-free, corn-free, dairy-free pretzels and didn’t come across any.
            However, I did find a sprouted wheat pretzel – Unique Sprouted Grain Pretzel

            I also didn’t have much luck finding soy-free rice crackers, or wheat-free, soy-free, corn-free, dairy-free crackers, or sprouted wheat crackers.

            Has anyone else had any luck finding pretzels and crackers that fit within the guidelines for this diet?

          • Melissa Dickens March 16, 2015, 7:58 pm

            Penny asked
            Has anyone else had any luck finding pretzels and crackers that fit within the guidelines for this diet?

            Lundberg Brown Rice Organic Rice Cakes !
            Ingredients; Organice whole grain brown rice, sea salt.

          • Penny Hammond March 17, 2015, 9:55 am

            Thanks Melissa!

          • sweety April 2, 2015, 1:31 am

            hey Barbara
            Its great that you lose 5.6# In week one can you tell me what exactly you eat and any exercise because i have to reduce 30# by may 20th, Its my wedding day I am really appriciate if you help me out. Thank you

          • sharron krouse March 27, 2014, 2:14 pm

            I am only eating brown rice for my grains, no sprouted breads at all, and I am doing them for the appropriate serving!Still nothing!

          • Lisa C. May 5, 2014, 3:31 pm

            Sometimes people have trouble loosing while eating brown rice. Try another grain, quinoa, wild rice, barley.

          • Geri July 1, 2014, 10:23 am

            Penny thank you for your help with portions. Geri

          • Miss Tay February 20, 2015, 12:37 pm

            Yes, I found the lentils at Whole Foods. They only have one ingredient: lentils.

            You can check out their products on this site:

            http://www.tolerantfoods.com

            So I’m assuming that its okay to have these since they have no other ingredients.

  • Peggy October 22, 2013, 11:12 am

    In the morning on phase one, may I eat unsweetened applesauce instead of an apple. I know I can have other fruits, but I happen to have on hand some little containers of no sugar added applesauce that I’d like to eat.

    • Penny Hammond October 22, 2013, 12:24 pm

      Haylie says no dried fruit or fruit juices because the sugar concentration is too high and either there’s little or no fiber (in juice) or the fiber is too easy to break down (in dried fruit).
      She doesn’t say anything about unsweetened applesauce, which isn’t concentrated but won’t have the same fiber structure as whole apples.
      There’s a forum discussion about it, with the consensus being that applesauce is okay if it’s unsweetened and doesn’t have any added juice, and maybe is better eaten with a meal: http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/forums/topic/phase-1-snacks/

  • Hanan October 22, 2013, 11:43 am

    Dear Penny,

    Can you tell me if the portions for meat and fish listed in ounces on page 107 of the book is for raw or cooked weight?

    • Penny Hammond October 22, 2013, 12:28 pm

      According to the site administrator on the FMD forum, it’s raw weight (or cooked weight for cold cuts). http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/feeling-funky-on-phase-2/

      • Hanan October 22, 2013, 3:07 pm

        Thank you very much

    • Katie May 20, 2014, 8:18 am

      This page has been essential to me, starting this diet! Thank you. I have a question about the salad recipes in Phase 1 in the book. Don’t I need to eat a grain, too? For instance, the Tuna, Green Apple & Spinach Salad has no grain.

      • Penny Hammond May 20, 2014, 2:45 pm

        If the meal you’re eating is supposed to have a grain and the recipe doesn’t include a grain, then add a grain on the side.

        • Katie May 21, 2014, 2:45 pm

          Thank you. In the grain section, it doesn’t say how much non-wheat or sprouted wheat bread you are allowed?

          • Katie May 22, 2014, 6:16 pm

            Also, I should ask the same about pita or tortillas. Thanks again.

          • Penny Hammond May 25, 2014, 1:52 pm

            The book doesn’t specifically give the portion size for non-wheat and sprouted breads. However, looking at the recipes, they list 1 slice sprouted-grain bread or 1 sprouted-grain tortilla for 1 serving. This is for both phase 1 and phase 3 – a little unusual because for all other starches, the phase 3 serving is half of that for phase 1.

  • Leslie October 23, 2013, 9:35 am

    First of all, thank you Penny for the amazing job you did to explain and summarize the diet. I started yesterday. And of course I have a question : do you know if we can use a juice extractor to make home-made-nothing-added “vegetable smoothies”. That will help me a lot to increase my vegetable intake and add some variety… it’s much easier for me to “drink” kale and other greeny-leafy stuff than to eat them…

    • Penny Hammond October 23, 2013, 9:22 pm

      You’re welcome, glad to help!

      I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t have home-made green smoothies. Haylie says you shouldn’t have fruit juice because of the sugar hit and lack of fiber, but with leafy greens you won’t be getting any sugars. She doesn’t ask you to have a ton of fiber. And she says greens are good. So go for it! Try to have whole veggies sometimes so you do get the fiber, though.

      • Leslie October 24, 2013, 9:35 am

        Thank you to answer so fast!
        I do have some crudites, soups and salads. I’ll have smoothies for Phase 2 breakfasts, easier to swallow in the morning :))
        Thanks again!

  • Mary October 23, 2013, 11:03 am

    Hi Penny, Can you help me with this question? As per the book instructions, I need to drink half my body weight in fluid ounces every day. My half weight is 60 lbs. So how many cups of water do I need to drink ? Please advise and thanks again.

    • Penny Hammond October 23, 2013, 9:24 pm

      Okay – so your weight is 120 lbs, and half your weight is 60 lbs.
      You should have 60 fl oz of water every day.
      There are 8 fluid ounces in a (USA) cup.
      60 / 8 = 7.5
      So the book says you should have 7.5 cups of water a day.

      It looks like the Canadian cup is close enough in size to the USA cup to use the same number.

      • Mary October 24, 2013, 9:32 am

        Thanks!!

        • Annette in Mississippi July 17, 2014, 9:05 pm

          Mary, how tall are you? It doesn’t sound like you need a diet.

  • Louise October 26, 2013, 6:43 am

    Penny
    I travel with work weekly and I’m anxious about being able to access the phase appropriate foods when staying in hotels etc. Is there any advice that you can give me as I’m about to start on Monday?

    • Penny Hammond October 26, 2013, 9:03 am

      Hi Louise,
      Wow, it’s tough following a diet when you’re traveling all the time.
      – Take it easy on yourself and spend the first few weeks getting used to things – working out what meals you can have that fit within the guidelines including asking questions at the places you usually eat while traveling, learning to eyeball the portion sizes you should be eating (carrying a scale and cup measures might look a little weird on the road). When you feel more comfortable with getting the foods you need, you can be more strict on the diet.
      – Think about which days of the week you should follow which phases of the diet. If you can more easily find foods for phases 2 and 3 while you travel, it’s going to be easier to build your weekly diet around that.
      – Try getting your snacks lined up in advance for the days you’ll be traveling.
      – If you have access to grocery stores, you might want to get some of your foods from them instead of restaurants where you may have less control over what’s in the foods.
      – Make sure you have access to enough water to meet your daily requirements.
      – Also, it may be helpful for you to have phase-appropriate food ready to hand for the day you get back from your travels, to avoid frustration when you’re tired from traveling.
      I hope that helps.

  • Louise October 28, 2013, 5:48 pm

    Thanks Penny’ that’s some good advice.

    Just one quick query, can I use rice milk to make porridge instead of water in phase one?

    • Penny Hammond October 29, 2013, 1:16 pm

      Rice milk is okay in phases 1 and 3, so porridge/oatmeal with rice milk instead of water would probably be fine.

  • Hanan October 30, 2013, 12:13 pm

    Hi Penny,

    In the book it says that we can have all types of vinager but I noticed that balsamic vinager has 3 grams of sugar listed on the label per tablespoon even though sugar is not listed in the ingredients, can we use it.

    Also, in the condiment section the book lists Salsa in phase 1 and 3, can you recomend a brand to use?

    • Penny Hammond October 30, 2013, 1:58 pm

      There’s a small amount of natural sugar in balsamic vinegar (which is made from grapes, which have a natural sweetness). You probably won’t eat a huge amount of it.
      Phase 2 of this diet allows a small amount of carbohydrate, for example fruit. Haylie includes balsamic vinegar in recipes for phase 2. Probably not worth worrying about.

      For salsa, look on the ingredients list to make sure that the ingredients are tomatoes and other real ingredients, and no added sugars.

      • Hanan October 30, 2013, 2:37 pm

        Thank you

  • Mary P. October 30, 2013, 4:53 pm

    Hi Penny,
    Love reading through your blog. Thank you.

    I only want to lose 5 lbs. If this diet works for me, then I should be done before the week is over. Can I just stop after 1 week then go on to the Maintenance phase, or I must continue and finish the 28 days?

    I started the diet this morning (because I happened to have all the foods I need for day 1 & 2), and I already ran into a big hurdle already. I felt so hungry after my morning (10 a.m.) snack (a medium-sized pear), which was exactly 3 hours after my breakfast (at 7 a.m. I had 2 small slices of sprouted grain bread and 1 peach). I couldn’t wait until 1 pm to eat my lunch, so I ate it at 12:30 — I waited as long as I could. My questions for you: Why do I feel hungry? What can I do about it? Instead of eating every 3 to 4 hours, can I shorten it to 2 or 2.5 hours instead?

    Also, there was too much food for lunch. After eating a sandwich made with 2 slices of sprouted grain breads and 4 ounces of slices turkey and about 1 lb of yams, I couldn’t force myself to eat the fruit. My question, can I eat this left-over fruit at 2 pm, and eat my snack (regular, afternoon snack) at 3pm?

    Thank you in advance for your guidance.

    • Penny Hammond October 31, 2013, 6:59 am

      Hi Mary,

      You’re welcome, glad you find it helpful!

      If you reach your goal weight in fewer than 28 days, there’s no reason I can see in the book that you shouldn’t move straight on to the Maintenance phase.

      I can’t find anything in the book to explain why you should wait 3 hours between meals and snacks – only that eating every three hours fuels your body, your hormones, and your brain (5 Major Players – Adrenals). It looks like Haylie is trying to persuade you not to go for long periods while you’re awake without eating.
      So if you’re waiting fewer than 3 hours for your next meal or snack, there’s nothing I can find in the book that says you shouldn’t.

      It’s possible that having fruit on its own makes you hungry as it’s a sweet food that could affect your blood sugar/insulin levels, so maybe having the fruit from lunch as a separate snack wouldn’t be such a good idea.
      You could try reducing starchy vegetables at lunch (yams/sweet potatoes can be very filling) and having more non-starchy vegetables so you don’t feel so stuffed; then you’d be able to eat the fruit with your meal. Have a look at the Phase 1 recipes in the book to get an idea of the mix of foods that Haylie suggests for a lunch meal.

    • Annette in Mississippi July 26, 2014, 4:04 pm

      The book’s repeated purpose for staying on the diet 28 days is to fix the metabolism’s problems which got the dieter there in the first place. Haley tries to encourage everyone to stick with the diet for that long because it is supposed to “fix the furnace”. If you don’t want your furnace fixed but just want to lose 5 lbs, then do as you said.

  • Mary October 31, 2013, 3:24 pm

    Hi Penny,
    This weekend, Sunday the 3rd is the change fall time one hour back. Is this going to affect my program? as I used to have my breakfast at 7:30 am so now in theory will be at 8:30 am. Please advise. Thanks 🙂

    • Penny Hammond October 31, 2013, 5:59 pm

      Hi Mary,
      Just continue to have breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up.

      • Mary November 1, 2013, 10:52 am

        Thanks! 🙂

  • Sharon October 31, 2013, 4:10 pm

    What about V8 juice to get the veggie portion for breakfast in phase 3?

    • Penny Hammond October 31, 2013, 6:09 pm

      Some thoughts:
      Haylie doesn’t mention vegetable juice at all in the book – she’s against fruit juice because the sugar concentrate is too high and the fiber is too easy to break down, so the sugars are delivered to your bloodstream too rapidly.
      She doesn’t spend much time on making sure that you eat a lot of fiber.
      100% vegetable juice V8 consists mostly of tomato juice, carrot juice, and beet juice, which aren’t as low-glycemic as other vegetable juices. However those vegetables are listed as okay to eat for this phase.
      So it might be okay, but make sure that over the course of the day you’re not getting too many carbs, as this is only supposed to be a moderate-carb phase.

      • Sharon November 12, 2013, 11:58 am

        Thanks

        • Sandy January 13, 2014, 12:00 pm

          A lot of those canned veggies juices are high in sodium. Not good.

    • Sharon October 31, 2013, 7:42 pm

      I am not sure what you mean by moderation.V8 juice contains only natural veggies in a liquid form. There e no additives. 1 c. is equal to 2 servings of vegetables.

  • Mary November 1, 2013, 11:34 am

    Hi Penny, when you are in maintenance you are allow to have an alcohol drink once in a while correct? That means I can have a drink during the weekend? Or has to be once in a month? if yes, which alcohol drink do you suggest the better, bier, vodka or tequila? Is there a chance to have a glass of proseco or white wine?

    Thanks in advance 🙂

    • Penny Hammond November 1, 2013, 6:39 pm

      Haylie says that a drink once a week or so is okay.
      There’s a whole section on alcohol during maintenance – Splurge Secret 3: Boozing it Up.
      Here’s a summary:
      – Organic, sulfite-free wine seems to have the least effect on liver function
      – If you really want a cocktail, go for the top-shelf liquors
      – She mentions beer but doesn’t give any guidelines on it – note that if you’re sensitive to wheat/gluten it may be better avoided
      – Always drink 8 ounces of water for every drink in addition to your regular water consumption
      – Don’t drink alone
      – Don’t have alcohol in the morning

  • Mary P. November 1, 2013, 4:54 pm

    Thank you for your answers to my first posting. They are helpful.
    I would like guidance on the following.
    There is no limit to the amount of condiments and pickles (no sugar-added) are allowed in all three phases, does that mean I can eat as much of it as I want?
    I am so used to eating all day, so it’s hard for me to not eating anything for a stretch of 2 to 2.5 hours. So I am thinking, if condiments like pickles (no sugar-added) don’t have a limit, can I eat them throughout the day?

    I take my time (from 1 to 1.5 hours) to eat each meal, just so I can eat as much veggies (phase-appropriate) as I can (up to about 16 ounces for dinner). And to avoid felling hungry between meals. What’s the recommended length of eating time for consuming all the allowed food during each meal/snack?

    • Penny Hammond November 1, 2013, 6:57 pm

      It sounds like you’d be eating pickles as a vegetable! Check to see what additives they contain and that they are phase-appropriate.

      There isn’t any guideline to the eating time for consuming each meal or snack, but I’d assume that a snack may take 5-30 minutes and a meal may take 20 minutes – 1 hour or more. If you’ve got a lot to chew, I understand that it can take time.
      If you’re grazing all day, either there’s the possibility that you may eat something that isn’t phase-appropriate because you’re on autopilot, or you’re spending your whole time obsessing over what you eat rather than having a break between meals. Maybe on a weekend or a day when you don’t have too many demands, spend time thinking about whether you’re really hungry at all times or whether it’s because of a habit or comfort eating.

      Keep an eye on the amount of water you drink – sometimes people feel hungry because they’re dehydrated.
      Do you feel hungrier on any specific phase, or in all phases? You may find that phase 2 (high carb) leaves you hungrier than the other phases.

  • debbie killens November 1, 2013, 10:46 pm

    Hi Penny,

    A little confused about the steel oats, in one of the recipes it say 1/2 cup with 1 cup of water is 2 servings but another place it say that but 1 serving. My question is what is a serving?
    thanks
    debbie

    • Penny Hammond November 3, 2013, 1:15 pm

      Hi Debbie,
      Remember that phase 1 is high-carb and phase 3 is moderate-carb.
      In phase 1, a serving size is 1 cup of cooked grains.
      In phase 3, a serving size is 1/2 cup of cooked grains.
      Grains usually approximately double in size when cooked in water, so the first recipe you mention above would give about 1 cup of cooked oats (1/2 cup per serving, phase 3) and the second recipe would give about 2 cups (1 cup per serving, phase 1).
      The smoothies look like they’re made with cooked oats, so the portion size already takes into account that the oats have expanded with cooking.

      • Mary November 7, 2013, 10:32 am

        Hi Penny,
        Regarding this question, I have a doubt too. As in the smoothie receipe it says that we have to blend first the steel oats to make it powder and after we add the ingredients to make the smoothie, so it is a little bit confusing as you said that the smoothies are made with cooked oats. Please advise, as I ‘ve been putting 1 cup of steel oats in my smoothie. Thanks in advance 🙂

        • Penny Hammond November 8, 2013, 7:51 am

          You’re right – looking at the smoothie recipe in more detail it does look like you don’t have to cook the oats first.
          Just make sure you’re using 1 cup per serving in phase 1 and only 1/2 cup in phase 3.

          • Mary November 8, 2013, 12:29 pm

            Thanks 🙂

  • Lynda November 2, 2013, 11:08 am

    Hello
    I have just been told by my doctor that I am pre diabetic and need to lose weight and exercise, would this diet be a good one to be on. I am 55 and post menopausal I have tried every diet known to man.

    • Penny Hammond November 3, 2013, 1:05 pm

      Hi Lynda,
      I’m sorry to hear that. It must have been scary to find that out.

      Different diets seem to work for different people, which could be because of the foods involved or because of the habits you’re expected to follow. It often works best to find something that you’re comfortable with and that also matches your body’s needs.
      There’s been a lot of weight gain over the past couple decades after many people went on low calorie and low fat diets, which are also usually high in carbohydrates.

      The Fast Metabolism Diet could be a good diet from breaking out of your habits if you’ve been on low calorie or low fat diets in the past.
      Another completely different approach could be intermittent fasting, like The Fast Diet, where you eat what you want 5 days a week and restrict calories the other two.
      Both of those approaches can help if you’re breaking away from the diet trends of the past few years.
      Alternatively, you could find out foods that you’re reactive to and avoid them – that helps a lot of people who have weight and other health problems – examples include The Virgin Diet (avoid the 7 foods that many people are intolerant to) or The Plan (test a wider range of foods; a more restrictive diet).
      There are also a lot of other alternatives out there (I know, so many choices) – there are some quick summaries at with links to more detailed descriptions.

      Have a look through a few plans, and for each one see if you’d be comfortable eating the foods and following the lifestyles they recommend. Whichever diet you choose, take time to read through the book to find out the reasons behind the recommendations. Sorry I can’t give you a definitive answer.

      Good luck!

  • umme asma absari November 3, 2013, 11:53 am

    hi,
    can u tell me that am i take white rice instead of brown rice? can i take white bread or naan during phase 1?
    i did this diet chart for 1 week but there is no change & i really upset about it. can u help me?

    • Penny Hammond November 3, 2013, 1:43 pm

      Haylie suggests eating only brown rice or wild rice on phase 1 – no white rice. In phase 2 she says to avoid rice, and in phase 3 eat only wild rice.

      Naan is usually wheat-based, so you shouldn’t be having it at all on this diet.

      Do you usually eat rice every single day? If so it’s possible that you have the same reaction to rice that many people have to wheat. If you usually eat wheat and rice every day you’re not getting results on this diet, make sure you’re avoiding wheat but also see if it works to avoid rice as well and only have alternative grains.

  • Christina November 4, 2013, 11:52 am

    I don’t see the grain farro on any of the food lists. Is it allowed or is there a reason to avoid it?

    • Penny Hammond November 4, 2013, 12:07 pm

      Farro contains some gluten – however this isn’t a gluten-free diet, so you should be able to eat it in phase 1 and phase 3 in the appropriate portion sizes for each of those phases. However, if you’re gluten-intolerant or have celiac disease, you should avoid it.

  • Mary November 5, 2013, 11:39 am

    Hello Penny,
    I have a question, probably a silly question…..on Phase 3 we are allow to have 1/4 cup of raw pistachios, they should be without the shell to measure the 1/4 cup or with shell? Please advise, I will appreciate it.

    • Penny Hammond November 5, 2013, 2:37 pm

      I assume that all nuts should be measured without the shell.

  • Maria November 5, 2013, 10:47 pm

    I have just completed day one and am excited of the prospect of reintroducing foods in a healthy way however I have an allergy to tree nuts and fruit. do you have any suggestions for replacement foods? thank you

    • Penny Hammond November 6, 2013, 7:26 am

      Nuts and other fatty foods are only used in phase 3.
      If you can eat seeds, you can have them instead of tree nuts.

      Fruits (except lemons and limes) are only used in phase 1.
      Are you allergic to all fruit? Is it a full allergy, or oral allergy syndrome (where you get an itchy mouth when you eat raw fruits)?
      If you can eat some fruits but not others, choose the ones that are okay for you.
      If you have oral allergy syndrome, try eating cooked fruits instead of raw.
      If you can’t eat any fruits at all, you could substitute with high-glycemic vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets, or cooked carrots.

  • Anjie November 7, 2013, 10:22 am

    Started the fmd on Monday , weighed myself yesterday and I had lost 1kg. I was so pleased but that was short lived as I started my period this morning and I have been eating wheat free pretzels on a protein and veg day. Also had a small piece of cake. Annoyed with myself but how should I proceed now?

    • Penny Hammond November 8, 2013, 7:48 am

      It’s not unusual to get carb cravings when you have your period – don’t beat yourself up about it!
      You could follow phase 1 as best you can for a few days and then move on to phase 2 and start the cycles again.

  • Stacey Holliday November 7, 2013, 7:01 pm

    Because of a history of diverticulitis, my doctor says I must avoid all berries or anything with seeds, even strawberries (which have the seeds on the outside,) and huckleberries which have a tiny seed inside…also no skins, like tomatoes, which I have to peel and seed before eating. No peppers like jalapenos. NO BEANS makes a big dent in this diet. No corn in any form.How can I substitute for these things? Are there substitutes listed in the book? I have ordered it online but it won’t get here till December. Thanks for your help. Stacey

    • Penny Hammond November 8, 2013, 8:06 am

      Poor you, it must be frustrating to have to de-seed/peel or avoid so many foods.

      You don’t need to follow the meal plans in the book; you can follow the meal map which tells you how much of each food group to eat at each meal. For each of the phases it’s listed above, under “what to eat,” under “meals” and “portion sizes.”
      There aren’t substitutions listed in the book, but here are some ideas:
      – Instead of berries, you can eat other fruits (note that the diet calls for a lot of fruit in phase 1, none in phase 2, and a limited amount in phase 3).
      – Quite a few of the recipes have tomatoes – you could choose other recipes, or use seedless canned tomatoes where you can, or peel and seed the tomatoes (cut a cross in the tomato skin and put it in boiling water for 10-30 seconds to make tomatoes much easier to peel).
      – You could leave peppers out of recipes or substitute with a little chili powder or similar if you can have that.
      – There’s no rule that you have to eat beans on this diet – you can use another protein instead.
      – You’re supposed to be avoiding corn anyway on this diet!

  • Jonathan November 9, 2013, 6:24 am

    Hi there

    Thanks for this resource. valuable.

    Quite a fan of this ‘way of eating’ but have a couple of questions on portions:

    [1] on phase 1 I make a smoothie for breakfast with high GL fruits and 50g of finely milled porridge oats. That seems fine and clear as on page 183 there is a basic recipe to follow. When I get to phase 3 I want to do the same smoothie but with low GL fruits. The principles is less carbs on phase 3 but recipe on page 217 uses same amount as phase 1. Confused… maybe a typo?

    [2] The principle of increasing portion size to lose more weight seems bonkers but I get the principle BUT nowhere can I find confirmation of what I presume is the principle of ratios – i.e. presumably one should increase the amount of EVERYTHING in that meal / phase and not just a bit of it? i.e. is it all about what and in what proportion?

    [3] understanding organic / pesticides / growth hormones and all that kind of stuff is hard. Am I right in thinking that generally US policy is more ‘lax’ than in Europe and so in EU we are more likely to be sold less scary foods?

    Thanks

    Jonathan

    P.S. I am personally less bothered about Sat / ‘bad’ Fat. I think [but am not qualified to advise others] within the next 2 years there will be a complete shift in Govt advice – instead of demonising fat I think they will figure out it is high GI carbs / sugar / alcohol that is making people obese. I think [but am not qualified to advise others] so far this message has been slowed by Big Pharmaceutical firm’s sales of statins which are of questionable benefit to those who are not chronic. Anyone who wants to know more should read ‘Escape The Diet Trap’ by a UK GP / MD called John Briffa

    • Penny Hammond November 9, 2013, 7:29 am

      Hi Jonathan,

      (1) Check the number of servings for each recipe – yes, it could be a typo. The USA version of the book has different serving sizes.
      (2) Yes, everything should be increased if you’ve got more weight to lose. So if you want to lose up to 20 lbs, use the serving sizes in the book. If you want to lose 21-40 lbs, use 1 1/2 times the serving sizes. For 41-60 lbs, use 2x the serving sizes of everything. Etc. Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies
      (3) In the USA many foods are genetically modified – especially soybeans (soya) and corn. Some foods imported to the EU may include those ingredients, but they’re generally identified. Also, in the USA meat and milk are usually “factory farmed”, with the animals kept inside their whole lives or most of their lives and fed (GMO) soybeans and corn, and given hormones and antibiotics. It’s much less likely that EU animal foods are intensively farmed like that. Also, the USA has some extreme climates and may have higher use of pesticides, but pesticides are used in the EU as well.

      There are an increasing number of dietary recommendations that say “saturated fat is bad” is an out of date statement, and there are calls to change government guidelines on them. But even if that’s the case, it would be a good idea to keep an eye on the quality of the fat – fat is where toxins are stored, and if an animal is fed a diet containing toxins they could be concentrated in the meat or dairy fat.

      • Jonathan November 10, 2013, 6:27 am

        Hi

        please can you help me understand how many G of oats on p1 and P3?

        thank you

        Jonathan

        • Penny Hammond November 11, 2013, 8:33 am

          1 cup of cooked oats is about 120 grams. 1 cup of dry oats is about 90-100 grams. (Information from website searches – I didn’t weigh them to confirm. If you want to check yourself – a US cup is a volume measurement, about 225 ml in a measuring jug).
          Phase 1 you’re supposed to have 1 cup of (cooked) grains per serving; phase 3 you’re supposed to have only 1/2 cup.
          So that would imply 120 grams of cooked oats per serving in phase 1, and 60 grams of cooked oats per serving on phase 3.

  • Laurie B November 11, 2013, 12:20 pm

    Hi Penny! So glad to find you. Julie and I have been on the FMD 2 weeks today. I’m down 4.5 lbs–doing the 20lb goal plan. Know we messed up some — the plan is a bit confusing at first. I think your consolidated info will help me keep from making the same mistakes again. Can you answer a few questions?
    –Where do I order the FMD Bars talked about in the book? Looked on Haylie’s shopping page and could find the powder but no bars. Would love to get some if they are available.
    –In phase two, the blank meal map calls for just protein at both snack times. Can veggies be added here in any quantity?
    –In phase three is it just ONE whole egg whenever I have eggs? (I somehow can’t get into the egg white thing!) If I have a hardboiled egg for a snack should i add a healthy fat like nuts or safflower mayo?
    –speaking of safflower mayo, I bought Haines at the healthfood store but it has eggs and dehydrated cane juice in it even tho it lists carbs as 0. Is it ok?
    –I would like clarification on phase three’s “healthy fat/protein. Say, flax seeds in my oats. Does that satisfy that requirement for that meal? More to the point– how many grams of protein are needed to satisfy the “protein” requirement?
    –lastly, but most important– are people having trouble with their bowels on this diet. I am having hardly any stool and it is quite different than normal. Julie is having even more trouble, skips 2-3 days then constipated. YUK she is also very bloated. We usually have 1/4 cup flax daily but with only having it 3 days out of seven, what is a good alternative for that problem? Would love to know what others are doing? I don’t think poor elimination is healthy and certainly will cause toxin retention. THANK YOU for answering ASAP!

    • Penny Hammond November 12, 2013, 3:10 pm

      Hi Laurie,
      I’m glad you’ve been having success so far!
      – FMD bars – according to the Facebook page, Haylie decided to stop offering them – “I wasn’t 100% happy with them, and I don’t want to offer you guys anything but the very best.”
      – Phase 2 snacks – Make sure you eat lean protein for the snack, but you can also have phase 2 veggies. See “Phase 2 Crash Stash” (p.195) – get a package of sliced roast beef or turkey, divide it into ziplock bags (about 3-4 slices per bag), add some veggies, and stash them in the refrigerator for a quick snack.
      – Phase 3 eggs – yes, just one egg per meal (or max 1 egg yolk and 3 egg whites). The egg recipes in phase 3 also have about 1/4 to 1/2 portion of a healthy fat in addition to the egg.
      – Safflower mayo – eggs should be okay (there’s only a small amount of egg used when making mayonnaise). See how much dehydrated cane juice is in there – if it’s right at the end of the ingredient list, and you’re only having a small amount of mayo, you might be able to ignore it.
      – Phase 3 healthy fat/protein – nuts and seeds are listed as fats, not proteins. So you should have one of the foods listed as protein as well. Protein portion sizes are 4 ounces of meat, 6 ounces of fish, or ½ cup cooked legumes in all phases
      – Bloating and constipation – Make sure you’re having plenty of leafy green vegetables, at every meal if possible – they’ve got quite a lot of fiber which should help. Try chewing your food really well (yeah, I know, you’re spending your whole time eating on this diet, and chewing just makes it take longer… but try it anyway!) – chewing carbs can help with their digestion which should help reduce bloating, and in general if you chew your food well it’s easier to digest. Drink lots of water to help avoid constipation. You could also try probiotics.

      • Kathleen W July 25, 2014, 12:28 am

        I’m on week 3 and about to enter phase 3 again. I didn’t see in the book where phase 3 protein (eggs) were less. Must be why I’ve gained in phase 3! Do you know where it says that in the book? I’ve been following the blank meal map & doing my own meal planning. The only portion size I. See is on pg 106-107. Does the decr amount include other proteins?

        • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 5:48 pm

          In phases 1 and 2 you’re only supposed to have egg whites, and the portion size is 2 egg whites (about 4 tablespoons) – see the Phase 1 Food List and Phase 2 Food List. In phase 3 you’re asked to have whole eggs instead, white plus yolk, and the portion size is 1 whole egg (3 tablespoons) – see the Phase 3 Food List. It’s smaller in terms of size, but has more fat.
          CORRECTION 2/23/15 – portion size is 3 egg whites, not 2.

  • Greg November 11, 2013, 1:50 pm

    Hello,
    Can I drink V8 juice during any/all of the stages? The guidelines prohibit fruit juices, and I plan on eating all of my portions of whole vegetables and drinking all of the suggested water, but I would like to drink V8 juice because I enjoy it.

    • Penny Hammond November 12, 2013, 2:46 pm

      It’s not clear in the book whether you can have processed vegetable juices. In general the diet encourages you to have whole, unprocessed foods.

      100% vegetable juice V8 consists mostly of tomato juice, carrot juice, and beet juice, which aren’t as low-glycemic as other vegetable juices – they might cause a bit of a blood sugar rush when eaten as juice rather than whole vegetable. Note that these vegetables are listed as okay to eat on phases 1 and 3.

      The site admin on the diet website says V8 isn’t allowed “because Haylie doesn’t list it” – that might be a narrow interpretation. She suggests a green smoothie recipe instead. http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/feeling-funky-on-phase-2/

      My guess would be that the veggie-only version might be okay in phase 1 as that’s high-unprocessed-glycemic, a no-go in phase 2 because the veggies aren’t allowed, and should be used in moderation in phase 3 as that’s moderate-carb. And no to the ones that are combined veggie and fruit juices.

  • Mary November 11, 2013, 3:36 pm

    Hi Penny,
    The edamame ( soy beans ) are permitted on the diet as veggie protein ? Please advise.
    Thanks,

    • Penny Hammond November 12, 2013, 2:37 pm

      This is a no-soy diet. The only exception is for vegans, who can have these unprocessed soy products only: organic non-GMO tofu, organic non-GMO soy tempeh, organic non-GMO edamame.
      If you’re not vegan, you shouldn’t have edamame on this diet.

  • debbie killens November 13, 2013, 8:03 am

    Hi Penny,
    I am on my 4th week and have lost 9 lbs but have gone the last 4 days with no weight loss is this the way it goes, discouraged was really hoping to be closer to the 15 mark.

    debbie

  • Brenda November 13, 2013, 9:14 am

    Hi Haley,
    Thanks for this forum. 2 questions-can you eat canned green peas in any phase? Also, what if you accidentally mess up, like eat canned diced tomato/green chili on phase 2 with eggs? I’m starting week 3, have lost 9 lbs, and am psyched to continue! Actually 3 questions. Is almond milk, unsweetened cocoa powder and stevia ok for phase3 for hot cocoa? Thanks for your help.

    Brenda

    • Penny Hammond November 13, 2013, 4:40 pm

      Hi Brenda,

      If you want to contact Haylie directly, you can reach her through her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/hayliepomroy.

      Canned vegetables are allowed. Peas are only listed for phase 1, but should probably also be listed for phase 3 as they’re moderate-carb and other legumes are allowed.

      If you accidentally mess up, it was an accident – just don’t repeat the mistake!

      Almond milk and stevia are okay on phase 3, but the only time cocoa is allowed is on phase 1 – and it’s supposed to be raw cacao powder, which isn’t quite the same as unsweetened cocoa powder.
      (update – I found a Facebook post from June 2013 where Haylie says that she considers unsweetened cocoa powder to be the same thing as raw cacao powder, so it’s an acceptable substitute)

      • Heidi August 9, 2015, 11:57 am

        Raw cocoa powder is listed under “Broths, Herbs, Spices and Condiments” in all three phases in my book.

  • Mary November 15, 2013, 8:28 am

    I am really enjoying most of this diet. However I’m confused because in the book on the meal map it does not match Week 2 Phase 3 says to east P3 oatmeal which is a 1/2 cup. What happen to the fat/protein, veggie and Fruit?

    Good job making everything easy to follow.

    • Penny Hammond November 15, 2013, 7:46 pm

      Not sure if I’m looking at something different – in the Week 2 Meal Map Phase 3 I see these breakfasts:
      Friday is P3 Cucumber Hummus Toast, 1/2 grapefruit
      Saturday is Berry Nutty Oatmeal Smoothie
      Sunday is P3 Egg and Toast with Tomatoes and Red Onion

  • Mary November 15, 2013, 10:42 am

    Good Morning Penny, I am writing to let you know that I will finish my 28 days cycle this coming Sunday. My weight when I started was 56 kg. and today, Friday only 2 days from the 28 days cycle goal my weight is just 53kg. I am a little bit disappointed that I only lost 3 kg. as I was following with exactitude the rules. Do you have any idea why I haven’t loose up to 10 kg. as Hayle suggests in her book? Please advise 🙁

    • Penny Hammond November 15, 2013, 7:40 pm

      Sorry to hear that.
      Your starting weight of 56 kg (123 pounds) and current weight of 53 kg (117 pounds) sound pretty low unless you’re significantly under 5 feet/1.52m tall – if you’re already at a healthy weight, the diet won’t make you underweight.

  • Diana November 15, 2013, 11:25 am

    I had a case of food poisoning last night…today is first day of phase 3 and I have no appetite and am still in bed. What should I do?

    • Penny Hammond November 15, 2013, 7:48 pm

      Food poisoning isn’t fun. If your body’s telling you not to eat, sometimes it’s a good idea to listen to it. Probably best to get over the food poisoning (and eat sensibly when you have an appetite) before you go back on the diet.

  • Lynda November 16, 2013, 3:02 pm

    Can you let me know what is the portion size for protein and fats eaten as a snack? Is it 1/2 the portion size of proteins and fats for meals?

    I have completed my second week and have lost only 4 lbs, I’m wondering if my portion sizes have been wrong.

    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond November 17, 2013, 7:54 am

      The protein snack portion size for phase 2 is 2 ounces (the book specifically gives that amount for deli meat, and phase 2 snack recipes are generally in that range).

      The fat/protein snack portion size for phase 3 is less clear. If you’re eating deli meats or other proteins like shrimp, the portion size is still 2 ounces. Nuts are the only fat/protein in some of the snack recipes (2 tablespoons of nut butter, 1/4 cup / 4 tablespoons of raw nuts). The legume snack recipes for hummus have 8 ounces of chickpeas/beans and 4 teaspoons of tahini/ground sesame seeds per serving. The guacamole doesn’t even have a protein in the ingredients, and a serving is 1/2 avocado and 1 teaspoon safflower mayonnaise.

  • Jordan November 21, 2013, 12:46 am

    Hi Penny!
    I just heard about this diet so I’m going to start it tomorrow. I’m kind of confused about when it starts a new phase, it says to avoid these foods. Say I’m in phase 2, do I avoid foods from phase 1? I want to lose about 30 pins and would love to by Christmas.

    Thank you!!

    • Penny Hammond November 21, 2013, 7:48 am

      Hi Jordan,
      Thanks for your question – I’ve tried to make the post a little clearer by adding links to the general “foods to avoid” section.
      In phase 2 you don’t avoid foods from phase 1, you avoid some of the same foods you avoided on phase 1 (wheat, corn, dairy, soy, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dried fruit, fruit juices, artificial sweeteners) and also change from high-glycemic, moderate-protein, low-fat foods to high-protein, high-vegetable, low-carbohydrate, low-fat foods.

  • Bency November 22, 2013, 12:06 pm

    Hi Penny,
    How come broccoli is not listed under vegetables for Phase 3?
    Thank you in advance.
    Bency

    • Penny Hammond November 22, 2013, 12:22 pm

      Hi Bency,
      I double-checked and you’re right, broccoli wasn’t listed for Phase 3 in the book. Probably a mistake from the book’s editors, and I found broccoli in a phase 3 recipe, so I’ve added it in the list above.

  • Vicky November 24, 2013, 3:44 pm

    Hi Penny,
    I was wondering if you can use any type of dressing on the salads or vegetables? Also can you put anything on the wild rice?
    Thanks in advance
    Vicky

    • Penny Hammond November 24, 2013, 9:31 pm

      Hi Vicky,

      For phases 1 and 2 you’re supposed to eat any fats, so you can’t have regular salad dressings. There are phase-specific salad dressing recipes in the book. The phase 1 recipes has mango puree, balsamic vinegar, cilantro or parsley, lime juice, and stevia or xylitol. The phase 2 recipe has cucumber, garlic, balsamic/apple cider vinegar, cilantro or parsley, dill, stevia or xylitol, and sea salt.
      In phase 3 you can eat healthy oils, so an olive oil-based dressing without added sugar would work.

      You could try putting the salad dressing on the rice in phase 1, or herbs, or something else that’s listed as okay to eat on that phase. For phase 3, you can add fats. On any phase, you can use any of the ingredients listed as okay to eat.

  • Cindy November 29, 2013, 3:09 pm

    Hi:

    Is nitrite free pastrami allowed, the only difference I could find between corned beef and pastrami was that one is wet brined and the other dry brined. Also why is veal excluded? Is it because it is milk fed? Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond December 4, 2013, 5:09 pm

      Nitrate-free deli meats are allowed, and pastrami is usually considered a deli meat, so you can have nitrate-free pastrami.

      I can’t see anything in the book saying that veal is excluded.

  • Sharon December 2, 2013, 8:26 am

    Hi, I started the diet two weeks ago. My first week I went down 4.6 lbs and I was happy with that but just weight in this morning after my 2nd week and I am only down 1 lb : (. I stuck to it all week with the exception of having a few bites of carrot cake and a few sweet potatoe fries on my birthday (phase 3), would this be enough cause for the low weight loss?? I have about 50lbs to lose so this could be a long journey for me at this rate. Feeling discouraged

    • Penny Hammond December 4, 2013, 5:28 pm

      Congratulations with your weight loss so far!
      Keep an eye on the portion sizes, and see if that helps.

  • Vicky December 2, 2013, 9:39 pm

    Hi Penny,
    Can you have Escarole in any phase? It is not mentioned as a vegetable allowed or disallowed. Thanks for your help. On my second week and doing well.
    Vicky

    • Penny Hammond December 4, 2013, 6:03 pm

      Hi Vicky,
      Other green leafy vegetables, such as arugula and kale, are allowed on any phase, so I’d expect that it would be fine on any stage.

  • wayne December 4, 2013, 6:55 pm

    A friend gave me the book after he had lost 35 lbs. He told the more I eat of the foods in order of the phases the more the weight loss. I thought he was joking, but I tried the diet anyway. I weighed in at 385 lbs on day one and weighed 330 lbs after 28 days. I followed the meal plans almost exactly as listed. I ate double, triple and sometimes more portions. Unbelievable, lost 55 lbs. I backslid a little during Thanksgiving week and gained 8 lbs but just started diet again and lost that in 3 days. My question is should I forego vitamins and supplements on this diet?

    • Penny Hammond December 8, 2013, 4:42 pm

      Congratulations on your weight loss so far!

      The book recommends that you take supplements, “especially a high-quality, clean multi-vitamin and a food-based essential fatty acid supplement”. This website concentrates on the food side of diets, so if you want more details please refer to the book.

  • Suzanne December 6, 2013, 1:46 pm

    Is the portion size for hummus the same if it’s store bought versus the white bean and dill recipe? The recipe says it makes 6 servings but it looks like it’s a lot more than 3 cups after I made it!

    • Penny Hammond December 8, 2013, 4:44 pm

      You’re right, there’d be a difference – the book says that a serving size for up to 20 lb of weight loss is 1/3 cup (phase 3 only)

  • Allison December 11, 2013, 7:33 am

    I did really well the first week. Lost 7 lbs but I have stalled. Is that normal?

  • Allison December 12, 2013, 6:49 am

    Another clarification. I only eat the sprouted bread. And I have more than 20 lbs to lose. So what has happened this week compare to lat weeks 7 lb

    • Penny Hammond December 15, 2013, 9:52 am

      Are you using the recommended portion sizes? If you have more than 20 lbs to lose, the author recommends increasing your portion size – for every additional 20 pounds you want to lose, add a half portion.
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies

  • Marguerite December 16, 2013, 12:07 pm

    I am beginning my third week. I have only lost 5-6 lbs and am feeling discourged. Also, why does my weight fluctuate especially during phase 3? I actually gain back a few pounds. I am drinking the water and following the diet faithfully!

    • Penny Hammond December 16, 2013, 1:17 pm

      The author basically says that it’s the cycle of phases that boosts your metabolism, so it’s not a good idea to weigh yourself on a daily basis.
      Are you feeling any other improvements to your health, apart from weight loss?

      • Marguerite December 30, 2013, 12:37 pm

        I noticed that I have had NO headaches, which I did have every few weeks before the diet. (I am guessing from the sugars in my previous diet?) I ended up on a plateau for eight days, then Christmas came so I ended a few days prior to my 28 days. I plan to begin again after the new year. I had only lost 7 lbs total but I can notice a difference even if others can’t. My pants are looser, clothes more comfortable, so no need to go to a larger size! I would like to lose another 7 when I start again. I probably would have had a hard time losing 20, but 15 would have been very nice:)
        The diet has made me think about what I am eating, and I still use some of the recipes and really like the sprouted wheat bread. I am eagerly waiting for the cookbook, which I have already ordered!

        Marguerite

  • Roberta December 21, 2013, 2:17 pm

    I have a question regarding the nuts. I started eating unsalted roasted almonds thinking it would be ok. I have now noticed that we are to stay away from roasted nuts. Why is that and have I done much damage?

    • Penny Hammond December 22, 2013, 5:45 am

      The author doesn’t give a clear explanation of why you should avoid roasted nuts, but talks about the nutritional benefits of raw nuts. Presumably roasting nuts changes their nutritional profile in a way that’s considered un-beneficial in this diet. Don’t worry about having done damage.

  • Sandra December 27, 2013, 8:34 am

    Hi Penny, I was wondering, for fish, can I eat catfish? Is canned tuna allowed? And also can I eat wholegrain bread instead. Will I lose weight? Im 5’1 and about 108 lbs. I want to lose 8 lbs. (100lbs was my actual weight) .Thanks in advance. 🙂

    • Penny Hammond December 27, 2013, 12:20 pm

      Hi Sandra,

      I can’t find anything in the book or website on catfish. It isn’t listed as one of the allowed foods. Catfish is commonly farmed, and the website advises against eating farmed fish as they could be fed soy or corn. So I’d assume that you shouldn’t have catfish while following the different phases, although it isn’t exactly clear.

      You can eat canned foods if the food is listed as okay to eat. Canned tuna is allowed.

      Wholegrain bread is usually made with wheat, and you shouldn’t have wheat on this diet, so you shouldn’t eat it on this diet.

      If you’re 5’1″ and 108 lbs, you’re probably already pretty slim, even if you have a small frame. If you were 100 lbs at one point, it’s possible you were underweight, which may not be healthy. Following this diet is intended to take you to your healthy weight range, so you probably won’t lose additional weight. Concentrate on being healthy instead!

  • Lani December 30, 2013, 9:07 pm

    Has anyone had success trying to lose 60+ lbs on FMD? I plan on starting on Jan 6th, but am feeling a little worried about having to drink 114 oz of water a day, and large servings of food. I’m supposed to have 1/2 serving more for every 20 lbs I’d like to lose. For some recipes, this comes out to 4 cups of soup (?? I can’t even get that much in me), 12 oz of fish, 4T almond butter. These amounts are hard to wrap my mind around. Any ideas? I’d like to be successful…

    • Sara January 7, 2014, 11:57 pm

      I’m gathering all the info and getting ready to start the diet. I’m currently in the same boat, I thought I read that part in the book wrong, but if you are seeing it the way I am then I’m not going crazy! Are you doing the large portions? Are you losing? I’m scared to eat that much!

  • Suzanne D December 31, 2013, 8:01 am

    Hi Penny,

    I am planning on starting this diet next Monday. I am reading the book now and I just read that the type of exercise you do HAS to follow the phases. But I am a tennis and paddle tennis player and play almost every day. I am on a few teams and have matches and it would be hard to get out of them. If I only had 20 pounds to lose it wouldn’t be a problem to bow out for 28 days but I have 80 so that would not work.

    How big a problem is it to exercise “out of phase?”

    Thanks, Suzanne

    • Penny Hammond December 31, 2013, 11:38 am

      Hi Suzanne,
      We look at the food part of diets, not the exercise part, so I’m afraid I don’t have much knowledge about that.
      Check out Haylie’s website including the forums, also her Facebook and Twitter pages.
      Good luck!

  • Cindy January 1, 2014, 10:22 pm

    I can’t decide if I want to focus on 20 pounds or 40 pounds for my program. I am at 180 and would love to get to 140 but 160 may be ok.. Do I eat for 20 or 40 pound loss? My metabolism is dead so I am nervous about eating for 40 pound loss. Any suggestions?

    • Penny Hammond January 2, 2014, 8:04 am

      Haylie says that your goal weight should be how much you want to weight and what weight makes you comfortable, makes you feel like a “normal person.” It has nothing to do with BMI (although aiming to be underweight according to your height and build probably isn’t going to work on this diet).
      If you’re still not sure, why don’t you start “training” for this diet using the regular portion sizes – there are a lot of habits to develop and new foods to eat. When you’ve got the hang of it and can go through the phases without stress, have another think about what your goal weight is and eat portion sizes according to the diet’s recommendations.

  • Christina January 2, 2014, 7:28 pm

    Hi. We just started the FMD. We are on week 1, day 4. I have a question about the avocado for tomorrow. They are listed as a veggie ( which is unlimited) and they are also a fat (so it says we can only have 1/2). Can we have some clarification please on how much we can eat? Thank you. Happy New Year.

    • Penny Hammond January 3, 2014, 3:25 pm

      The book is a little unclear about avocados in phase 3, It lists them as a vegetable and also as a fat. It says you should have unlimited veggies and to use healthy fats liberally in phase 3, but it suggests a serving size of 1/2 avocado for 20 pounds of weight loss. So it seems that although you should use healthy fats liberally, you shouldn’t have them in unlimited quantities. I’d assume you should have 1/2 avocado, but not worry too much if occasionally on phase 3 you have a little more.

      • Christina January 4, 2014, 11:59 am

        Thank you so much. One more questions… In Phase 3 when it says fat/protein, does that mean fat and protein?

        • Penny Hammond January 4, 2014, 3:09 pm

          It looks like fat/protein means a fatty protein or protein plus fat.

  • Angie A January 3, 2014, 8:04 pm

    Penny,
    Thank you for your support. I started the diet 5 days ago and after reading through your entire blog you have clarified many of my question.. Have not weighed myself yet and have been very very tired. I am sure it is the caffeine and sugar withdrawn. I only have two remaining questions…
    1. Phase 3 list “fat/protein”, is the / an or? Can I only have 1 fat or 1 protein
    2. I am a grazer and have a hard time eating all the food in one meal. Can I eat my Breakfast grain at 7:00 and the Breakfast fruit at 9:00?

    Thanks again for your support and summary. I have been carrying my book around at the grocery store and this is much easier.

    • Penny Hammond January 4, 2014, 3:06 pm

      Hi Angie,
      It looks like “fat/protein” in the table on page 69 means a higher-fat protein, or protein plus fat.
      The book doesn’t give clear guidelines for grazers, but it does ask you to have all the recommended food types at the same time. You could try putting together the whole phase 3 breakfast meal, having half (or as much you can eat until you’re full) and then finishing the rest when you get more room.
      I hope you’re getting your energy back!

  • Lori January 3, 2014, 11:04 pm

    I’m planning on starting this diet on Monday and am very excited. I’m just wondering if flavoured vinegars are ok to use?

    • Penny Hammond January 4, 2014, 3:08 pm

      It looks like you can have any type of vinegar except rice vinegar. But watch out how the vinegar is flavored – check for added sugars or other foods you shouldn’t be eating on the phase you’re on.
      Good luck with the diet!

  • CM Danzy January 5, 2014, 2:48 pm

    Can I have animal and vegetable proteins in the same meal?

    • Penny Hammond January 5, 2014, 3:30 pm

      I can’t find anything in the book that says you can’t mix or combine animal proteins and vegetable proteins, so go ahead.
      Make sure the vegetable protein you want to eat is permitted on the phase you’re in.

  • sweden January 5, 2014, 11:27 pm

    Hi.I will begining my very first day tomorow:-)But i have some questions.Phase; 1 & 2Could I mix rice milk to do smoothie?
    When can I eat hard boiled eggs, and it is with the yolk?why cant I eat carrot and when can I eat banana (banana smoothie)When I wook upp:Should I eat within 30 minutes but when should I exercice?
    Sorry for my poor english//sweden

    • Penny Hammond January 6, 2014, 8:26 am

      Hi,
      You can use rice milk in phase 1, but not in phase 2. Using rice milk in your smoothies in phase 1 would probably be okay.
      In phases 1 and 2 you should only have egg whites; you can have egg yolks (as well as egg whites) in phase 3.
      The book tells you to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up. “Never get up and exercise in the morning before you’ve eaten breakfast or at least a snack. Eat at least 30 minutes before exercising.”

  • Greta apap January 7, 2014, 2:34 am

    Hi, thanks a lot for the summary, i have the book but the summary really helps for quick referral. As a grain, is it possible to have bulgur ?

    Greta

    • Penny Hammond January 7, 2014, 12:30 pm

      Bulgur is cracked wheat – as it’s a wheat product you shouldn’t have it on this diet.

      • Greta Apap January 8, 2014, 4:46 am

        oh ok thanks, didnt know that. one last question, i like to prepare my chicken boiled in broth so as not to use any oil for phase 1 and 2, if im very hungry is it ok to have a bit of broth before the meal, it s just water, chicken cube , carrots and marrows

        • Penny Hammond January 8, 2014, 7:03 am

          I don’t see why having some broth without fat would be an issue.

  • Tasha January 7, 2014, 11:20 am

    Hello
    I am in phase 1 still and made oatmeal the last two mornings to eat with fruit….YUCK!
    Any other ideas for a good phase 1 breakfast that does not include a smoothie as well.
    Also for snacks in phase 2 how many ounces of jerky can you have?

    • Penny Hammond January 7, 2014, 12:39 pm

      There’s a strawberry french toast recipe in the book for phase 1 breakfast. You can also check out recipe ideas on the FMD forum at http://www.fastmetabolismdiet.com/forums/forum/recipes-and-food/.

      There’s a recipe for turkey jerky in phase 2 that shows 1 – 1-1/2 pounds of turkey breast being made into 4-5 servings, which implies about 1/4 pound or 4 oz per serving – but the meat will lose some weight during the drying process. The serving for deli meat is 2 oz, and I’d assume that 2oz or less would be a good serving size for jerky.

    • CAPS January 21, 2015, 2:46 pm

      Tasha, try this. Dice half an apple with 1/2 cup oatmeal and 3/4 cup water. The oats recipe says to use a cup of water but it makes it runny and unappetizing. I think I even start with 1/2 cup. Stir in a little salt, lots of cinnamon and sweetener. I prefer Truvia. Even though it’s not on the list, it is referenced in the book. (I’ve also found that two packets taste better than one) Anyway, cook in microwave ONE MINUTE only. If you need more water, add little at that time. Stir, then cook another 30-45 seconds. Your oatmeal will be hearty and tasty. I really like the strawberry French toast, but the oatmeal holds me longer. Enjoy the other apple half as “dessert”.

  • Angie A January 9, 2014, 9:04 am

    Penny, Thanks for your support.. I love the summary at the beginning.. it is much easier then carrying the book to the store. Two questions…1. I know you can eat unlimted phased appropriate vegetables.. can you eat then during the 3 hour waiting period? 2. In Phase III you can have Fat/Protein at each meal? Is this a “and” or “or”. ie can we have a Fat and Protein or Fat or Protein. I am on my 10th day and have only lost 4 lbs.. not sure if I am eating too many vegetables? Thanks again…

    • Penny Hammond January 9, 2014, 6:38 pm

      Hi Angie, glad to help!

      I can’t find any clear guidelines in the book about eating between meals and snacks – Haylie says you should be eating frequently instead of having a long time between meals, and it looks like the amount of time she recommends between meals and snacks is there so you don’t have a long break between meals. I also notice that on p.173 she tells you to eat 10-15 grams of protein every 2 hours – a little more frequent than her other suggestions. You could try that, and another alternative is to have a lot of water between meals and snacks to fill you up.

      In phase 3, fat/protein appears to mean higher-fat protein or fat plus protein – so it’s both.

  • Viviana January 15, 2014, 10:51 am

    Hi Penny, I agree, your summary at the beggining of this post is great. Even though I have the book, It’s very helpful to see everything on one page. My question is about avocados. The recipes and portion guidelines state 1/2 of an avocado as a serving. Am I correct in assuming it must be the small type “Haas” avocado and not the larger ones that sometimes come from Latin America? That would make a big difference. Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond January 15, 2014, 7:39 pm

      I would actually assume that it would be 1/2 an avocado of whatever type. You can eat avocados only in phase 3, and they’re included as a fat. The smaller, dark green, rough-skinned Haas/California avocados are smaller but they usually contain a higher proportion of fat than the larger avocados which are usually lighter green and smoother skinned. So whichever one you pick, it’s probably got about the same amount of fat in it.

  • April January 15, 2014, 5:26 pm

    I am just looking into this diet. Is it okay to just use the notes above instead of buying the book? I understand unlimited vegetables per phase. What is the portions for other foods if I want to lose 55 pounds? Do I need to weigh everything?

    • Penny Hammond January 15, 2014, 7:35 pm

      The book has a lot more information in it than the food list above – explanations, tests, exercise, recipes, and more.
      It explains why this diet works; when you’re trying a new diet, especially if it’s complicated, it’s a good idea to understand the reasoning behind it because that way you’re less likely to get frustrated by what might seem like a meaningless set of rules – instead, you’ll know why you’re eating and avoiding certain foods.

      If you want to lose 55 pounds, look at the portion sizes (the second set of bullet points under “what to eat” in each phase), and double them. That’s a single portion for the first 20 pounds, another 1/2 portion for pounds 21-40, and another 1/2 portion for pounds 41-55 – total 2 portions. So e.g. if the red meat portion size is listed as 4 oz., have 8 oz.
      When you get down to 40 pounds above your goal weight, you should go down to 1 1/2 portions. Then when you get to 20 pounds above your goal weight, you should go down to a single portion size.
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies

      Proteins are weighed; other foods with portion size limitations are usually based on volume, e.g. half a cup, 2 tablespoons.

  • Kara January 16, 2014, 1:01 pm

    I have a question, if you are doing this diet & you “cheat” one day will it throw the entire diet off?

    • Penny Hammond January 16, 2014, 9:59 pm

      I don’t think it’ll be the end of the world, and Haylie doesn’t talk fire and brimstone about it. You’re doing weekly cycles, and you may make the cycle for that week wobble a bit, that’s all. Just don’t use that as an excuse to cheat again…

  • michele January 16, 2014, 6:27 pm

    Just bought the book..Very good..cant wait to finish and get started on monday..

  • Stacey January 19, 2014, 2:54 am

    Question, it says to eat sprouted grain bread… Everywhere I look the ingredients still read wheat as an ingredient… Is this acceptable??? Help please! Thank you. Or is there a certain brand you use that works?? Thank you!
    Stacey

    • Penny Hammond January 19, 2014, 11:38 am

      Wheat in sprouted form is the exception to the “no-wheat” rule on this diet. So if the ingredient list says “sprouted wheat” that’s okay. Watch out for breads that are a mixture of sprouted wheat and unsprouted – check through the whole ingredients list to see that wherever it says wheat it says sprouted wheat.

  • Camilla Wide January 23, 2014, 2:35 pm

    Amazing!!!!!
    Started Monday and already lost 2,5 kg (Wednesday). Also started to blog about the progress.

    In phase 1 and 2, what type of fat should I use preparing the meat?

    Thanks. // Camilla

    • Penny Hammond January 23, 2014, 7:20 pm

      Wow, congratulations!

      In phase 1 and 2, you shouldn’t be eating any added fats or oils, even healthy ones. Have a look at the recipes in the book and cookbook for tips about cooking meat without fat – e.g. saute in a little broth, or broil, or eat the meat in a casserole or other liquid-based dish.

  • Mila January 24, 2014, 1:20 pm

    Hi, I am on my third week. Lost 9 lb so far. I was a little confused first with the portions and probably did not eat enough. So glad I found this website, so helpful Thank you so much

  • Beatrice January 25, 2014, 4:41 pm

    Everything I’ve ever heard about nutrition always had men eating more than women. Is there a reason why that difference is not mentioned here (or maybe is in the book?)?

    I’ve been told not to worry about not getting every single nutrient consumed every single day, but that as long as I get them over the course of a week I’ll be fine. Overall this plan looks very close to what my nutritionist has suggested-healthy nuts and oils, lean protein, good grains, etc., only shifted around a bit through the week.

    No dairy is going to be a killer for me, but I’ve been reading how it’s not as good for you as you think, and that you can still get your calcium from your veggies, and getting enough Vitamin D is more important than calcium.

    Thanks for the clear explanation-I’m trying it once I get the meals planned out.

    • Penny Hammond January 26, 2014, 12:40 pm

      I can’t find anything in the book about different portion sizes for men.

  • Susie January 26, 2014, 9:49 am

    What milks can you use to substitute for dairy ( like coconut or almond) so you can have organic no wheat/corn/soy cereal?

    Also, any idea why asparagus is not listed in phase one but is in phase two and three I think?

    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond January 26, 2014, 12:58 pm

      Nut milks are okay in some phases – plain unsweetened rice milk is listed in phase 1; coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk, and hemp milk are listed in phase 3.
      All these milks tend to have carbs in them, so they’re not included in phase 2.

      I don’t know why asparagus isn’t allowed in phase 1. There’s even a Facebook post where someone says they ate it by mistake, and Hayley replied to them that they should just get back on the wagon. So it looks like a for-definite that it shouldn’t be included in phase 1.

  • DANIELA January 28, 2014, 12:07 am

    I have a question about vegans and proteins.
    On phase 2, when it’s higher proteins, the only option for vegans is tofu?
    It says here no legumes in that phase, and obviously no nuts because it’s still no fat.
    Please clarify this, thanks
    Daniela

    • Penny Hammond January 29, 2014, 6:52 am

      Hi Daniela,
      For vegans in phase 2 only, the protein options are organic non-GMO tofu, organic non-GMO soy tempeh, organic non-GMO edamame.
      Have a look at the summary of vegan guidelines above.

  • Phobie January 28, 2014, 9:32 pm

    I have been low carb for a long while and don’t eat processed foods and such (only on special occasions at a restaurant meal). I am hypothryroid, have cortisol issues and just recently am having hormonal issues and am now on bioidentical progesterone. I have suddenly gained about 6-8 lbs and would like to lose about 10. Will this diet work for me when my hormones and adrenals are so out of whack and I haven’t eaten grains or many carbs for so long? I’m scared to death to eat carbs like that again!!

    • Penny Hammond January 30, 2014, 7:54 am

      This book talks a lot about how diet affects your hormone levels, and the diet is designed to address that issue.

      It’s impossible to tell which diets will work on a case-by-case basis. The impression I get is that this diet is designed mostly for people who’ve been on low fat diets which have thrown their hormones out of whack. Haylie also talks about how it can help people who have been on low-carb diets: “Low-carb dieters tend to panic when they see the list of foods for this first phase because they’ve been taught to believe carbs are bad. Carbs are not bad, food is not bad— if you choose healthy sources. Fruits, brown rice, oatmeal, alternative grains like quinoa and amaranth, lentils, beans— they are all good. The carbs you won’t be eating during this phase are refined sugars, wheat, or corn. These carb sources are much harder on your body, and most people have ingested way too much of them over their lifetimes.”

  • Susana January 29, 2014, 5:38 pm

    Hola Penny, en el libro dice verduras ilimitadas, Puedo comer sopa de verdura mas el plato principal? Y en la fase 2 como merienda se puede comer proteinas? por ejemplo un trozo de pollo? Gracias

    • Penny Hammond January 31, 2014, 7:56 am

      Thank goodness for Google Translate!
      The question is: “Hi Penny, the book says unlimited vegetables, I eat more vegetable soup the main course? And in phase 2 as a snack you can eat protein? for example a piece of chicken? thanks”

      Vegetable soup would fit in a meal at any of the phases (with phase-specific vegetables), but it’s not a meal in itself – make sure you include all the different food groups recommended at each phase if you want to follow this diet. You should have protein at every meal.

      For phase 2 snacks, simple ideas in the book include deli meat, canned tuna in water, smoked salmon with cucumber, and hard-boiled egg whites. Have some portion control – these aren’t unlimited portions. There are also more ideas and recipes in the diet book and cookbook.

  • Susana January 29, 2014, 5:39 pm

    Hola Penny, otra consulta. Soy de Argentina, y no tengo en claro a que se refiere cuando dice tortilla de granos germinados. Gracias

    • Penny Hammond January 31, 2014, 8:02 am

      Translate: “Hi Penny, another query. I’m from Argentina, and I have no clear terms when she says sprouted grain tortilla. thanks”

      You can sprout wheat, other grains, and beans (e.g. soybeans), so they germinate and start to grow. This changes the chemical composition, which is why sprouted wheat is okay on this diet but regular wheat is not.
      Sprouted grain tortillas and bread can be found in some supermarkets in the USA.
      If you want to make your own, get whole wheat berries, soak them until the root starts to come out, grind them, and use that flour instead of regular flour. If that’s too much work (which it is for most people), follow recipes that don’t contain sprouted grain products.

  • jane January 30, 2014, 12:40 pm

    helloand thank you for this summary. I started the plan about 10 days ago and have lost about four pounds. on the way 100 lbs more then I want. Does that mean I need to eat3 and 1/2 cup or serving? So much food! I don’t think I can do it.

    • Penny Hammond January 31, 2014, 12:05 am

      According to this diet, if you have 100 lbs to lose, you should have 3x the serving sizes given. Where it says 4 ounces of meat, you should have 12 ounces per serving. Where it says 1 cup cooked grains, you should have 3 cups. Etc. If you just can’t eat that much, keep the proportions the same (don’t just eat one of the food groups and avoid another one), and eat slightly less, as much as you can.
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies

  • shawn January 31, 2014, 1:17 pm

    Started this diet at 142 lbs 8/2013 have been able to maintain 134 lbs plus or minus 2-3 lbs.the great thing about the diet is how much better I feel, I am a coffee addict and a healthy red wine drinker and still imbibe through the diet, but much reduced amts: wine every other day and just 1c coffee. I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing at all cause I feel great! Also work out for an hour at least 5 days per week. The food is recs are really tasty and fun to experiment : quinoa, chopped orange, chicken, red onion, chopped kale and arugula with Apple cider vinegar to wet us my fave phase one lunch or dinner!

  • Juliette February 2, 2014, 5:29 am

    Hello Penny,
    i have been doing the diet since 2 weeks and i only lost 2.6lbs…. i am really following the plan and i don’t really now what to do! I even carry quinoa in my purse when i go to restaurants! the only thing i can see is that the 2 last days i didn’t drink enough water. but that’s all! can you help or give me a trick maybe? i start week 3 today and the 2 last weeks where ok to do but if it’s not working with me, i don’t now if i should keep going! Thank you very much for your help! best regards from Vienna
    Juliette

    • Penny Hammond February 3, 2014, 11:43 am

      Hi Juliette,
      Great idea to try drinking more water.
      Check that you’re eating the correct portion sizes – on this diet, the more weight you’re trying to lose, the more you should eat.
      Make sure that your weight loss goals are realistic – if you’re close to the recommended weight range for your height, you’re probably not going to lose a lot of weight.
      If you’re eating at restaurants, be extra vigilant that you’re not having any of the foods you’re supposed to be avoiding – they sometimes get hidden in restaurant foods.
      Make sure you eat all the food groups you’re supposed to eat at each meal on each phase.
      Penny

      • Juliette February 3, 2014, 2:27 pm

        Hello Penny,
        thank you for answer. I would like to lose about 10lbs. I will have a closer look at the portions i will eat this week. I would like to thank you as well for making a resumé of the FMD. It is really clear (more as i the book i find! )!
        best wishes
        Juliette

  • jane February 3, 2014, 12:55 pm

    thank you Penny.I am beginning week 3 today and am concerned that I gain back the weight I have lost on the weekend day where I am adding healthy that to my carb and protein diet. At the end of the week too I am down two pounds total. I have a lot to lose as I said before nearly 100 pounds. This slow start is discouraging.

  • psb February 3, 2014, 5:13 pm

    Penny,
    Is there any examples of meal menus? Also, if I am looking to lose 50 pounds plus, what would my formula be?

    • Penny Hammond February 3, 2014, 8:51 pm

      There isn’t anything that says “on this day for this meal, eat this food.”
      There are a bunch of phase-specific recipes in the book and cookbook.
      If you want to get an idea of what they are – go to Amazon to view the diet book or cookbook, click on Look Inside!, click on Book Sections in the menu on the left side of the page, and go to the Table of Contents. For the diet book, look at Chapter 11 – 4 Weeks Worth of Recipes.

      To lose 50 pounds, you should have 1 serving for the first 20 pounds you want to lose, another 1/2 serving for the 20th-40th pounds, and another 1/2 serving for the 40th-50th pounds. So double the serving portions above.
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies

  • Sarah R February 3, 2014, 8:48 pm

    I’m sure there is a better place to ask this, or a forum that has already answered this, but is peanut butter (natural) and peanuts allowed?

    • Penny Hammond February 4, 2014, 6:59 am

      Haylie says that peanut butter is one of the dirtiest products out there, as it grows in the ground and contains many agricultural chemicals. She suggests avoiding it for 28 days and instead using raw almond butter, raw cashew butter, raw hazelnut butter, raw tahini/sesame seed butter, or raw sunflower seed butter.
      After 28 days, you can have organic peanut butter without added sweeteners.

  • Bariah February 4, 2014, 6:24 am

    Hi Penny,

    I have read the Fast Metabolism Diet book and then I saw your site and I think that you have done a great job in summarising the most important points on this diet.
    I have a question on the Tuna, Green Apple and Spinach Salad recipe on phase 1, I noticed it contains only protein, fruit and veggie and it doesn’t contain a grain which is allowed on phase one. Any explanation?
    Moreover, when Haylie talks about portion sizes, she says 4 ounces of meat or 6 ounces of fish, 1 cup cooked grain…
    Yet, in the Tuna recipe I mentioned above, she mentions 5 ounce can tuna, packed in water. If she means 5 ounces of Tuna without the water it is still less than the 6 ounces allowed. If she means 5 ounces of tuna with the water, then it is much less than the 6 ounces allowed. Any explanation?
    Also, in the Chicken and Broccoli Bowl recipe of phase 1, she mentions half cup of uncooked brown rice in the ingredients list and she says that this recipe serves 4. Half cup uncooked brown rice does not make 4 cups cooked rice so that we are not having the one cup grain portion allowed on phase 1 (when we divide the recipe into four portions). Why is that?

    Thank you so much for your help.

    • Penny Hammond February 4, 2014, 7:12 am

      Hi Bariah,

      The recipes don’t always provide for complete meals. Have the Tuna, Green Apple and Spinach Salad recipe with a grain on the side.

      Tuna comes in 5 oz cans, which is probably why the recipe calls for 5 oz – it’s not a million miles from 6 oz, and maybe a small amount of variation from the portion sizes every now and then isn’t a big problem.
      The weight shown in cans has to be for the net weight – how much it weighs when the water has been drained out. So you’ll have 5 ounces of tuna from the can after you drain it.

      In my copy of the book I see that the Chicken and Broccoli Bowl recipe contains 1 cup of (uncooked) brown rice, which when cooked will expand to about 2 cups. However, at the end of the recipe it says to divide the rice into four 1-cup servings. It looks like a typo in the ingredients list – you should make enough rice for 1 cup per person.

  • Bariah February 4, 2014, 12:04 pm

    Thank you so much for your quick reply. Allow me to bother you with one more question. I am a dairy lover, especially cheese and yogurt. In our culture, many famous recipes are based on yogurt, and our breakfast and dinner have a variety of cheeses and labneh.
    Why is dairy avoided in many diets nowadays when in the days of my grandparents, it was the most healthy thing to eat?
    What is the best way to reincorporate cheese and yogurt in my maintenance diet after the 28 days finish?
    Is there a specific cheese that is better than others like the parmesan cheese? Likewise is there a yogurt better than others like Activia yogurt that contains bifidobacterium?

    I thank you again for all the useful information that you are providing.

    • Penny Hammond February 5, 2014, 12:16 pm

      Here’s what Haylie says about dairy:
      “Cheeses and all other dairy products, have a high sugar-fat-protein ratio that wreaks havoc when repairing your metabolism. The rate of sugar delivery from lactose (milk sugar) in dairy is way too fast, and the animal-based fat is too high.”
      “The other problem with dairy is that it stimulates the sex hormones in metabolism-stalling ways. Even organic products contain amino acid ratios that alter the balance of the sex hormones. I use full-fat dairy in my fertility diet, and encourage many women trying to get pregnant to drink whole organic milk. But it isn’t appropriate on this program.”

      Many diets in the USA are anti-dairy at the moment. This could be because of a history of low-fat diets, or because many farm animals in the USA are pumped full of hormones, or because the dairy products are often highly processed. Those issues may not be the case for you. But you could try avoiding dairy for 28 days to see how that works for you.

      Reintroduce cheese and yogurt mindfully, keeping an eye out to see if you have any reaction to them.
      Most cheeses (except fresh cheeses) and live active yogurts (including lebneh) are very low in lactose, which would address the issue that Haylie raises above.

      • Bariah February 6, 2014, 11:18 am

        Appreciate your explanation.

  • Jason February 5, 2014, 9:51 am

    UGH, another diet that has you watch what you eat on certain days. This is not sustainable for most of us but kudos to those who do complete this. I will stick with the paleo diet as that is what this is to a large degree.

  • Bariah February 5, 2014, 11:35 am

    Hello Penny,

    Is there any substitute for Tamari sauce as it is not available where I live.

    Is pure home made pomegrenate sauce with no added sugar allowed in all the phases ( I normally add it to meat or vegetables).

    Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond February 5, 2014, 12:51 pm

      Hello Bariah,

      If you can’t find tamari sauce, see if you can find soy sauce that doesn’t have wheat as an ingredient.

      When you make the pomegranate sauce, I assume you crush the juice from the pomegranate and simmer it for a long time to make the flavor more concentrated. Fruit juices aren’t allowed, and concentrating the flavors also concentrates teh sugars in a way that’s sort of similar to making dried fruit. Neither fruit juices nor dried fruit are allowed on this diet, so I’d assume that pomegranate sauce wouldn’t be allowed either.

      • Bariah February 6, 2014, 1:59 am

        Thank you for the reply.

  • Bariah February 7, 2014, 12:03 pm

    Hello Penny,

    I just finished the first week of the diet and I’m very happy as I lost 2kg when my goal is to loose in total 6 kg. However, and to my great surprise, I discovered that I am pregnant. Is it ok to continue 3 more weeks on this diet?

    Appreciate your reply.

    • Penny Hammond February 7, 2014, 7:04 pm

      Hello Bariah,
      Congratulations!
      The book doesn’t say that this diet is okay during pregnancy. The cycles might take a toll on your body while it’s going through a lot of changes that you don’t yet see. You may find yourself eating less in the first trimester, especially if you get morning sickness/nausea, while at the same time your body needs to be building systems that support your baby. As you’re only 4-6 kg over your goal weight, now’s probably not the right time to be challenging your body. Try concentrating on avoiding sugar, white flour, and processed foods / diet foods – those are some of the bases for this diet and many other diets, and you’ll probably become more healthy by just observing those restrictions while you’re pregnant and nursing.

      • Bariah February 7, 2014, 11:50 pm

        Dear Penny,

        Unfortunately, I became pregnant at a time when I was asked by my doctor to reduce those few kilos because we discovered I have two moderate bulged discs and arthritis in the right hip and ankles.
        My gynecologist agreed that I reduce few kilos now that I am only 6 weeks pregnant, on a condition that the diet I follow is healthy.
        Taking all this into consideration, is it ok if I continue one more week only, hoping to loose two more kilograms, and then I would follow your instructions above by avoiding flour, sugar, processed food…

        Thank you for your advice.

        • Penny Hammond February 8, 2014, 5:59 am

          Dear Bariah,

          2 kg is a lot of weight to lose in 1 week! Sometimes fast weight loss may happen in the first week, but that doesn’t mean that weight loss will happen at the same speed in later weeks. In the first week, you may have cut out a number of foods that weren’t healthy for you, and your body is starting to react and recover. In later weeks, that big change isn’t happening, and weight loss tends to be slower.

          I’m not a doctor and can’t give medical advice, but my gut feeling (based on reading a lot of diet and healthy eating books!) is that a diet with big swings like this one probably isn’t the best one for pregnancy. If you usually eat a lot of flour (including bread and any other foods containing flour), sugar (and foods containing sugar), and processed food, try cutting them out for slow but steady weight loss.

          Also, some people with certain types of arthritis find that avoiding foods in the nightshade family (including potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant/aubergine, sweet and hot peppers) can help.

          • Bariah February 8, 2014, 10:09 am

            Dear Penny,

            Thank you so much for your advice which I will follow. Regards, Bariah.

          • Judy Payne June 22, 2015, 6:57 pm

            I have a question about portions. My husband started the diet today. We both want to lose 20 lbs. But, he weighs 235 lbs. and is 6’4″. I weigh 145 and I’m 5’4″. I understand the portions related to weight loss but I don’t understand why we are eating the same portion sizes. Shouldn’t he be eating more food than I am?

          • Penny Hammond June 25, 2015, 8:43 am

            Sure, it’s weird, but the book doesn’t say that larger people have to eat more food; it only gives portion sizes based on how much weight you need to lose. The book does seem to be mostly aimed at women… if the portion sizes don’t work for your husband, you could try increasing them for him.

  • Karen Yocum February 7, 2014, 4:34 pm

    I have one question…can someone REALLY lose weight with those portion sizes? I have 100 lbs to lose. I can NOT see myself eating 12oz of meat, unless that was my only meal for the day! I rarely finish 6oz portions!! But that’s for beef & poultry. The legumes…I can’t see myself eating much more than one cup, much less 1.5 cups!

    So far, I’ve been on South Beach for 6 days & I’ve lost 6 lbs. And I’m not hungry or craving anything. No additional exercise (yet). Maybe I’m just one of those that this diet isn’t the best idea?

    • Penny Hammond February 7, 2014, 6:55 pm

      Different diets appeal to different people. This diet may be great if you’ve been on a low-fat or low-calorie diet and it hasn’t worked. But if the South Beach Diet is working for you and you feel happy with it, carry on with it!
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies – no need for such huge portion sizes

    • SANDY GELMAN April 19, 2014, 4:04 pm

      JUST DO IT I LOST SIX LBS IN FIVE DAYS

  • Kristy Russell February 8, 2014, 2:08 pm

    I am having a hard time figuring out what breads I can eat. I can’t really find a clear answer on what types I can find in my local stores. Is Pumpernickel bread okay?

    • Penny Hammond February 8, 2014, 5:06 pm

      This isn’t a gluten-free diet, it’s a wheat-free diet. Look at the ingredients to see if the bread contains wheat. The only time wheat is allowed is if it’s 100% sprouted, which would be on the ingredients list. There are some breads by the Ezekiel 4:9 brand that contain only sprouted wheat, and they are sometimes available in the freezer sections of supermarkets.
      Pumpernickel bread is traditionally a rye bread, although it often contains wheat.

  • joyce pereyra February 9, 2014, 5:39 pm

    If you do not have the phase appropriate fruit for phase day should you skip fruit or eat whatever fruit you happen to have on hand. This also applies to vegetable and protein as well .

    • Penny Hammond February 11, 2014, 8:32 am

      Haylie gives guidelines about the food types to eat at each meal for each phase, and which foods are allowed. To follow this diet, plan in advance to make sure you have the right phase-appropriate foods to hand for all meals in all phases.

  • sharron krouse February 9, 2014, 5:44 pm

    You list all of these foods, but there are no serving sizes!

    • Penny Hammond February 11, 2014, 8:34 am

      Portion sizes are listed under “What to Eat” for each phase, above the detailed lists of foods.
      Look right underneath the Meals information (a couple lines down) and you’ll find “Portion sizes for losing 20 pounds or less”. The guidelines for higher weight loss there as well.

      • sharron krouse March 21, 2014, 3:38 pm

        I am into my second 28 days, after losing around 10 lbs, I feel I have stopped any progress I was making this go round, I am following it to a T, and also have been doing at least 10,000 steps a day. but no budging! Help! LOL

        • Penny Hammond March 23, 2014, 2:58 pm

          This may sound a little counter-intuitive, but try drinking more water, especially when you’re doing all that walking.

  • yelena February 11, 2014, 11:29 pm

    Can we drink almond milk in phase 3?

    • Penny Hammond February 12, 2014, 7:28 am

      You can use unsweetened almond milk in phase 3. It’s listed under “Vegetable protein / legumes, nuts, and seeds” above.

      For drinking, you’re supposed to have water on this diet. Almond milk is given as an alternative to milk for adding to oatmeal, but not as something to drink on its own.

  • Adriana Fdz. February 13, 2014, 2:50 pm

    Hola, estoy muy contenta con la Dieta del metabolismo acelerado, es fabulosa, pero tengo una pregunta especifica sobre la dieta, mi hija tiene 23 años pesa 40 kilos , mide 1.57 m. Y es muy delgsda , ella quiere aumentar de peso pero le cuezta trabajo, su metabolismo es acelerado tiene tiroides hiperactiva, quisieta la ayudaran con un plan de dieta para aumentar de peso , espero la pueda ayudar Haylie
    Con un programa especial.
    Adriana de Cancun.

    • Penny Hammond February 14, 2014, 8:47 am

      I can’t find anything in the book about how to gain weight if you have an overactive thyroid.
      If you have questions for Haylie, you can contact her directly through her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/hayliepomroy.

  • jane February 14, 2014, 8:15 am

    Hi Penny,
    I think I saw somewhere in the notes that you could email the foodmaps to our emails as long as we submit them. Would you please do that for me? I am starting day 3 of the diet and so far so good. But can identify with cravings and wanting to graze – which is my old habit – especially at night. Another question – I see canned veggies are ok, but the can of peas I picked up yesterday said sugar is one of the ingredients. Assume we should avoid those if possible.

    Thank you in advance.

    Jane

    • Penny Hammond February 14, 2014, 8:50 am

      Hi Jane,
      The description of the diet is on this page – we don’t email any information out.
      You’re right – if there’s sugar in the ingredients list for a canned veggie, you should avoid it.
      Penny

  • Katie Symthe February 14, 2014, 11:05 am

    What about organic popcorn? I can give up sweets and salty chips, but not my popcorn.
    What phase 1 or 3 include organic popcorn?

    • Penny Hammond February 14, 2014, 2:44 pm

      Sorry, no corn of any type on this diet, even if organic.
      Haylie says she advises people who want to put on weight to eat corn… presumably you want to lose weight, not gain weight.

  • Alli February 16, 2014, 1:17 am

    Hi Penny,
    Your information is so helpful. I have ordered the book but I needed your site for the encouragement and also it makes it much easier to make a grocery list with. I love the internet because there are so many people across the world who can help enhance your life and you don’t even have to meet them. Thank You!

    • Penny Hammond February 16, 2014, 2:33 pm

      Hi Alli,
      You’re welcome!
      Good luck,
      Penny

  • pattyloo February 16, 2014, 8:50 am

    I have 100 lb weight loss goal, so I’m eating 3X the portions. (20 lb goal = 1 portion, 40 = 1.5, 60 = 2, 80 = 2.5, 100 = 3 portions)

    The problem is it’s sometimes too much to eat in one sitting. Do you see a problem with eating 2 portions, and saving the other portion to have an hour later? So, if I did this for all 3 meals, I’d be eating 8 times a day instead of 5.

    Alternatively, I could eat the other portion in addition to my snack, so i’d still be eating 5 times a day, but the snacks would be larger.

    Also, assuming this is ok, is it important to have the protein/grain/fruit together? or would it be ok to have just fruit/grain for breakfast, and save the protein for later? I guess it depends on whether the food types have a synergistic effect when eaten together or not.

    • Penny Hammond February 16, 2014, 5:16 pm

      I can’t find any guidelines in the book or the website about what to do if it’s just too much to eat. Given that, both of the strategies you suggest sound like good options.
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies – no need to eat such huge portions
      The book’s really clear that you should be having all the components of each meal together, not separating out the protein – the author says they should be eaten together to boost your metabolism.

      • pattyloo February 17, 2014, 12:29 am

        Thank You, Penny. It’s actually getting easier after just a few days on the plan. I do make sure that I have all the food types I’m supposed to each meal, even if it is less than 3 portions. I look forward to my first 20 lb loss so then I’ll only need to eat 2.5 portions. I never thought I’d be saying that I can’t finish all my food.

  • Sue W February 17, 2014, 12:31 pm

    I just started this plan but one thing I’m not clear on, the books says 4 ounces of meat or poultry. Is that before or after cooking?

  • Diane February 18, 2014, 1:12 pm

    Hi Penny, I am a visual person and like to plan my meal by seeing them first. The cook book does not have pictures of all the recipes. Is there a website that has pictures that is easy to navigate? Thank you for your help.

  • Dottie Jo February 19, 2014, 2:25 pm

    I was wondering about the Tuna, I do not care for tuna and was wondering if I could you can chicken instead. Also, my biggest fear is going off of caffeine. Welcome any suggestions.
    Thanks

    • Penny Hammond February 19, 2014, 8:12 pm

      There’s nothing saying you have to have tuna, you could use other proteins instead as long as they’re phase-appropriate and you’re within the guidelines for portion sizes.

      Here’s what Haylie says about coming off caffeine:
      “Caffeine is emotionally and physiologically addictive, and the withdrawal can be tough. But the good news is that after about three or four days of harsh symptoms, it’ll be over. No more afternoon slump. No more obsessive need for a buzz. It’s an incredible feeling to escape the caffeine monkey on your back. Some of the tricks I use for helping people deal with caffeine withdrawal are:
      • Cinnamon added to your morning smoothie
      • Feverfew, an herb that can help with withdrawal headaches
      • Gingko biloba, which is vaso-dilating and can also help with those headaches
      • Patience. Just keep reminding yourself that in a few short days, you’re going to wake up feeling like a million bucks.”

      Hope that helps.

  • Debbie February 19, 2014, 4:35 pm

    Husband and I began 10 days ago. Losing weight, not hungry and are feeling better about our food choices. Big improvement over past attempts to lose weight plus the pantry looks bigger! A question on measuring the pasta, dry or after it is cooked? Thanks for your help.

    • Penny Hammond February 19, 2014, 8:03 pm

      Pasta’s considered a grain here, and measurements for grains are for cooked, not dry.
      When you’re first cooking one of the gluten-free pastas, assume that it’ll double in volume – then check whether that’s the case.

  • Gennie February 20, 2014, 11:56 am

    Does anyone else have trouble with constipation? I’m on day 21 and still struggling…

    • Penny Hammond February 20, 2014, 6:12 pm

      Some thoughts:
      – Make sure you’re having plenty of leafy green vegetables, at every meal if possible – they’ve got quite a lot of fiber which should help.
      – Drink lots of water to help avoid constipation. You could also try probiotics.

      • Gennie February 25, 2014, 7:55 am

        Thanks. I’m doing all but the probiotics. I’ll try that. Someone suggested I take Magnesium supplements. What do you think about that?

        Thanks.

  • Kay February 20, 2014, 3:06 pm

    I have started the FMD and have been on it for 4 days. I have lost 3 lbs. Previously, I was on the Dukan diet. I find this regimine so much easier and I am enjoying food again. I am pretty sure I can do this for 3 more weeks, if not more. I’ve been on Dukan, I can do anything (just kidding). I wanted to get started and had not received the book yet. So, thank you so very much for breaking the FMD diet down to I could start and then fill in any blanks when I receive the book. I am excited about the possibilities for weight loss for the first time in years. Usually, the morning weigh-in is dreaded. But, not anymore. Thank you again. K

    • Penny Hammond February 20, 2014, 6:10 pm

      Thanks, and good luck!

  • jackie February 22, 2014, 3:40 pm

    Hi,
    Thank you for posting this! I would like to lose 40 pounds. So I was wondering how much I need to be eating. I have been eating 1 cup of cooked steel oats for my grains and one orange for my fruit. Do I need to be eating another half cup off grains and another half cup or half another orange. I just used an orange add my example. Thanks! I look forward to your answer.

    • Penny Hammond February 23, 2014, 8:09 am

      Yes, you’re correct – add another half portion. This is only until you’re at 20 pounds over your target weight, at which point you should go to single portion sizes.

  • Tara February 24, 2014, 11:10 am

    I made the creamy brown rice cereal for breakfast. It makes 4 1/2 cups of cereal. Am I supposed to eat 1 cup as a portion, or 4 1/2 cups?

    • Penny Hammond February 24, 2014, 2:52 pm

      The recipe (in the Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook page 36) looks… wrong. 1/3 cup of uncooked brown rice to 4 cups water would give a lot of liquid. And the body of the recipe talks about using brown rice flour. And, as you say, it makes a lot.
      I can’t find any corrections on the website or in the forum, although there are questions about it.

      Serving size for phase 1 breakfast is 1 cup of cooked grains plus one cup of fruit. So my guess is this – you’re supposed to use 1/3 cup of ground brown rice and add it to about 1 cup of boiling water; whisk it in and that should give you about 1 cup of cooked rice cereal. (Based on a Food.com recipe for brown rice cereal). Then add the stevia, ground cinnamon, and berries.

      • Penny Hammond February 26, 2014, 5:58 pm

        Correction – I just looked at the recipe again and it says to take 1/3 cup of brown rice (uncooked) and grind it, then add it to boiling water. Rice shrinks down a bit when you grind it, and 1/3 cup of raw brown rice will give you about 1/4 cup of ground brown rice / brown rice flour. Take this and add it to boiling water – the recipe probably should say 1 cup instead of 4 cups.

  • Pam February 26, 2014, 10:17 am

    What is considered brown rice cereal? I want to get started on this diet and couldn’t decide what to eat for breakfast. Can you have this on Phase 1?

    Thanks

    • Penny Hammond February 26, 2014, 6:00 pm

      There’s a recipe in The Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook for creamy brown rice cereal. Pour ground (uncooked) brown rice into boiling water, let it thicken, then add stevia and cinnamon, and serve with blueberries. It looks like there’s a typo in the recipe (see the discussion a few comments up). It’s a phase 1 recipe – too many carbs for the other phases.

  • Cara February 26, 2014, 4:48 pm

    Hi there…I just started this diet on Monday. The portion sizes scare me. Am I really supposed to be eating this much? Yikes. Thank you so much for the page though! I bought the book and this page makes it so much easier to navigate through the phases. 🙂

  • Tania Lugo February 27, 2014, 3:24 pm

    Hi Penny,

    I feel great in phase 2. I have energy, my apetize is controled, so I wonder what can I change from phase 1 and phase 3. I use to be fine while I’m in work but then when I come home, I feel like I starved.

    BR XO XO

    • Penny Hammond February 27, 2014, 9:39 pm

      Hi Tania,
      It sounds like you might do better on a diet that doesn’t have so many carbohydrates – there are lots in phase 1 and they’re also there in phase 3. They make some people feel lethargic and hungry.
      You could try a paleo-type diet instead – similar to phase 2, but all the time, and higher fat. Examples include Practical Paleo or The 21-Day Sugar Detox by Diane Sanfilippo, The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, Your Personal Paleo Code by Chris Kresser, or a “modern low-carb” diet like Grain Brain by David Perlmutter.

  • Tara March 1, 2014, 12:23 pm

    Hi Penny. Thanks for the reply on cooked brown rice cereal. I made it with the 4 c. water, and seemed fine…just an awful lot of cereal! Another question: there is a recipe in the book (not the cookbook) for stuffed peppers for a Phase 2 dinner (p.209). Think this would be ok for a Phase 3 dinner? Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond March 2, 2014, 10:23 am

      You could probably use phase 2 recipes in phases 1 or 3 dinners, but you’d have to adjust to the appropriate guidelines on what should be eaten in each meal for each phase. So for phase 3, you should add some fat and optionally a small serving of grain/starch as well.

  • nelly j March 2, 2014, 4:48 pm

    Hi all, my friend told me about this diet. I need to loose 80 pounds. How do I start?

    • Penny Hammond March 2, 2014, 6:54 pm

      Start with phase 1 for 2 days – with 80 pounds to lose, this diet says you should have 2 1/2 times the portion sizes. Then move on to phase 2 for 2 days (again having 2 1/2 times the portion sizes) and then to phase 3 for 3 days (with 2 1/2 times the portion sizes).
      Then cycle back to phase 1 and repeat the cycle each week of phase 1 for 2 days, then phase 2 for 3 days, then phase 3 for 3 days.

      When you’ve reached 60 pounds above your goal weight, drop to 2x the portion sizes and keep cycling through the phases. When you’ve reached 40 pounds above your goal weight, drop to 1 1/2 x the portion sizes and keep cycling through the phases. When you’ve reached 20 pounds above your goal weight, drop to 1x the portion sizes and keep cycling through the phases until you reach your goal weight.

      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies – so no need for such large portion sizes as previously recommended

  • Krystal Best March 2, 2014, 8:38 pm

    In phase 3 on unlimited vegetables can we eat a variety of the ones listed at each meal.

    • Penny Hammond March 3, 2014, 11:41 am

      You should be able to mix phase-appropriate vegetables at any phase – recipes (such as Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry in phase 3) often have multiple different types of veggies.

  • Krystal Best March 2, 2014, 10:59 pm

    I thought the book said if you need to lose more than 20 pounds eat double your vegetables ….I want to lose 60 pounds do i double everything. Protein and Fruit also.

    • Penny Hammond March 3, 2014, 11:43 am

      See the portion sizes to work out how much to eat depending on how much weight you want to lose. To lose 41-60 pounds, eat double the basic portion for all types of foods.
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies – so no need for such large portion sizes as previously recommended

  • Krystal Best March 4, 2014, 3:42 pm

    What is the size of Ezekiel 4:9 Tortillas should I use?

    • Penny Hammond March 5, 2014, 8:40 am

      It’s probably going to be easiest to get the smallest size, which allows you to adjust your portions as the diet calls for different amounts of carbs on different phases. Squidge one up into a measuring cup and check how much “cooked grain” it contains, and use that to assess how many you can use per meal in phase 1 and phase 3.

  • kelly March 4, 2014, 8:19 pm

    Can you eat unlimited phase appropriate veggies, starches (sweet potatoes, parsnips, carrots, etc…) and phase appropriate fruits?

    • Penny Hammond March 5, 2014, 8:43 am

      You can eat unlimited phase-appropriate vegetables as listed in each phase. Note that phase 2 excludes starchy vegetables.

      Fruits are limited – the portion sizes are given for each phase, along with which meals to eat them at. In phase 2 the only fruits allowed are lemons and limes

  • Krystal Best March 4, 2014, 11:53 pm

    I just started the diet and I forgot my fruit today at lunch should I eat it now at dinner?

    • Penny Hammond March 5, 2014, 8:57 am

      Try to stick to the combinations that Haylie suggests for each meal – she’s very specific about what should be eaten and when.

  • ED March 5, 2014, 6:21 pm

    Hello Haylie Pomroy, I bought your book and my wife wants me to figure out what to eat but it is confusing to me. can you tell me what to buy for the first week, give me an example, please.

    • Penny Hammond March 6, 2014, 12:31 pm

      If you’d like to write directly to Haylie Pomroy, you can reach her at her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/hayliepomroy.

      The book doesn’t give an exact suggested meal plan, it gives you guidelines which give you some flexibility to choose your preferred foods. Those are described on this page.
      There’s an iPhone app for the Fast Metabolism Diet which some people find useful.
      I also found a sample meal plan on Blogspot – haven’t checked to see whether it meets the guidelines.

  • Sandi March 6, 2014, 8:52 pm

    Penny, I have the hardest time sticking to it on Phase 2 as I simply craving something sweet. What would you suggest to nip that craving so I don’t stray from Phase 2?

    • Penny Hammond March 7, 2014, 8:22 am

      Sandi, phase 2 is “unsweet” and a bit more like a paleo diet. If sweets are your downfall and you would like to wean yourself off them, it may be a good idea to move to a full-time paleo diet.
      However, if you’d like to stick with this diet, one idea would be to occasionally use gum on phase 2. Look for a gum sweetened with one of the permitted sweeteners (Stevia or Xylitol) that’s gluten-free and soy-free.

  • Debbie March 7, 2014, 10:38 am

    Hi penny. Just wanted to share how well my husband and I are doing. It’s great. Already down a full pant size. Also wanted to let folks know about a store that sells non-GMO, gluten free olive oils/balsamic vinegars (infused flavors) that does mail order. It is called OLIVE THIS! (Web site-http://www.olivethis.com) all of the vinegars, both white and dark, contain only 3 grams of naturally occurring sugars per serving except the maple which we should probably avoid. Thought folks would like to know about a great find! If you are in the Charlotte, NC area visit the store as they do free taste tastings.

  • Emily March 7, 2014, 11:45 am

    Thank you SO MUCH for simplifying the book. I read it, but it was so much information that I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. This is immensely helpful. Now I just need someone to plan my meals, shop and cook for me. 🙂

    • Penny Hammond March 7, 2014, 7:22 pm

      Aah, wouldn’t that be nice!

  • merry March 9, 2014, 8:49 am

    does anyone gain in phase 1? I am gaining and dint know if this is normal…

  • Asma March 12, 2014, 4:07 am

    Hi
    This approach has changed my life! I feel a lot better and I am eating a lot more and everyone is commenting how great I look.

  • Val March 14, 2014, 2:56 pm

    Hello Penny,

    I am starting the diet on Monday and looking to lose 10-20lbs. I am confused about Phase three when she says Fat/Protein. Even her book did not explain this well. I think this means a lean meat with a fat or a fatty protein but I’m not sure what is considered a fatty protein? Can you list at least 5 examples?

    Thank you!
    Val

    • Penny Hammond March 16, 2014, 9:15 pm

      Hello Val,

      There aren’t clear guidelines in the book about what exactly is meant by fat/protein, but it’s clear that both fat and protein should be eaten during this phase. That’s different from the other phases, where you’re supposed to be avoiding fat.

      Here are some examples from the recipes in the book:
      – Chicken and olive oil or roasted sesame oil
      – Turkey and avocado
      – Fish or shrimp and olive oil
      – Eggs and safflower mayonnaise
      – Tuna and hummus (which contains oil)
      Nuts appear to satisfy both the fat and protein parts of the requirements.

      Hope that helps,
      Penny

  • Kay March 15, 2014, 2:48 pm

    Hi Penny

    Thank you for making this so much easer to understand! Your tireless responses are so helpful.
    My query is about smoothies. Are they meant to be ‘eaten’ as snacks or as a meal?

    I’m loving the Almond Raspberry smoothie and the cherry coconut one. MmMmmm….

    • Penny Hammond March 17, 2014, 8:03 pm

      Hi Kay,
      Here’s what Haylie says in the cookbook:
      “Have a smoothie for any meal or snack as long as they fulfill the food group requirements for that phase.
      • In Phase 1: Any smoothie that contains fruit and grain can count as a breakfast (example: Quinoa-Pear Smoothie ), and any smoothie that’s just fruit can count as a snack (example: Tropical Smoothie ).
      • In Phase 2: Since these smoothies all contain veggies, they can be eaten any time.
      • In Phase 3: Any smoothie that contains healthy fat can count as a snack (example: Avocado Smoothie ).”

  • Sally March 17, 2014, 1:54 pm

    I am actually frustrated on the diet…I started week 3 today and have lost only 3 pounds.
    I was hoping to lose at least 10 pounds.
    I have followed the diet religiously although some days I don’t drink all of the suggested water.
    Maybe this isn’t the diet for me.
    Why such minimal weight loss?

    • Penny Hammond March 17, 2014, 8:45 pm

      If you’re following the diet religiously but not losing weight, maybe it’s not the diet for you. Try drinking more water to see if that helps.

  • Bariah March 18, 2014, 12:23 am

    Hi Penny,

    Are chestnuts allowed on this diet in phase 3 and are they considered as healthy fat?

    I know that you prefer that we weight ourselves once a week. However, there is in the book a progress sheet where you register your weight on a daily basis and I have used it. I have discovered a strange phenomenon whereby my weight reduces slowly every day or stays constant. Yet, once I start with phase 3, my weight increases around 0.4 kg!
    I have noted this increase two weeks in a row and the increase in weight happens the second or third day of this phase. Please note that I follow the instructions of this diet 100%.
    I have done blood tests few years ago and the doctor told me that my body is resistant to burning fat ( when my husband’s body was resistant to burning carbs). Do you believe that this fact is in any way related to the weight increase during phase 3?
    The Fast Metabolism Diet book does not give clear guidelines on what to do after the 28 days. Apart from the general guidelines that will still hold to stay away from wheat, corn, diet foods, unhealthy fats, unnatural sugar… do you have any clear suggestions on portion sizes, food combination…

    Regards,

    Bariah.

    • Penny Hammond March 19, 2014, 7:21 pm

      Hi Bariah,

      Chestnuts aren’t mentioned in the book. They tend to be higher in carbs and lower in fat than other nuts, and they’d probably fit in well in phase 3 as nuts in general are allowed.

      The book asks you to go through cycles of different eating patterns to boost your metabolism – and over time that will help you lose weight. It’s not surprising that your weight increases a little in phase 3; don’t worry about it, just keep going through the cycles.

      There are some guidelines on what do do after the 28 days, in chapter 10 “Fast Metabolism Living.”
      If you haven’t reached your goal weight, the author suggests repeating the 28-day cycle – or do as many weeks as it takes to reach the weight you want to be.
      Once you get to your goal weight, there are suggestions in the book which are summarized above under Lifetime / Maintenance Diet.

  • Kamille March 19, 2014, 9:44 am

    Hello Penny,
    I’ll start the diet next week but I have some doubts:
    One of the recipes I’ve got is the sprouted bread, but I’m not sure the portion I can have of breads, bagels and pasta. I need to lose 44lbs. I know I should double the portion in the begining and once it’s 40lbs to go I should eat 1 1/2 portion…but as I said before what is this portion for breads, pasta, rice (phase 1) etc…?
    Thanks 🙂
    Kamille

    • Penny Hammond March 19, 2014, 7:43 pm

      Hi Kamille,
      The serving sizes for different food types are listed in each phase. In phase 1, a single portion is 1 cup of cooked grains – so doubling the portion would give you 2 cups.
      Penny
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies – so no need for such large portion sizes as previously recommended

  • Bariah March 21, 2014, 3:35 am

    Thank you for your reply. Yes, I did read the guidelines of the maintenance stage and they are very clear. However, what is missing for me is guidelines about the combination of food throughout the day and the quantity.

    Since Haylie doesn’t like us to count calories, how do we know that we didn’t each more than needed. Despite the fact that Haylie says that we eat a lot in the Fast Metabolism Diet, if we really count the calories, they are on average 1200 calories per day for the range of up to 20 pounds loss.

    I’m afraid to gain weight again after all the hassle I went through in this diet. Do I eat all the food categories again in every meal of the day meaning, grain, fat, protein and vegetebales? Snacks should be from which category or can we vary? Will healthy fat be open like in phase three or not? Should quantities of food be limited to certain portion sizes?

    Many questions come to my mind and I’m worried to go wrong after the diet finishes, cause after all, our body got used to 1200 calories per day in this diet!

    Apologies for all these questions as I’m worried and want to do it the right way.

    Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond March 23, 2014, 2:57 pm

      If it helps to have specific guidelines to follow, you could try using the guidelines from phase 3, perhaps increasing the portions of protein and fat to an amount that allows you to maintain your weight.

  • Bariah March 24, 2014, 6:10 am

    Hello Penny,

    Is spelt flour allowed on this diet? Is butter a good source of healthy fat? Is pure honey allowed after the diet finishes?

    Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond March 25, 2014, 2:38 pm

      Hello Bariah,

      Spelt is listed as being an allowed grain in Phase 1, so I’d assume it could be used in Phase 3 as well. It’s not a gluten-free grain, but this isn’t a gluten-free diet, just wheat-free.

      Haylie asks that you avoid all dairy foods (including butter) in this diet. There’s a lot of debate about whether it’s healthy or not, and the trend seems to be moving towards thinking that it’s healthy if you don’t have an intolerance to it.

      There aren’t clear guidelines about exactly what is allowed after the diet finishes, except the items listed in the lifetime maintenance diet such as no fake foods. Honey isn’t listed as something not to eat, but it’s probably a good idea to keep an eye on your portion size to make sure you’re not over-eating it.

  • Cherie March 24, 2014, 4:51 pm

    I am in Phase 1. I am trying to understand why you can have ketchup but not tomatoes, can you explain why tomatoes are not listed? Also are we to have a serving of grains each meal, or just one serving per day? Also what if you only ate three meals a day and skipped the snacks, when you are used to eating only two meals a day and no snacks, would the diet still work? Thank you

    • Penny Hammond March 25, 2014, 2:46 pm

      Tomatoes are listed as okay to eat in Phase 1 and Phase 3, and ketchup (no sugar added, no corn syrup) is listed as okay to eat in Phases 1 and 3 as well.

      The “meals” section in each phases tells you which meals and snacks you can eat grains in. For each meal, use the given portion size.

      Haylie is very prescriptive about exactly which meals and snacks to have, and doesn’t give the alternative of skipping snacks.
      “RULE #1: YOU MUST EAT FIVE TIMES PER DAY, 35 TIMES PER WEEK. That’s three meals and two snacks every day. The good news is that you get to eat 35 times per week, so when I tell you that you won’t be starving or missing fruits or carbs or fats or protein, I mean it. You may not skip any meals or snacks. This is crucial to repair the metabolism. It’s nonnegotiable. I don’t care if you don’t think you’re hungry. You have to eat.”

  • Tom March 25, 2014, 3:32 pm

    Hi, I am looking forward to starting this new way of life but can you please clarify something for me.

    The portion sizes referenced above, are they supposed to be portion size per meal or per day?

    For example is the expectation in phase 1:
    Breakfast: 1C Grain + 1 piece/1cup fruit
    Snack: 1 piece/1cup fruit
    Lunch: 1C grain + 1 piece/cup fruit + 4oz meat + veggies
    etc

    Or is the portion size a per day amount and must be divided across the 5 meals?

    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond March 26, 2014, 8:47 pm

      The portions are per meal, not for the whole day. So it looks like you got it right.

  • Janel March 25, 2014, 6:08 pm

    Hi Penny!!!
    Love your site and find it so helpful. We are having a hard time finding sprouted whole grain tortillas. We found sprouted wheat tortillas and they are wonderful. Wondering if there’s a difference or if we should not be eating them on p1????

    • Penny Hammond March 26, 2014, 8:58 pm

      Hi Janel,
      I’m glad you’re finding the site helpful!
      In order to sprout grain, you take a grain, and soak it in water. It starts to grow, with the plant emerging from the seed. Really, for it to grow, it needs to be an intact seed – a whole grain. I’m not sure it’s even possible to have a sprouted grain without it starting off as a whole grain!

  • DeitrickKim March 26, 2014, 7:08 am

    Help, I am getting ready to start this program but am having a hard time coming up with grains to eat I can’t stand stevia and xylitol and I am also in my car most of the day as a hospice nurse, any suggestions? Thanks, Kim

    • Penny Hammond March 26, 2014, 9:04 pm

      Hi Kim,
      This is a pretty demanding diet, you have to be prepared for it as it’s so specific about what to eat and when.
      You can eat any grain (when it’s included in a phase) except corn or unsprouted wheat – choices include amaranth, barley, brown rice, buckwheat, kamut, millet, oats (steel-cut), quinoa, spelt, sprouted grain, teff, triticale, and wild rice.
      If you don’t like stevia or xylitol, you could eat without sweeteners; in phases 1 and 3 you could use whole fruits to help sweeten things.
      If possible, prepare your meals in advance so they’re all ready for the day.
      Hope that helps, Penny

  • sharron krouse March 27, 2014, 2:12 pm

    I am in my 6th week and I am following this diet to a T, but I am not losing anything!!! I even do 1 hour on the treadmill a day! What could be the problem! HELP!!!

  • Sarah March 28, 2014, 12:07 pm

    Hi Penny, thanks for this info. I’ve heard about the diet but I was reluctant to buy the book without a sneak peak of what the diet is about, the website doesn’t explain enough for me. Now that you’ve outlined more info it sounds doable and logical and I am ordering the book!

    Question though, has anyone got a case study or testimonial for someone who has slowed down their metabolism through crash dieting ( I usedHCG injections) with thyroid and adrenal issues? IE does this really work to rev problematic metabolisms from over dieting and exercising rather than from the normal unhealthy habits of poor lifestyle? I’m 7kg (15 pounds) heavier than I was after doing the HCG diet a year ago and I gained the weight back despite religious exercising (strength and cardio 5 x per week), plus cutting out all diary, grains and sugar and eating largely paleo! YES, Very frustrating!!! I eat loads of veg and I’m so careful but my body seems to be resistant. I can only think my body is holding on to calories the harder I push. Has anyone had a similar story and tried this. Having a history of insulin resistance I’m somewhat wary of the phase 1 days ! I would worry that higher carb and fruit sugars might cause more of an insulin problem (or is that me being too brainwashed by the anti grain paeleo community) Eeek! 😉 Would love some advice, thanks

    • Penny Hammond April 2, 2014, 8:08 pm

      Hi Sarah, I’m glad this is helpful!

      I don’t know of any case studies like you’re asking for. HCG dieting is a little extreme, and it seems that many people end up gaining more weight than they would like after finishing the regime.
      It seems like this diet has been designed to help people who’ve been on extreme diets and found that their metabolism is a bit wonky afterwards. Try it to see how it works for you – just see how you feel on the higher carb days, as everybody has different reactions to carbs. Paleo works well for many people but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way of eating, and you may find that this diet helps you along your way.

    • kim June 4, 2014, 9:17 am

      Hi Sarah,

      Just wondering how you got on? Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn’t it lol….I am in nearly the exact same position as yourself lost 45kg on a strict low carb diet, low cal and a lot of cardio, ended up with hypothyroidism, metabolic damage and gained 10kg that I cant shift. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do it doesn’t work I eat clean, still low carb and strength train 3 times and cardio 1-2 times per week….depressing. Researching weight loss and hypothyroidism led me to this diet and it looks and sounds promising (actually quiet easy and less restrictive then how I currently eat) but like you the high carb scare me a little…..

      Thankyou for your time,
      Kim

  • Marce March 28, 2014, 12:32 pm

    Hi! For lunch in phase 3 i had tuna… Then i remember to check the ingredients in it, it does not say soy, but then ower it says contains fish and soy… Ahhhh! Im usually very careful but i totally forhot to check before eating, woul this afect the process???!

    • Penny Hammond April 2, 2014, 7:09 pm

      Don’t worry about it this once; keep an eye out for it next time.

  • Joan March 29, 2014, 7:45 pm

    Bought the book and eager to give it a try and will start on Monday. Just curious if there is any data or information for Thyroid Cancer survivors? I’m 17 months since TT and 15 months since radiation. Just can’t seem to get my TSH and T3 levels regulated.

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 12:37 pm

      There isn’t much in the book about cancer – basically it says that being overweight increases the risk. But there’s a lot of discussion of hormone levels and thyroid function.
      Good luck, I hope the book helps.

  • precious March 30, 2014, 1:06 am

    Hi.thank u so much for this information.am from Zambia,Africa and would like to start this diet tomorrow.I am 1.67m tall and currently I weigh 84kgs.I wud love to lose 24kgs .I have two challenges though.firstly most of the food u hav mentioned is not easly found here and when it is available it is very pricey. For grains oats are available tho.now is it ok if I use the sanme type of food through out.like I should eat oats whenever I have to eat grain n chicken for protein n maybe apples for fruits.
    My second challenge is that most of ur measurements are in ounces n pounds.I can convert to grams bt I was wondering if there was something already measured in grams cause having to convert will be very rough.

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 12:43 pm

      You could try following the diet using the same food groups but not exactly the same foods as listed, and see if that works for you.
      It’s a very USA-focused book – and it’s often difficult to switch between imperial and metric measurements because you end up having very strange portion sizes.

  • Denae R. March 30, 2014, 12:29 pm

    I read that carrob chips are an acceptable “broth, herb, condiment”. My concern is that they have sugar or beet sugar in them and the diet says the smallest amount of sugar can hinder weight loss for 2-3 days. Should I be looking for sugar free? Do they exist? If the carrob chips with beet sugar are acceptable, how many are you allowed per day?

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 1:18 pm

      If you can find unsweetened carob chips that don’t contain any dairy products or other ingredients you’re not supposed to be eating on the phase you’re on, you should be able to use them.
      There aren’t any guidelines on portion sizes, but they’re listed as a “condiment” which usually means you use only a small amount, a teaspoon or so.

  • Denae R. March 30, 2014, 1:44 pm

    Hi, again. Another question. Am I able to break up my fats and proteins? Such as, 1 TBSP of nut butter and 1 TBSP of coconut oil with 2 egg whites? In the same meal? I like to finish a meal with nut butter on celery as dessert.

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 1:19 pm

      As long as you’re eating fats and proteins at the same meal, and using the serving size guidelines, it should be okay to break them up.

  • Karen March 30, 2014, 3:42 pm

    Hi Penny, please help me clarify if I could eat plain minutes oats in phase 1? Regarding non fat yogurt, if I were to eat it with Avacado or nuts, does it make it any better? Would soy be ok if it’s non GMO?

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 1:33 pm

      Hi Karen,

      Steel cut oats are allowed in Phase 1, but minute oats aren’t listed as okay – they’re usually pretty processed and can give you a bit of a sugar rush, so I’d assume that they only type of oats allowed is the one that’s listed, steel-cut oats. You need to cook them for a while until they’re ready to eat, but they’re less processed.

      On this diet, you’re not supposed to have any dairy, no matter what the fat content (although it may be allowed in the lifetime maintenance diet after you’ve reached your goal weight).

      Also, no soy is allowed on this diet, whether it’s GMO or not.
      The only exceptions are tamari and Bragg Liquid Aminos, or (only if you’re a vegan who doesn’t eat any animal products at all) fermented organic soy foods – organic non-GMO tofu, organic non-GMO soy tempeh, or organic non-GMO edamame.

      • Veronica November 10, 2014, 12:52 pm

        Can you do instant steel oats?

        • Penny Hammond November 11, 2014, 7:51 am

          If they cook really quickly, they’re probably pretty processed – if that’s the case consider them instant oats and don’t have them on this diet.

        • Lori September 4, 2015, 11:06 am

          If you put your steel cut oats to soak in hot water before you go to bed, they are ready to cook in the morning. 5 minutes after they come to a boil and they are ready to eat.

  • Carmella Sparrow April 1, 2014, 8:24 am

    Hi Penny, thank you so much for this outline, it is beyond helpful. Is almond milk and protein powders allowed on this diet in any of the phases? Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 2:14 pm

      Hi Carmella,
      Glad it’s helpful!
      Unsweetened almond milk is allowed on phase 3 – it contains both fats and carbs.
      There are no protein powders mentioned in the book, so I assume that Haylie wants you to eat whole/real proteins instead.

  • Brian April 1, 2014, 4:13 pm

    Started the diet and are on day two and was wondering what snacks i can eat that are “unlimited” Thanks in advance

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 3:04 pm

      There aren’t any “unlimited” snacks, unless you want to snack on low-carb veggies (there’s a phase 2 salad dressing you could use which could probably be eaten unlimited for all phases).
      With the frequent meals and snacks and increased portion sizes the more weight you have to lose, you should have enough to eat – if you’re feeling hungry between meals try drinking some water, as that often helps reduce hunger.

  • VIRGINIA A WIEMKEN April 4, 2014, 7:10 pm

    I wish these recipes and food list had more things found in my grocery store. Many I can’t find. I need something to thicken my stir fry and I can’t find arrowroot.

    • Penny Hammond April 6, 2014, 3:15 pm

      Some of the ingredients can be found online, such as arrowroot from Amazon.com. Or look for them in a local whole food store.

  • Kim Javernick April 8, 2014, 3:00 pm

    I purchased powder drinls for all 3 phases but recieved no directions. Do thes replace a meal? A snack? Help!

    • Penny Hammond April 8, 2014, 8:36 pm

      The directions for making the shakes are on the shakes page of the store website.

      It says that they’re meal/snack replacements, and if you look in more detail at the links for each product on the page it describes them as “Ideal for an on-the-go snack or breakfast.”

  • Marci Randi April 9, 2014, 9:38 am

    My sister tried the diet first and lost 20#’s in 28 days. I excitedly read the book and jumped in. I just finished week one and actually gained then lost 1.5 pounds, putting my where back where I started. I am over 40 pounds overweight and 53 years old. I tried to eat the amount of food for that portion size and my stomach literally hurt for 2 days cramming it in. So I switched down to the 20 pound portion size and doubled the vegies. I’m not giving up, clearly this is a healthy way to eat, I just don’t understand my lack of progress when the first week people usually can’t believe how much weight they’ve lost. I truly want to do it correctly, can I eat the lesser amounts or should I try again to get that much down?

    • Penny Hammond April 10, 2014, 10:14 am

      I can’t find any guidelines in the book or on the website on what to do if the given portion sizes are too much for you to eat, but it’s clear that Haylie wants you to eat more if you’ve got more weight to lose.
      Try to eat as much as you can, balancing all the different types of foods in the same proportions as given for the full serving size.
      Update May 2014 – in the latest printings of the book, Haylie now says that if you want to lose more than 40 pounds, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion and double the amount of veggies – so no need for such large portion sizes as previously recommended

  • Angelyn April 10, 2014, 5:45 pm

    Hi! I just bought the app and want to start this on coming Monday. I am wondering what should I key in for my wake up time because as per instruction, I m suppose to take my breakfast upon 30mins to an hour. My normal wake up time is around 5am but I take my pre workout and m off for my run and then back home for some weight training. I normally won’t get to eat till about 745-8am (while prepping myself for work and my girl for school). I will either do a quick half boiled egg whites, scrambled egg whites, protein drink or green veggies with fruits smoothie and get ready for my day. Should I key in 730am for “wake up time” or as per my 5am? Please advise. Looking forward to hear from you.

    • Penny Hammond April 10, 2014, 8:09 pm

      Haylie’s very clear that she wants you to be eating within 30 minutes of waking up, not 2 3/4 – 3 hours!
      “When you are awake and working, you have to keep eating. Otherwise, you leave your body without fuel, and then it thinks you are starving and before you know it, your metabolism is slowing down.” (p.35)
      Can you find a way to eat before your pre-workout?

      • Angelyn April 11, 2014, 4:29 pm

        Thank you for your reply. What’s your suggestion for a “not so full” and quickie meal that I can prep n eat before my workout? Will 1 soft boil egg white do? I can’t workout with a full stomach, I feel sick!
        Sorry, just to be clear so I shld key in my wake up time as 5am on the app then?

  • Dan Nielsen April 10, 2014, 7:52 pm

    She says you cancan use Tabasco as a condiment, but the green Tabasco has cornstarch. Should I not use the green one? I like it better than the red

    • Penny Hammond April 10, 2014, 8:11 pm

      I think she’s saying “Tabasco” as a shortcut to mean any hot chili sauce without added sugar. If you can find another green chili sauce that has acceptable ingredients for each phase, you can use that instead.

  • Sherrie Schaefer April 14, 2014, 11:22 am

    My book hasn’t arrived yet but I wanted to get started. What kind of oat meal is allowed? Web site said (steal cut)?? I guess I need meal suggestions.

    Thank you

  • Sherrie Schaefer April 14, 2014, 4:01 pm

    I haven’t yet been able to find the sprouted grain bread or crackers. I would imagine health food store??? I have never eaten veggies in the morning. Any ideas?

    Thank you

    • Penny Hammond April 14, 2014, 7:53 pm

      Sometimes you can find sprouted grain bread in the freezer section of your supermarket – look for Ezekiel bread.
      A health food store would also be a good bet.

      If you’re new to eating veggies in the morning, try starting with leftovers – easy to prepare and a food you’re already used to eating. Or think of what you might eat for brunch instead of breakfast.
      Also, there are recipes in the book for foods like Egg White, Mushroom, and Spinach Omelet; Turkey Bacon with Celery, Sea Salt, and Lime; Cucumber Hummus Toast; and Egg and Toast with Tomato and Red Onion.

      • Sherrie schaefer April 15, 2014, 8:34 am

        I’ll give it a try.

        Thank you very much:)

  • SANDY GELMAN April 17, 2014, 12:43 pm

    iS IT TRUE YOU CAN HAVE VEGGIES AT EVERY MEAL PHASE ONE BREAKFAST DOES NOT HAVE ANY

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2014, 5:06 pm

      You can have unlimited phase-appropriate vegetables. So if you wanted to have veggies at breakfast in phase 1, there’s nothing I can find that says that you can’t eat them. But you don’t have to.

  • Debbie Nicholson April 19, 2014, 12:32 pm

    Just wanted to share how happy husband and I are with our new way of eating! Both of us feel better and are getting into clothes we haven’t worn in a long time. A question, if we are unable to find prickly pears are organic pears permitted?

    • Penny Hammond April 20, 2014, 10:02 am

      Prickly pears are listed as a fruit that’s okay to eat in phase 3 only. They’re part of the cactus family, so they’re pretty different than pears, which are part of the apple family.

      According to the USDA nutrition database and the International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values
      Prickly pears (listed as okay for phase 3) – 9.57 grams of carbohydrates and 3.6 grams of fiber per 100g (value for sugars not given); glycemic load 0
      Cherries (listed as okay for phase 3) – 12.82g of sugars and 2.1g of fiber per 100g; glycemic load 9
      Pears – 9.75g of sugars and 3.1g of fiber per 100g; glycemic load 3-5

      It’s possible that cherries were listed as okay to eat in phase 3 because they’re often considered a berry; blueberries have a glycemic load of 5.

      My guess would be that pears would be okay in phase 3 because they’re low-glycemic, however they’re not listed in the book.

  • SANDY GELMAN April 19, 2014, 4:01 pm

    IN PHASE THREE IT IS STATED 2 4 TBSP SALAD DRESSING WHAT KIND

    • Penny Hammond April 20, 2014, 10:05 am

      There’s a recipe in the book for “Phase 3 salad dressing and veggie dip” – made with sesame oil, lime juice, crushed garlic, salt and pepper

  • Sherrie Schaefer April 21, 2014, 3:03 pm

    Penny,

    Got two questions…. In the strawberry french toast recipe it calls for one egg white and phase one says at least three egg whites. Are you supposed to eat the two extra whites on the side or any other appropriate protein?

    #2….. When you just can’t eat all that you’re more supposed to. For example I am to have a can and a half of tuna in phase 3. I couldn’t eat all that tuna so I had a can and some raw nuts to compensate. Is that okay?

    Thank you so much

    • Penny Hammond April 21, 2014, 7:07 pm

      Sherrie,
      It makes sense that you add more protein when you have the strawberry french toast recipe – the recipes aren’t always for complete meals.
      If you can’t eat all that you’re supposed to, eat as much as you can and make sure you’re eating the same proportions of different types of food (proteins, veggies, etc.) as suggested.

      • Sherrie Schaefer April 22, 2014, 5:53 am

        Thank you Penny for your help:)

      • Kathy Isenhart October 18, 2015, 5:14 pm

        I can’t find anywhere in my book where it tells me I can eat 3 egg whites?? Can someone direct me to that info. I’ve been looking everywhere for this in Phase 1.

        • Penny Hammond October 25, 2015, 5:08 pm

          These page numbers are from my hardback copy:

          The portions tables on pages 105-107 unfortunately don’t give any information on eggs.
          The master food lists at the end of the book on pages 240-245 skip any mention of eggs for phase 1, but in phase 2 under Animal Protein it says “Eggs, white only”

          Phase 1 recipes in the diet book include Strawberry French Toast (p.186), which contains egg white. However, there’s nothing clear in the book saying that you can have 3 egg whites.
          Phase 2 recipes in the diet book that contain egg white include Spanish Egg White Scramble (p.199) and Egg White Mushroom and Spinach Omelet (p.200). P.63 also mentions “The next two days are all about lean proteins like white-meat chicken and turkey, white fish and lean cuts of beef, lean pork, game meats like venison and elk, and egg whites”; p.67 says “For your afternoon snack, you get to have more protein— maybe more jerky or three hard-boiled egg whites or tuna in celery.”

          The App says that egg whites are allowed in all 3 phases.

          However, the clearest guideline showing 3 egg whites for phase 1 is in the Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook – see “A Guide to Portion Sizes” in chapter 2. Here’s what it says:
          Phase 1 – 3 egg whites
          Phase 2 – 3 egg whites for meals, 1 egg white for snacks
          Phase 3 – 1 whole egg plus up to 2 additional egg whites

          I hope that helps!

  • Dima April 24, 2014, 3:03 pm

    Hi Penny
    Would you please clarify where tomatoes fall . I am a bit confused as in your explanation which is great by the way 🙂 you mentioned no tomatoes in phase one but when you listed what not to eat in P2 you said do not eat what is listed in P1 and mentioned tomatoes… Would you please just let me know in which phase of the 3 tomatoes are allowed.??
    Thanks a lot

    • Penny Hammond April 27, 2014, 9:06 am

      Hi Dima,
      Tomatoes are allowed in phases 1 and 3 of this diet, and they’re not included in the book for phase 2 which is a low-carb phase.

      • Dima April 28, 2014, 4:06 pm

        Thanks a lot

  • Shauna April 25, 2014, 11:24 am

    Just wondering if I can sprinkle some unsweetened coconut chips on my oatmeal ?

    • Penny Hammond April 27, 2014, 9:49 am

      Coconut is quite fatty, and it’s only allowed in phase 3. In that phase, unsweetened coconut chips should be fine.

  • Debbie April 26, 2014, 9:55 am

    What was the name of the app you mentioned that helps you with this diet? I read it last night, but can’t find it this morning.

  • cheryl April 27, 2014, 11:37 am

    Hi,
    I am starting your program, but I do not eat any meat or poultry. I have been reading your book and You seem to have limited choices in Fish. Could you please tell me other fishes beside cod & halibut you can have?
    Thank you

    • Penny Hammond April 27, 2014, 2:34 pm

      In phases 1 and 2 you can have any lean fish; in phase 3 you can have any lean or fatty fish and shellfish.

      These are examples that Haylie gives for each phase of the diet:
      Phase 1 – Lean fish: e.g. haddock (fillet), halibut (fillet, steak), pollock (fillet), sardines (packed in water), sole (fillet), tuna (solid white, packed in water)
      Phase 2 – Lean fish: e.g. cod/scrod (fillet), dory (fillet), flounder (fillet), halibut (fillet, steak), smoked salmon (nitrate-free), sardines (packed in water), sole (fillet), tuna (packed in water); Shellfish: oysters (packed in water)
      Phase 3 – Fish, including fatty fish: e.g. halibut (fillet), herring, salmon (fresh, frozen, or nitrate-free smoked), sardines (packed in olive oil), sea bass (fillet), skate, trout, tuna (packed in water or oil); Shellfish: e.g. calamari, clams, crab (lump meat), lobster meat, oysters, scallops, shrimp

      Note that if you can eat eggs, you can have egg whites in phases 1 and 2 and whole eggs in phase 3.

  • Diane April 28, 2014, 10:56 pm

    In one of the phases the only fruit allowed is lemons or limes. How does one “eat” a lemon or lime? Surely not like one would eat grapefruits or oranges.

    • Penny Hammond April 29, 2014, 7:58 am

      You can use the juice from the lemon or lime, either on the food you eat or added to a drink.

  • Sherrie Schaefer April 29, 2014, 4:07 pm

    Hi,

    I am looking for portion size for the 5 ingredient chili.

    Thanks so much:)

    • Penny Hammond April 30, 2014, 9:58 am

      I can’t find a 5-ingredient chili in the diet book or the recipe book – where did you find it?

      • Sherrie Schaefer April 30, 2014, 6:53 pm

        It was on pinterest phase one fmd foods.

        Thanks so much Penny

        • Penny Hammond May 8, 2014, 7:09 pm

          I can only find a 5-ingredient bolognese sauce from Food52 – on the page they say it’s 4 servings. With 1 pound (16 ounces) of beef, that would be 4 ounces per serving, which fits in the guidelines.

  • Ardis April 29, 2014, 9:26 pm

    Is it ok to eat Ezeikiel bread?

    • Penny Hammond April 30, 2014, 10:17 am

      Ekekiel bread is made with sprouted grains, which are acceptable in the phases of this diet when you can eat carbs (phases 1 and 3). Just check that there isn’t any wheat flour in the ingredients that doesn’t say it’s sprouted.

      • Ardis April 30, 2014, 10:09 pm

        Thank you for your response! I would also like to know if we can eat canned pink or red salmon in water? If we can eat it would it be acceptable in Phase 1 and 3 or just phase 3? I know the book says we can have fresh, frozen or smoked salmon.

        • Penny Hammond May 1, 2014, 12:05 pm

          Haylie seems to be fine with canned foods – she mentions that vegetables and beans can be canned, and lists some canned fish. So I’d assume that canned salmon in water would be acceptable on phases when salmon is allowed. It’s a fatty fish, listed for phase 3 only (although for some reason she says that smoked salmon is okay for phase 2 – smoked salmon is only very slightly lower fat than unsmoked if there is any difference at all – and sardines, another fatty fish, are listed as acceptable in phase 1)

  • Ardis May 1, 2014, 8:22 pm

    Is it possible to get an updated food list. Your app for i phones has more foods on it than the book I bought for this diet. Are you creating an app for androids? It would be nice. I would like to thank you for creating this diet. I am at the end of my fourth week and I plan to continue into the month of May. I feel healthier, my memory is sharper, I’ve lost weight and I just feel really good! In the beginning of this program I made so many mistakes, but I stuck with it and I love it! Thank you!

  • Sheila May 2, 2014, 3:28 pm

    My husband and I have been on this diet for almost 2 weeks now. I have lost 8 lbs which is great. I have 42 more to go though. We have noticed that we are both tired all the time on it. We have heard others say they have more energy on the diet so we were wondering why that may be? Are we doing something wrong?

    Thanks for any thoughts or advice you may be able to give here. I hope you email too since I am not sure if I will lose this site or not. :-/

  • Lisa C. May 5, 2014, 3:29 pm

    You have the portions wrong for over 40 pounds of weight loss. Any weight loss over 20 pounds is 1 1/2 of the regular portion size, whether it’s 30, 60, or 100 pounds. If you need to loose more than 40 pounds, your vegetable portions should be doubled, everything else is 1 1/2 portions sizes.

    • Penny Hammond May 8, 2014, 7:04 pm

      Hi Lisa,
      Thank you so much for pointing that out!
      When the book originally came out, it very clearly told you to add half a portion for every additional 20 pounds you want to lose. That’s something a lot of people struggled with when they had a lot of weight to lose.
      I just got a copy of the latest printing, which says what you describe above. So Haylie’s advice has changed.
      I’ve updated the portion size section of this page and added updates to post replies that gave the old advice.
      Penny

  • Beth Miller May 6, 2014, 9:16 pm

    Can I eat brown rice and seaweed on phase 3?

    • Penny Hammond May 8, 2014, 7:14 pm

      Seaweed is listed as an acceptable food for phase 3, but Haylie only lists wild rice (and in the app, black rice) in that phase, not brown rice. She only says brown rice is okay for phase 1.

  • John Cross May 9, 2014, 12:26 am

    I start last week of diet tomorrow. I only lost 7 pounds and 1″ of my waist. I’m thinking I may not have eaten enough food or drank enough water. Can that be it.

    • Penny Hammond May 11, 2014, 1:39 pm

      It’s possible that you didn’t lose more weight because you didn’t eat enough food or drink enough water. It’s also possible that this diet isn’t the best one for you personally – there’s no “best” diet for everybody.

  • Priscilla Adams May 10, 2014, 7:52 pm

    I’m a type 1 diabetic , I had a problem with low blood sugars on phase 2 days. To bring up my blood sugars I added some carrots to my meal instead of having fruit which in not a phase 2 veggie . Do you have any thoughts on what I should do in this case ? This is my first week on this diet . Thank you ! Also , do I have to start week one over again ?

    • Penny Hammond May 11, 2014, 1:58 pm

      The book doesn’t mention type 1 diabetes at all, so it’s possible that this may not be the best diet for you – it relies on cycling carbohydrate levels, which may not be in your best interest.

  • lina May 12, 2014, 3:59 am

    i have a question

    How a long a phase will takes you?

    can you guys give me an example what you guys eating in phase 1 , 2 and 3.

    Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond May 13, 2014, 7:44 pm

      Phase 1 is 2 days a week (days 1 and 2). Then phase 2 is 2 days a week (days 3 and 4). Then phase 3 is 3 days a week (days 5, 6, and 7).
      The ingredients and portions for each phase are listed above, and there are a number of recipes in the book and diet book. For example recipes, see http://www.pinterest.com/hayliepomroy/.

  • John McKearly May 13, 2014, 10:17 am

    Can’t seem to find any mention of honey being used as a natural sweetner. Any help?

    • Penny Hammond May 13, 2014, 8:00 pm

      The only sweeteners allowed on this diet are stevia and (birch) xylitol. Other sweeteners, including natural sweeteners like honey, are considered to be sugars and are not allowed.

  • martha forero- May 13, 2014, 5:04 pm

    Soy colombiana y estalos leyendo el libro pero tenemos dudas por ciertos productos que no hay aca

    • Penny Hammond May 13, 2014, 8:11 pm

      If some of the ingredients aren’t available where you live, try using alternatives in the same food group. This isn’t a very prescriptive diet, it doesn’t tell you exactly what to eat, so substituting should be fine as long as you’re avoiding the “don’t eat” foods.

  • Sharon May 14, 2014, 1:34 pm

    Can someone please explain what fat/protein means? I can’t seem to understand what food list I’m to look at.

    • Penny Hammond May 15, 2014, 9:38 am

      Fat/protein appears to mean higher-fat protein or fat plus protein. Look at the recipes in the books for examples of having both protein and fat in the same meal.

  • Brian F May 14, 2014, 2:12 pm

    After a month, I am no lobger diabetic. I was able to totally go off insulin (Novolog and Lantus) as well as eliminate the need for Crestor. My blood sugars have gone from an average of 250 to 124. It’s been a game changer!

  • Char May 21, 2014, 12:28 pm

    is gluten free bread allowed…the brand I eat is SCHAR and it is awesome!! with almond butter, it’s better than an Oreo!! (almost!!)

    • Penny Hammond May 25, 2014, 1:32 pm

      It depends on the ingredients of the product – does it contain anything that’s excluded from this diet?

      Looking at Schar, I see corn starch, which would rule that bread out as you’re not supposed to have anything containing corn on this diet. It also has soy protein, and you’re not supposed to have anything soy on this diet. Oh, and sugar as well.
      If you do find a product that only contains ingredients that are allowed on the diet, keep an eye out for whether it would be allowed on the phase you’re in – no breads with any carbs would be allowed on phase 2, and they would be limited on phases 1 and 3.

  • CLIO WANG May 23, 2014, 7:06 pm

    I was on high fat diet before for 20 days, but it did not work. I am just wondering what is the difference between a purely high fat low carb diet with P3 since Haylie mentions that P3 is the key to lose fat.

    Besides, I am hypothyroid.

    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond May 25, 2014, 2:34 pm

      Phase 3 is not particularly high fat (it just isn’t very low fat like the other phases). It’s also moderate-carb rather than low-carb in the popular sense of the word – some carbs are allowed and encouraged.

      Haylie wants you to cycle through the three phases to lose fat – according to her no one phase would work on its own.

  • Kaylee P. May 29, 2014, 2:17 pm

    Is it ok to eat Turkey Pepperoni on this diet?

    • Penny Hammond May 29, 2014, 6:57 pm

      Look at the ingredients – are there any ingredients you’re supposed to be avoiding completely (anything with soy, dairy, corn, sugar, etc), or anything that you’re supposed to be avoiding during the phase you’re on today?

  • Kaylee P. May 29, 2014, 3:25 pm

    Why can’t you eat sausages in Phase 2?

    • Penny Hammond May 29, 2014, 6:58 pm

      I assume it’s because phase 2 is a low-fat phase, and sausages tend to have some fat in them.

  • Barbara S. May 31, 2014, 8:59 am

    I have just started the diet and am on Phase 3. I see that the food list does not include apples, but on the meal plan for phase 3 there is a tuna and Apple salad for lunch. Can I eat apples during this phase?

    • Penny Hammond June 1, 2014, 1:27 pm

      Okay – I see in the week 1 and week 4 meal maps for phase 3 – “P3 Endive Tuna Salad, Apple”. Apples aren’t listed as phase 3 foods in either the book or the app.
      However, they’re relatively low-sugar fruits and I don’t see why they shouldn’t be included in phase 3. Just make sure they’re in moderation – have them only in meals and snacks where fruits are listed, and follow the serving size of 1 piece or 1 cup of phase-appropriate fruit.

  • Charlene June 1, 2014, 12:46 pm

    My husband wants to do the FMD along with me as support and to eat healthy. He is a cereal lover. Does anyone have a suggestion for a cereal brand that would be OK and I’ m assuming that if he uses rice milk in P1and P3 that would be acceptable. Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond June 1, 2014, 2:00 pm

      It’s lovely to hear that your husband is joining in on your diet to support you!
      The book talks about hot brown rice cereal and also oatmeal – just keep an eye out in case there are any added ingredients.
      Most cold cereals have some form of unsprouted wheat, soy, corn, sugar, or dairy in them. Has anybody found anything that meets the restrictions on this diet?
      Unsweetened rice milk is okay in phases 1 and 3.

  • clint June 1, 2014, 2:58 pm

    thinking about starting this diet but I suffer from renal kidney failure and I’m on pt dialysis nightly so it is difficult for me to rid my body of excess water , i can only drink 8 classes of 8 oz. or less daily.. this diet calls for over twice that much water daily re: half of my weight in oz. that would mean drinking 17 8 oz servings ( my current weight is 270 ). can i decrease the amount of water to less than 8 glasses daily and still except to loose weight. thank you Clint. g.

    • Penny Hammond June 1, 2014, 3:43 pm

      This may not be the best diet for you because of your dialysis – it may be safer to eat a diet that’s more steady and predictable, and which doesn’t expect you to flush your body with lots of water.

  • melissa June 2, 2014, 11:38 am

    do you know the portion for the egg whites if i’m ussing the egg whites bought on the store?

    Thank you

  • Michelle June 2, 2014, 6:38 pm

    Hello,

    Not sure if this was asked before and sorry if it has been. I’m curious about edemema beans. It clearly states to avoid soy but I also have the fast metabolism app that lists a recipe with edemema beans in it.

    Thank you!

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2014, 12:03 pm

      Edamame is a soy bean. In the book, Haylie says that you can only have soy foods if you’re vegan (and they’re non-GMO) – so you shouldn’t be eating it on this diet unless you don’t eat any animal products at all (meat, fish, eggs, or milk products).

      What’s the name of the recipe which contains edamame beans? I can’t find it on the app…

  • Brenda June 3, 2014, 1:03 pm

    For losing 41-60 pounds, I increase all portions and the ingredients in them. For example P1- Italian Chicken and Wild Rice- increase the chicken as well as the rice portions? The same for all fats, proteins, grains, etc?

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2014, 12:34 pm

      If you have over 41 pounds to lose, you should increase all portions of proteins, eggs, grains, fruit, and fat to 1½ times the portion size, and have even more veggies – 2x the portion.
      So you could have 1½ times the Italian Chicken and Wild Rice recipe, and have more vegetables or salad on the side.

  • Linda M June 4, 2014, 10:21 am

    Is this diet ok for type 1 diabetics on an insulin pump?

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2014, 12:35 pm

      There’s a lot of variation between days, which might not be a good idea if you’re on an insulin pump. Check with your doctor.

      • Linda M June 11, 2014, 1:37 pm

        Thank uou

  • Bea Dauber June 4, 2014, 7:08 pm

    HELP: I need Phase 1 and Phase 2 substitutes for Mayonnaise and Tartar Sauce.
    (If I canNOT have Mayonnaise and Tartar Sauce on the FMD, then what do I put on my Tuna, Cod, Asparagas, and Artichokes?)
    NOTE: I already know about using mustard and I HATE horseradish.

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2014, 12:46 pm

      Phase 1 and phase 2 are low-fat phases. As mayonnaise and tartar sauce are fatty sauces, there aren’t any direct substitutes.

      See the diet book and the cookbook for recipes, which you can use as suggestions for how to prepare foods. They often contain lemon or lime juice, finely chopped red onion or garlic, and herbs.

      • Dody October 30, 2014, 3:27 pm

        In phase 3 you can have safflower mayo

  • Bea Dauber June 4, 2014, 7:08 pm

    HELP: I need Phase 1 and Phase 3 substitutes for Butter.
    (If I canNOT have butter on the FMD, then what do I put on my Toast, Squash, and Yams?)

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2014, 12:54 pm

      As butter is a dairy product, you’re not supposed to have it on this diet.
      On phase 1 you’ll have to use a substitute that’s low in fat; on phase 3 you could use a fatty ingredient as a substitute (in moderation).

      See the diet book and the cookbook for recipes, which you can use as suggestions for how to prepare foods.

      On non-wheat or sprouted-grain bread, use toppings like the ones suggested in the recipes, instead of having toast with butter on the side. E.g. see the recipes for Open-Faced Turkey Sandwich; Sprouted Grain Turkey Wrap (phase 1); Cucumber Hummus Toast; Egg and Toast with Tomato and Red Onion (phase 3)
      For squash and yams, include them in recipes with other vegetables and flavorful ingredients such as garlic and herbs, or in a soup or casserole.

  • Maria Matos June 4, 2014, 7:55 pm

    Hello,

    A friend of mine has done the diet for over 28 days now and has been very successful, so I can’t wait to get started. Now, I have 2 questions:

    1. I don’t eat meat; I don’t really crave it or like it, Can I still do this without it?-please note I’m still reading away.
    2. When referring to fruit juices, would this include natural ones? I juice veggies and fruits every day and love it, wouldn’t like to give it up entirely for the 28 days.

    If anyone can help with this, it would be great. Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2014, 1:02 pm

      Vegetarians can follow the vegetarian guidelines above.

      Haylie says not to have fruit juices because the sugar concentration is too high and either there’s little or no fiber.
      She doesn’t say you shouldn’t juice your own vegetables – but as she doesn’t say your veggies for the day can be juiced, so have any vegetable juice in addition to the whole vegetable servings.

  • Rona June 8, 2014, 9:57 am

    I am starting this diet tomorrow (am still trying to read the book through!!) and as i was reading i wondered why cows/goats milk has been taken out of the diet because surely we need this to keep our calcium levels up?? i won’t have it as that’s what the diet says but i was just surprised/curious!!

    another thing i was wondering is whether you can have ‘normal’ tinned tuna in salted water – does it have to be solid white tuna??

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2014, 1:53 pm

      There are lots of theories about calcium and milk. Some studies show that if you avoid sugars and processed foods, your mineral balance improves and you don’t need to add so much calcium to the diet. Others point out that other foods, such as canned fish with the bones and leafy green vegetables, supply calcium – not just milk. Milk is only tolerated well by a part of the whole population – in many parts of the world cultures have thrived without milk and have lower rates of osteoporosis than the west. The book doesn’t say anything specific about calcium.

      Haylie says tuna in some parts of the book, and solid white tuna in other parts of the book. She doesn’t say why she recommends solid white tuna, and she doesn’t say you can’t have tuna other than solid white tuna.

  • RJ June 9, 2014, 9:30 am

    Hello,
    I have started the diet today (and am still trying to find my way!!) and have been to but some ingredients for this weeks meals…I haven’t been able to find sprouted grain bread as I am not sure what I am looking for!! Can anyone help?? Any examples of makes/what the ingredients list should say?? is it gluten free???
    another thing I wasn’t too sure about was the nitrate – free meat…what should/shouldn’t it have in it…I was looking at the chicken and turkey today and wasn’t sure whether I was buying the right stuff because the ingredients didn’t say anything about nitrates….

    Please help 🙂

    • Penny Hammond June 10, 2014, 5:32 pm

      You can find sprouted grain bread in the freezer in some supermarkets – it might have a brand name like Ezekiel bread. Ingredients will say something like “sprouted wheat”. Here’s an example: http://www.foodforlife.com/product/breads/ezekiel-49-sprouted-whole-grain-bread. If the sprouted grain is sprouted wheat, it won’t be gluten-free, but if there isn’t any wheat or gluten grain it’s possible that it might be gluten-free.

      Nitrates are pretty common in deli meats, not in fresh meats.
      If you’re buying deli meats or preserved meats, look at the label for “nitrate” or “nitrite” – it might say something like sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite in the ingredients. Most deli meats which are nitrate-free are labeled as such.

  • Lynn June 10, 2014, 7:43 pm

    I have been on the diet for 16 days and lost 8 lbs which is good. But I have had 2 menstual cycles during this. Have anyone had this situation? I also had a rough time the first few days when I started the diet with really bad headaches to the point I throw up. I am assuming that was from the detoxing of caffeine and sugars.?

    • Penny Hammond June 11, 2014, 12:54 pm

      It’s possible that the really bad headaches for the first few days of the diet may have been from caffeine/sugar withdrawal.

      If you’ve had 2 menstrual cycles in 16 days, you should probably check with your doctor.

  • Janice R June 11, 2014, 10:53 pm

    Question: For vegetarians, the book states that in Phase 2, “as long as you are willing to eat eggs and fish, you should be fine for those two Phase 2 days.” However, it is unclear whether the reference is to egg whites only or to whole eggs. Can you clarify?

    Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond June 12, 2014, 6:38 am

      Phase 2 is a low-fat phase, egg whites only and no egg yolks.

  • trish June 12, 2014, 12:32 pm

    hi.. was wondering how menopause fits into this plan? can it help? thks. sg

    • Penny Hammond June 12, 2014, 1:00 pm

      Haylie mentions in the book a client “in the throes of menopause” who did well following this diet to get back to her target weight (p.155)

      • Alison Quigley July 16, 2014, 2:52 am

        All my friends over 50 have been having great success! 20 plus pounds per 28 days! Drink LOTS of water and stick to the foods on the phase! life changing!

        • trish July 26, 2014, 11:32 am

          Thanks Allison.. 🙂 I appreciate the feedback!

  • Lacey June 12, 2014, 2:11 pm

    Hi Penny! Hoping to start the diet on Monday. But wanted to know if it is advised to weigh myself every day? I have the book and the chart in the book has a column for weight every day….but I heard that that is bad to do because one can become to obsessed and fixated on the number. What would you suggest doing? Thanks!!

    • Penny Hammond June 12, 2014, 6:41 pm

      Hi Lacey!
      I can’t find anywhere in the book with Haylie telling you to weight yourself every day. In fact, she says “weight loss is not my main goal for you. I am more vested in giving you a fast, healthy, and optimally functioning metabolism than I am in your losing weight. I’m interested in your finding a weight and place of balance where you can eat and live healthfully every day. Where you can have a full, rich life and not have to diet all the time.” (p.142)
      So, if you tend to get a bit fixated with your weight, you could weigh yourself once a week and instead concentrate on how healthy you feel.

      • Lina February 4, 2015, 6:24 pm

        Hi Penny,

        First – THANK YOU! I’ve just started this plan and am on the first week/P2. Oh, how I wish I had found your site sooner. Now that I’m reading through the many questions/comments et al, I suspect that I may have done some things wrong, especially on this phase (2). This is a very difficult one for me, because I don’t eat eggs and not too many other choices are given. Additionally, turns out the smoked salmon I bought over the weekend in preparation for P2 this week, appears to be spoiled, even though the expiration isn’t for many weeks (UGH!!). So, my snack this morning was shot.

        I just wanted to mention, in response to the above comment regarding keeping track of your weight, that the weekly meal maps have a space for every day for you to list your weight (I have the book and make copies for the week). That seems to imply that one is to weigh daily, although I know that what you said in response is correct – weight is not Haylie’s primary concern with this diet.

        Long story short, the book can be a tad confusing at times. You succinct list is AWESOME. So, many thanks again!

        • Penny Hammond February 4, 2015, 6:38 pm

          Thanks for your comments, glad to be of help!

  • molly June 14, 2014, 8:26 pm

    I walk 10,000 steps every day, can I continue with this and add the required exercise while on the FMD?

    • Penny Hammond June 15, 2014, 9:18 am

      I concentrate on the food side of diets, not the exercise side. However, I did find this in the book (p.126) – phase-appropriate exercise is defined as:
      – At least one day of gentle to moderate cardio during Phase 1
      – At least one day of heavy weight lifting during Phase 2
      – At least one day of ultra-relaxing activity in Phase 3, like yoga, a walk outdoors on a nice day, or a massage

      So, for phase 1, walking fast enough to raise your heartbeat would probably do it. For phase 2, there’s nothing I can find to say you shouldn’t walk, but walking isn’t heavy lifting so add that. For phase 3, it looks like you’re already covered by walking as long as you do it in a relaxed fashion.

      • molly June 20, 2014, 4:22 pm

        thank you so much!

    • molly July 26, 2014, 2:49 pm

      Thank you so much. So far I am on week 3 Cycle #2 or 7 weeks. I am down 15 pounds, I am still not sure about olives.They are listed as a vegetable and a fat in phase 3. So, I assume that they are not unlimited. What portion is correct for a person trying to loose 21=40 pounds. Thanks again for clarifying things for everyone?

      • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 6:51 pm

        There aren’t any guidelines for portion size – as you say, they’re listed both as a vegetable and as a fat. They’re about 15% fat, so there’s a lot in them apart from fat, and most people don’t eat endless amounts of them. You’re probably okay to eat them pretty freely unless they’re a trigger food that you can’t stop eating.

  • trish June 15, 2014, 4:54 pm

    Hi .. I am a bit confused.. on the website it says phase 1 is fruits and carbs..
    but in the outline of foods to eat it says protein as well as veg?
    I have ordered the book but it will take a while.. I am out of the country .
    thanks soooo much 😉

    • Penny Hammond June 16, 2014, 3:57 pm

      Phase 1 is high-glycemic, moderate-protein, low-fat – so yes, you should be eating protein and veg.

  • Debra W June 17, 2014, 12:59 pm

    I have medical issues and my doctor told me to eat healthy but my metabolism had shut down so I would have to just be happy with who I was. My cousin told me about this diet and bought me the book . I am on my 3rd round of 28 days and I have lost 46 pounds and my health has improved. I feel like I am living again instead of just existing. So this plan does work and the foods are healthy. I have 35 pounds left to go to meet my goal but even then I will continue to eat healthy as this program has taught me.

  • Naomi June 18, 2014, 11:31 pm

    I have lost a total of 7 lbs. and am now cycling through another 28 days. Now on Phase 2 and finding I’m hungrier for snack times…eating a bit more than 2 oz. of Jerky 2x a day however I am doing 2 sessions of weightlifting, once in the morning and once in afternoon. Drinking water …more than the stated amounts…. question: Can I eat egg white plus Jerky for snack on phase 2?
    Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond June 19, 2014, 5:52 am

      Egg white and jerky (as long as it doesn’t have sugar added) are high-protein, no-sugar foods that you can snack on for phase 2. Eating both together should be fine. Jerky’s a convenient snack, but trying to get a bit of variety in the proteins you eat may be a better idea than just eating more of the same type of protein.

  • Kim June 22, 2014, 9:53 pm

    Just wondering if Chia seeds are okay, I can’t seem to find them in the book.

    • Penny Hammond June 23, 2014, 8:53 am

      Chia seeds aren’t mentioned specifically in the book, but they’re included on the app as a phase 3 food.
      Treat them like other seeds – you can’t have them on phases 1 or 2 (because of the fat content) but you can have them on phase 3.

  • trish June 23, 2014, 6:46 am

    morning,
    if I make my own fruit juice is that ok to drink? 🙂 I would think so ?? thks in advance!

    • Penny Hammond June 23, 2014, 8:47 am

      Sorry, you shouldn’t have fruit juice on this diet – doesn’t matter if it’s store-bought or home-made.
      Haylie says that the natural sugar in fruit juice “gets delivered too rapidly into your bloodstream. This forces your body to store the excess in fat cells. Juice in particular increases the rate of sugar delivery because, while you might get the same grams of sugar from an orange as you would get from orange juice, the fiber in the whole orange slows down the rate of sugar delivery into the bloodstream.”

  • Geri June 26, 2014, 12:15 pm

    I’m just starting the 28 days I’m having trouble figuring out what my portions should be I have 80 lbs. to loose.

    • Penny Hammond June 27, 2014, 8:18 am

      Following the latest edition of the book, you should have the basic portions for each phase x 1½, and veggies portions x2 (note that salad greens and veggies are unlimited; at a minimum double the suggested portion).
      So, for example, if the portion size is given as 4 oz, you should have 4 x 1½ = 6 ounces.

  • Phyllis June 26, 2014, 8:09 pm

    I had my gallbladder removed many years ago. Will this influence my bodies reaction to the diet? Will the diet still work since on page 70 it says, “The gallbladder, in particular, primed by the pancreas, now knows how to torch fat like nobody’s business”

    • Penny Hammond June 27, 2014, 8:23 am

      Having your gallbladder removed will probably influence your body’s reaction to any diet, as your fat digestion will be different. There’s an interesting post on gallbladder removal diet on the Mayo Clinic website.

      You could try following the diet and keeping an eye out for how you feel on phase 3. It’s not a particularly high fat phase compared with the standard American diet, so hopefully it won’t cause you issues. Everybody reacts differently to diets – try it for a week to see how you react, whether you feel healthy while following the diet.

  • Sharon June 27, 2014, 3:07 pm

    Hi all,
    I am now on the tail end of Week 3 Phase 3 – followed the program to a T and have only lost 5 lbs.
    Phase 1 is a gain phase for me always 2 lbs
    Phase 2 is loose the 2 lbs
    Phase 3 stay the same
    I am not working out, but truly this can’t be the only reason that I am not seeing the weight come off!
    So hoping for a miracle that at the end of next week I have lost 15 lbs.
    Any ideas????

    • Penny Hammond June 27, 2014, 6:26 pm

      Not all diets work for everybody.
      Some people may find that because phase 1 is moderate-high carb and no fat, they gain weight during that phase.
      It sounds like you gave the diet a good try, but it wasn’t a good fit for you. Based on what you said about your weight change for each phase, perhaps you could try a paleo-style diet, which is high protein and vegetable and low starch (plus some fat, which is not on phase 2 of this diet)

  • Monique June 27, 2014, 4:01 pm

    I started this diet 4 weeks ago,and I have lost 15 lbs. I love this diet. Thanks for explaining everything. I have 15 more to go so I am going to do another 4 weeks. I can definitely maintain this healthy lifestyle.

    • Penny Hammond June 27, 2014, 6:28 pm

      Great!
      Good luck with the rest of your weight loss – remember that weight loss may slow down a little over time, as many people lose the most pounds at the beginning of a diet.

  • Andrea Kunicki June 30, 2014, 3:18 pm

    Love the diet and my husband is doing it with me! 2 questions — During the summer I am a late riser and may have breakfast at ten. That would mean a snack at 2 and lunch at 5 with a snack at 8 and dinner at 11,! That doesn’t work. I have been combining my lunch/ afternoon snack and try to keep to the schedule of eating something phase specific every four three to four hours. Any suggestions.? Question # 2. I have been on the diet for the full 28 days and have only lost ten pounds and no change in my inches measurements. I have been completely faithful except for 1 piece of birthday cake in the second week. Shouldn’t I be losing inches by now? I can see my face is thinner and I love being ten pounds lighter but I have a long way to go.

    • Penny Hammond July 1, 2014, 5:45 pm

      You could try squidging down the times between meals – I think the aim is to eat regularly. So try every 2-3 hours instead of every 3-4 hours.

      If you’ve lost 10 pound, you must have lost some inches somewhere! Concentrate on feeling healthier; as you lose more weight your body shape will continue to change.

  • Geri July 1, 2014, 10:17 am

    Good Morning, I asked for help on figuring out the portions for the amount of weight I have to loose. I know you have talked about this with others but I’m still confused. I have 80 pounds to loose like for a portion of beef the basic says 4 oz am I to have 6oz for my portion of protein?. Thank you for ant he you can give. My books have not arrived yet. should be here any day. Geri

    • Penny Hammond July 1, 2014, 5:17 pm

      Hi Geri,
      If you have more than 40 pounds to lose, you should have 1 1/2x the portions for everything except vegetables, which you should have 2x the portions.
      So if the portion size says 4 oz of beef, you should have 4 x 1.5 = 6 oz of beef.

  • Monique July 4, 2014, 7:19 pm

    I had success in the 4 weeks and will be doing it again

  • Holly July 6, 2014, 5:23 pm

    I am going to start the 28 day diet on Monday and had a quick question? The book doesn’t say anything about eating bananas and dole fruit cups are those ok?

    • Penny Hammond July 6, 2014, 5:32 pm

      The book says that bananas (and grapes) are high-sugar fruits, not to have on phase 1 – and as phase 1 is the high-glycemic phase, you definitely shouldn’t be having bananas on the other phases either!
      Look at the ingredients of Dole Fruit Bowls. Most of them contain sugar, which is not allowed on this diet, and many of them contain fruit juice, which is also not allowed on this diet. With a quick look through the varieties, I can’t find any that are suitable for this diet. Try frozen fruit instead.

  • emylee July 8, 2014, 11:08 pm

    Can we use honey?

    • Penny Hammond July 9, 2014, 7:38 am

      Haylie says to avoid all kinds of “refined sugars” during the diet – honey is natural, but it’s naturally refined by bees.
      The only sweeteners that she says are okay during the diet are stevia (powdered or liquid), xylitol (birch or hardwood only)

  • Carol July 10, 2014, 6:55 am

    Hi, I want to do the diet but I’m breastfeeding my baby. She is 7 months old so she is also eating solids. Can I do the diet? Thank you so much

    • Penny Hammond July 10, 2014, 5:35 pm

      I can’t find anything in the book about breastfeeding/nursing while on this diet.
      There’s a lot of variation from one phase to the next, and that might affect the quality or quantity of your milk. Might not be a good idea for that reason.

  • Mary C July 12, 2014, 1:41 pm

    I am nto my second week on the diet. I have followed it religiously. My question is This Friday and Saturday I have experienced light headedness and feeling faint. What should I eat to stop this feeling?

    • Penny Hammond July 13, 2014, 8:31 am

      Some people might get reactions like that when they’re first starting the diet, but it’s a little more unusual when you’re further into the diet.
      Which phase were you following on Friday and Saturday?
      Is it possible that something else may have caused the lightheadedness and feeling faint?

  • Kim July 13, 2014, 3:15 pm

    This plan sounds right for me in most ways. The only health condition not mentioned thus far on you blog Is GERD. So many of us who are overweight suffer from GERD. I’m wondering if anyone with GERD has tried this plan and what the effect or modifications were? Also I’m concerned with the portions triggering an episode as well? Any advice.

    • Penny Hammond July 13, 2014, 3:56 pm

      Haylie doesn’t mention GERD, acid reflux, or heartburn in the book.
      Different people have different triggers for this condition. If an individual food is a trigger for you, you should avoid that food on this program. If high-fat foods are a trigger, you’ll probably be okay on this diet as two of the phases are very-low-fat and the other is still not high in fats. And you’re right, eating until you’re very full is also a trigger – if the portion sizes on this diet are too big for you to eat comfortably, that may be an issue. Try to make sure you don’t drink during your meals (or for about 1/2 hour before or after meals), as that would fill you up more. Chew very well – that slows down your eating speed, which may be useful, and also may reduce the amount of time food needs to spend in your stomach.

      • Kim July 14, 2014, 2:41 am

        Thanks Penny I’ll give it a try.

      • Sarah May 13, 2015, 1:05 pm

        I have really terrible GERD, to the point that I’ve been on medication for years. It turns out it was caused by dairy, and has been resolved by this diet! I hope it worked for you!

  • Louise July 13, 2014, 10:35 pm

    Thanks for all your info.
    Is acorn squash acceptable on the FMD?

    • Penny Hammond July 14, 2014, 10:21 am

      Acorn squash is a type of winter squash, and you can have it on phases 1 and 3 of the FMD.

  • Amy July 14, 2014, 9:06 am

    Can you eat wheatberries ? And if so, what phase are they acceptable?

    • Penny Hammond July 14, 2014, 10:25 am

      You’re supposed to avoid wheat in this diet, unless it’s sprouted.
      There aren’t any guidelines about how sprouted it has to be – can it just have a little bit of a sprout sticking out of the seed or does it need to be a big sprout starting to turn green. If you want to sprout the wheatberries, I’d guess you’d want about 1/2 inch / 1 centimeter sprout. Then count it as a grain/starch, so you’d only be able to eat it on phases 1 and 3.

  • Arati July 14, 2014, 12:38 pm

    Just starting today….Any tips for vegetarians? Any good recipes?
    and I should mention…I don’t eat fish, eggs and don’t care for tofu 🙁

    • Penny Hammond July 14, 2014, 5:42 pm

      Hmm… given what you don’t eat, and the fact that you’re not allowed milk products on this diet, it may not be the best diet for you.

  • Jennifer July 14, 2014, 3:52 pm

    I saw something about ap for iPhone. is there an ap for android phones or ipad?

    • Penny Hammond July 14, 2014, 5:52 pm

      People have been asking for an app for Android phones for some time, but there isn’t one available and they haven’t announced plans to release one.

      The iPhone app also works for the iPad (and the iPod Touch) – download it at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id626362411.

  • Audrey July 14, 2014, 4:14 pm

    I am on the first day of phase three, this seems like so much food to eat. Is anyone else having trouble eating this much food in one day?

  • Jacky July 14, 2014, 6:48 pm

    Hi,
    I have both the book and the iphone app which I find very, very helpful. Something I can’t quite understand though, (and I have read through the book twice now) is that there appear to be some recipes or meals from the book that the app suggests in different phases that actually are not in the book. I have looked on Pinterest as well as googling the names directly and just cannot find them. If I made an error here, and just didn’t see them, then I apologize. Can you help me find the Kale and Beet Smoothie for Phase 3? Or the marinated chicken and Veggie Kabobs on Phase 2. or maybe are these recipes in the cookbook – which I didn’t buy?
    Thanks so much. I have been following the diet in Week 1 for 4 days and am down 6 lbs.. It is a new way of cooking for me though which is why the recipes are so key.

    • Penny Hammond July 15, 2014, 7:16 am

      Hi Jacky,
      You’re correct, those recipes are in the cookbook.
      I hope your success continues!

      • Jacky July 15, 2014, 11:13 am

        Thank you , Penny.

  • Zainab July 14, 2014, 11:21 pm

    Hi Penny, I just delivered a baby thru CS about 1 week ago, I came across your site and I am interested to try. However, is it safe for me to start the diet plan now? Will it affect my breastfeeding?
    Appreciate your help and many thanks.

    • Penny Hammond July 15, 2014, 7:32 am

      Hi Zainab,
      This diet is often very low-fat and changes a lot from one phase to the next, and both of those things could affect your milk production. I’d suggest waiting until you’ve finished breastfeeding.
      Breastfeeding in itself can help you lose baby weight. You can also try cutting back on processed foods and sugars and eating more vegetables and some fruits while you’re nursing.

  • kht77 July 15, 2014, 2:43 am

    Hi – I have just started the diet and my question relates to exercise. I normally row first thing the morning on a rowing machine for 30 minutes. I row at around 5.30am and start work at 7.15am. Can I eat my snack first before I row and then my breakfast at snack time? Many thanks, Kirsten

    • Penny Hammond July 15, 2014, 7:50 am

      That would mean that you’re eating within 30 minutes of waking up, which is one of Haylie’s main suggestions. I don’t know if it would affect the total effectiveness of the diet, but it looks like it should be okay for you.

  • Jess July 15, 2014, 8:01 pm

    Its been a week, everything is good. I just hope this continues! I lost about 8 pounds.. but most of all I feel great!

  • Jess July 15, 2014, 8:05 pm

    I have a question….. for phase one and two if we fry egg whites in the morning what do we use to cook them? since we can only use oils in phase 3

    • Penny Hammond July 16, 2014, 6:49 am

      The recipes in the book suggest using a nonstick pan, cooking some veggies such as onions and garlic first (with a teaspoon of water), and then adding the egg whites.

  • Quinn July 16, 2014, 1:08 am

    I’ve faithfully followed the Phases through one week and just completed week 2 Phase 1. I have gained a pound and a half. When can I expect the weight loss to begin.

    • Penny Hammond July 16, 2014, 6:50 am

      Most people who are successful on this diet start losing weight within the first week. If you’re following the diet faithfully and gaining weight, maybe it’s not the right diet for you.

  • Alison Quigley July 16, 2014, 2:44 am

    THANK YOU!!! This life diet is amazing and I have lost 30 pounds so far! Working at the last 20 now! Among my friends that I have shared this with and that are following the rules we are over 500 pounds as a group of people that eat all the time and eat REAL food! Thank you Haylie Pomroy, you have made a difference in our lives!!

  • Adriana July 16, 2014, 2:57 am

    Question: Going through menopause, taking Estroven which contains soy. Will this affect the program?

  • Maureen July 16, 2014, 6:18 am

    Question: phase one and 3 both have sweet potatoes as vegetables, how much sweet potato can i have because based on my reading, its unlimited.
    Question 2: Phase 3 seems like alot of food for Breakfast, I have over 40lbs to loose. Based on my reading a typical breakfast should have fat/protein, veges, grain and a fruit right? so i can have sweet potatoes as a vege (unlimited), broun rice and a fruit? please clarify
    Question 3: I was going to try the curry chicken recipe but it doesnt specify what the serving size is.

    • Penny Hammond July 16, 2014, 6:59 am

      Yes, sweet potatoes are listed as unlimited vegetables in phases 1 and 3. However, be reasonable here – they shouldn’t be your only veggie; make sure that you have some variety and include plenty of leafy green vegetables as well.
      So you could have the breakfast you describe above, if you have other vegetables at your other meals. And try to mix it up a bit and have different vegetables on different days – look at the recipes.

      The recipes usually say how many servings they provide – the coconut curry chicken recipe says “Serves 4”

  • Angela S. July 17, 2014, 12:49 pm

    I have a question about cauliflower – why is it not permitted on Phase 1 and 2? Broccoli and other cruciferous veggies are ok, so why not cauliflower? I love to make “rice” with it using a food processor, along with a variety of other recipes using this cauli-rice.

    • Penny Hammond July 17, 2014, 3:28 pm

      In one of the forum discussions the explanation is that the strategy is “to combine nutrients of different foods on each phase, so that’s why we eat different combinations of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins on each phase”. This refers to a Facebook comment I can’t find as there isn’t a search function on the FMD Facebook page.

  • Annette in Mississippi July 17, 2014, 10:18 pm

    I bought rice which said that it was brown, but it didn’t look very brown. Then I found some truly brown rice. Is there some difference between the shades of brown rice?

    • Penny Hammond July 18, 2014, 6:38 am

      “Brown” rice is whole rice grains that still have the bran (hard outer layer of the grain) and the germ (reproductive part of the grain). It’s the bran part that’s brown. That can be in different shades of brown – it shouldn’t make much too much of a difference what the color is for this diet as long as it’s a whole grain.

  • Hoda July 18, 2014, 3:05 am

    Hello,
    I have just started my 28 day today. this summarize was excellent, so thank you!
    Wish me luck! The only problem I have is that I am going to Italy for work for 4 days next week, and I am a little concern about what i can eat there.

    • Penny Hammond July 18, 2014, 6:43 am

      Good luck!
      Phase 3 would probably be the easiest to follow while you’re in Italy… focus on antipasti (lots of veggies) and secondi (usually fish or meat)

  • molly July 19, 2014, 9:24 pm

    I tried to scroll to find out any information on olives. I love them and they are only ok to eat in phase 3. Are they a vegetable or a fat? And how many can I eat if I am trying to loose 20-40 pounds. Thanks

  • Melanie July 20, 2014, 4:55 pm

    This is a fabulous “cheat sheet” for those of us that need something quick and cannot carry the book around. Excellent work! Any tips on traveling? I am flying this week for work and I am worried about the times that I am not able to get to some good food. What can I use to tide me over???

  • kelly July 20, 2014, 7:34 pm

    I’m getting ready to start this diet. I’m not telling anyone because I don’t want to be apart of another failure on my end. I hate when people know you ate trying a diet and all how is going or why it’s not working 🙁

    My question here is what if I’m up for long days? I get up at 5:30 and usually go to bed around 10 pm. Do I need to add in another snack? if I’m hungry between these meals set up can I small on the approved foods for that phase?

    Thanks!
    Kelly

    • Penny Hammond July 21, 2014, 11:08 am

      Hi Kelly,
      It sounds like you’re sleeping 7 1/2 hours, which is probably about average – is the issue that you’re on your feet the whole time?
      Haylie says to eat 5 times a day, every 3-4 hours – you could make it 4 hours instead of 3 hours between meals if that works for you.
      Keep within the portion sizes, but remember that you can have unlimited phase-appropriate veggies, so eat more of them for your meals and snacks to fill you up.

  • kelly July 20, 2014, 7:49 pm

    I have sweet banana peppers growing like crazy in my garden. When can I use them in any of the 3 phases? ????

    • Penny Hammond July 21, 2014, 11:09 am

      Haylie says that banana peppers are unlimited in phases 1 and 2, but for some reason in phase 3 she restricts peppers to only bell peppers, Italian peppers/pepperoncini, and poblano peppers.

  • ROBIN July 21, 2014, 10:02 am

    Hello. I’m starting my first day today. For breakfast I made the Steel-cut oats on P. 185. It says it “serves 2”, but I got 3 1-cup servings. Is this correct? I started not to even measure and to just take half the oats, but that would have been 1 1/2 cups. Was I correct to only have 1 cup of the oats which turned out to be 1/3 of the pot? Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond July 21, 2014, 11:26 am

      You’re correct that the portion size is 1 cup cooked oat.
      I have a couple of versions of the book – the hardcover says the recipe serves 2, and the Kindle version says it serves 4. Oats don’t always expand by exactly the same amount when cooked (it varies depending on their age, dryness, and other factors), but they usually approximately double in size. Probably safest to cook and then measure as you did.

  • Erin July 23, 2014, 11:14 am

    Why is there no mention of cauliflower in phase 1 or 2?

    • Penny Hammond July 24, 2014, 7:20 am

      In one of the forum discussions the explanation is that the strategy is “to combine nutrients of different foods on each phase, so that’s why we eat different combinations of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins on each phase”. This refers to a Facebook comment I can’t find as there isn’t a search function on the FMD Facebook page.

  • trish July 25, 2014, 5:23 pm

    after one month I have lost 10lbs!! YIPPPEEE. 10 more to go.. finally .. it works.. I even cheat! ssshh.. lol .. one thing.. I still have headaches 🙁
    any suggestions? thanks in advance. 🙂

    • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 5:58 pm

      Headaches can be triggered by many different things, and food is just one type of trigger. Stress and other environmental factors can also be triggers. Food triggers for headaches include chocolate, red wine, cured meats, aged cheeses, alcohol, food additives, cold foods, and many other foods depending on the individual – see WebMD headache food triggers for more examples.

  • Judy July 25, 2014, 10:31 pm

    The book says that we can have spelt pretzels on phase one. I happened to have some and they have organic sunflower oil in them, and then I checked other brands and they have oil too. How is this OK?

    • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 6:21 pm

      If there’s just a tiny amount of fat in the pretzels, that would probably be okay – the lean proteins you’re eating on this phase also contain small amounts of fat.

  • Islander July 26, 2014, 11:47 am

    I have celiac disease and this looks like a perfect plan for me, but I also have hypo-thyroidism and I am wondering if anyone who has this health issue has had success with this plan (because it is extremely difficult for me to lose weight with thyroid problems).

    • Islander July 26, 2014, 12:00 pm

      Also, I have a friend interested in this plan who is wanting to quit smoking but afraid to gain weight, would she still lose weight while kicking the habit?

      • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 6:48 pm

        I don’t really know whether she’d gain or lose weight – people tend to put on weight when they quit smoking because they fill the time by snacking; if your friend snacks on healthy foods within the guidelines of the diet then perhaps she’d be more likely to lose weight. If she eats a lot of processed foods or sugar as well, she’ll be detoxing from them as well and may have a hard time starting out; she’ll need support from friends!

  • Sandi V. July 26, 2014, 9:44 pm

    I am pre-diabetic and following a carb counting diabetic diet with success in keeping blood sugar stable, but not losing weight. However, I am not sure I can maintain stable sugars with the heavy glycemic phase one day. Do you know if this plan is recommended at all for diabetics?

    • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 6:54 pm

      Haylie claims that the diet works well for diabetics.
      However, if you feel that you would have trouble dealing with the fairly dramatic cycling of carbs, it may not work for you.

  • BJ August 3, 2014, 4:04 pm

    Hi, I lost weight on this program the first week but not on the second week. I am about to start on the week three meal plan. Not seeing the result is a discouragement. I have followed the plan carefully. Please advice.

    • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 8:35 pm

      There could be other factors involved – hormone cycles, being sick, etc. Keep going to see if week 3 works better for you.

  • Jackie Lopez August 4, 2014, 10:25 am

    Hi everyone!

    may I ask if its okay to eat every 2-3 instead of 3-4 hours since I am working long days (7:30-21:30) cause my break time since 12:30 is every 2 hours?

    thank you so much!

    Jackie

    • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 8:41 pm

      Hi Jackie,
      Sure, you could try that – the idea in the book is to make sure you’re eating throughout the day without any big gaps, and eating a variety of foods – make sure you eat all the suggested portion sizes, even if you have to split them across different break times, and eat the foods together rather than separating them into different meals.

  • Geri August 4, 2014, 1:38 pm

    Hi Penny, I just finished my first 28 days I lost 12 pounds and 6 inches, Starting round 2 today. feeling great. I do miss my coffee . Is my weight loss typical? I use the treadmill in phase 1 weight lifting in phase 2. Is this right? Thanks Geri

    • Penny Hammond August 4, 2014, 8:48 pm

      Congratulations!
      I don’t know about typical weight loss – it’s going to depend on a number of different factors. But that sounds like a reasonable weight loss, not too fast but quite an achievement in a month. It might be slower next month.
      I’m afraid I can’t help you with the exercise side of things – I only look at the food side of diets.
      Good luck in your second round…

    • trish August 25, 2014, 6:26 pm

      hi.. so did I. ! I found pero.. I didn’t like it at first but it serves the purpose.. that cup of “java ” in the morning.
      Its good to loose weight slow.. it gives our bodies time to process the changes and make them long lasting.
      I am in my 3rd phase and have lost 13lbs.. I have about 10lbs to go .. its taking its time but I have never gained since I am doing this.. some weeks no change but average.. a 1lb a week. My weight wasn’t moving at all.. so .. im good.. going in the right direction! Lets do it! keep the faith.;)

  • Karen August 8, 2014, 3:10 pm

    I am in the middle of week 4. I have lost 15 lbs.
    Thrilled. I am facing back surgery and need to continue to lose.
    I am still a little confused about phase 3.
    Fat/protein. Does this mean Fat and protein. Fat or protein or health fat and protein. Please clarify for me . THANKS

    • Penny Hammond August 8, 2014, 8:06 pm

      From what I can tell, it’s a combination of fat and protein. So a fatty protein, or fat plus protein.

  • Elizabeth August 9, 2014, 12:35 pm

    If you have a 100 lbs to lose, how do you figure the portion size…sounds like a lot of food for one portion at 3 times portions size. Just trying to figure out the plan before I start.

    • Penny Hammond August 10, 2014, 8:44 am

      In the original printings of the book, Haylie asked people to eat more and more depending on how much they weighed.
      In more recent printings, she’s moderated that advice – if you have 41 or more pounds to lose (even if it’s 100 lbs or 200 lbs or more) – eat the basic portion x 1½, veggies portion x2.

  • Mike August 12, 2014, 8:42 am

    Are caffeine free diet soda permitted? Thanks!!

    • Penny Hammond August 12, 2014, 3:35 pm

      The only sweeteners recommended on this diet are stevia and birch-based xylitol. I don’t know of any diet sodas using those sweeteners.
      Instead, you could use club soda or sparkling water with lemon or lime.

  • Marta August 12, 2014, 10:47 am

    I just finished my first week on FMD, however I hardly lost but I feel amazing, my skin glows, I’ve lost inches, I sleep wonderful, and awake refreshed. I’m not giving up, but will a loss kick in ?

    • Penny Hammond August 12, 2014, 3:38 pm

      Well, it sounds as though things are definitely moving in the right direction! If you’ve lost inches, it could be that some fat has gone and some other fat has turned to muscle (which weighs more)… if that’s the case, you’ll probably lose weight further down the line.

  • Linda August 13, 2014, 11:32 am

    My sister in laws sister swears by this. I am on board and am anxious to do it. Wish me success!

    • Penny Hammond August 13, 2014, 2:07 pm

      Good luck!

  • Jewel August 14, 2014, 9:16 pm

    I can’t find bananas in any phase. I don’t know if I can go without 1 or 2 a week. Would phase 1 be best place to eat one?

    • Penny Hammond August 17, 2014, 8:38 pm

      Haylie says in Phase 1 to avoid high-sugar fruits like bananas and grapes. In phase 2, there’s no fruit (except lemons and limes).
      In phase 3 she doesn’t mention bananas at all in the book. Bananas aren’t in the food list in the app. As phase 1 is the highest glycemic phase, and Haylie says you shouldn’t have bananas in phase 1, I’d assume you shouldn’t have bananas in any phase.
      Is there another, less sugar, fruit you could eat instead?

  • ksthleen August 16, 2014, 7:15 am

    I get up between 5 and 6 and so eat my first meal really early
    should my dinner be my last food or can I have another snack

    • Penny Hammond August 17, 2014, 9:12 pm

      Haylie says you should eat 5 times a day, every 3-4 hours. For each phase, she gives very clear guidelines about what types of food to eat at each meal or snack. The last food of the day, on all the phases is dinner – there isn’t a snack after dinner for any of the phases. I don’t see any strong reason to change that because you’re waking up really early.

  • Mickey August 19, 2014, 10:25 pm

    I’m going to start the diet on Monday. I have been writing all the recipes I like on colored recipe cards, a different color for each phase. It will be easier planning and cooking the meals until I get used to them. It will be easier making a grocery list also. Love your site. Thanks

    • Penny Hammond August 20, 2014, 10:12 am

      Great idea!
      Good luck with the diet.

  • Judith Carlson August 21, 2014, 11:34 am

    Wondering if we can have Kombucha? Its a raw vegetable made into a probiotic.

    • Penny Hammond August 22, 2014, 11:48 am

      The raw ingredients for kombucha are tea, sugar, and the SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast) which converts the sugar, plus any other ingredients added if you’re buying it off the shelf rather than making it yourself. It’s usually got a very small amount of alcohol in it, and a negligible amount of sugar (unless some has been added).
      In the FMD website at http://www.hayliepomroy.com/phase-4-of-the-fast-metabolism-diet/, the site admin says that you can have kombucha on any phase.

  • Grace August 21, 2014, 6:07 pm

    On day 4. I can’t eat all this food in a day. Today I don’t want to eat anything. What should I do?

    • Penny Hammond August 22, 2014, 12:14 pm

      Eat what you can, balancing between the different foods so you’re not eating just one type of food.

  • mostagfera August 21, 2014, 10:53 pm

    penny i am so thankful for you but i have a question what you should be eating at every moment of the day for the first two weeks of the program

    • Penny Hammond August 22, 2014, 12:24 pm

      The book contains some meal maps, all phases for 4 weeks. They’re on pp 130-132, 139-141, 150-152, and 158-160. They tell you what to eat for each meal and snack, if you want to have exact instructions.

      There’s also a section called “The Super-Simple Diet Option” (pp 235-239) which tells you what to eat for each meal, using some of Hayley’s products that you can buy from her website.

      • Ellen August 23, 2014, 8:59 pm

        Penny, am I allowed to substitute protein shakes such as Raw Protein from whole Foods for any part of the diet? Ellen

        • Penny Hammond August 24, 2014, 7:47 pm

          You can eat foods that have ingredients which are allowed on the phase you’re on.

          Looking at the ingredients for Garden of Life Raw Protein, it would be suitable for phases 1 and 3 (all the seeds are sprouted and I’m assuming it’s low fat, and the vitamin K derived from soy probably wouldn’t be considered a source of soy, but make your own judgment on that).

          The only thing is that it’s difficult to work out what the serving size should be.

  • Sophie W. August 27, 2014, 6:54 am

    Does the Fast Metabolic Diet work with Hashimoto’s disease (autoimmune illness of the thyroid).
    Thank you for your answer.

    • Penny Hammond August 28, 2014, 6:47 am

      Haylie mentions Hashimoto’s disease when talking about your thyroid as one of your body’s five major players. She also says that her diet has helped people with thyroid disorders.
      Probably worth checking with your doctor before starting the diet.

  • Lenita Griffin August 27, 2014, 9:35 am

    I read the book and started the diet Last Monday. Day 1 -6 I lost almost 5 lbs, but Days 6,7,8,9, I have steadily gained. Has this ever happened to anyone before. I have not altered the diet and have diligently drank my correct amount of water. Can you advise me ?? I am getting frustrated since the last 4 days the scales have been going up
    Lenita

    • Penny Hammond August 28, 2014, 6:51 am

      It’s pretty common to lose the most weight right at the beginning of a diet, especially if you’re making a big change. But putting on weight… is there something else going on, for example hormone cycle (e.g. period) or have you been sick?

  • patsy August 31, 2014, 8:56 pm

    Can anyone recommend a good slow cooker? There are so many from which to choose- it’s confusing. Thanks

    • Penny Hammond September 1, 2014, 12:22 pm

      Have a look at the best selling slow cookers on Amazon, to see what’s popular. Decide whether you want something manual (which often means you have to remember to turn it off, and you have to be there to turn it off), or programmable (you can set the length of cooking time, and sometimes delay the start time). I have a programmable Crock Pot that I bought years ago.

      • patsy September 2, 2014, 1:06 am

        Thanks Penny. I bought a Hamilton Beach programable one today and hope I like it.

  • Nicole August 31, 2014, 9:09 pm

    What should I do if I am unable to eat breakfast within 30 min. I have to take two pills in the morning which take an hour before I am able to eat anything.

    • Penny Hammond September 1, 2014, 12:25 pm

      Haylie says “When you are awake and working, you have to keep eating. Otherwise, you leave your body without fuel, and then it thinks you are starving and before you know it, your metabolism is slowing down.” (p.35)
      If you’re active in the morning, you could set your alarm clock early and take your pills and go back to sleep (if you’re able to). If you lie around in bed for a while, maybe it’s not an issue.

  • Rubz September 1, 2014, 12:01 am

    Hi Penny,

    This diet looks great. I have always been a healthy 55kg until I moved abroad and gained 5kg. I have tried many different diets which I regret as I was starving myself, plus exercising every day. It has been a year and I have only lost 2 kg. I really want to lose the remaining 3kg but it feels almost impossible!! My body seems to be holding on to the fat. I eat healthy now, avoid proccessed foods and high carbs. Do you think this diet will help me lose the remaing 3kg? I fear that I may have perminently damaged my metabolism 🙁

    • Penny Hammond September 1, 2014, 12:27 pm

      Try the diet, see how it works for you – it’s possible it might help you shift the weight.
      Also, ask yourself whether you’re trying to achieve a healthy weight – is it possible you were a little underweight before?

  • patsy September 2, 2014, 1:05 am

    Penny, I am a calorie counter and the calorie intake for Sat. and Sunday way high. My history is such that I don’t believe I can loose eating that much. Can I reduce the portion to a more reasonable size? Thanks, Patsy

    • Penny Hammond September 2, 2014, 12:18 pm

      A fundamental part of this diet is breaking out of the calorie restriction trend. Haylie asks you to eat more in order to lose weight, saying that this will speed up your metabolism. Reducing the portion size because you’re used to fewer calories would be like “cheating” on this diet!

  • suzi September 2, 2014, 11:43 am

    Hi Penny,
    I am 59 and been on the slender side. Within this past year what has always worked to shed the extra 5 that creeps on, no longer works. I have gained weight. I am hoping this plan will help me boost my metabolism, and help get them off. I read in the book that a morning smoothie should have 1 cup of uncooked oatmeal-is that correct. I though I read a discrepancy in some of your posts. I don’t want to gain more weight, so I’m a bit nervous about this. Thanks so much.

    • Penny Hammond September 2, 2014, 12:25 pm

      Looking at the Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie recipe for phase 1, it looks like you don’t have to cook the oats first, so it’s for 1 cup of uncooked steel-cut oats. I was a little surprised about that because the serving size for phase 1 is 1 cup of cooked oats, and if you cooked a cup of uncooked steel-cut oats you’d probably end up with about 1-1/4 – 1-1/2 cups as the oats to swell up. Maybe you could try 3/4 cup of uncooked steel-cut oats instead.

  • Nikki September 7, 2014, 7:50 pm

    Can you have pure, all natural, local honey?

    • Penny Hammond September 8, 2014, 9:25 am

      Haylie lists honey with sugar, agave nectar, and maple syrup – it looks like she considers them all to be sugars to be avoided during this diet.
      The only sweeteners you’re allowed are stevia (powdered or liquid) or xylitol (birch xylitol or hardwood only).

  • Theresa September 11, 2014, 9:39 am

    Been on the program for 2.5 weeks and have only lost 5 pounds. I have about 50 pounds to lose. This is very slow for me. I am losing inches but when does the weight come off…..kinda frustrated.

    I am following this very well.

    Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond September 12, 2014, 3:58 pm

      If you’re following the instructions very well, including drinking a lot of water, then maybe this isn’t the right diet for you.
      Are you finding that you feel better in some phases than others? If so, which ones?

  • Ahmondra September 13, 2014, 8:43 pm

    If you really, really are ready to create changes in your relationship with food, this is the answer. For years I struggled to find an eating system that would allow me to loose weight and eat real food. I was tired of mixing expensive sugar loaded shakes, eating cardboard box food or taking expensive supplements that washed out of my system as fast as I could swallow them. I have been vegetarian for over 20 years, and I didn’t drink sodas or eat any fast foods but even with this eating lifestyle I was gaining weight slowly and my cholesterol was creeping up.
    One day by accident, I came across fast metabolism diet. I purchased the book and even though I DID NOT COOK!! I decided to take it one and do it just as it was laid out. It was difficult because I did not start losing until my third week. I lost 10 lbs. I have been off the eating plan for three months and I am going to begin another cycle to loose the other 10 lbs. I am recommending this to everyone who will listen. It does take commitment but IT WORKS. I not only lost weight I completely changed my relationship with food. I don’t over eat and my body expects food every two hours which is great for someone who could go all day and not eat much. I like the fact that I am eating real food and the right kind of food . I recently had all my blood work done and my cholesterol is going down and everything is good. Thank you Hailey for giving us a healthy way to take charge of our body.

  • Norma Mierke September 14, 2014, 6:48 pm

    Very confused about blank meal map indicating Healthy Fat/Protein on Phase 3. Does the “slash” indicate “OR”?
    If we choose Healthy Fat liberally then we would not need Protein? Pg 69 chart in book listed Healthy Fat ONLY for both snacks and Fat/Protein for three meals? Also dinner on phase 3 listed GRAIN as (optional) and chart on pg 69 does not indicate “optional” Very confusing… HELP

    • Penny Hammond September 15, 2014, 12:47 pm

      Fat/protein appears to mean higher-fat protein or fat plus protein – look at the recipes for phase 3 and you’ll see they have protein and fat in them, either as two separate ingredients or as a fatty protein.
      Perhaps I’m looking at a different version of the book, but it looks like it should be fat/protein for all snacks as well as all meals in phase 3.

      You’re correct that there is some contradiction in the book about grain/starch in phase 3 dinners. The app, which was created after the book, says that grain/starch is required in phase 3 dinners, not optional.

  • Linda September 18, 2014, 11:02 am

    I’m on week 2, and despite not “religiously” adhering (ate whole egg instead of just egg whites, P2, for example) I have lost 4 lbs relatively effortlessly – have not exercised either. So, I know when I do go at it with my whole heart, I will see tremendous results! Already I feel better.

    Question: How long are we to do cardio (P1) or weights (P2)? I have no trouble planning to get an hour long massage on P3!

    • Penny Hammond September 18, 2014, 12:44 pm

      How wonderful that you’re feeling better already!
      I focus on the food side of diets, and don’t know that much about the exercise aspects – please refer to the book for that.

  • Irene Law September 23, 2014, 11:51 am

    Hi, Penny,

    Just wondering how the effect will be very much lower if I can’t quit coffee (with caeffine) when following this 28 days 3 phase diet. I can’t quit coffee as I was already addicted to it. I felt very uneasy and no mood without the coffee. Please advise! Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond September 23, 2014, 12:52 pm

      Hi Irene,
      The diet might not work so well if you’re continuing to consume a food you’re addicted to. There are a number of foods you’re asked to avoid on this diet that people might have some form of addiction to, including sugar, wheat, milk, alcohol, and caffeine. Part of the idea of this diet is to break yourself from those addictions. Weaning yourself off a food you’re addicted to is an unpleasant process, but you would probably feel a lot healthier if you could do it, after the withdrawal symptoms go away.

  • Dorothy September 24, 2014, 1:15 am

    I haven’t started this yet but a friend’s doing this and has lost 6.5 lbs in 4 days. I’ve tried just about everything but the pounds just seem to “stick”! Planning on starting Monday.
    Is there any advice you can give a newbie who’s really, really wanting to succeed?
    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond September 28, 2014, 2:32 pm

      This diet is pretty complex, with different foods that are allowed (or in different amounts) on different days.
      Plan ahead, know what you’ll eat for each meal, shop for everything and have the recipes (or even prepare the food) so you’re ready for that first week and don’t get frustrated with all the new stuff.

      Good luck!

  • Katrina Mace September 29, 2014, 4:05 pm

    with unlimited veggies – does that mean only at meal or snack times, or can a person munch on these in between if feeling hungry.
    Also, is it 2 hours between meals and snacks or 3?

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2014, 4:57 pm

      I can’t see anything in the book saying you can’t eat veggies between meals and snacks…

      There’s a little flexibility on the timing between meals and snacks. The general guideline is to eat 5 times a day, every 3-4 hours. Plan out your day and see when meal and snack times work for you. If you’ve got a 2-hour gap in some cases and a 4-hour gap in others, that should be fine.

  • Giusy Bernardi September 30, 2014, 10:01 am

    Hello,
    I have a couple of questions for FMD:
    – The book in recipes for breakfast F3 it says to eat 1 slice of bread wheat germ, 1 slice is correct or do I have to eat only half?
    – If I eat the scrambled egg in a frying pan with a little oil should I add more healthy fats, such as almonds / nuts, egg or there are already all fats?
    – To lose more than 10Kg eggs are 2?

    Now I miss 2Kg to switch to the doses to lose up to 10 kg, but I seem to drop weight very slowly, I have to reduce the dose immediately or expect to lose even those 2Kg?

    Thank you very much for answering all my questions, you are a great help for all of us “chubby” :)))
    Greetings to all of you and Haylie

    Giusy Bernardi from Switzerland

    • Penny Hammond October 5, 2014, 1:55 pm

      Hello Giusy,

      The diet book and the cookbook both have recipes with 1 slice of sprouted-grain bread for phase 3. The cookbook was written some time after the diet book, so if there had been an error in the portion size for the diet book it probably would have been corrected for the cookbook. I assume that 1 slice is the correct portion size.
      Note that you can only have sprouted grain bread on this diet, or another bread not made with wheat. Wheat germ bread would not be allowed on this diet, as it’s usually made from wheat that has not been sprouted.

      Whole eggs contain both protein and fat, so there shouldn’t be a need to add more fat when you have whole eggs in phase 3.

      If you have more than 10 kg / 20 lb to lose, you should have 1 1/2 times the portion size. That gives you 1 1 /2 eggs, which is difficult to do! Perhaps an egg plus two egg whites?

      Wait until you reach 10 kg / 20 lb above your goal weight before you switch to single portion sizes. At that time, reduce all your portion sizes from 1 1/2 to 1.

      Good luck!

  • ken October 5, 2014, 8:10 pm

    I didn’t see grapes anywhere on any fruit lists. Are they not appropriate for either phase 1 or 3?

    • Penny Hammond October 6, 2014, 11:24 am

      The book says in chapter 3 that grapes (and bananas) are high-sugar fruits, not to have on phase 1. As phase 1 is the high-glycemic phase, it looks like you shouldn’t be having grapes on the other phases either.

  • Courtney October 6, 2014, 9:55 am

    I wake up at 5:45 every morning to get my kids ready for school which has my breakfast set at 6:15. I eat the allotted foods specified for that time. But then I usually fall back asleep till the snack time at 8:45. I am the truly up for the day. My question is does falling back asleep affect the diet in a negative way? Is it ok that I fall back asleep and don’t stay up? I don’t want to mess this up.

    • Penny Hammond October 6, 2014, 11:27 am

      The book basically says that if you’re active, you should eat regularly. I can’t find anything about going back to sleep or having a siesta having a negative effect. So it looks like it should be okay to eat when you first get up and then resume eating after you’ve had a snooze.

  • Kathy October 13, 2014, 9:59 pm

    Thanks for the summary Penny! I find myself constantly flipping through the book, trying to find food lists and menus, etc., so this will be a time saver. I’m on Day 8 and 7 pounds lighter!

    • Penny Hammond October 14, 2014, 10:58 am

      You’re welcome, and good luck!

  • Sylvana October 19, 2014, 2:56 am

    Hi. Great site. Question is: there are no berries or peaches where I live. Can I substitute nectarines forr peaches?
    Thanks so much!

    • Penny Hammond October 19, 2014, 12:41 pm

      Happy to help!

      It should be fine to substitute nectarines instead of peaches.

      • Sylvana October 19, 2014, 12:59 pm

        Thanks! One more question, are chia seeds allowed. They are not on the list.

        • Penny Hammond October 19, 2014, 2:06 pm

          Yes, on phase 3 only – chia seeds, and other raw seeds, are considered a healthy fat

          • Sylvana October 20, 2014, 12:46 am

            Penny, hate to bother you but I am so confused about portion sizes on Phase 3. The grain portion is 1/2 cup of cooked grain …like oats. But the recipe in the book for berry nutty oatmeal has 1/2 cup of uncooked oatmeal which expand to about one cup of cooked. And yet she says this serves one.. So is it 1/2 cup or not?? Thanks so much.

          • Penny Hammond October 20, 2014, 1:18 pm

            Yes, that’s confusing. You’re probably looking at an early printing of the book – the latest printings tell you to use 1/4 cup oatmeal and 1 cup fresh berries for that recipe (everything else is the same).

  • Yasmin October 21, 2014, 5:08 am

    Hai,

    Thank you for this site and all answers.
    My name is Yasmin and I live in Holland.
    I have finished my 28 days of th FMD. I lost 4 kg (=8 lbs) but feel very good. I am though a little bit disappointed about the result. As far as I can tell, I was totally following the program, and haven’t cheated once. I wonder how I didn’t loose more weight.
    Q1: There was a phrase how to eat after 28 days; fase 4. I couldn’t find it back in the book. Could you please explain?
    Q2: There are a lot of inconsistencies in the translated Dutch version of the book: is there anytime soon going to be corrections for that?

    Thanks in advance.

    • Penny Hammond October 21, 2014, 8:04 am

      Hi Yasmin,

      There isn’t a phase 4 in the book – chapter 10, Fast Metabolism Living, discusses how to eat after the first 28 days.

      For any questions about corrections to translations, I suggest you contact the publishers – their address is at http://www.hayliepomroy.com/contact/.

      I hope that helps!

  • Doe October 23, 2014, 9:58 pm

    I’ve been on this eating plan awhile now. When I started I lost 5 lbs without much difficulty. Now however, I’ve stopped losing and have gained most of it back. I follow the eating plan closely. However, I am a pump-dependent Diabetic and 3 x a week or so I have to slurp back some juice. I don’t have much choice in this as it’s either that or pass out! Could this be the reason for my not losing steadily as my friend is doing? I don’t want to give up because I like this plan. Any suggestions of how I can make it work for me? Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond October 27, 2014, 12:10 pm

      The amount of carbs on this diet vary every few days, which might not be the best idea for a pump-dependent diabetic.
      What is it that you like about this diet? Maybe you could find another diet that has some of the elements you like but a steadier effect on blood sugar.

  • emma October 24, 2014, 10:44 am

    I travel quite a bit for work and would like to know if I could use protein powder as a protein substitute when cooking is not an option. I use pea protein, nothing with dairy in it.

    • Penny Hammond October 27, 2014, 12:26 pm

      Haylie offers some shakes at http://shophayliepomroy.com/.
      The protein powder in the phase 1 shake is an “all-natural vegan hypoallergenic proprietary blend of pea isolate and rice protein that is free of corn protein, wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, and soy”
      Phase 2’s shake contains “all-natural vegan hypoallergenic proprietary blend of pea isolate and L-Carnitine that is free of corn protein, wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, and soy”
      Phase 3’s shake contains “all-natural vegan hypoallergenic proprietary blend of pea isolate and flax seed that is free of corn protein, wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, and soy”
      So it looks like pea protein is okay!

  • Iris October 29, 2014, 2:37 pm

    What are coconut amino? Turkey meatloaf calls for this. Can I use something else in it’s place? My husband and I are doing very well on this diet. It’s a lot of cooking, but all recipes turn out very good, so I’ m beginning to enjoy it. I am dating foods that I normally turn my nose up and never have tried like sweet potatoes. Now I eat them and love them!

    • Penny Hammond October 29, 2014, 8:06 pm

      Coconut aminos are kind of like soy sauce (strong umami flavor) but don’t contain soy, which isn’t allowed on this diet. You can buy them on Amazon.

      Have fun continuing to try new foods and recipes!

  • Doe October 29, 2014, 3:56 pm

    Hi. I’m a Type 1 Diabetic on the insulin pump which gives me a reasonable amount of control. I love this eating plan and am losing weight but quite slowly. Although I’ve made significant changes to my insulin levels, I still have a fair number of low blood sugars. Could the fact I’m eating fruit when I’m not supposed to but have to (the consequences of not treating a low blood sugar are not even an option. It’s either that or death), be the reason for this slow weight loss?
    Any advice would be greatly appreciated! 🙂 Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond October 29, 2014, 8:08 pm

      The amount of carbs on this diet vary every few days, which might not be the best idea for a type 1 diabetic. The diet is designed to completely avoid carbs on some days, and eat more on others, to boost your metabolism. That won’t work for you if you need a steady supply of carbs – the principal of this diet won’t work for you.

  • Dody October 30, 2014, 1:31 pm

    Can I use agare as a sweetner? Mom had gastric bypass and the Dr. told her to use that.

    • Penny Hammond October 30, 2014, 3:53 pm

      The only sweeteners allowed on this diet are stevia (powdered or liquid) and xylitol (birch xylitol or hardwood only). You shouldn’t use sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar on this diet (p.87)

      • Dody December 8, 2014, 12:31 pm

        Just wanted you to know that the reason I started this diet was on recommendation from my Dr. I had food poisoning this summer and stayed in hospital for 7 days. My body went into stress mode and started releasing cortisol, I lost all my hair and gained 20 lbs. My doctor said to get on this diet and lose 29 lbs. He said it would set my body’s clock back to normal. I have been on this diet for one whole cycle and on 2nd week of second cycle. ( I ate everything for thanksgiving day) I have lost 17 lbs. my hair is growing back and I feel wonderful. I only have 12 lbs. to go.

  • shirley November 5, 2014, 2:22 pm

    My daughter and me started the diet the first week we lost 4 pound and now we gained it or not lost anything
    what is wrong ?????
    It can be it is not good for everyone ?????
    We are very disappointed

    • Penny Hammond November 5, 2014, 6:56 pm

      Sorry to hear that. This is a complicated diet, which makes it not so easy to follow exactly. And not every diet works for everyone. Think about whether you feel better in your general health, not just weight loss.

  • anitaPi November 8, 2014, 7:23 am

    Recipe on newsletter for stuffed cabbage rolls. Calls for 8 cups of rice. Also says serves 8, and you are to serve 3/4 cup of rice on the side. So does the meat mixture get 8 cups of rice or only 2 cups?

    • Penny Hammond November 9, 2014, 11:24 am

      Hmm, it sounds like there might be a typo in the recipe – you usually only put a small amount of rice in the stuffing.

  • Veronica November 10, 2014, 12:21 pm

    I’m on day one and so far it’s going ok. I’m feeling confused as to how much I need to be eating.

    I had my oatmeal and berries at 630am, fruit at 930am, will have lunch at 1230pm, then fruit at 330pm and so on.

    But in between these meals and snacks, I can have unlimited amounts of the veggies allowed?

  • Veronica November 10, 2014, 1:23 pm

    Can you have egg whites for breakfast? I see that the french toast includes egg whites, but the book says Grains and fruit

    • Penny Hammond November 11, 2014, 7:53 am

      Phase 1 is a moderate protein phase, and the focus for breakfast is carbohydrates. The french toast has a little egg white but it’s predominantly carbs. Protein like egg whites on its own wouldn’t fit into the guidelines for phase 1 breakfasts.

  • Carmen November 12, 2014, 9:32 pm

    Is this diet ok for breastfeeding mamas? I don’t want my milk supply to decrease.

    • Penny Hammond November 13, 2014, 7:40 am

      Here are Haylie’s recommendations for breastfeeding moms: http://www.hayliepomroy.com/pregnancy-nursing-and-the-fast-metabolism-lifestyle/. She basically says – don’t try to lose weight right now, and loosely follow the phases of the diet but load up on fruit for all phases – 5 servings on every phase including phase 2.

      There’s a lot of variation from one phase to the next, and that might affect the quality or quantity of your milk. Haylie’s guidelines above might work, but follow them with caution, or follow a more steady diet from day to day.

  • Deanna Elfers November 14, 2014, 9:00 pm

    I am very pleased with the results of the diet so far after 2 and a half weeks. I have lost a little over 10 lbs. so far which is great. I am on the drug Warfarin for a blood clotting disorder. The diet has thrown INR readings all off. With all the greens, garlic, and some of the fruits and spices that have a lot of Vitamin k it has really meesed up my INR results. I want to stay on the diet, but I don’t want them to have to keep increasing the amount of that nasty drug I have to take to prevent blood clots. Do you have any suggestions on, if anything, can be done to tweak the diet. I love all the greens, but just really messing my med up. Please help.

    • Penny Hammond November 16, 2014, 12:38 pm

      The guidelines for warfarin are to keep your vitamin K intake consistent within a certain range – see http://ods.od.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/coumadin1.pdf for details.
      Raw greens tend to have lower levels of vitamin K than cooked – see http://www.coumadin.com/pdf/Foods_With_VitaminK.pdf – e.g. cooked spinach has about 1000 mg per cup, and raw spinach 145 mg per cup. Granted, it shrinks a lot when cooked, but consider having raw leafy greens instead of cooked.
      And for your other veggie intake, stick to vegetables that are lower in vitamin K.
      Hope that helps.

    • czarinakat November 20, 2014, 10:51 am

      Deanna, I too am now on Warfarin and wanted to get back into this diet but didn’t know how, especially in Phase 2. I’ve decided to have a raw vegetable medley with a steak or chop for the 2 days of Phase 2, such as zucchini, red peppers, and cucumbers. (I also use these in place of chips whenever I have a sandwich. With a little salt they are a satisfying substitute for chips.) I found excellent reference pdf’s on http://www.drgourmet.com/askdrgourmet/coumadin-peppers.shtml#.VG4L09h0zIW
      Good luck!

  • Norma November 15, 2014, 11:48 pm

    This looks like a wonderful and sensible eating plan founded on good scientific principles, and I am considering beginning here very soon. The one thing that is holding me back is the quantity of food I am required to eat at this point in time. I want to lose 30 lbs so need to eat 1 1/2 times the servings stated. This seems like sooooo much food. I’m just needing some reassurance that the 1 1/2 servings at this point in time is going to make a difference. Thank you!

    • Penny Hammond November 16, 2014, 12:43 pm

      The author explains this diet gently persuades your metabolism that it is no longer in an emergency situation – it’s okay to actually digest the food you are eating rather than storing it. If you’ve been dieting long-term, the increase in portion size and the frequent changes in what you eat are designed to snap out of its habits of storing fat.

      • Norma November 24, 2014, 8:00 am

        Thank you, Penny! I just purchased the book and read and re-read your comment and what Haylie has to say, and it all makes sense. It’s just that my old ways of thinking are telling me, “NO! This is too much food. ” My other concern is that when I have to cut back when I only have 20 lbs to lose, I’ll feel like I’m cheating myself. I’m just going to have to trust and give it my 28 day best.

        Thanks!

  • Phyllis December 2, 2014, 11:32 am

    I just started – on day 3. Looking ahead, I noticed that brown rice pasta is listed for Phase 1 but is not listed for Phase 3. Can you tell me why – I thought that w/b an acceptable grain. Also, can you recommend a Protein Powder that would be acceptable, especially for Phase 3 since I like to have a Protein drink with Almond Milk in the morning. I had been using “Muscle Milk” and all the other Protein Powders I’ve looked at have Whey. Thanks for your help.

    • Penny Hammond December 2, 2014, 1:55 pm

      Phase 1 on this diet is high glycemic/high carb, while phase 3 is moderate carb, so you should be eating less carbs. Making the rice into flour/pasta generally increases the glycemic index, which may be why it’s not included in phase 3.

      The book doesn’t recommend any protein powders.
      On the website, there are some shakes for sale at http://hayliepomroy.com/product-category/powders/.
      The protein powder in the phase 1 shake is an “all-natural vegan hypoallergenic proprietary blend of pea isolate and rice protein that is free of corn protein, wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, and soy”
      Phase 2’s shake contains “all-natural vegan hypoallergenic proprietary blend of pea isolate and L-Carnitine that is free of corn protein, wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, and soy”
      Phase 3’s shake contains “all-natural vegan hypoallergenic proprietary blend of pea isolate and flax seed that is free of corn protein, wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, and soy”
      So it looks like pea protein is okay!

      • Phyllis December 3, 2014, 8:49 am

        Thank you so much. I’m starting day 5 today and so far so good. I didn’t realize the fruits for Phase 3 were so limited and mostly summer-type fruits (which I didn’t have in the house) – so I had a few frozen strawberries with breakfast. I’ll have to go shopping today for some frozen blueberries and jarred peaches.

  • Victoria December 2, 2014, 11:11 pm

    Hi there!
    My book arrives in a few day..Ive already started.. Go through Monday and Tuesday easy.. but I am confused on why we can’t eat Red Leaf Lettuce of Romaine..? Any thoughts?
    thank you!!!!!

    • Penny Hammond December 3, 2014, 8:33 am

      Iceberg is the only type of lettuce you’re not supposed to eat – you can eat any of the other types of lettuce.

  • Norma December 3, 2014, 7:30 am

    Penny,

    I’ve purchased the book and started the program and am finding it easy to follow. I do have some further questions, however. Portion sizes are based on the amount of desired weight loss. I am 30 lbs above my desired weight (in my weight range) but am only 15 pounds from the upper end of my range. It’s been 2 weeks, I’m eating 1 1/2 portions, and am not losing. My question is, should I be eating as if I am wanting to arrive at my upper weight range which is a healthy place to be and then work toward my next goal? Both of these goals would require single portion sizes as opposed to 1 1/2 portion sizes.

    Thanks

    • Penny Hammond December 3, 2014, 8:36 am

      Norma,
      The book says that you should work out what your goal weight is, and the portion sizes are determined by how much weight you still need to lose to get to your goal weight.
      If you’re aiming for a weight that’s at the low end of your healthy weight range, the book doesn’t have any specific guidelines – you could try the single portion sizes and see whether that makes a difference.

  • Veronica December 4, 2014, 1:40 pm

    Does anyone experience weight gain in Phase 2? I was doing so good end of week 3 and now beginning of week 4 I’m gaining

  • Diane Rowe December 5, 2014, 2:35 pm

    Hi Penny, I had a question for you. I just had gastric sleeve surgery for weight loss. I wanted to know if later in the future would this diet also work for me if i needed to use it. Can you please give me some information on this?
    Thank You, Diane Rowe.

    • Penny Hammond December 5, 2014, 7:32 pm

      Hi Diane,
      Your doctor will be able to give you a good idea of what to eat in the long term after the surgery when you are fully back on solid foods. Show them this page to see how they react to the guidelines of the diet.

      A few advantages – it’s pretty nutrient-dense, mostly low-fat, you’re avoiding foods often not recommended after surgery including dairy products, alcohol, caffeine, and greasy foods

      Things to check with your doctor – is stage 3 low-enough fat, are the portion sizes too large, would all the switching between stages cause any issues, what are the strategies for drinking the recommended amount of liquid

  • diane smith December 6, 2014, 11:07 am

    I have auto immune Hashimoto’s so how do I do this diet
    I have been on restricted most everything for 4 mos and don’t feel any better after paying a huge some of money
    I am also allergic to eggs so that leaves out a lot of food
    any suggestions on how to use this diet???

    • Penny Hammond December 9, 2014, 12:59 pm

      Haylie mentions Hashimoto’s disease when talking about your thyroid as one of your body’s five major players. She also says that her diet has helped people with thyroid disorders.
      She doesn’t give any specific guidelines for if you have this condition.

      This diet has a lot of variation between the phases – if you’ve got a lot of restrictions or foods that you’re potentially reacting to, it may be worth considering another diet instead. Some thoughts – a variation of the Paleo diet that focuses on autoimmune diseases (e.g. Your Personal Paleo Code, Practical Paleo, The Paleo Approach), or an exclusion/reintroduction diet (e.g. Clean (includes factors other than food), Clean Gut, Food Allergies and Food Intolerance)

      Probably worth checking with your doctor before starting any diet.

  • Jean Kline- December 7, 2014, 12:01 pm

    I’m having trouble eating everything. Is it okay to skip the last snack after lunch?

    • Penny Hammond December 9, 2014, 1:09 pm

      Haylie is very prescriptive about exactly which meals and snacks to have, and doesn’t give the alternative of skipping snacks.
      “RULE #1: YOU MUST EAT FIVE TIMES PER DAY, 35 TIMES PER WEEK. That’s three meals and two snacks every day. The good news is that you get to eat 35 times per week, so when I tell you that you won’t be starving or missing fruits or carbs or fats or protein, I mean it. You may not skip any meals or snacks. This is crucial to repair the metabolism. It’s nonnegotiable. I don’t care if you don’t think you’re hungry. You have to eat.”

      If it’s really impossible for you to eat the full amount, you could try having slightly less for lunch so that you can find room for the snack.

  • Mary December 8, 2014, 4:33 pm

    I just started this diet yesterday, (I need Phase 1 on weekend as that’s when do cardio and cardio recommended during P1!) was preparing a P3 meal for later in week. Confused about how much to eat. It’s the Four Bean Veggie Chilli. Seeing some recipes instruct how much to eat e.g., 1 cup, but this one didn’t. Any idea on what a serving should be? Recipe makes like 16 cups of food! Preparing to freeze some for later weeks.

    • Penny Hammond December 10, 2014, 9:00 am

      In my copy it says it serves 8. So if you’ve got 16 cups of food, it looks like it’ll be 2 cups per serving.

      Good idea to freeze some for quick meals!

  • Zinnia December 10, 2014, 8:17 pm

    I got the book but was wondering if any one made a shopping list? and did you make a plan what food to eat on which day?

    • Penny Hammond December 12, 2014, 9:35 am

      The book says it has shopping lists, but I don’t see any – do the meal maps help? They’re in the chapters for each week.

  • Lina December 15, 2014, 3:58 pm

    Hi!
    Thank you so much for this summary! I am considering this diet, but I am hypoglycemic, and I am concerned about the portion of the diet that lowers the protein intake. Do you know of any adaptations to this diet for people suffering from hypoglycemia or diabetes?

  • Veronica December 16, 2014, 10:09 am

    I am on Week 2 and doing great. My question is that I see there are some flours and some baking powders that are OK to be used, but what phase and what meals are you supposedly allowed to eat them at? I love baking, and would love to make some of my own home baked goods, I am a bit unclear about when it would be OK to do so. Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond December 26, 2014, 12:15 pm

      In phase 1, you could try making something with a non-wheat or sprouted-wheat flour substitute, e.g. brown rice flour or spelt flour. You’d have to look at the other ingredients to make sure they fit within this phase – it would have to be a recipe without fat or sugar. It might be possible if you dig out low-fat baking recipes, e.g. if you use apple sauce for moistness. You’d be able to have it at the meals with “grain” listed.

      Phase 2, fuggedaboutit. I can’t think of any way baking could be incorporated.

      Phase 3, you’ve got a bit more flexibility as you can use fat and nuts. Look for ingredients you’re allowed to use in this phase, and avoid ingredients you’re supposed to avoid. You would be able to eat baked goods made with nut flours at fat/protein meals (depending on what’s in them), and baked goods with grains at grain (and fat/protein) meals. But note that the portion sizes for grains on this phase are small; keep an eye out for that.

      Hope that helps.

      • Veronica January 5, 2015, 6:52 pm

        Thank you! I had not seen your reply til now!

  • Lorraine December 16, 2014, 11:02 pm

    I learn a lot from the comments for tips and answering some dilemmas. In my book the “Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie” Phase 1 calls for “1 cup steel-cut oats, cooked.” If cooked, how will it turn into a powder in the blender, if anyone has a tip there that’d be cool! Good luck to all, this is the most fun I’ve had eating… and keeping cravings almost to nil.

    • Penny Hammond December 26, 2014, 12:26 pm

      I have a couple of versions of the book – the Kindle version says “1 cup steel-cut oats” and the hardcover (2014 printing) says “1 cup steel-cut oats, cooked”. The online version of the recipe http://hayliepomroy.com/oatmeal-fruit-smoothie/ also doesn’t say you have to cook them.
      Regular rolled oats are steamed before they’re rolled, and steel-cut oats may or may not be cooked then they’re chopped into small pieces.
      Try blending them without cooking them, and see if that works for you.

  • Lauren December 17, 2014, 4:45 pm

    Thank you! I bought the ebook but the content in phase 3 was not correctly aligned and I found it confusing. This is very helpful

    • Lauren December 17, 2014, 4:46 pm

      One question Penny. Where you have fat/protein , grain/starch, I assume that means either or? Thank you so much!

      • Penny Hammond December 26, 2014, 12:47 pm

        Fat/protein appears to mean higher-fat protein or fat plus protein.
        Grain/starch appears to mean either grain or starch – a natural food with un-sweet carbohydrates.

    • Penny Hammond December 26, 2014, 12:42 pm

      You’re welcome!

  • Cheryl December 17, 2014, 8:33 pm

    Please tell me if eating grains are absolutely necessary as I would prefer not to. Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond December 26, 2014, 12:56 pm

      Haylie does encourage you to eat grains on this diet, partly because of the nutrients they contain. However in some “grain” meals she includes starchy vegetables instead, e.g. phase 3 Rosemary Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes. So you could use starchy veggies instead of grains to get your dose of whole-food starches.

  • Mushck December 18, 2014, 1:02 pm

    Hi Penny,

    Thank you so much for your support in this jorney. My question is, I am not a morning person, 6-8 Im at the gym… I get to the office around 8:15 – 8:30. After my workout Im tired not hungry but geg hungry around 10 am. I am happy to change that can I eat after my workout. I do hiit exercises… Run at lot… and I dont w
    eat anything in the morning until after 8, is it ok to eat 2-3 hours after waking up in my case?

    Thanks
    Mush

    • Penny Hammond December 26, 2014, 1:01 pm

      Hi Mush,
      Haylie doesn’t provide for exceptions – she says you should eat within 30 minutes of waking up.
      “Never get up and exercise in the morning before you’ve eaten breakfast or at least a snack. Eat at least 30 minutes before exercising. Otherwise, your adrenals will stimulate a hormone to break down muscle for fuel during your workout, cannibalizing the muscles you’re trying to build… A piece of fruit is the ideal pre -workout snack. Then have a snack containing 10 to 20 grams of protein afterwards. That will set you up perfectly to get the most from your workout. The natural sugars in the fruit fuel the muscle motion during the workout, and the protein aids in rapid repair. This is an ideal formula for fat burning and muscle building so you continue to sculpt and develop a healthy physique.” (Fast Metabolism Tools for Life, Tools 2 and 3, “Fast Metabolism Living” chapter 10, p.169)

  • Jean December 20, 2014, 10:32 am

    I have not seen a recognized food plan before that did not include dairy products as a source of calcium. How long is it ok to not have dairy?

    • Penny Hammond December 26, 2014, 1:42 pm

      There are many parts of the world where people do not ever have dairy foods and do not have calcium issues – many have lower rates of osteoporosis than dairy-eating regions.

      • Reb March 1, 2015, 10:55 pm

        Eat dark green leafy vegetables.

  • SK December 25, 2014, 1:37 pm

    How can Phase 1 be modified to support someone with a candida overgrowth condition? This phase has a lot of sugar coming from fruits.

  • Sylvia December 25, 2014, 3:21 pm

    Hi Penny and thank you so much for the summary and all of your kind, thorough responses to questions!

    I started Ph I using your summary and bought the book, reading as much as I could every evening. To my surprise, I found Ph 3 the more difficult phase but think I did it right as in 9 days I’ve lost 10 lbs. of the 126 I need to shed.

    My big question is about breakfast portions in Ph 3. Since I have so much weight to lose, I think I should have 2 whole eggs in Ph 3 as a serving or 1 whole egg and half of a portion of another protein (nitrate free chicken or turkey sausage is my first choice). Honestly, I felt I’d gone to heaven that first Ph 3 breakfast when I had egg, sausage, sprouted toast with avocado spread on it and 1 1/2 oranges!!

    I spent nearly an hour the night before combing through the book to determine if that meal is correct then ended up just using my best judgement based on the portions list for losing more than 40 pounds (where – incidentally – there is no mention of egg whatsoever)….

    Would you mind commenting on my interpretation? I realize I might have had such a large weight loss to date because I have so much to lose and want to get the portion size correct as I move forward.

    Thank you in advance!

    • Penny Hammond December 26, 2014, 2:07 pm

      Hi Sylvia, glad to help if I can!
      As you’ve got over 40 pounds to lose, according to this diet you should have the basic portion x 1½, veggies portion x 2, according to the modified recommendations in recent printings of the book.
      So, for the protein/fat portions in phase 3, considering that an egg is protein and fat, you should have 1 1/2 eggs or another protein with fat. As 1 1/2 eggs is rather difficult to do, 2 eggs makes sense, as does 1 egg plus 1/2 portion of another protein. Maybe you should aim for slightly less than 1/2 other protein portion to make up for the extra 1/2 egg.
      Hope that helps. Good luck,
      Penny

      • Sylvia December 28, 2014, 3:29 pm

        Thanks, Penny!

        Did the 1 egg + 1/2 protein this morning. Hard to believe that is equivalent to 6 oz. of protein + a fat but so satisfying (!!) nonetheless…..

        Also wanted to ask where people find jerky w/out sugar that is reasonably priced? I love Trader Joes’s but $5.99 f0r 4 ounces??

        Thanks!

  • Rachel December 30, 2014, 1:46 pm

    Hi,

    Just read this book after seeing the PBS Special. It seems pretty interesting. Just wondering if anyone who has had a total thyroidectomy has had success with it? I’m 6 years post thyroid cancer and take both synthroid and a T3 replacement as prescribed by my endocrinologist. I gained about 60 lbs after the surgery and underdoing treatment. Have lost about 20 over the last few tears. Have tried multiple diets over the last 6 years, but nothing seems to help (well, except EXTREMELY low carb which is just unsustainable long-term). I am hopeful that this could be a good option for me, and am hoping that other total thyroidectomy people have had success. Thanks!

  • Veronica January 1, 2015, 2:47 pm

    I loved your summary here, I am about to end my 28 days and although I have followed the diet to the tee, I lost weight the first week and then hit a plateau. I do feel great eating this way, and plan to continue, but was wondering if anyone had any suggestions? Anyway, I was planning on losing 20 lbs and have only lost 6-7. Any suggestions? Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond January 1, 2015, 5:31 pm

      Haylie’s new book, The Burn, addresses plateaus. I haven’t yet had a chance to review it.

      • Veronica January 5, 2015, 6:54 pm

        Thanks Penny. I browsed through it but it seems a bit complicated! I know this diet is quite restrictive but I do not mind because it really goes with my philosophy anyway so I have enjoyed it. But if I don’t lose any weight in the next few weeks, I may give it a shot. Thanks.

  • cindylove1 January 1, 2015, 6:42 pm

    my cousin lost 40 dam pounds and she looks really nice. However , I am banging my head up against the wall because I did not do the weight shed with her… she lost 40 and I gain 25 because I didn’t do the weight loss…I am on my way to start my plan…wow ! here I go…when I looked at her I thought it was someone else, I am so shocked ……2015 I gotta do it…and I have seen her do other diets….its something about this one that that she really love…she said she has never lost weight like this haylie pomroy system…I am sure this is working for her…and it does not include a lot of exercise ….summer is coming and I will be ready for it.

  • Diane K January 2, 2015, 11:46 am

    Happy New Year, Penny! I’m considering the FMD and found the great overview of the phases. One question that I haven’t seen addressed – would Haylie expect us to ONLY lift weights one day a week? I am a competitive powerlifter and lift 3-4 times a week. Thanks and have a healthy 2015!

    • Penny Hammond January 2, 2015, 12:37 pm

      Happy New Year, Diane!
      I focus on the food part of diets, and don’t know much about the exercise part. There may be some discussion in the community forum – go to http://hayliepomroy.com/ and click on “club members”

  • Lee C January 3, 2015, 8:40 pm

    I also watched the PBS program and plan to order the books etc. Was wondering if anyone else on this blog works day and night hours. I am hoping for success but wonder how to eat when I go from day schedule to night schedules. It really does mess with my sleep and eating. I hope for the best though! Finishing day 2 but actually will do an overnight so not sure if I should eat breakfast when I get home in the morning since I will then sleep for 8 hours, should be interesting. Like reading this blog….

    • Penny Hammond January 4, 2015, 2:47 pm

      Wow, that’s tough! My guess would be to eat dinner before you go to bed, and breakfast after you wake up, even if you’re having dinner at breakfast time and breakfast at dinnertime…

  • Jeanne Locum January 5, 2015, 3:18 pm

    I live in a rural area where organic foods are not readily available. The stores do have organic lettuce and a few vegetables, but no organic meat. If you want grass fed beef, you have to order it and it comes frozen. I would hve to drive 1 1/2 to 2 hours one way to get any variety of organic food. Will this diet still work the way it is supposed to work.

    • Penny Hammond January 5, 2015, 5:07 pm

      Haylie says “I understand that at times organic food can be more expensive, and not everybody believes that organic food is better or healthier. I’m not going to argue that point either way, but it’s a fact that any synthetic chemical products you put into the body—including additives, preservatives, pesticides, insecticides, and hormones—have to be processed through the liver. This monopolizes time and energy that could be used to repair your metabolism. Remember, I’m trying to be greedy with the liver’s energy here. So eat as cleanly as possible. Also, try to keep your environment as clean as possible. This is not a time to paint the inside of your house or recarpet. These kinds of environmental chemicals have to be processed through your liver, too, and that will keep your liver distracted from the job we want it to do: burn fat.” (Rule # 8 – Eat organic whenever possible – Fast Metabolism Do’s and Don’ts, chapter 4)

      Do what you can – if you can’t get organic foods, you can try to limit other toxins such as chemicals.

      There’s nothing in the book that says you should have grass-fed meats – many other diets suggest it, but not this one.

  • Ellen January 6, 2015, 1:44 pm

    Thank you for making the book easier to follow.
    One question: I only sleep 6 hrs at night, so if I eat 30 minutes after waking, and then again every 3 hours, there is a period of 6 hours after dinner with no food. Can I add a third phase-appropriate snack 3 hours after dinner?

    • Penny Hammond January 7, 2015, 7:31 am

      Haylie says to eat every 3-4 hours – perhaps you could stretch some of the spacing between meals/snacks to 4 hours instead of 3.

  • Brad Walls January 6, 2015, 1:51 pm

    Calories in these meals?

    I am on day 2 of the FMD. I am writing this note out of general curiosity, not out of concern. I chose the peaches and toast, cinnamon dusted apple, Hawaiian burgers, tropical fruit smoothie, and the chicken sausage bowl as my food options for phase one on days one and 2. Base on my rough calculations each day amounts to only 1100 calories. Does that sound close? If that is true, it sounds more like I am eating half the calories I should, not that my metabolism is necessarily speeding up. What’s the deal?

    • Penny Hammond January 10, 2015, 12:05 pm

      I haven’t tried counting the calories – Haylie is anti-calorie-counting. The different phases may have different calorie levels, and don’t forget the calories in vegetables and snacks.

  • Loreen Liberty January 10, 2015, 3:28 pm

    Thank you so much for an easy to read guide to go along with the book! I’m starting week 1 on Monday and spending today getting my grocery list together and will pre-cook a lot of the meal items tomorrow. Quick question – Would it be okay to use Uncle Ben’s 90 Sec Brown Rice? I checked the ingredients: http://www.unclebens.com/Products/Ready-Rice/Whole-Grain-Brown#.VLGKzSv-So and other than a small amount of canola/sunflower oil – it seems like it would be okay.

    • Penny Hammond January 10, 2015, 4:37 pm

      You’re welcome!
      It looks like it would probably be okay, but it’s not obvious how much oil it actually contains. Phases 1 and 2 are supposed to be no added fat – if you were to strictly interpret the diet you might say that this should be for phase 3 only, although that might be taking it to extremes.
      Have fun with your preparations, and good luck with the diet.

  • Sylvia January 10, 2015, 4:37 pm

    Penny –

    Thanks again for all the help you provide and here’s another question regarding what’s allowed and not….

    On page 107 in the hardcover version of the book, in the list of generalized food categories where it shows portion sizes (this is for people with more than 40 lbs to lose), it clearly says that 3/4 cup is the portion size of legumes/beans during phase 2.

    HOWEVER I just noticed that on page 243, the Phase 2 Foods list, under “Vegetable Protein and Starches” – where beans and legumes are listed for Phase 1 and 3, it states “None this phase”.

    ACK!!

    Is the 3/4 cup entry on page 107 a typo or what?? And did Hayley ever publish something saying so????

    Thank you
    Sylvia

    • Penny Hammond January 10, 2015, 4:43 pm

      Sylvia,
      It’s pretty common for small mistakes to happen in publications – most diets are really quite complex and it’s not unusual for something to slip past the proof readers.
      Beans and legumes are starchy, and phase 2 is a low-starch phase, so it looks like they should be avoided in phase 2. So the 3/4 cup entry on page 107 is probably a typo.
      Hope that helps,
      Penny

      • Sylvia January 15, 2015, 2:14 pm

        Thanks, Penny – I was afraid of that.

        Guess I’ll just have to focus on how much more weight I’ll lose w/out the beans and legumes during Ph 2 – LOL.

        The scale keeps dropping – even though I’ve been doing that part incorrectly….

        Thanks for the help!
        Sylvia

  • suzy January 10, 2015, 6:12 pm

    what is the latest printing

    • Penny Hammond January 11, 2015, 9:30 am

      I don’t know what the latest printing is.
      I was originally using a book from the library then the Kindle edition, and when the “big change” came I ordered a hardcover hoping it still had the previous recommendations so I would have a historical document to go back to. However, it had the new recommendations. It looks like a 9th printing.
      I think the paperbacks might all have the new recommendations.

  • Soilsister January 13, 2015, 8:53 am

    Hi, I am going to start the FMD on Monday but have a couple of questions…I live in Ghana, West Africa, and needless to say my shopping options are not optimal. I have found brown rice and brown rice cakes but no “steel” ground oats or any type of sprouted grain breads or crackers. I am afraid that I am to limited to actually do the diet well. Do you have any suggestions. Could I just eat brown rice and brown rice cakes for phase 1 and 3? I can get some of the veggies and the fruit isn’t a problem but I don’t want to sabotage myself before I start by not having exactly the right foods to eat. Any suggestions or ideas about how to go ahead with limited options and no health food stores?
    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond January 13, 2015, 11:42 am

      Follow the spirit of the diet, not the letter which is very US-centric. Look for the foods that are available to you locally. What are the main grains and starches? You should avoid corn and wheat, according to the book, but you should be able to use other grains (rice, millet, etc.) even if they’re not available in the USA and therefore not listed in the book. Same with the veggies and fruits – as long as they’re not listed as “don’t eat” and they aren’t extremely sweet, they should be fine.
      Good luck!

  • Gina January 13, 2015, 11:11 am

    Hi Penny,
    When the book says we can eat as much as we want of veggies, does that mean only during meals or can I eat radishes, etc. during the inbetween meals?
    Thanks.
    Gina

    • Penny Hammond January 13, 2015, 11:43 am

      Hi Gina,
      I can’t see anything in the book saying you can’t eat veggies between meals and snacks, so that should be fine.
      Hope that helps,
      Penny

      • gina January 29, 2015, 3:37 pm

        Thanks Penny. I read somewhere on Haylie’s Q & A pages that if you are hungry at all, it’s because you are NOT eating enough vegetables and that you CAN eat veggies all day!
        Gina

  • Edith January 14, 2015, 8:30 am

    I just started aswell and going on my 2nd day, Im so excited and hope to see the results I hope for 🙂 A colleague have done the diett for 3 months and looks awesome 😀
    Confused about the amount of food tho as I never use cups/ounces/pounds etc, so would there be anywhere to find like gram/kg/dl/liter/etc?
    Anyways, GOOD LUCK to you all 🙂 Let’s hope for smashing results and a healthy life 😀

    • Penny Hammond January 14, 2015, 4:31 pm

      The book (and US measuring systems) aren’t metric-friendly! Cups are a volume measurement, which is difficult to convert to weight unless you’re willing to measure in liters – if you want to convert to weight, you have to look up individual foods. If you search online you should easily be able to find conversions from ounces/pounds to grams/kg.

  • Michelle L January 14, 2015, 1:56 pm

    Does anyone know why Brussels sprouts are only in the phase 3 list of veggies, yet cabbage is in all phases? Brussels sprouts are in the cabbage family, and the nutrients are pretty similar. If anyone has any ideas I’d appreciate the help. Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond January 14, 2015, 4:49 pm

      There are several similar examples. The book says that “The Fast Metabolism Diet manipulates and enhances your metabolism with specific functional foods combined in different phases to evoke precise physiological changes in your body.” There was a blog post on the website (no longer available) which said that the strategy is “to combine nutrients of different foods on each phase, so that’s why we eat different combinations of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins on each phase”.

  • shaina January 17, 2015, 12:27 pm

    Hi Penny. firstly thks so much for the simplified version. im a vegan and eat only eggs. no fish or meat or chicken. so on phase two ill be eating eggs only for my protein???? ill be a stinking bomb. lol . help what can i do??????

    • Penny Hammond January 18, 2015, 6:30 pm

      If eggs have such an extreme effect on you, perhaps you could limit the eggs to one or two meals/snacks and take the vegan exception for other meals – Haylie says that if you don’t eat any animal protein you can break the non-soy rule in phase 2 and replace any meat/protein with any of the following (but no other soy products): organic non-GMO tofu, organic non-GMO soy tempeh, organic non-GMO edamame. Cook the tofu without fat and grill or bake it yourself, rather than buying pre-baked tofu, which is more processed.

  • Manuela January 18, 2015, 3:23 am

    Can I drink my fruit and vegetables as a smoothie?

    • Penny Hammond January 18, 2015, 6:34 pm

      Haylie says you shouldn’t have fruit juice because of the sugar hit and lack of fiber, although it’s not clear whether she thinks you shouldn’t put fruit in smoothies, as you’d still have the fiber (but without all the chewing). Putting some leafy greens in smoothies shouldn’t be an issue. She doesn’t specifically ask you to have a ton of fiber. So you could try it for some meals with phase-appropriate ingredients. Try to have whole veggies sometimes so you do get the fiber, though.

  • Sue January 18, 2015, 11:33 am

    I travel and would like to know what brand of meal replacement bars I should get that are equivalent to fast metabolism bars since you can no longer get them from Haylie’s website?

  • Mary January 19, 2015, 8:27 am

    I am beginning week three and I have stuck to the plan completely. BySunday morning week 1 I had lost 5.5 #. By Monday morning I had lost 8#total and then gained 3# back by the Tuesday and I have not gotten back to that low point after week 2#. What in the wold is going on?? My scale is digital and seems consistent. I am drinking tons of water. My husband is following it very loosley (regular bread, some alcohol, caffeen, not the same amount of fruit,etc) and he has lost almost as much as I have. I really don’t want to give up but I don’t know what the problem is. Help.

    • Penny Hammond January 19, 2015, 12:43 pm

      Are you eating all the veggies you’re supposed to? Make sure you eat at least the minimum amount – it’s sometimes too easy to not eat the full portions that are suggested in the book.
      And in general, are you eating the portions you’re supposed to eat for your level of weight loss? Haylie says you have to eat enough in order to lose weight.
      Have you been sick or had your period? That can sometimes affect weight loss.

  • Katie January 19, 2015, 1:26 pm

    I have a couple of questions.
    1. What if I need to fast for blood work testing? The test is a 2 hour long test and I can’t eat until it is done. What should I do in this situation?

    2. My husband has insomnia and sometimes goes 3 days before sleeping. When is his “30 minutes after waking” time? And should he just continue snacking throughout the whole time he is awake?

    3. I’ve read some of the posts about eating as much veggies as you want/ my husband keeps insisting on it!!! Does that mean at any time of the day I can be munching on veggies or that I can eat as many as I want in a meal? Because the first several days I feel like I am starving!! My body is not used to eating like this!!
    (we did this diet for a month in the summer, 2 weeks in September and are now committed to getting it right!- started today)

    4. Also, I don’t know portion sizes for fruit especially. We love cantaloupe, but what is a “portion” of cantaloupe?

    Thank you for this really helpful guidance!! This definitely answers a lot of questions!

    • Penny Hammond January 19, 2015, 2:01 pm

      Glad you find this helpful!

      If you need to fast for blood work, then fast… it’s just one day.

      I empathize with your husband about his insomnia. Does he stay active all the time when he can’t sleep, or does he spend a certain amount of time lying down inactive and with his eyes closed, either meditating or trying to sleep? If he’s inactive for a period of time, he could use the time he gets active again instead of the time he wakes up. If he’s active all the time, maybe he should be snacking as you suggest, spacing out the time between meals so he’s eating the suggested amount.

      The book says you can have as many veggies as you want with a meal or snack, and it doesn’t say you can only eat them at meals/snacks – if you’re still hungry after all those meals and snacks then munching on veggies is a good idea. Just make sure you’re eating the suggested portions of all foods – many people complain that this is too much to eat!

      The serving size for fruit is 1 piece or 1 cup of phase-appropriate fruit. If it’s a large fruit like cantaloupe, then 1 cup would be the appropriate portion.

  • Caps January 20, 2015, 9:55 am

    Hi there! Second time to do the FMD. Had great success the first time. Couple of questions. Why is cauliflower only allowed in phase 3? Also, Truvia is referenced in the book, but not on the list. I use it anyway. What about Monk fruit sweetener? Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond January 20, 2015, 1:42 pm

      There are other cases where a food is allowed in one phase and a similar food is allowed in another phase. The book says that “The Fast Metabolism Diet manipulates and enhances your metabolism with specific functional foods combined in different phases to evoke precise physiological changes in your body.” There was a blog post on the website (no longer available) which said that the strategy is “to combine nutrients of different foods on each phase, so that’s why we eat different combinations of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins on each phase”.

      You’re correct, there’s one reference to Truvia as an acceptable sweetener “if you have to”. It’s not listed as an acceptable food in the phases. It contains stevia, and also erythritol and natural flavors – she recommends that you should use 100% stevia if you can find it.

      Haylie has a blog post on alternative sweeteners – http://hayliepomroy.com/my-take-on-new-sweeteners/. She says that monk fruit is good, but most products containing monkfruit also contain other ingredients that she doesn’t recommend.

  • Carlie Vickers January 25, 2015, 1:38 am

    Hi… I’m about to start this new way of eating and I have a couple of questions…
    In Australia we don’t have nut butters, what can I substitute this with ?
    Also what are sprouted breads ? Are normal tortillas ok to eat ?

    • Penny Hammond February 2, 2015, 7:55 pm

      You can make your own nut butters using nuts and a food processor – do a search for almond butter recipe, or cashew butter recipe, or whatever nut butter you want to make.
      Alternatively, substitute with another healthy fat allowed on that phase.

      Sprouted breads are made with grains that have been sprouted, i.e. soaked for a while until they start to grow, and then they’re ground to make flour for the bread.
      I did a search for “sprouted bread Australia” and a few options came up – not sure how available they are for you.
      Normal tortillas are made with normal wheat flour or corn flour, and they’re not permitted in any phase on this diet.

    • Anna September 11, 2015, 8:47 pm

      Yes we do have nut butters in Australia 🙂 I saw almond and others in Woolworths last week (in the spreads section). Look for brands of sprouted grain breads like Bodhi’s or Lifestyle Bakery.
      Cheers,
      Anna

  • mary January 27, 2015, 3:50 pm

    Thank you for all the clarity you bring to this adventure!! In many of the basic meals many spices are listed. Is it fine to skip some or do they serve a special function. Thank you. Mary

    • Penny Hammond February 2, 2015, 8:25 pm

      You’re welcome, glad to help!

      It looks like the herbs, spices, and other strong flavors are used to make the meals more interesting – Haylie doesn’t go into any detail about their health benefits (compared with some other diets, which talk about the benefits of herbs and spices). So you could leave them out for this diet if you don’t like them.

  • Sarah Lemieux January 28, 2015, 2:20 pm

    I workout early in the morning and need a quick snack before I workout, because I don’t get up early enough to make a full breakfast. Can I eat the “Snack” for each phase before me workout for fuel?

    • Penny Hammond February 2, 2015, 8:46 pm

      As long as you’re eating within 30 minutes of waking up, and eating within the guidelines of the foods for that phase as well as the full amount of food for the day as a whole, that should be okay.

  • Martha January 29, 2015, 11:18 am

    I found a recipe online for a phase 3 dessert. But I want to double check with you. Can I use unsweetened cocoa powder?

    • Penny Hammond February 2, 2015, 8:41 pm

      You’re allowed to use raw cacao powder, which isn’t that different from unsweetened cocoa powder. Haylie says on a Facebook post in June 2013 that unsweetened cocoa powder is the same thing as raw cacao powder – so it’s okay to use it.

  • yasmine January 29, 2015, 6:28 pm

    hi,
    i just started the fast metabolism diet. i am on my fourth day. I am wondering if we can eat artichokes?

    • Penny Hammond February 2, 2015, 9:09 pm

      The fourth day is phase 2. Artichokes are only listed as okay to eat on phase 3.
      Yeah, it’s weird that some veggies are only allowed on one phase. There was a blog post on the website (no longer available) which said that the strategy is “to combine nutrients of different foods on each phase, so that’s why we eat different combinations of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins on each phase”.

  • Lis February 1, 2015, 9:43 pm

    I am doing the H-Burn diet. I live in Japan and cannot find some of the ingredients. Specifically no red raddish right now. Can I supstitute the white raddish?

    • Penny Hammond February 3, 2015, 5:24 pm

      I haven’t yet read Haylie’s book “The Burn” so I don’t know, sorry!

  • Anita February 4, 2015, 2:24 am

    Hi Penny, I want to start this diet anytime soon. I take steroids e.g. prednisone for my condition. Can I start this diet?

    • Penny Hammond February 4, 2015, 8:11 am

      I suggest that you check with your doctor – use this page as an overview to explain what the diet involves, and ask whether it would cause any issues.

  • Nicole February 5, 2015, 1:00 am

    Im allergic to all seafood (fish and shellfish) how to i substitute the fish portions?

    • Penny Hammond February 5, 2015, 8:24 am

      You could substitute with another phase-appropriate protein – keep an eye on the portion size, which is 6 ounces of fish compared to 4 ounces of meat or ½ cup cooked legumes in all phases.

  • Gloria February 6, 2015, 12:17 pm

    is chewing sugar-free gum acceptable?

  • Bob February 8, 2015, 4:25 pm

    Hello Penny, thanks for having such a great site were we can make sure we are doing FMD right.

    This is my second week on FMD. I started at 244.4 lbs. and am 228.4 lbs. today. This week is my anniversary and plan to go out dinner on Wednesday. I am a little confused about the “Splurge Secret #1: The Big Dinner” on page 175 of the hard covered book. It says to eat “10 to 15 grams of protein every two hours throughout the day”. First, 10 to 15 grams! That’s about 1/2 oz. or less. Then it says something about 1 or 2 oz. leftovers. My questions are, do I eat 10 to 15 oz. of protein every two hours? Do I eat my regular meals also? And when do I eat the 1 to 2 oz. of leftovers. The answer might be right there , but I’m not seeing it. Thanks in advance.

    • Penny Hammond February 9, 2015, 2:57 pm

      Hi Bob – you’re welcome, glad to help, and congratulations on your weight loss so far!

      The Splurge Secrets are in Chapter 10 “Fast Metabolism Living”, which gives guidelines about what to do after you’ve lost the weight (see p.174 under Fast Metabolism Survival Tips – “You’ve lost the weight, and it’s staying off.”).
      Are you there yet?

      If you are…
      Haylie also tells you to eat like it’s phase 2, so you’ll be eating protein in every meal and snack anyway; just add extra protein when you’ll have more than 2 hours between meals.
      It looks like more than 10-15 grams might be okay – as you mention, an ounce or two is 28 or 57 grams.
      The leftovers (steak or pork loin or fish) are examples of the type of protein you might have in between meals to make sure you’re having protein not less than every 2 hours.

  • Diane Nesbitt February 10, 2015, 3:55 am

    I’m looking for an audio cassette of THE FAST METABOLISM BOOK, I do have a copy of the book, however I would like an audio as well.

    • Penny Hammond February 13, 2015, 12:43 pm

      I don’t know if anyone produces cassette versions of audio books any more – you can get a CD version at Amazon (link)

  • kea February 10, 2015, 11:29 am

    I’m on week 3, I’ve lost weight. I eat 5.times per day, my problem is, I have dinner at 6pm, but sleep at 10pm/11. must I snack again? meaning I eat 6 times per day?

    • Penny Hammond February 13, 2015, 1:06 pm

      If you stretch lunch-snack and snack-dinner to 4 hours instead of 3, you’ll still be in the guidelines but having your last meal later in the day.
      E.g. wake up at 6.30am, breakfast 30 minutes later at 7am, snack 3 hours later at 10am, lunch 3 hours later at 1pm, snack 4 hours later at 5pm, dinner 4 hours later at 9pm (you could shorten these last two gaps so you don’t eat too late at night)

  • SAndy February 12, 2015, 3:03 pm

    Penny I am wondering why we still get craving. I did really well the first two weeks and lost 6.5 pounds and some inches. I know it works but this week all I want to do is eat sweets. Is there anything that can curb that craving. I am starting phase 3 tomorrow so Monday the 16th will be week 4. I don’t want to go back to old ways, I need help!
    can you email me also

    • Penny Hammond February 13, 2015, 1:12 pm

      If you’re very carb-sensitive you may still get cravings on this diet, especially having carbs and very low fat in phases 1 and 3. If that’s the case, you could try a low-carb diet instead to see if that helps you.

  • Joan February 14, 2015, 1:37 pm

    I started the diet Feb. 1 and I have lost 20 pounds, I just love the way I feel my energy level is so much better. I make sure I follow the plan , and I make a lot of my meals using a lot of veggies and it really helps,, I was on it before and lost 30 pds ! question,,, is the brown rice regular brown rice or something new ? Love this DIET !

    • Penny Hammond February 15, 2015, 10:39 am

      It’s regular brown rice, there isn’t anything in the book that specifies a particular type of brown rice.

  • Ann Jewson February 15, 2015, 2:56 pm

    Soooo…. how does anyone contact Haylie Pomroy with queries and questions that will actually get answered ?

    • Penny Hammond February 15, 2015, 4:24 pm

      Have you tried the community forum at http://hayliepomroy.com?

    • Susan February 23, 2015, 11:10 am

      Ann, did you find out how to contact ? I was also looking to post a question to her but it doesn’t look like there is a way to do that on her website. Thanks!

  • Samantha February 16, 2015, 7:00 am

    I really want to start this diet I have a thyroid issue and have gained 25 pounds!!! I need to get this weight off!! Will this work for me????

    • Penny Hammond February 16, 2015, 10:42 am

      The book claims that this diet will help if you have thyroid issues. Not all diets work for everyone – it may work for some people with thyroid issues and not for others. Check with your doctor before you start.

  • Lori February 18, 2015, 9:25 pm

    I started this program Thanksgiving 2013 and had lost 55 pounds by Thanksgiving2014. Usually did phases for three sessions then maintained for two weeks. I was able to hold until mid Jan but have gained 6 pounds, so this week it is back to work. It seems so easy now. I still have 60 pounds to go and hope to do at least half of that this year. I started doing Tai Chi 6 months ago and have better balance and move so much better.
    Lori

  • Miss Tay February 19, 2015, 4:59 pm

    Hello Penny,.

    Thanks for all of your help. I was wondering if I could eat lentil pasta made only of lentils and quinoa or spouted bagels for Phase 1 and 3?

    • Penny Hammond February 19, 2015, 7:07 pm

      You’re welcome!

      Have a look at the ingredients of the lentil pasta – does it contain anything you’re not supposed to be eating on phases 1 and 3?
      Many alternative pastas contain some wheat or corn or other ingredients to hold everything together. I’d be really surprised if somebody could make a pasta made of only lentils and quinoa without it falling apart!

      • Lisa E June 5, 2015, 9:54 am

        I actually bought black bean pasta at Costco and the only ingredients are black beans and water.

  • noella February 22, 2015, 11:57 am

    Hi Penny (& fellow FMD followers),

    I read the book and your summary, I start tomorrow and I was planning my meals for the first 4 days (phase 1 & 2) with help of both sources, the app AND the internet… There are a lot of differences between the sources which makes it a little difficult. I have a few questions for you…

    – for the oats in phase 1, I suppose it’s one cup uncooked oats with breakfast? The recipe in the ebook says 1/2 cup, the app says 1 cup… I hope the Quaker Oats will do (1,1 grams of sugar / 100 gram)?
    – the recipe for the tuna / apple / spinach salad (phase 1) in the ebook mentions 2 portions…. But it’s only 150 grams of tuna, and if I’m correct you have to eat 170 grams tuna (protein) at one meal there… So I suppose the ‘2 portions mentioning’ isn’t correct??
    – the book says 3 eggwhites in phase 1 & 2, your summary says 2 eggwhites… How many eggwhites do I have to eat per meal? (normal portions)
    – No bell peppers in phase 2, is that correct?

    I hope you, or someone else here, can help me with these questions… I want to start right tomorrow 🙂

    Thanx in advance!

    • Penny Hammond February 22, 2015, 2:10 pm

      Hi Noella,

      There are always a few inconsistencies in diet books to throw you off… well done for looking out for them! It’s also confusing because there were some errors in the first printings which have been updated, but no easy way to find out if you’re using the latest information.

      For oats in phase 1 – portion size is 1 cup of cooked oats. Because oats tend to expand when they’re cooked, the recipes may call for 1/2 cup per serving, which is expected to expand to 1 cup. So the Phase 1 Oatmeal recipe in the latest releases says 1 cup steel-cut oats for 2 servings (older versions and the ebook I have say this is for 4 servings, which appears to be incorrect).
      Make sure you’re using old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick-cook. Don’t look at the grams of sugar on the nutrition list because this includes natural sugars – instead, look at the ingredients list to make sure that the only ingredient is oats.

      For tuna/apple/spinach salad – again, the old printing (and the ebook version I have) say this serves 2, but the new printing says it serves 1.

      Egg whites in phase 1 & 2 – 3 egg whites per serving. I can see in the summary above that it says 3 eggs whites per serving for each of these phases, can’t see anywhere on this page where I say 2 egg whites per serving – could you point out exactly where I say that by giving the sentences before and after? Thanks!

      Bell peppers are allowed in phase 2.

      Hope that helps!

      • noella February 23, 2015, 2:57 am

        Thank you very much!! I’m very happy with the bell peppers (jeej, each phase, I just love them :-)) and drinking my oatmeal strawberry smoothie as we speak! I wil search for the 2 egg whites per serving, it IS possible I misread or misplaced the sentence, I did do a lot of reading on different places to be prepared… Oh no, I found it, it says: ‘in phase 1&2 you’re only supposed to have egg whites and the portion size is 2 egg whites (posted at aug 4th, 2014 at 5.48 am) Hope that helps…

        I made a plan for the first 4 days, I will put them here… Hope you can tell me if it’s right 🙂

        – Monday & Tuesday (the same, to start easy)
        Morning: oatmeal strawberry smoothie
        Snack: pear
        Lunch: 1 cup cooked speltpasta, 6oz tuna, 1 apple, carrots, cucumber, spinach, red bell pepper, red onion,tomatoes & lime juice
        Snack: 2 medium kiwi’s
        Dinner: 1 slice sprouted grain with 4 oz chicken deli meat, red onions, tomatoes & green leef lettuce + mustard

        – Wednesday & Thursday (also the same)
        Morning: 3 egg whites with red onions and spinach
        Lunch: 6 oz cod (made in the oven) with spinach, red onion and bell peppers
        Snack: 2 oz chicken deli meat with cucumber
        Snack: 1 egg white with cucumber
        Dinner: 6 oz salmon smoked with cucumber, red onions, green leef lettuce & spinach
        Snack: 2 oz chicken deli meat

        –> I switched the first snack with lunch because of work (I work irregular hours and like this I can eat lunch at the ‘normal time’ and take the snacks with me, I hope that works too??
        –> I put an extra snack in the app because it says you have to do that if you’re still awake 3 hours after dinner…

        I think if this is clear, everything for phase 1 & 2 is clear 🙂

        Thanks again for the fast response and I hope I’ll get an answer for this topic too 🙂

        Noella

        • Penny Hammond February 23, 2015, 5:49 pm

          Thanks for spotting the egg white inconsistency, I’ve added a correction.

          Your meal plan looks good – I hope it goes well for you!

  • Susan February 22, 2015, 8:33 pm

    I am doing the 10 day cleanse. On day 8 it says a “fat veggie protein”meal with grains optional. The recipe in the book is the hot and sour soup. I don’t see that the recipe has any fats in it. Should I add a fat to the meal? I know her first book had issues with the meal planner not being completely accurate. So not sure if the same is happening here. Thanks in advance for answering the question!

    • Penny Hammond February 23, 2015, 5:41 pm

      I think you’re referring to The Burn, and I haven’t read that book so I don’t know, sorry!

  • Andrea February 23, 2015, 11:23 am

    Just started today with my mom and partner, and all 3 of us have bad headaches, have little energy and feel pretty bad. I haven’t read anything about this in the book or here on the forum, is this normal and how long might it last?

    • Penny Hammond February 23, 2015, 5:53 pm

      If you usually have a lot of caffeine or sugar (or some of the other foods you’re avoiding on this diet), you could be getting “detox” symptoms – people often get them after cutting out addictive foods or foods you’re intolerant to. It should only be 2-3 days, a week at absolute most.

      • Andrea February 25, 2015, 5:59 pm

        Thank you, it was indeed the caffeine, I have been drinking some and decreasing gradually now, so I avoid feeling awful. Another question though, I’m on day 3 now and it’s an absolute struggle, I am humgry the whole time. I’m only trying to lose 3 kgs, I think that’s about 7 pounds, don’t normally eat that much but now I just don’t get full. I eat loads of veg, drink the water I need, eat all meals/snacks… Any suggestions? Or will I get used to it? I have never been on a diet before. Many thanks!

  • Tina G. February 23, 2015, 2:07 pm

    My husband I want to both do this diet. He works swing shifts. Some weeks he works at night and some weeks he works during the day. Can I just reverse his servings when he is working nights and switch back when he is working days? If so-what would be the best way to transition between the two?

    • Penny Hammond February 23, 2015, 6:09 pm

      Haylie says in the book “If you work the night shift, your schedule will be different. As long as you are eating within 30 minutes of waking, and every three to four hours after that, it doesn’t matter what time of day you begin, whether that’s 6: 00 A.M., 6: 00 P.M., or any other time.”

      But swing shifts are tough. I don’t see any guidance in the book about them. I think that may work: whether he’s sleeping a short sleep or a long sleep just start with breakfast when he wakes up (within 30 minutes of waking, as Haylie says above); if he’s up extra long stretching out the period between meals where that’s allowed and maybe adding an extra snack; if he’s awake for a shorter time cutting out the snacks. If you want to eat the same meal with him, that’s even tougher – look at the differences between the food groups for breakfast and dinner and see whether you can have the same basic thing and then add other foods if they’re missing for one of you.
      Hope that helps.

  • nancy February 25, 2015, 9:43 am

    HI
    I can not find any mention of freekah being allowed as a grain. Do you know?

    • Penny Hammond February 26, 2015, 6:39 pm

      Freekeh is young wheat that’s been roasted. It’s still wheat – so it wouldn’t be allowed on this diet.

  • Janna February 27, 2015, 3:12 pm

    Hi, I just started the diet and today I am in Phase 3.

    I am really confused when it says fat/protein.

    1) Does that mean we are allowed to have either a fat or a protein? or does that mean we can have a fat AND a protein or does that mean that the protein should be a fat?

    2) Also, to confirm. For Phase 1 it’s one cup of oatmeal and for Phase 3 it is 1/2 cup of Oatmeal?

    Hope you can shed some light….

    Thanks

    • Penny Hammond March 4, 2015, 4:15 pm

      Fat/protein appears to mean higher-fat protein or fat plus protein. If the protein is fatty (like whole eggs), you’re good. If it’s not at all fatty, you’ll need to add some fats.

      Oatmeal is considered a grain – in phase 1 you can have 1 cup of cooked grains per serving, and in phase 3 you can have 1/2 cup of cooked grains per serving. You’re correct.

  • Esther February 28, 2015, 6:53 am

    “Portion Size – Overall Guideline

    I have been doing this diet now four times and I never lose more than 5 lbs. I am confused about portion size for protein. How much meat are you supposed to have per serving or per day. Why can’t I lose more weight if I follow what she says.

    Any ideas for phase II? It really doesn’t give you much to eat

    • Penny Hammond March 4, 2015, 4:23 pm

      The protein portions (as well as the other portions) depend on how much weight you need to lose.

      20 pounds or less:
      – Phase 1 – 4 ounces of meat, 6 ounces of fish, or ½ cup cooked legumes
      – Phases 2 and 3 – the same portion sizes
      – On phase 2 if you are eating deli meat as a snack, one portion is 2 ounces, or about 3-4 thin slices from the deli counter.

      More than 20 pounds – 1.5x the serving size:
      – Phase 1 – 6 ounces of meat, 9 ounces of fish, or 3/4 cup cooked legumes
      – Phases 2 and 3 – the same portion sizes
      – On phase 2 if you are eating deli meat as a snack, one portion is 3 ounces, or about 4-6 thin slices from the deli counter.

      For phase 2, eat lots of veggies (as well as drinking lots of water as usual) to make yourself feel full.

      Not every diet is for every person – if you are following the instructions to a T and not getting healthier, it may not be for you.

      • Esther March 6, 2015, 4:54 pm

        So if you want to lose More than 20 pounds you can eat 6 ounces of meat, 9 ounces of fish, or 3/4 cup cooked legumes on Phase 1. But does that mean that the 6 ounces of meat can be eaten for lunch and dinner or do you cut that in half to total 6 ounces for the day?

        Which is right 6 ounces of meat for lunch and 6 ounces of meat for dinner or 3 ounces of meat for lunch and 3 ounces of meat for dinner in phase 1?

        • Penny Hammond March 8, 2015, 11:31 am

          The serving size is per meal, not per day. So if the serving size is 6 ounces, have 6 ounces for lunch and 6 ounces for dinner.

  • Esther February 28, 2015, 2:14 pm

    I am confused about the serving size on the haylie pomroy’s Fast Metabolism Diet. She says that you could lose 20 to 40 pounds if you eat 6 ounces of meat on phase 1 and 3. Does that mean that this portion is for the day or per meal?

    You are allowed 3/4 cup of beans on phase 1 and 1.5 cups of grains and oats on phase 1. Does that also mean that this serving size is for the day or per meal? She doesn’t specify anything on the portion servings. Help me please?

    Thanks,

    Esther,

    • Penny Hammond March 4, 2015, 4:31 pm

      The portion sizes are for the meal, not for the day.

      For each phase, look at the guidelines for what to eat at each meal
      For example:
      Proteins: in phase 1 there’s protein at lunch and dinner only, and the serving size given would be for lunch and then again for dinner.
      Carbs: in phase 1 you’re asked to eat grain and fruit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and fruit on its own for snacks). So you should have a serving size of grain for breakfast, another for lunch, and another for dinner.
      Beans are counted as proteins on this diet – when you choose the protein for the meal, one of the choices is beans.

  • Teresa March 1, 2015, 10:42 pm

    Thank you very much for this Penny. You make finding what to eat and how much to eat SO much more clear than the book. I hope that Haylie Pomroy looks to your site and reads the comments to get a better understanding of what editing needs to be done for a new edition of the FMD. Having all the information – portions and which food all in one place – without having to flip back and forth to different pages in the book is a gigantic help. Thank you!!!

    • Penny Hammond March 3, 2015, 7:56 pm

      You’re welcome, glad it’s helpful to you!

      • Kathy Isenhart October 18, 2015, 5:58 pm

        I have to agree. The book is unclear in many areas. If it wasn’t for this site, I would close the book and forget about it.

  • Grace March 3, 2015, 3:45 am

    Hi!
    I just know about this diet program and prepare for it soon!
    I have one question to ask.

    When I follow up the phases well until some point, but somehow, I have to go eat out, which mean it will cut my phase! I wonder is it ok to not follow the phase one day strictly if some inevitable situations happen…

    To me, it is the issue…sometimes I can’t choose what I eat in the office and people are kinda forced me to eat certain snacks or food.

    or do I have to reset all and start phase 1 again?

    please help! thanks!

    • Penny Hammond March 4, 2015, 6:22 pm

      Haylie says that the goal is to repair your metabolism first, then you’ll be able to eat outside the plan. “But it takes 28 days to get you there. That is not negotiable.” (Chapter 8: Week Three)

      Try bringing your own food to the office or when you don’t know you’ll be able to get phase-suitable foods. You may have to be a bit unsocial for a while. Explain to people that you’re doing this for your health, that often helps as a push-back.

  • Mary March 7, 2015, 8:30 am

    What do I eat if we go out for lunch or supper
    What are some things I can order during each phase

    • Penny Hammond March 8, 2015, 12:00 pm

      There are so many different types of restaurant, it’s not easy to give examples…
      Look to see whether there are any foods that might be suitable, and ask your server questions about whether the foods you’re supposed to be avoiding are included in the food. It’s probably a good idea to avoid sauces, and to try to ask for food to be specially prepared for you simply so it doesn’t have ingredients added that you shouldn’t be eating.

  • Reese March 7, 2015, 11:17 am

    Hi there!
    First of all thanks for the blog!
    I just have one question about the portions. If it was asked before I’m sorry. So I want to loose between 15 and 20 kg, that’s why I take the 1 1/2 portions. Now it says in the book you should take 1 1/2 cup of cooked grains in phase 1 – and I’m discussing with a friend now how much that really is. I’m not from the US, so the whole cup measuring is new to me, but the book said one cup is 240ml – that would be 190g of cooked rice, so 285g for me. I can’t eat that much in one sitting. Not with 180g of protein and some veggies and a piece of fruit later. Am I measuring/ calculating that right? What do I do, if I simply can’t eat that much? Also in the recipes in the book it’s always far less grains than that (like with the chicken broccoli one in phase 1 it’s 100g (uncooked) rice for 4 portions which is far less than 1 cup cooked rice per portion) So how much grain should I really eat?
    Thanks a lot,
    Reese

    • Penny Hammond March 8, 2015, 11:48 am

      Hi Reese,

      In the USA solids are measured by volume not by weight (which causes accuracy issues, but that doesn’t worry most people). If you try to convert volume measurements to weight measurements it varies by the food, whether it’s cooked or not, etc. – so it’s difficult to translate each one. The easiest thing to do would be to use a measuring jug / measuring cup to measure portions for US recipes – one cup is 240ml, so fill the measuring jug up to 240 or 250 ml and you’ve got the correct serving size. I don’t have any cooked rice to hand so I couldn’t work out how much that would weigh…

      I just took out some uncooked brown rice and weighed a cup of it – it came to 190g (that may be the issue – did you weigh it raw? It probably weighs less per volume when cooked, and of course it expands to nearly double when cooked). The Chicken and Broccoli Bowl recipe in the USA calls for 1 cup brown rice, so if the recipe you’re reading says 100g that doesn’t make sense. It may be that whoever converted the recipes made a mistake.

      Hope that helps…

  • Rosca March 10, 2015, 3:11 pm

    Hi Penny,

    Thank you so much for this resource, I am waiting for my book to arrive and I am excited to get some insight ahead of time….. looking at Phase 3 portion sizes for losing 21-40 lbs, fats are listed as none added, however for under 20 lbs there are options for fats? does this mean for the entire diet I do not eat any fats if I have more than 20 lbs to lose?

    thanks

    • Penny Hammond March 10, 2015, 5:23 pm

      Thanks so much for pointing that out! I just made some updates last week to make this easier to follow for 21-40 pounds, and some copy-pasting obviously went wrong.
      I’ve updated it, should be correct now – 1 1/2 times the portion size for up to 20 pounds.

      • Rosca March 11, 2015, 2:28 pm

        thank you 🙂

  • Donna March 11, 2015, 8:07 pm

    Penny, thank you so much for these clarifications. I purchased the e-book and it is not easy to decipher. Now I can easily tell how much of what to eat on each day. You’re a Godsend!!!

    • Penny Hammond March 12, 2015, 8:22 pm

      You’re welcome!

  • lealea March 13, 2015, 2:16 pm

    How do I make the salad dressing that is inlcuded in Phase 2 and Phase 3. Also in Phase 1 there is mention of dressing.

    • Penny Hammond March 15, 2015, 5:44 pm

      The “Phase 1 salad dressing and veggie dip” recipe is on page 191. It’s made from mango, balsamic vinegar, cilantro or parsley, lime juice, and stevia or xylitol.

      The “Phase 2 salad dressing and veggie dip” recipe is on page 207. It’s made from cucumber, garlic, balsamic or apple cider vinegar, cilantro or parsley, dill, stevia or xylitol, and sea salt.

      The “Phase 3 salad dressing and veggie dip” recipe is on page 222-223. It’s made from sesame oil, lime juice, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper.

  • lealea March 13, 2015, 5:58 pm

    What is the smoothie that is mentioned. Is it a meal or a snack?

    • Penny Hammond March 15, 2015, 5:47 pm

      There are recipes for breakfast smoothies (a bit more filling) and one recipe for a snack smoothie.

  • lealea March 13, 2015, 7:09 pm

    In phase 3 when can I eat nuts? With a meal? For a snack?

    • Penny Hammond March 15, 2015, 5:48 pm

      There are nuts included in some of the phase 3 recipes; you can also have them as a snack.

  • angela March 16, 2015, 7:35 pm

    This is angela. Can I smoke during diet. Please help

    • Penny Hammond March 17, 2015, 7:43 pm

      I looked up smoking, cigarettes, and tobacco in the book and it doesn’t give any guidance – it doesn’t say that smoking will stop the diet from working, but maybe the author takes it for granted that smoking isn’t helpful for your health.

  • Karen March 16, 2015, 10:27 pm

    Just wondering, will this diet be effective for a teenager? (Age 15)

    • Penny Hammond March 17, 2015, 7:51 pm

      The author mentions that her children love the recipes in the book. She doesn’t say whether the diet is effective for teenagers. Your hormonal patterns are still developing at that age, so it might not be such a good idea to follow this diet.

  • Katie March 17, 2015, 6:25 pm

    Can you have spelt cereal on phase 1?

    • Penny Hammond March 17, 2015, 7:54 pm

      You can have spelt products on phase one – the book lists the grain, pasta, pretzels, and tortillas.
      It doesn’t specifically mention spelt cereal – look at the ingredients to check whether there are any ingredients you shouldn’t be eating (e.g. corn, sugar, etc.)

  • Cindy March 22, 2015, 2:17 pm

    Why can’t we use the chili recipe for both p1 and p3 ??

    • Penny Hammond March 22, 2015, 4:47 pm

      Phase 1 is high carb and phase 3 is moderate carb – you’re not eating the same amount of carbs for each phase. And there’s no fat in phase 1 but there is in phase 3.
      If you compare the “Turkey or Buffalo Chili” phase 1 recipe (p.189) and the “Avocado Chili” phase 3 recipe (p.229) you’ll see they’re pretty much the same – the phase 1 version has a little more meat and more beans (carbs), and the phase 3 recipe has less beans and added avocado (fat).
      If you want to make a big batch, try making the phase 3 recipe and adding more beans for phase 1 days or adding avocado for phase 3 days.

      • Cindy March 25, 2015, 1:28 pm

        Thx so much!! Everywhere I read on the deli meat it just says nitrate free.. I have no promblem finding that but when I ask about nitrate free and only grass fed deli meat I can not find. Is it ok for the deli meat to be veg. fed? Thx again

  • Helene Routhier March 23, 2015, 10:00 am

    I have just completed the 28days diet. I lost only 9 pounds in 4 weels of strict dieting. I started it again and on the 5th week I lost ONE POUND!!!!!! It is going to take me ages to reach my goal of 20 pounds. Any suggestion anybody ?????

  • Michael Lee March 24, 2015, 12:31 pm

    Great job on this info. Wanted to know if you have the burn info from the third book on this site.

    • Penny Hammond March 24, 2015, 5:02 pm

      Thank you!
      I haven’t yet written up The Burn – I usually write up the more popular books because that will benefit more people (it takes a long time to write each food list), and sales on this book aren’t very high.

  • Elizabeth March 24, 2015, 3:23 pm

    Penny, this site is AWESOME! Like so many others, this gave me the info needed to start right away and am now reading the book for more in depth info. Thank you for this amazing gift!
    I am following the “lose 21-40 lbs” instructions and my question is about the Protein portion of the diet:
    All phases say a serving size is 6oz and in the “Foods to Eat” section it lists deli meat (nitrate-free). Is it true that I should use my kitchen scale to weigh out 6oz of the deli meat for, say, lunch? I did that yesterday and today (Phase 1 lunch) and it was an awful lot of sliced turkey! I see that Phase 2 specifies that if you are having deli meat for a snack then the serving size is only 3oz……
    Could you please confirm that I do in fact weigh out 6oz of sliced turkey?
    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond March 24, 2015, 5:22 pm

      Thanks Elizabeth, I’m glad it’s helpful!

      I had a look at the phase 1 recipes, and single portions for sandwiches show e.g. 2 slices of deli turkey or chicken, 4 strips turkey bacon or 1/2 cup lean ground turkey (you would have 1 1/2 times this much).
      That’s different for the book, which says 4 ounces for a meal (or 6 ounces for 21-40 pounds), and on phases 2 and 3 if it’s a snack it should be 2 ounces (or 3 ounces for 21-40 pounds).
      If you feel more comfortable with less, it looks like you could get away with it given what’s included in the recipes.
      Hope that helps…

  • Lea March 24, 2015, 6:08 pm

    Hey, I am just a little confused, but doing well I suppose. 3 weeks and have lost 11 lbs. But I was wondering can tomatoes be used as a fruit?

    • Penny Hammond March 25, 2015, 11:11 am

      Haylie lists them as a vegetable, but as they contain some natural sugars you could probably use them from time to time as a fruit option in the phases where you’re asked to eat fruits.

  • Rowe March 24, 2015, 11:03 pm

    Hello, Penny. Thank you for putting this site together. It is so much easier to find everything in one spot.

    I have a few questions. Hope you can help me.
    For all 3 phases, under Broth, herbs, spices, and condiments, you listed baking powder and baking soda here but I don’t see those 2 ingredients in the book’s Master Food Lists. Is it ok to use them?

    What is the portion size for Broth, herbs, spices, and condiments?

    Can you point out where in the book that talks about the portion size?

    Thanks again.

    • Penny Hammond March 25, 2015, 11:17 am

      Hi Rowe,

      Baking powder and baking soda aren’t listed in the master food lists, but I’ve added them in because they’re included in some recipes in the cookbook.

      Herbs, spices, broths, and condiments are unlimited on all phases.
      For portion sizes in the book, my hard copy has them on page 103-108, in Chapter 5 “Looking at Your Life: Making It Work for You”. In my Kindle version, it’s approximately locations 2051-2254.

    • Rowe March 25, 2015, 11:51 am

      Sorry for not being more specific.

      My last question is regarding the portion size for Broth, herbs, spices, and condiments.
      Can you point out where in the book that talks about the portion size for Broth, herbs, spices, and condiments?

  • Cindy March 25, 2015, 5:34 pm

    I having a hard time finding grass fed deli meat.. When I look back in book all it says is nitrate free… I can easily find that ,, please respond

    • Penny Hammond March 26, 2015, 3:37 pm

      A number of other current diets call for grass-fed or pastured meat, but there’s no mention in this book that meat should be grass-fed. At one point Haylie says that organic meats are high-quality, and she says you should eat organic meats where possible – but it’s possible to be organic and not grass-fed, and she doesn’t say you have to have organic. So nitrate-free deli meat should be fine according to this diet.

  • AADI March 25, 2015, 11:18 pm

    Hey I started this diet program this monday but have some questions that:
    If I missed any diet meal or woke up late and missed breakfast?
    If I eat any fruits in phase II during snack time is that okay? because I am feeling so hungry during phase II diet program.
    I can not stop cup of INDIAN CHAI a day . Is that okay to have one cup of chai with less milk and less sugar ?
    Can anyone reply me if possible thank you:)

    • Penny Hammond March 26, 2015, 3:51 pm

      If you wake up late – eat within 30 minutes of waking. The diet relies on you eating frequently throughout the day.

      The only fruits you can have on phase 2 are lemons and limes as this is a very low carb phase – not sure they’d be good for snacks.

      You’re supposed to avoid caffeine on this diet, and chai contains tea which is caffeinated – if you find a chai made with only organic decaffeinated tea and spices, you could have that occasionally but it’s not strongly advised.

  • lealea March 27, 2015, 2:45 pm

    I am confused about how to count an egg white and an entire egg???

    • Penny Hammond March 29, 2015, 9:28 am

      An egg white is the white from 1 egg, or 2 tablespoons of egg white from a carton.
      An entire egg is the white and the yolk from one egg.

      The serving size in phases 1 and 2 is 3 egg whites (4 1/2 egg white for >21 pounds weight loss). That’s the whites from 3 eggs or 6 tbsp egg whites.
      The serving size in phase 3 is 1 whole egg (1 1/2 eggs for >21 pounds weight loss).

  • Doris March 31, 2015, 5:18 pm

    My sister is very disappointed in Haylie because she went on her website and she saw that she sells powder in place of food we thought she was all about eating the right things.

  • Choti April 1, 2015, 3:45 am

    What if I eat avocado in phase 1 Tuesday night and I feel hungry in phase 2. Can I eat fruits instead of just lime or lemon. How about tea or coffee. I tried this diet but dose not lose more than 2 pound in 2week. I am doing excercise aswell everyday.

    • Penny Hammond April 1, 2015, 6:41 pm

      Phase 1 avoids fat, and you’re not supposed to have avocados on that phase according to the book.

      On phase 2, you’re not allowed any fruits except lemons and limes. Try eating a lot of veggies and salads to fill up, and make sure you’re getting enough protein.

      You’re supposed to avoid caffeine, so regular tea and coffee are out. Herbal teas are allowed, and organic decaffeinated coffee (only if you absolutely have to, and it could negatively affect how the diet works).

      • sweety April 1, 2015, 8:54 pm

        hey I am going to marry on 20th may 2015. I want lose weight around 30 pound is possible if i follow this diet properly. and do I have to do regular exercise as well? It say that following this diet plan can ruduce 20 pound in a month is it right? is it okay to start this diet form phase 3 directly ??
        and if I feel hungry in any diet is it okay have fruits instead of junk food??
        How about eating soup every day?
        Please give me some information or tips to lose 30 pounds Please. Thank you

        • sweety April 1, 2015, 9:03 pm

          And one more thing to I have to ask that in this diet food quantity is somtime quiet big for me is it okay eat less quantity?

          • Penny Hammond April 3, 2015, 12:33 pm

            I can’t find any guidelines in the book or on the website on what to do if the given portion sizes are too much for you to eat.
            Try to eat as much as you can, balancing all the different types of foods in the same proportions as given for the full serving size.
            Eat a bit more slowly and chew well, that might help.

        • Penny Hammond April 3, 2015, 12:27 pm

          The book says you can lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days – but I’d be surprised if many people lost the full 20 pounds. Usually the rate of weight loss drops over time. Losing 30 pounds in less than 8 weeks might be a bit of a stretch.

          This diet requires you to go through all the phases in order to lose weight – it’s not that phase 3 makes you lose most weight; you have to cycle through all of the phases each week.

          Fruits are probably better for you than junk food, but if you have blood sugar issues then eating large amounts of fruit could be an issue.
          Phase 2 of this diet (2 days a week) doesn’t allow fruits.

          Soup is filling, and it can be a great way to get your veggies.
          Watch out for the ingredients – some soups have a lot of fat or carbs and end up being “liquid calories.”

          If you focus all your energy on losing weight, you might lose sight of the fact that marriage is a celebration of being together, and not just a photo opportunity.
          Cutting out junk food and being physically active can help improve your long-term health and make it likely that you’ll be together for longer. Try focusing on that rather than just a quick fix to reduce your weight.

  • Linda Noble Brown April 1, 2015, 8:27 am

    Hubby and I have been whole plant vegans for a year, but I still gained nearly 20 pounds. I would like to try this diet, but I am vegan and allergic to soy. Any idea what plant protein I could use for Phase 2? The vegan links listed above were not working. Thank you so much for your advice.

    • Penny Hammond April 1, 2015, 6:34 pm

      Sorry about that – at some point Haylie’s team took down the fastmetabolismdiet.com site and forwarded it to hayliepomroy.com; unfortunately it looks like a lot of the content didn’t make it over in the switch.

      Here’s something I found when searching just now – FMD 7 day vegan meal plan http://www.hayliepomroy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/7-Day-Vegan-Meal-Map.pdf
      Obviously this includes a lot of soy, but also some other ideas – lentils, quinoa, hummus, other legumes.
      Unfortunately that’s not going to help you in phase 2 when you’re supposed to be avoiding carbs – I can’t find any ideas for that phase if you can’t have soy.

      One theoretical way-out-there idea – make your own tempeh but use a different (and not particularly high carb) legume, not soy. Sandor Katz’s “The Art of Fermentation” has ideas but not clear recipes. I haven’t tried this.

  • Donna Stull April 1, 2015, 1:21 pm

    Hi, I have a question, I have Gastroparisis and can’t eat vegetables and fruit. And I have to eat low fat, low carb and low sugar, high protein because they are hard to digest. But my metabolism is non existent because my body is in fight or flight mode. So my question is would this diet help me? I’ve gained 50 lbs in 2 years because of an accident that caused me to be seditary. Thanks for any help you can give me.

    • Penny Hammond April 1, 2015, 6:49 pm

      That sounds like a really restrictive set of limitations. Have you fully tested all variations of the dietary recommendations for gastroparesis to see how they affect you – e.g. have well-cooked and possibly blended vegetables and fruits, lower-fiber carbs such as white rice, or a liquid diet?

      This diet cycles through high carb and moderate fat, and if you struggle with either of them it won’t work for you.

  • Trini April 2, 2015, 12:10 am

    I first want to thank you, Haylie, and everyone on her group for all you do for the community. I love the diet, and even with some struggles, I am not planning on giving up. I have been following this diet to the plan since December 28 of 2014, I lost 20 pounds on the first month 5 pounds on the next cycle and for a whole month, did not lost a pound, but did not gain any waight. It seems I spend more time in a plateau then loosing weight, I bught the Burn and started the H-Burn plan and lost 9 pounds, but nothing after that plan ended. I have 80 more pounds to loose, but for some reason I am stuck. I drink all my water, eat lots of veggies and proteins according to each phase, my portions are according to the book for 40 pounds or more, I do not skip any meals and follow Haylie’s suggestions for diabetics, but the scale does not move. I feel that I have been on the diet long enough for my metab olic system should be working better and loosing waight. I do not want to give up because there are so many health benefits I gain on this diet and eating healthy. If you have any suggestions that may help, please let me know. Thank you.
    Sincerely

    Trini

    • Penny Hammond April 3, 2015, 12:36 pm

      How wonderful that you’re feeling healthier.

      You could try checking to see if there are other toxins in your life that are causing you to hold on to your weight – try Clean by Dr. Alejandro Junger (note that my writeup is just about the food side of the program; the book has details about detoxifying other parts of your life.

      • Trini April 6, 2015, 1:19 am

        Thank you Penny, this is something I most definitely will give it a try. I check it out and there is nothing unhealthy about it I am eager to try to get Dr. Junger book and start the plan.

        Trini

  • lealea April 2, 2015, 9:04 pm

    I hate phase 2. Any suggestions to make it better. Too much meat for me.

    • Penny Hammond April 3, 2015, 12:17 pm

      Try substituting other proteins instead of meat?

  • Helene Routhier April 3, 2015, 4:56 pm

    I wrote before and did not get an answer. Here it is again. I did the diet for 28 days, and I lost 10 pounds. I continued for another 3 weeks and I did not lose anything at all. I follow the diet strictly as written in the book. I must do something wrong because it does not work for me.

    I would like to know if you can help me lose another 10 pounds, and I will reach my goal.

  • Joanne Cline April 3, 2015, 8:42 pm

    Does anyone happen to have the weekly menu sheets in blank in a PDF format? I was going to create them myself, but thought I would check to see if anyone has already done that. Thank you.

  • Cindy April 8, 2015, 10:14 am

    Just spent 100. Buck on a grass fed organic fillet and has my husband grill to find out the steak seasoning had some msg in it …. Have I ruined my fillet are do u think the little in the seasoning will be ok

    • Penny Hammond April 9, 2015, 8:20 am

      Little mistakes sometimes happen, and the amount of MSG in seasoning probably isn’t huge. Haylie doesn’t actually say in the book that you can’t have MSG, although it’s pretty common nowadays for diets to avoid it. Enjoy the steaks!

  • Jo April 9, 2015, 4:46 pm

    Can’t do this diet if your on dialysis. You would die if you drank all that water and ate some of the vegetables.

  • Emma Brown April 10, 2015, 4:38 pm

    I listen to the audio books but i need the meal plan can you help me out please-

    • Penny Hammond April 12, 2015, 2:52 pm

      With some audible books, when you put the disk into a computer it can read files that have been posted to the disk – try that, and if it doesn’t work please contact the publisher to ask them how you can get a copy of the meal plan as part of your purchase.

  • Heidi April 14, 2015, 11:14 am

    Hi,
    I am starting this diet tomorrow, and I have a question about volume of food. I understand that the theory is the more weight you want to lose, the more you should be eating, but I am a relatively small woman (5′ 1″ tall 160 lbs) and it sounds like I might struggle to eat as much as it recommends. I hate the feeling I get after stuffing myself and I usually try to stop eating once I start to feel full. I want to lose about 20-25 lbs so I should be following the diet as it is written, but if there is a 6′ tall man who wants to lose 25 lbs he should be eating the same amount in theory and that seems very wrong to me. Everyone is differently sized, so shouldn’t I be eating a little bit less? It all seems a bit confusing… am I missing something?
    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond April 14, 2015, 7:12 pm

      You’re correct, this diet doesn’t take into account your overall body mass and doesn’t differentiate between men and women. It seems to be mostly aimed at women.
      If you can’t eat the full amount, scale back so you’re eating the same variety of foods but slightly less.

      • Heidi April 14, 2015, 7:34 pm

        OK, I will just eat until I’m full. Thanks for your fast answer!

  • Doris April 15, 2015, 2:41 pm

    are splits pretzels ok

    • Penny Hammond April 15, 2015, 5:21 pm

      You’ll have to look at the ingredients – most of them contain wheat, which is not allowed on this diet unless it’s sprouted.

  • Maria April 16, 2015, 11:45 pm

    Hi. I was wondering if what is on this summary is all I would need to know about the diet? or is there anything more that I have to get from the book? thank you!

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2015, 7:37 am

      There’s a lot more in the book:
      – A great explanation on why low-calorie diets don’t work, which can help people understand why they should break away from the pattern of starvation which is destructive for so many people
      – Information on how to measure improvement in your body, not just weight loss, with recommended tests that you can ask your doctor for
      – Supplements that address low nutritional power of foods because of poor soil quality and occasional poor food choices
      – Exercise guidelines
      – Recipes, which most people find useful or even necessary to give them ideas of what to eat and how to prepare it

  • Bob Krause April 18, 2015, 8:15 pm

    We have purchased two of your books. Could you tell me if it is ok to drink kombucha on this diet.
    Also we are confused about whether you can eat both healthy fat and protein in the same meal during phase 3 or one or the other. In the fast metabolism diet book on page 75 it says you will have a healthy fat, a protein, fruit, grain, and a veggie. On page 132 the week one meal map seems to show that you can have one or the other. On page 69 it has fat/protein. This has us confused of which way to go. Also on the blank meal map, phase 3 it shows healthy fat/protein. Can you eat veggies throughout the day or do you have to eat them with meals only. Please get back asap as we are just finishing our first week and have been eating both healthy fat and protein. We are both losing weight and feeling good. It is nice to be able to lose weight and not ever feel hungry.

    • Penny Hammond April 19, 2015, 4:37 pm

      The book and cookbook don’t mention kombucha.
      In the FMD website at http://www.hayliepomroy.com/phase-4-of-the-fast-metabolism-diet/, the site admin says that you can have kombucha on any phase.
      I’m actually a little surprised about that, as it contains small amounts of alcohol and sugar, and you’re told on this diet to completely avoid alcohol and sugar.

      When it says fat/protein, you should read that as fat plus protein. So it could be a fatty protein (such as eggs), or a lean protein plus a healthy fat. Look at the recipes to see examples.

      You can eat unlimited phase-appropriate veggies throughout the day.

  • Jordana April 20, 2015, 8:13 am

    hello:
    I am starting the diet today!!! Just trying to understand some of the recipes. Th open faced turkey sandwich calls for two slices of turkey but that isn’t 6 oz (my goal is to lose 21 pounds so i need the 6 oz) why is it only two slices which is way under the oz specification ?

    • Penny Hammond April 21, 2015, 10:00 am

      The recipes are for single portions – as you’re trying to lose over 20 pounds you need 1 1/2 portions, so you should have 1 1/2 times the recipe. So where it says 2 slices, you should have 3 slices, etc.

  • Grace April 20, 2015, 3:27 pm

    I’m a protein person and am worried about having just cereal and fruit for breakfast on P1.Most of my hunger is between breakfast and lunch, and I think the fruit snack wouldn’t do it for me.
    I also don’t like eating a big meal at night. Lunch is our main meal here, eaten at 2PM-ish.
    Can I switch dinner and breakfast? I think I will do much better overall.

    • Penny Hammond April 21, 2015, 10:08 am

      Sure, you should be able to switch dinner and breakfast, as long as both are meals designed for the phase you’re on.
      It may require extra planning as you’re supposed to eat within 30 minutes of waking.

      • Grace April 22, 2015, 1:36 am

        In P1 it would mean just adding protein to my cereal. Yesterday I added 2 egg whites to my oats after cooking- it gave it more of a “milky” texture to the oatmeal and made it stay with me longer, and had just 3.5 oz.s fish for dinner. That , with veggies and some rice cakes, and I was stuffed.
        Is what I did OK, or should I have protein just with the breakfast and skip it at dinner?
        BTW- how many rice cakes equal a starch serving?
        Also, I am using 3/4 c dry oatmeal. I need to lose 45 lbs. Is that right?
        I’m on my second day of P1. Started one day late, and will shorten P3 by one day, and restart next Monday.
        Thanks for this thread- I read through it before starting and it was very helpful.

        • Penny Hammond April 22, 2015, 7:39 am

          Phase 2 and phase 3 breakfasts have protein, but phase 1 breakfasts don’t – they’re basically just starch. I don’t know whether this is to have a starch-strong kickoff to the day, or because protein should be limited in phase 1, or what. So I don’t know whether what you did is okay or you should be having protein only with 2 meals a day.

          Starch servings are in cups – which makes it a little difficult to measure rice cakes – maybe break one up and see how volume in cups it gives you? The portion size is supposed to be 1/4 cup for crackers or pretzels – rice cakes might be considered to be in that category.

          The serving size for phase 1 for >20 pounds weight loss is 1.5 cups. Dry oatmeal is already cooked so it doesn’t necessarily expand as much as a raw grain would. 3/4 cup of dry oatmeal might make 1 1/2 cups of cooked, but you might want to check.

  • Louise April 24, 2015, 9:38 am

    Hi — will you still lose weight if you don’t give up caffeine? I drink 2+ cups a day. Good with eliminating everything else! thanks much.

    • Penny Hammond April 26, 2015, 8:10 pm

      Haylie says “It’s important to understand how much caffeine stresses your adrenal glands. Your adrenal glands are very important in regulating blood sugar, keeping your cortisol (stress hormone) levels steady, and regulating epinephrine and norepinephrine, the so-called fight-or-flight hormones. The adrenals also help regulate aldosterone, which controls fat metabolism, and regulate sugar storage and muscle development. Caffeine pushes the body past its healthy state of energy, constantly stealing from your reserves, leaving you depleted and without resources for when you really need energy.” (p.92)

      She doesn’t definitively say that you won’t lose weight if you don’t give up coffee, but it’s one of her main rules so it’s possible that the diet won’t work as well as if you did give it up.

      She says that if you absolutely can’t see giving up coffee right now, your best bet is organic decaffeinated coffee (which will stress your adrenals). And if you insist on morning coffee (or caffeine in any other form), you must eat before you drink it.

  • kelly April 25, 2015, 12:49 pm

    I get up early and I understand that I need to eat with in 30 minutes. However, if I continue on that pace with eating a snack or meal every 3 to 4 hours, I will have more than 4 hours between dinner and going to bed. Should I have a 6th snack before I go to bed?

    • Penny Hammond April 26, 2015, 8:11 pm

      There’s no 6th snack listed in the book.
      Try stretching out so you’re closer to 4 hours between meals and snacks than 3 hours, then your dinner will be closer to your bedtime.

  • Chriss April 25, 2015, 3:39 pm

    Hi Penny,
    Your website is terrific. I’m on day 6 and have lost 6 + pounds but I have a question about measuring portion sizes. If I make a phase appropriate stir fry with ground meat and veggies but not following a specific recipe, what is a single portion in cups? I saw in the book that 3 cups was recommended for soups, so I have been using 2 cups for the stir fry – it seems like a lot of food! This is a very easy way to eat – loving the light feeling without the wheat, dairy and sugar.
    No hunger at all so far.

    • Penny Hammond April 26, 2015, 8:18 pm

      Hi Chriss,
      Thanks!
      The portion sizes in the book are given in ounces – for each serving it’s 4 ounces of meat for each phase if you’re looking to lose up to 20 pounds, and 6 ounces if you’re looking to lose more than 20 pounds. Add to that as much phase-appropriate veggies as you can get away with – at least 1 cup per serving.

  • Lori Plegge April 26, 2015, 12:45 pm

    I started this on April 20, 2015 as of today, April 26, 2015, I have lost 7.4 lbs. I love the food and this is the easiest thing I have ever done. I wish I would have discovered this years ago. Thank you so much Haylie!

  • shawna April 26, 2015, 12:53 pm

    Hi Penny,

    Can you tell me if I can have decaf black tea?

    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond April 26, 2015, 8:22 pm

      The “no caffeine” section in the book (pp 92-93) says you should give up caffeine because it stresses the adrenals, among other things. It says that if you absolutely cannot see giving up coffee right now, your best bet is organic decaffeinated coffee – just know that you’re still getting a dose of adrenal-stressing caffeine as decaffeination is never 100%.
      Given that, decaf black tea is an option, but it may be better not to have it while on the diet.

      Note that you shouldn’t have caffeine in the morning before you eat breakfast – Haylie says that it’s a “metabolism-killer.”

  • Bob April 28, 2015, 2:05 pm

    Is it ok to eat unlimited veggies through the day on all three phases.

    • Penny Hammond April 29, 2015, 7:10 pm

      The book says you can have as many veggies as you want with a meal or snack, and it doesn’t say you can only eat them at meals/snacks – if you’re still hungry after all those meals and snacks then munching on veggies is a good idea. Just make sure you’re eating the suggested portions of all foods in the meals and snacks.

  • AJ April 28, 2015, 8:57 pm

    Hi Penny,

    Thank you for summarizing the book. I am 5’2″ and weighing 118lbs when i started FMD. I lose 3 lbs on the 1st week, 2 lbs on the 2nd week, gain 1lb on the 3rd week, and lose 3lbs again on the 4th week because i did 3 meal on phase 2 instead of 2 based on the book. I eat a lot of sweet potato during phase 1 and 3. Do you think that is the reason why i am not losing more weight. I am on my 2nd cycle And on the 2nd week and 111lbs now and i want to reach 105 lbs. please help.

    Thank you!

    • Penny Hammond April 29, 2015, 7:13 pm

      Hi AJ,
      Just checking – how did you decide your goal weight? Even looking at your height, it seems a very low weight to want to achieve. This diet is designed to take you to a healthy weight, not to weigh less than that. Some people were very low weight in their teens and want to get to that weight again – it’s not always a realistic goal.

      • AJ May 3, 2015, 11:03 pm

        Hi Penny,

        I have a inspiration tops that i wanted to wear, i wore it when i was like on my late 30’s.
        Now all my body fat is in my belly but since i started FMD i see changes and i wanted to continue it. My body fat percentage is 24% and the ideal is at least 21% for me, i havent achieve that yet and i think losing that much weight will give me my targeted body fat %. Im not skinny, i know someone who have the same height as me and weight but she looks more skinny than me. And my BMI is also ideal. Thanks!

        • Penny Hammond May 4, 2015, 9:24 am

          ok – you could try cutting back on the sweet potato and substituting with leafy greens, that might help.

          • AJ May 5, 2015, 9:44 pm

            Thanks a lot!

  • Jordana April 28, 2015, 11:35 pm

    Hi there -hope you can clear up another misprint I see–I have the app and have also bought the book online—on her meal map in phase 2 in the book- it says for a snack to have 3 egg whites in the afternoon but on the app when filling out my own meal plan it says only one egg white??? How many egg whites for a phase 2 snack can i have?
    Also, it says you can have dill pickles as long as there is no sugar–can i also have sauerkraut ? No Sugar as well and its organic
    Hope you can answer the egg question–so confusing!

    • Penny Hammond April 29, 2015, 7:23 pm

      On page 67 under What a day looks like – phase 2, Haylie says “For your afternoon snack, you get to have more protein— maybe more jerky or three hard-boiled egg whites or tuna in celery.”
      Which recipe are you looking at? It could be that there’s other protein in the snack already, and/or that having too much egg white in the snack wouldn’t work for the recipe / taste good.

      Sauerkraut (without sugar or additives) should be fine.

  • jordana April 30, 2015, 3:38 pm

    Hi -thanks for answering
    I wasn’t looking at a recipe –i was looking at choices for a snack from my app that i downloaded for my iPad–it tells you what you are allowed to have and for a snack for phase 2 it says one egg white—seems small for a snack so I’m wondering should i go with the 3?

    Also phase two I’m finding it very hard to eat all the protein and vegetables –very gassy!

    • Penny Hammond May 3, 2015, 10:09 am

      Looks like it may have been a misprint, as one egg white isn’t really much of a snack and the book said 3 egg whites.

      Try eating slowly and chewing well to reduce the amount of gas…

  • Ruleitor May 1, 2015, 8:52 am

    Hi Penny
    thanks so much for your website… as someone said in another comment, i’s very useful when your’re trying to find out if this diet works for you. My couple and I are finishing week three of the 28 days and we lost some weigth (goal on 20 or less lbs), about 4 kgs each, specially on week 1 and 2. These past days we are a bit stuck, though doing everything as it says. I have a doubt about phase 3: for example, for lunch or dinner fats, can you have nuts or avocado and also put a bit of olive oil in the salad or the vegetables you cook in the oven or the grill? Or you have to choose one of them -nuts or oil- for the whole meal? Same for breakfast, if you’re having home made hummus, can you dress the tomatos with a bit of olive oil? Or would that be trespassing the portion sizes? One last from phase 3 (moderate carbs) one slice of spelta bread for breakfast is ok? Thanks again!

    • Penny Hammond May 3, 2015, 10:33 am

      The portion sizes are for the whole meal – so if you want to have say both avocado and olive oil as fats in a meal, you could have half of the serving size of each – 1/4 avocado instead of 1/2, and 1-2 tbsp salad dressing instead of 2-4.

      1 slice of spelt bread for breakfast on phase 3 is okay.

  • marna May 2, 2015, 2:39 am

    Hallo! We dont get ezekiel bread where i live. Can u eat Rye bread in phase 1? Or what other breads can be recommended? Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond May 3, 2015, 11:04 am

      Rye bread would be okay as long as it doesn’t contain any wheat.

  • Joan May 3, 2015, 3:38 pm

    I’m looking for recipes.

    • Penny Hammond May 3, 2015, 3:59 pm

      There are lots of recipes in the book and the cookbook!

  • Cheryl May 5, 2015, 4:33 pm

    Previous Post – You’re allowed to use raw cacao powder, which isn’t that different from unsweetened cocoa powder. Haylie says on a Facebook post in June 2013 that unsweetened cocoa powder is the same thing as raw cacao powder – so it’s okay to use it.
    Question- When are you allowed to have this type of drink? Is this a Maintenance privilege? Does this take place of a snack?

    • Penny Hammond May 7, 2015, 7:08 am

      There are some dessert recipes in the book and cookbook that include raw cacao powder, but no drink recipes. However, if you can make a cocoa drink from phase-appropriate ingredients in phase-appropriate amounts, that should be okay.

  • Blue May 9, 2015, 9:31 am

    Hi Penny,

    Thanx for all the answers you give us. They are really helpfull.
    How do you think about ‘Sunwarrior’ instead of eggwhites? And what about hemppowder?
    Are those allowed?


    In 16 days I didn’t loose a gram. And suddenly 1 lost almost a kilo. Wow…
    I hope my weight will drop down the following days. I have 20 pounds to loose.
    Keep up everybody!!

    • Penny Hammond May 10, 2015, 1:01 pm

      Glad to be helpful!

      Haylie offers some shakes that contain protein powders at http://shophayliepomroy.com/.
      The protein powder in the phase 1 shake is an “all-natural vegan hypoallergenic proprietary blend of pea isolate and rice protein that is free of corn protein, wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, and soy”
      Phase 2’s shake contains “all-natural vegan hypoallergenic proprietary blend of pea isolate and L-Carnitine that is free of corn protein, wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, and soy”
      Phase 3’s shake contains “all-natural vegan hypoallergenic proprietary blend of pea isolate and flax seed that is free of corn protein, wheat, gluten, yeast, dairy, and soy”

      If the protein powder you want to use has the same ingredients and don’t contain any ingredients that aren’t permitted on the phase you’re on, it should be fine.
      Hemp milk and hemp seeds are allowed in phase 3, so hemp protein (which doesn’t contain the fats that are only allowed on phase 3) is probably okay.

      Good luck!

  • Paula Conley May 11, 2015, 11:26 am

    My husband and I have finished the 28-days, and are in the second week again because we have some more weight to lose. My husband has been off work for 3 months for a joint replacement, on returning to work we are wondering how to do the meal planning. He is a shift worker and the shifts are 12hrs. Any thoughts are appreciated.

    • Penny Hammond May 17, 2015, 3:34 pm

      You should both still eat within 30 minutes of waking. And you should be eating 5 times a day, every 3-4 hours. If he goes to work soon after getting up, he/you could pack a snack, a meal, and another snack for him to eat during his shift, and have a meal together at the end of the day. If he falls asleep soon after the shift ends and is awake for a while before starting his shift, he could eat breakfast and his first snack before work, and he/you could pack a meal, a snack, and another meal for him to have on the shift.
      Hope that helps, and that your husband fully recovers from the joint replacement.

  • Ilona May 21, 2015, 12:57 pm

    Hi. I have started phase 1 this Monday, today is Thursday, and I have a headache for two days (Wedn. and Thurs). I think it’s because I am not drinking coffee (usually I would have 2-3 cups per day). Yesterday I took Advil, not sure if its a good idea to take a pill instead of a cup of coffee?? Can you please answer the question?
    Thank you.
    I have fast metabolism, always had… but now, at age 44, I fell that my metabolism is slowing down due to hormonal changes… i have 4-5 lb extra… would you suggest going through all 4 phases?
    Thank you, very much.

    • Penny Hammond May 24, 2015, 12:46 pm

      It’s quite possible the headache came from not drinking coffee (or from something else you’re withdrawing from, such as sugar).
      Taking a painkiller probably isn’t the end of the world – it’s temporary until you’ve detoxed.

      This diet is designed to cycle through all 3 phases every week, in order to balance out your metabolism as you lose weight. You’re then encouraged to follow the lifetime diet so you don’t put weight back on.

      • Ilona May 26, 2015, 12:39 pm

        Thank you for your answer. I just have one more…
        Would this diet work if each phase will last 2-3 days, instead of 1 week each?
        Thank you

        • Penny Hammond May 28, 2015, 3:14 pm

          It’s one week for each cycle – 2 days on phase 1, 2 days on phase 2, 3 days on phase 3. Then repeat each week.

  • Nell May 22, 2015, 3:54 pm

    Why do I have to eat egg whites when the chicken laid a perfectly complete egg? I’d like to include the yolk. It’s safe now.

    • Penny Hammond May 24, 2015, 12:59 pm

      This diet cycles through a phase where fat is included (and you’re supposed to eat whole eggs), and two phases where you’re supposed to avoid fat as part of the “cross training” of your metabolism by switching up meal maps. It’s not just about the egg yolks – for those phases, all fats are avoided. Then you have a few days where you’re encouraged to eat healthy fats.

  • Joan May 23, 2015, 10:33 am

    I love this condensed version of the program. I have lost 15 pounds in 6 weeks and only 1 pound to go to reach my goal weight.

  • Tzipp Ben May 26, 2015, 1:00 pm

    I would like to know if you are supposed to weigh the proteins before or after cooking

    • Penny Hammond June 1, 2015, 4:13 pm

      Some proteins are injected with a lot of water / other liquids, which they then lose through cooking.
      However, there was a post where the site administrator on the FMD forum saying that you should use the raw weight (it’s no longer on the website)

  • CINDY BAUDLER June 1, 2015, 8:40 pm

    I’m very thankful to discover this new eating lifestyle. I’ve tried everything and always struggled. I’m on week four and lost 9 lbs! I still can’t believe how easy it is and I’m planning on purchasing the recipe book. The best part is I’m eating healthier than before and my skin is looking really good. Thank you Haylie so much. The best part of this program is you don’t have to purchase products. I’m looking forward to Haylie’s recipes.

  • Sherry June 2, 2015, 9:21 pm

    Why are you not allowed to eat the whole egg. what is wrong with the egg yolk?

    • Penny Hammond June 3, 2015, 11:08 am

      This diet cycles through a phase where fat is included (and you’re supposed to eat whole eggs), and two phases where you’re supposed to avoid fat as part of the “cross training” of your metabolism by switching up meal maps. It’s not just about the egg yolks – for those phases, all fats are avoided. Then you have a few days where you’re encouraged to eat healthy fats (including the yolks in whole eggs).

  • Heather June 3, 2015, 2:34 pm

    What is your take on goat milk? I know goat milk is technically dairy but it isn’t from cows. Would that change anything?

  • brooke June 4, 2015, 1:00 pm

    I am on day 4 of FMD, this morning at like 5 am my sugars dropped low and I was shaking and dizzy, so I had a 1/4 cup of OJ to stabilize it…..I hadn’t cheated on the diet until then, my question is if you have a small cheat like that do I just continue on the diet where I am or start over at phase 1? I am not a diabetic or anything so I’m not really sure why this happened.

    • Penny Hammond June 7, 2015, 11:45 am

      Just go back to where you were on the diet. Take a note of which phase and day you were in (eg. day 2 of phase 2). Then, if it happens again, see if it’s at the same part of the phase.
      This diet does have quite a bit of variation in carb content between different phases, and it could be related to the sharp drop in carbs.
      Having a blood sugar drop like that shouldn’t be happening on this diet, and if it happens again I suggest you check with your doctor.

  • cheryl June 5, 2015, 10:26 pm

    Is this diet ok for diabetics?

    • Penny Hammond June 7, 2015, 12:11 pm

      Haylie claims that the diet works well for diabetics.
      However, if you feel that you would have trouble dealing with the fairly dramatic cycling of carbs, it may not work for you.

  • Lily June 6, 2015, 3:25 pm

    Hi. I’m confused by the requirements on page 119 of the book and the sample menus for Phase 1 on page 183. The breakfasts include “Frozen Mango Fat-Burning Smoothie.” And this appears on the sample menu for breakfast on page 183 (Week 4) But the recipe has no grain, right? And 1 grain is required for the breakfast meal. So, it ok to have simply the smoothie in the morning and no grain?
    Also , the Turkey or Buffalo Chili has only 2-3 oz. protein per serving, which is not the required 4 (or in my case for 21-40 lbs 6 oz) which dinner requires.
    Am I better served by taking the portion requirements and making my own menus and not follow the sample recipes to be sure I get the proper portions required for protein and grain?

    Thank you, thank you, thank you for your website and all your help. When the author keeps warning about following the diet strictly, it brings up lots of questions for many of us!

    • Penny Hammond June 7, 2015, 12:47 pm

      It’s a pretty complicated diet, so kudos to you for following it to the letter!

      If you look at the bottom of the recipe for Frozen Mango Fat-Burning Smoothie, it says “Enjoy with 8 to 10 rice crackers.” (that would be 12-15 rice crackers for 1 1/2x the portion) That should take care of the grain portion.

      For the Turkey or Buffalo Chili, it’s confusing that the recipe says “1 to 1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey or buffalo meat.” 1 pound = 16 ounces, divided by 6 = 2.6 ounces. 1½ pounds = 24 ounces, divided by 6 = 4 ounces.
      There are quite a lot of beans in the recipe, which adds to the protein in the recipe – maybe that’s why the smaller portion of meat might work in this case.

      If it makes you more comfortable, you can use the recipes in the book for ideas or come up with your own menus.

      Hope that helps, and good luck!

  • Judy Campbell June 8, 2015, 10:14 am

    In Phase 3 when the book refers to grain/starch, and fat/protein what foods would this be?

    • Penny Hammond June 15, 2015, 11:41 am

      The grains listed for phase 3 are: Barley (black or white), oats/oatmeal (steel-cut, old-fashioned), quinoa, quinoa fusilli, sprouted grain (sugar-free, corn-free only, bagels, breads, English muffin, tortillas), black rice, wild rice.
      Starches aren’t listed separately for phase 3.

      Fat/protein appears to mean higher-fat protein or fat plus protein. Look at the recipes in the books for examples of having both protein and fat in the same meal.

  • Laura June 10, 2015, 8:44 am

    Hello Penny,

    I live in Italy and am having a hard time finding sprouted grain bread. Would this kind of bread be acceptable?

    http://www.pema.de/en/pema-pure.html

    Thank you!

    • Penny Hammond June 15, 2015, 12:15 pm

      The ingredients are rye, water, salt, and yeast – it doesn’t contain any wheat, which isn’t allowed on this diet. The ingredients are all ok on this diet, so yes you could have this bread.

  • Gurpreet June 11, 2015, 8:44 am

    Can you have chia or hemp seeds as nuts in Phase 3?

    • Penny Hammond June 15, 2015, 12:18 pm

      Yes, you can have seeds in Phase 3 – they’re listed under healthy fats

  • Chandi June 17, 2015, 11:16 am

    Amazing diet plan and summary!
    My 1st question is i am a vegetarian. If i am not supposed to eat lentils in PHASE 2 , what would i eat instead of it for high protein substitute?
    2nd question is i am osteopenic hence i am supposed to take milk or dairy products for calcium. Calcium tablets with eggs cause are known to cause constipation. I appreciate your response.

    • Penny Hammond June 25, 2015, 7:08 am

      Thanks!

      See the guidelines for vegetarians on this page – for phase 2, you’re advised to eat eggs and fish. If you’re unwilling to eat either then you should follow the vegan guidelines and break the no-soy rule: Replace any meat with any of the following (but no other soy products): organic non-GMO tofu, organic non-GMO soy tempeh, organic non-GMO edamame. Cook the tofu without fat and grill or bake it yourself, rather than buying pre-baked tofu, which is more processed.

      Milk/dairy products are not the only source of calcium – see food sources of calcium from the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

  • Em June 17, 2015, 3:19 pm

    No mention is made of dates. I am supposing they would be in the same category as bananas and therefore a no non. Also on phase 2 of the Fast metabolism diet, it says one can have a lemon of lime as a snack, but lets face it, how many people will eat a lemon or lime. I can see putting the juice, or a slice or two in water. Is it necessary to eat the lemon of lime in some form? Maybe because of the vitamin C content?

    • Penny Hammond June 25, 2015, 7:10 am

      Most dates are dried, and you’re supposed to avoid dried fruit on this diet. And even if they aren’t dried, they’re high in sugar, so you’re correct that they’re like bananas that way.

      Lemon and lime are the only fruits you can consume on phase 2, it doesn’t mean that you have to eat them; you could skip them altogether if you want to.

  • Blue June 18, 2015, 5:27 am

    Hi Penny,
    I’ve done the program twice and lost only 1.5 kg. I’m taking a break from it now.
    Could ‘The Burn’ do the trick?

    • Penny Hammond June 25, 2015, 7:03 am

      I haven’t actually reviewed The Burn, but it claims to help you get through plateaus.

  • Marina June 19, 2015, 7:34 am

    I forgot to eat veggies at breakfast today (phase 3) but I’m eat them at morning snack when I remembered. Is that a problem? Did I compromise the diet?

    • Penny Hammond June 25, 2015, 7:18 am

      You’ll be fine with a single little timing mistake like that – carry on!

  • Ninbino June 21, 2015, 9:36 am

    Im a fat butter ball. I tried this diet and got so hungry. I just eat at Chicken FIllet witht those butter buns and yummy tender brown skinned chicken. MMMM the cherry coke to get it down and then the crispy golden criss cross fries. A whole new world of fries…mmm. The shake at the end is great. People are like “Aren’t you afraid?” of being fat? No. I do work more efficient than my entire office. I run a family. I travel the world, my entire family has died at teh right age (around 95, all hefty). I am golden. Live life. Eat what you want. Some of you will get a fat ass, the others wont. And ever see these skinny people… they always have like sunken eyes, and odd bewildered look like everything in life failed them but hey…At least they are skinny. Some people just need buttered up and calm down.

  • Mimi Lund June 21, 2015, 7:13 pm

    I am just wondering – I did one week – and I am very strict – but lost 200 g grrrrrr – will it get better next week….maybe?
    Also here it says that grains are very little in fase 1 – In the book it says fase 1 250 g and fase 3 125 g??? – so I am confused.
    Can I smoke a cigarette or is it absolutely a no – I am super healthy and have not done it – but would love just one.
    Thank you
    MIMI

    • Penny Hammond June 25, 2015, 8:40 am

      Phase 1 is high-glycemic, which is basically high carb, including grains. The serving sizes for grains in phase 1 is double the serving size in phase 3. That’s basically what this post says – where are you seeing something different?

      The book doesn’t give any guidance on smoking, cigarettes, or tobacco – it doesn’t say that smoking will stop the diet from working, but maybe the author takes it for granted that smoking isn’t helpful for your health.

  • Beth June 24, 2015, 4:32 pm

    Hi There, I’m currently doing this diet and it’s great. I am curious about something: I’ve never been able to find out anywhere WHY a person who has more than 20 lbs to lose should eat 1 1/2 times the portions or if more than 40 to lose should eat 2x the portions ( realize this was updated recently, per this website) but do you know what what rationale was with that? Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond June 25, 2015, 8:53 am

      Great question.
      The author says that if you have a lot of weight to lose, it’s going to take more food (not less) to keep your metabolism roaring.
      I just skimmed through the book again and couldn’t find a detailed reason – does anybody else know?

  • Lisa June 25, 2015, 11:49 am

    Does anyone know if you can eat cauliflower?

    • Penny Hammond June 25, 2015, 12:39 pm

      Cauliflower is listed as an allowed food, but only in phase 3.

      The book says that “The Fast Metabolism Diet manipulates and enhances your metabolism with specific functional foods combined in different phases to evoke precise physiological changes in your body.” There was a blog post on the website (no longer available) which said that the strategy is “to combine nutrients of different foods on each phase, so that’s why we eat different combinations of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins on each phase”.

  • Carol Codelli June 25, 2015, 1:26 pm

    I can’t find the portion size for turkey jerky as a snack on phase 2. I am trying to lose 40 plus pounds. Thanks for your help!

    • Penny Hammond June 25, 2015, 2:49 pm

      The recipe in the book (p.212-213) makes 4-5 servings for up to 20 pounds weight loss, which means 2½-3½ servings for over 20 pounds weight loss – let’s say that the recipe makes 3 servings, so divide the finished food into 3 to get the correct serving size.

  • kari June 28, 2015, 10:37 pm

    Help.. Does anyone have a complete meal plan for the full 28 days…?? phase 1,2, and 3? … Something that would list breakfast, lunch and dinner suggestions in a calendar type format. I know there is a lot of planning on this diet and I would love to have something to hang on my fridge that would give me someplace to start at each meal. Thanks

    • Penny Hammond June 29, 2015, 7:03 pm

      Look at the book –
      Week 1
      – Phase 1 meal map on page 130
      – Phase 2 meal map on page 131
      – Phase 3 meal map on page 132
      Week 2
      – Phase 1 meal map on page 139
      – Phase 2 meal map on page 140
      – Phase 3 meal map on page 141
      Week 3
      – Phase 1 meal map on page 150
      – Phase 2 meal map on page 151
      – Phase 3 meal map on page 162
      Week 4
      – Phase 1 meal map on page 158
      – Phase 2 meal map on page 159
      – Phase 3 meal map on page 160

  • Tammy June 29, 2015, 8:26 am

    In phase 3, when it says fat/protein….does this mean choose a fat OR protein or fat AND protein? I’m finished with the first week and lost 4 pounds. Woohoo!!!!

    • Penny Hammond June 29, 2015, 6:51 pm

      It means fat AND protein – either fat plus protein, or a fatty protein.
      Congrats on your success so far!

  • Daisy June 29, 2015, 3:35 pm

    Can you have pepperoni sticks in any of the phases? it has total fat 14 g; saturated 5 g; trans 0 g

    • Penny Hammond June 29, 2015, 6:54 pm

      The only phase when both fat and protein are allowed is phase 3 (pepperoni sticks definitely have both).
      Any processed meats you have on that phase would have to be nitrate- and nitrite-free, and not contain any sugar, corn, soy, wheat, or any of the other not-allowed ingredients.
      It might be difficult to find pepperoni sticks that meet all those requirements…

  • Lindsay June 29, 2015, 4:54 pm

    I don’t understand how people think this is too much food! It is not a lot…it is a lot of fruits and veggies but the protein, fat and carbs are small little portions. I only have 10 lbs to lose, so I am shocked at the people more over weight that think this is a lot of food….I almost wonder if these people truly have wrecked their metabolism by eating too little.
    example, breakfast- you get a half cup of oatmeal with berries. no fat. how is that a ton of food for breakfast?
    I am feeling great though, I am just starting my 3rd week and about half way to my goal so right on target. thanks for your blog.

  • Sandie June 30, 2015, 3:48 pm

    I just finished the 28 days. I really enjoyed it and I lost 6.5 pounds, which I’m thrilled about! Initially I didn’t like shifting what I can eat so frequently, but I got to like it and almost look forward to the changes day to day. I’m continuing with the plan since I want to lose 6 more pounds. I haven’t followed it perfectly, but I’ve done pretty well.

  • Luis June 30, 2015, 5:58 pm

    Hi,
    Bought the book and loved it. Lots of info to digest. I am on my second day of Phase I. I was wondering if it is ok to sometimes replace fruit for organic Suja juice 100% natural/no additives/concentrates /preservatives etc… Also, when eating sashimi is it ok to put a few drops of soy free soy sauce? Thanks for your help and input.

    • Penny Hammond July 1, 2015, 8:49 am

      Fruit juices are one of the foods that Haylie says aren’t allowed on this diet – you have to eat whole fruit.

      Check the ingredients of the soy-free soy sauce to see whether it contains any ingredients you’re not supposed to have on the phase you’re in…

  • Lisa and Family July 5, 2015, 6:41 pm

    We love this program. We made it the total 28 days today and did not stray one time. I lost 20 lbs, my husband lost 33 lbs and my daughter started two weeks later and has lost 16 lbs. We are true believers but have one question regarding the olives and safflower mayonaise. We are confused. How much for do you eat for the different weight loss groups? We will be continuing again to lose about 10 more lbs. We carried the book and your printed web pages everywhere to help us. I just bought three more books for family members.

    • Penny Hammond July 7, 2015, 3:39 pm

      Thanks!
      For oils (which would include safflower mayonnaise as it’s mostly oil), the portion size in phase 3 is 3 tablespoons for 20 pounds or less and 4½ tablespoons for 21 pounds or more. Added this to the page, appreciate you pointing out that it was missing.
      For olives… I can’t see any guidance, so I’m going to assume that it’s about the same portion size as nuts (another fatty food only for phase 3) – ¼ cup for 20 pounds or less and 3/8 cup for 21 pounds or more.

  • Annette Friedrich July 8, 2015, 8:14 am

    I’m german but I live in Spain.Actually I’m in the 2nd week and lost 3 Kg by the moment.
    But I have a question: in Phase 1 you can have for breakfast grain and fruit, but in the receipts of the book I have in the german version f.e. bread with egg white and fruit. So I eat also protein…that confuse me. Can I add fruit then in the dinner during Phase 1?

    sunny greetings
    Annette

    • Penny Hammond July 8, 2015, 8:00 pm

      You’re correct, the Strawberry French Toast recipe includes an egg white, which is protein, which isn’t listed as a breakfast food on phase 1. Perhaps the author was looking for a variety of recipes and decided that a single egg white (in a phase where egg whites are allowed) wouldn’t break the diet.

      It’s one thing for the author to tweak things, another for you to do it! There are a number of diets that say no fruit/no carbs later in the day – and this diet doesn’t have fruit with dinner in any phase.
      You have fruit throughout the day during this phase, and maybe this is a way to wind down for the night.

  • Michele Staley July 9, 2015, 9:43 am

    Hello. I am on the first week Phase 2. During Phase 2 I wasn’t thinking and added about a tablespoon or so to my decaf tea (morning habit of milk in coffee). Is this going to affect my weight loss goal?

    • Penny Hammond July 9, 2015, 7:16 pm

      Probably not the end of the world… just remember for future phases!

  • Carol July 10, 2015, 7:27 am

    Thank you for putting this together. It is very helpful. Do you think that ghee from grass fed butter would be acceptable? It is not dairy since the milk solids have been removed and it is definitely a healthy oil. Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond July 10, 2015, 6:43 pm

      Well, it’s made from milk so it’s dairy / a milk product according to strict interpretation…

      Haylie says “The … problem with dairy is that it stimulates the sex hormones in metabolism-stalling ways. Even organic products contain amino acid ratios that alter the balance of the sex hormones. I use full-fat dairy in my fertility diet, and encourage many women trying to get pregnant to drink organic whole milk. But it isn’t appropriate on this program.” (“Rule #3: No Dairy)

  • Carol July 12, 2015, 7:02 am

    Week 1, day 7 – I lost a whopping 1.4 lbs on the 1st 4 days, gained it all back on the 1st 2 days of P3. I now know what people mean about too much food. P1 & P2 were OK but I feel so stuffed after P3 meals and have to force myself to eat the snacks. I am 5’3″, weigh 130 and want to lose 10 lbs. I had high hopes for repairing my metabolism and losing easily on this diet, but maybe it is not for me. I have to wonder why my portions would be the same as those for someone much larger. Any thoughts, anyone?

  • David July 13, 2015, 7:49 pm

    Hello. I am reading the book and planning to start this coming Monday. I love vegetables, but I also like them with butter and salt. Please confirm if I can use sea salt and how much and also since butter is dairy and a no no, could you give me some suggestions as to what I can use as a butter replacement for vegetables? Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond July 19, 2015, 11:41 am

      Haylie lists sea salt as a seasoning; she doesn’t say how much you can use, so presumably you should have it in moderation.

      The first two phases are low-fat, so you won’t be able to add any type of fat to your veggies. You could try adding herbs, spices, lemon juice. On phase 3 you could try other oils such as olive oil or coconut oil – just make sure you stay within the overall fat serving size guidelines.
      Alternatively, there are salad dressing for each phase – try using those on your vegetables.

  • Bethany Chos July 14, 2015, 3:09 pm

    I have been on a Sugar Busting Diet, but not losing anymore. Thought I’d give this a go. I’ll let you know later! Thanks

  • Grisell Garcia July 17, 2015, 10:54 am

    I want to say that this is the best thing that has happened to me. Struggling with weight for some time I have tried everything. “YES” I lost but was deprived of food groups and gained it back quicker then I lost it. This WORKS!. just follow the meal plans and don’t get discouraged. I say this because I weighed myself the first week and lost 7 pounds, the second week lost only 1 pound. I decided not to weigh myself till I was done with the cycle and I lost a total of 14 pounds. I have 15 more to go, and will do it. This is something that I don’t see as an effort and I even forget I am on a “DIET”. Good luck and Happy weight loss!

  • Steve Moody July 17, 2015, 3:47 pm

    Best diet ever!!!! I lost 30lbs in 28 days I’m now on week 10 and I have lost another 12lbs. My Blood pressure has dropped and my Cholesterol has dropped as well.

  • Daisy July 18, 2015, 11:56 pm

    Can I get clarification on “within 30 minutes of waking”. Does this mean within 30 minutes of getting up? There are a lot to times I’ll wake up around 4 or 5 or even 6am but I don’t typically get up til 7am. Does the 30 min start when I get up at 7am?

    • JD August 22, 2015, 8:16 pm

      I’m pretty sure it would be within 30 minutes of waking up.
      See, when you’re sleeping, your metabolism slows way down and your body slows down or even stops certain processes to keep you from feeling too hungry and to focus on rejuvenating your body during sleep. When you wake up, even if you don’t get up and active right away, your body starts to speed things up and starts waking up processes that had slowed or stopped during sleep. Eating within 30 minutes of this time is what kicks your metabolism into gear and keeps your blood sugar stable.
      You could always get up, have a light phase-appropriate breakfast, and go back to bed or just sit and read or rest. My mom used to use early mornings as her reading time since she had four kids that would wake up around 7 or 8. 🙂

  • Janina H Coats August 3, 2015, 10:39 pm

    I have a question about the portion size of the Phase 1 dinner Chicken Broccoli Bowl. The recipe calls for 2 cups brown rice which would equal 6 cups cooked, and it’s supposed to serve 4. It seems to be too much rice per serving however; I only need to lose under 20lbs and the portion size is 1 cup rice. I don’t want to overeat; are the recipes using under 20lbs portion sizes or above? Thank you for any response!

    • Penny Hammond August 9, 2015, 3:49 pm

      If the brand of rice you’re cooking with expands that much, use a smaller amount of raw rice to get to the 1 cup cooked rice per person serving size.
      Many rices expand to 2x the volume when cooked.
      If your rice expands to 3x the volume, use 2/3 the volume of raw rice that it says in the recipe.

  • Debbi August 6, 2015, 10:30 pm

    Are there any marinara type sauces that can be put on spaghetti squash? I cannot find anything in the cookbook, nor online about making a sauce.

    • Penny Hammond August 9, 2015, 3:57 pm

      Have a look at the Italian Chicken and Wild Rice recipe for phase 1 – it has many of the ingredients of a marinara sauce, including onion, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, salt, oregano, basil, and black pepper. It just doesn’t have any oil. You could use a sauce based on these ingredients in phase 1 and 3 – could add some oil for phase 3.

      For phase 2, tomatoes are out, and carbs such as spaghetti squash are out as well.

  • Debbi August 7, 2015, 10:26 pm

    Can Quinoa pasta be used as a grain?

    • Penny Hammond August 9, 2015, 3:59 pm

      Quinoa pasta is listed as a food you can eat on phase 1 and phase 3.

  • Silvana August 8, 2015, 10:37 am

    I need to know if I can eat vegetable protein. And animal protein at the same meal??

    • Penny Hammond August 9, 2015, 4:02 pm

      I don’t see anything saying you have to restrict to only one type of protein per meal.

  • Jan Washington August 17, 2015, 11:24 am

    ok folks, I have been religiously following the FMD for 2 weeks, first week lost 4 lbs, OK not bad . Week 2 lost 0.4 lbs WTF? where is all this miraculous weight loss??

    • Penny Hammond August 23, 2015, 4:11 pm

      The diet seems to work better for some people than for others – sorry if it isn’t working for you even if you follow it to the letter.

  • Dayna August 17, 2015, 11:48 am

    I am starting Day 1 today and I prepared my lunch using a recipe from the book. But I am very confused because the Phase 1 recipe does not include a grain. On page 186 of the book, there is a recipe for tuna, green apple, and spinach salad. The portion is quite large so I don’t understand if I am supposed to add a grain to this meal too? The meal map specifies that my lunch should contain a grain, but this phase-appropriate recipe does not contain any grains. Can someone please help?

    • Penny Hammond August 23, 2015, 4:18 pm

      The recipe is for 2 servings, so if you divide it in two the portion isn’t so large. And yes, you’re supposed to add a grain to this meal as well.Not all the recipes include every component for a meal – sometimes they recommend what to eat alongside the recipe, other times they leave it up to you. Agreed that it would be helpful if there were suggestions!

  • Aji Ahluwalia August 17, 2015, 9:23 pm

    When I eat meat,Veges,and sweet potatoes, can I also eat gluten free bread slice ?

    • Penny Hammond August 23, 2015, 4:25 pm

      Which phase and which meal are you asking about?
      If it’s phase 1 lunch or dinner, sweet potatoes are counted as a veggie so you could add a grain (make sure the gluten-free bread meets the guidelines for phase 1)
      If it’s phase 3 lunch or dinner, you’re supposed to have no grain at lunchtime, and either grain or starch for dinner, so the answer would be no. This is a lower-carb phase than phase 1.

  • Alix August 17, 2015, 9:46 pm

    Black beans have protein and carbohydrates. Am I supposed to eat a grain with it like brown rice on phase 1?

    • Penny Hammond August 23, 2015, 4:28 pm

      The book doesn’t specifically discuss combining legumes and grains (as is sometimes recommended for getting a variety of amino acids / protein).
      On phase 1, you’re supposed to have a grain in all meals where you’re supposed to have a protein.

  • Elaine Clark August 19, 2015, 12:50 pm

    Vegetarians do not eat fish. In the section for vegans and vegetarians, it says to substitute fish. In no way, does that make one a vegetarian.

    • Marta October 1, 2015, 1:32 am

      Definitely agree with this comment. I am not willing to eat fish (because I’m a vegetarian), and I’m finding that egg whites are not really filling at all. Granted, this is my first week trying this diet and the first day on Phase 2, so this part was always going to be difficult.

      My question is about the egg-whites only rule. In Haylie’s vegetarian cookbook, her Poached Eggs in Tomatoe Sauce w/ Chickpeas contains the whole egg. Clarification?

      • Penny Hammond October 2, 2015, 9:20 am

        On phases 1 and 2 of this diet (which are low fat), you can only have egg whites. On phase 3 (which isn’t low fat), you can have the whole egg.

  • Reda Burch August 20, 2015, 1:01 pm

    I would like to know is Swai an ok fish to eat on this diet and how much exercise should I do? 30min 60min?

    • Penny Hammond August 23, 2015, 4:46 pm

      Before The Fast Metabolism Diet website was changed to HayliePomroy.com, there was a post that said that farmed fish are fed corn and soy and should be avoided (the link has been forwarded to a new address which doesn’t discuss this issue, so sorry I can’t point you towards the source).
      Swai is usually a farmed fish, which would mean it should be avoided on this diet.

      I focus on the food side of diets, not the exercise or other sides – I can’t find anything in the book about how much exercise to do, although Haylie says you shouldn’t overdo it and should follow phase-specific recommendations.

  • Tahmina Ahmad August 22, 2015, 3:21 pm

    Thanks for your sincere effort to help us all.I have started the diet system but with my designed menus. Got some queries regarding the menus………….#1.in ph-2 we are advised if desire,to have 3 ounces of deli meat as snacks.My question is… if I dont eat deli meat do I eat the same amount of freshly cooked meat for snacks?#2 arent we allowed bamboo shoots in ph-3? #3.I am taking mixed nuts as fat/protein for snacks in ph-3,is it ok?I read in Haileys blog on fat/ protein where she advised to forget about the proteins and eat good fats during snacks.this is practical for me too as I cant eat so much in such interval timings.
    will be obliged if you kindly answer.
    thanks.
    2

    • Penny Hammond August 23, 2015, 5:01 pm

      Glad to help!

      In phase 2, I’m sure it would be okay to have 3 ounces of freshly cooked meat instead of deli meat.

      I checked the book and the app, and bamboo shoots are only listed in phase 1.
      In a forum discussion that’s no longer available on Haylie’s website, the explanation was that the strategy is “to combine nutrients of different foods on each phase, so that’s why we eat different combinations of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins on each phase”.

      Nuts are fat/protein, so they should work for phase 3 snacks – the book says you should also have veggies in phase 3 snacks, can you add something in?

  • JD August 22, 2015, 8:09 pm

    Fantastic breakdown! I’m using this page to design my meals for week 2 of the FMB diet. I’ve lost 4.2 pounds in the first 5 days of the diet already, so I am very excited to see where I am at the end of 28 days. I’ll probably do it longer than 28 myself, since I have about 100 pounds to lose. Very excited about it, and even my doctor likes the foods!

  • WB August 24, 2015, 3:57 pm

    I have been on a plan similar to this program – and it will work (I lost over 50 pounds). Suffice to say that after the 28 days – DO NOT return to old eating habits. This is a program that you can stay on for life. Treat yourself of course, but continue to eat this way and you will stay lean and healthy – I didn’t and have to start back again. But I’m pumped. Good luck to everyone.

  • Julie August 25, 2015, 4:52 pm

    What are in the smoothies that are allowed?

    • Penny Hammond August 26, 2015, 8:11 pm

      There are quite a few smoothie recipes in the diet book and cookbook; of course they vary by phase.
      As there are no carbs in phase 2, there aren’t any smoothies.

      Some examples:
      Phase 1 – Frozen Mango Fat-Burning Smoothie – frozen mango, ice cubes, lemon, Stevia/Xylitol (optional), mint
      Phase 3 – Berry Nutty Oatmeal Smoothie – oats, sunflower seeds, frozen fruit, ice cubes, Stevia, cinnamon

  • Lynn August 30, 2015, 11:24 am

    Just curious…

    If you have more than 20 pounds to loose, do you loose them quicker by following the recommendations for eating 1.5 times the recommended amount?

    Or is that just recommended as slower but more sustainable/healthy for being on the diet for more than 30 days?

    If the later, would it be better – or ok – to follow the less than 20lb program for a month then add more food for the following months?

    • Penny Hammond September 1, 2015, 10:31 am

      Haylie says “If you have a lot of weight to lose, it’s going to take more food (not less!) to keep your metabolism roaring.”
      If you have more than 20 pounds to lose, follow the recommendations for that level of weight loss. Once you’re within 20 pounds of your goal, you can drop to the recommendations for 20 lb or less.

  • Di August 30, 2015, 7:42 pm

    I have tried the diet twice and have always gained weight. Perhaps I need a coach but cannot spend the extra $$$ right now. If I get hungry beyond the 5 times per day, is it ok to eat extra of the approved vegetables or does that only work in combination with the other foods to be effective. Also, in some places P2 says snacks should only be protein and others say protein with vegetables. Which is correct.
    I appreciate a reply

    • Penny Hammond September 1, 2015, 10:36 am

      Phase-appropriate vegetables are unlimited in all phases – you can eat as much as you want, whenever you want.

      The meal maps in the book say protein only. You can add vegetables if you want.

  • Jackie August 31, 2015, 7:28 am

    My husband and I have been on the diet for 3 weeks. We lost 6-7 pounds each the first week, about 3 pounds the second week, and none the third. We are following the diet exactly the same each week, not cheating at all. We are a bit frustrated at this point. My husband could stand to lose 30 pounds, and I could lose 10 pounds more to reach our goals. Any experience with this plateau in weight loss?

    • Penny Hammond September 1, 2015, 10:38 am

      Has anyone reading this had experience with plateaus on The Fast Metabolism Diet, and breaking through them?

      Haylie’s most recent book, The Burn, addresses plateaus. I haven’t reviewed it.

  • Lori September 4, 2015, 11:10 am

    Tuna canned in water in mentioned as ok, but fresh tuna is not. I do know that fresh tuna seems to be a bit fatter so could I have it on phase 3. Tuna is often on sale where I live and I love to grill it.

    • Penny Hammond September 19, 2015, 12:09 pm

      Sorry for the late reply, I scanned through this and thought it was a comment not a question…

      If canned tuna in water is ok, then fresh tuna should be fine – although it may depend on the type of tuna. The book calls for white tuna, which probably isn’t the same as what you buy fresh. However, it’ll probably be fine – if you find you’re having issues with the diet, you could always try to switch to canned tuna to see if that makes any difference.

  • Rama September 5, 2015, 5:13 pm

    Is Gram flour and brown rice flour bread ok for phase 1 and phase 3.I am on 4 th week of The Fast metabolism diet and enjoying to be on this diet. It has helped me to become disciplined and I am learning to eat healthy. Hopefully I will achieve my goal and stay on this healthy path. Penny Hammond I am enjoying your helpful hints and comments which people have been asking and thanks for your help and encouragements .

    • Penny Hammond September 6, 2015, 1:27 pm

      Gram flour is chickpea / garbanzo bean flour. Chickpeas are allowed in phases 1 and 3, and are counted as vegetable protein.
      Good luck with getting healthier!

      • Rama September 21, 2015, 6:58 pm

        Thanks Penny for your response

        • Penny Hammond September 22, 2015, 6:56 pm

          You’re welcome!

  • Jo September 9, 2015, 8:30 am

    Does the order of eating matter in each phase? In other words does it matter if I eat protein for breakfast in Phase 1 instead of a grain?

    • Penny Hammond September 11, 2015, 7:00 pm

      The diet is extremely specific about what you should eat and when – so presumably the order of eating matters.

      You could try changing the order and seeing whether the diet still works for you – just be sure to eat all the foods required for each day, grouped together in meals/snacks as suggested but in a different order.

  • Lori September 11, 2015, 10:10 am

    When I started this diet I made a cheat sheet for Fruits and Veggies, listing just the ones I eat I wrote out the name and then put a number after indicating the phase it was allowed. Example Apple 1, Grapefruit 1 3, Lemon 1 2 3, same with Veggies. It is so much quicker when meal planning not to have to go through each phase to see what I can chose from. Also when making a emergency change from meal plan, having a hot meal or snack and having to leave the house quickly and take my snack with me it is much quicker to look and see what you can substitute that will travel. A small insulated bag now resides in my car for on the go meal7snack needs. A wet cloth makes a nice fresh hand wipe and travels well in the bag.

    • Penny Hammond September 11, 2015, 7:15 pm

      Great tips, thanks!

  • Anna Gibbs September 11, 2015, 6:45 pm

    Curious as to the “no caffeine” in this plan. Does it affect metabolism that much? I’m about to start but concerned of the withdrawal symptoms from caffeine. I could buy decaf tea and coffee if it’s a big issue or should I just go ‘cold turkey’.

    • Penny Hammond September 11, 2015, 7:34 pm

      Haylie says “It’s important to understand how much caffeine stresses your adrenal glands. Your adrenal glands are very important in regulating blood sugar, keeping your cortisol (stress hormone) levels steady, and regulating epinephrine and norepinephrine, the so-called fight-or-flight hormones. The adrenals also help regulate aldosterone, which controls fat metabolism, and regulate sugar storage and muscle development. Caffeine pushes the body past its healthy state of energy, constantly stealing from your reserves, leaving you depleted and without resources for when you really need energy.” (p.92)

      She also says you shouldn’t have decaf coffee if possible – as it still stresses your adrenals.

      So it sounds like cold turkey…

  • Anna Gibbs September 11, 2015, 7:56 pm

    Hello Penny,
    Please cancel my query re caffeine. I found my answer in the forum here.
    (please don’t publish this either)

  • sharon September 15, 2015, 10:13 am

    Phas1 states “High Glycemic”, as a diabetic I have concerns with doing that.

    • Penny Hammond September 19, 2015, 12:19 pm

      Haylie claims that the diet works well for diabetics.
      However, if you feel that you would have trouble dealing with the fairly dramatic cycling of carbs, it may not work for you.

  • jane September 15, 2015, 1:17 pm

    Nut flour is listed as an appropriate grain in Phase 1. Almond flour is specifically listed as an appropriate vegetable protein in Phase 3, while raw nuts are listed as an appropriate fat. What nut flour could I use in Phase 1? Almond flour?

    • Penny Hammond September 19, 2015, 12:40 pm

      When you make nut flour you take out most of the fat (otherwise it will clump together). So I’d assume that any type of nut flour would be okay, including almond flour.

  • Anna September 17, 2015, 4:49 pm

    Hello Penny,
    Are we allowed 3 egg whites for each meal in Phase 2 as well as chicken or other protein?
    Curious why its not included in the protein group but is a separate category?
    Thanks.

    • Penny Hammond September 19, 2015, 12:17 pm

      You’re right, that was confusing. Thanks for pointing it out, and I’ve updated it.

  • Anna September 27, 2015, 3:50 pm

    Hello Penny,
    Going great after almost 2 weeks. I have a query re portion size :
    4 ounces of meat, 6 ounces of fish ….is this cooked or raw weight?
    Thanks

    • Penny Hammond October 25, 2015, 3:11 pm

      There was a post on one of the forums that’s no longer available, with a comment from an admin saying that the weight is raw weight for most proteins, but cooked weight for cold cuts. That post is no longer available, and I can’t find any other guidance on the website or in the books.

      Some meats are injected with fluids (and sometimes salt or flavorings as well), which increases the weight – you might want to check to see if the label says “x% added water” or similar. If that’s the case, you could probably assume that the liquid will disappear in cooking, and have a slightly higher raw weight to compensate for that.

  • vicki September 28, 2015, 6:11 pm

    What do you make the smoothies with?
    Especially in stage 1..

    • Penny Hammond October 2, 2015, 9:22 am

      There are smoothie recipes in the diet book and cookbook.

  • Eilen Guetz October 2, 2015, 6:03 pm

    Hi Penny, thank you for this site, it really help me to star this diet. I’ll like to tell everybody out there, this method work, this diet work. I started this past monday September 28, I was a little confused, today Friday October 2 I loss 4 lb! and Im 63 years old. I’m doing the 20 lb portions. Thanks again for your help and time for all of us . Thank you.

    • Penny Hammond October 5, 2015, 12:47 pm

      Good luck and good health!

  • mike October 5, 2015, 1:18 pm

    Today is first day for me. Some big adjustments, but nothing worth while is easy, right? My question; Phase 1 suggests cardio exercise. I leave for work 6:30 a.m and get home at 7 p.m. and need to eat my 3rd meal (dinner) as soon as i get home. My dilemma is trying to fit in the cardio. I caould go to the gym around 8;30, 9:00 p.m. Anyone else with a schedule similar to this? Or suggestions?

    • Linda October 10, 2015, 1:39 pm

      I have a similar schedule. I usually do cardio at the gym in the evening, waiting for an hour after dinner. When I know I’ll be getting home late & can’t make it to the gym in the evening, I get up earlier in the morning (ugh!), have breakfast, then do it at home. Some people have a hard time getting to sleep if they do cardio at night but I find that once I get home & take a warm shower I can fall right to sleep. You may have to experiment to find what works for you. Good luck!

    • jane October 12, 2015, 1:17 pm

      Do you get a lunch break at work? I have found the best time for me to fit in a quick cardio workout is to go for a brisk walk or jog at lunch.

  • Liza October 6, 2015, 7:29 pm

    Hi Penny,

    I bought the book and the cookbook, still found your blog is super helpful. Very good summary helping me to remember what to eat, what not.

    One question regarding the portion size. Do I have to weight the portion size to be exact? Can I just do a guesstimate instead?

    Thanks
    Liza

    • Penny Hammond October 7, 2015, 5:14 pm

      Hi Liza,

      Glad to be of help!

      If you can eyeball a serving size (for each type of food) and then weigh it and it’s about right, then you could do a guesstimate. If you try that test and are significantly off, then weighing may be a better option for you.

      Good luck,
      Penny

  • Linda October 7, 2015, 2:31 pm

    Are the 4oz servings for meat & 6oz servings for fish for raw or cooked items? For example, 4oz of raw chicken cooked will weigh 2-3oz once it is cooked. Just want to make sure I’m not going over or under on servings. Thank you!

    • Penny Hammond October 25, 2015, 3:11 pm

      There was a post on one of the forums that’s no longer available, with a comment from an admin saying that the weight is raw weight for most proteins, but cooked weight for cold cuts. That post is no longer available, and I can’t find any other guidance.

      Some meats are injected with fluids (and sometimes salt or flavorings as well), which increases the weight – you might want to check to see if the label says “x% added water” or similar. If that’s the case, you could probably assume that the liquid will disappear in cooking, and have a slightly higher raw weight to compensate for that.

  • Susan Dahl October 11, 2015, 10:42 am

    I have a question about the coconut curry chicken.

    I know it is phase 3 but can’t figure out when to eat it. Lunch is no grains and the recipe says serve with quinoa, dinner has no fruit but the recipe has coconut milk.

    This is a wonderful recipe, I have been eating it for lunch but just wondered what your thoughts were.

    PS – two weeks down and have lost 12 pounds, super happy and excited.

    • Penny Hammond October 25, 2015, 3:38 pm

      Congrats on your success so far!

      This looks more like a dinner option if you want to include the quinoa (coconut milk isn’t a fruit, so you don’t have to worry about that). You could have it without the quinoa for lunch.

  • Michèle October 13, 2015, 9:22 am

    Your website is great – very helpful, thank you! I have one question: Am I allowed to drink coconut water (organic, no sugar, no additives, etc.) during the diet? And if so, during which phases?

    • Penny Hammond October 25, 2015, 4:04 pm

      Coconut water is surprisingly high in natural sugars.
      It’s listed as acceptable to consume only in phase 3, weirdly listed under fruits (maybe because they couldn’t think where else to list it?)

  • candice October 28, 2015, 5:11 pm

    I’m a little confused about the sprouted bread. every one that I have found has soy listed in some form. is that still ok or should I avoid it?

    • Penny Hammond October 31, 2015, 12:17 pm

      That’s frustrating – the book is pretty clear that soy is never allowed, except organic non-GMO tofu/tempeh/edamame for vegans.
      I’m wondering whether sprouted soy might be okay in the way that sprouted wheat is okay – looking at the ingredients for Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Bread, the organic soy is sprouted.

  • Gerald November 23, 2015, 4:15 pm

    I am on the diet and find this info very helpful. I need to lose forty pounds. I have been on it three weeks and lost 15. My biggest problem is the occasional alcoholic beverage. So much of my social life is about having a drink or too. Either red wine or Bourbon no soda. I hope the occasional pop or two is not counter acting the effects of the eating plan. I don’t need to lose the weight fast but would like to see it keep going down I promised my doctor I would be down 30 lbs by mid January.

  • Melissa Fountain November 24, 2015, 5:19 pm

    I am researching this diet. I have not bought the book yet. Does the book give a sample menus of what daily meals would look like as well as food list? I am breast feeding as well would the food amounts eaten support that or would milk supply decrease from low calories. I understand it is not a calorie counting diet but was wondering if there was any data on breastfeeding on diet. My little one is on solids but not ready to wean yet.

    • Penny Hammond November 29, 2015, 2:36 pm

      The book has a chapter of recipes, about 50 pages. It also has “meal maps” telling you what to eat at each meal for 4 weeks, if you prefer to follow a plan to the letter, or guidance on how to decide what to eat for each meal if you prefer to make your own choices.

      There’s no guidance on breastfeeding in the book. The types of foods you eat, and the macronutrients, vary quite a lot within each week. For 4 days each week you’re not eating fat, including 2 days when you’re not eating fat or carbs. Because of that, you might not give a consistent quality of milk while breastfeeding on this diet – my gut reaction would be to pick something a bit steadier until you’ve weaned.

  • silvia November 26, 2015, 12:19 pm

    I`m in the third week of the diet, and I lost only 4 pounds, what can i be doing wrong?

    • Penny Hammond November 29, 2015, 2:40 pm

      Some people have better results on this diet than others.
      Are you drinking enough water and eating as much food as you’re supposed to on the diet?

  • Kathy November 29, 2015, 4:09 pm

    I have chronic microscopic colitis. Will the program aggravate my colon?

  • Christina December 5, 2015, 7:39 am

    Hallo Penny,may I ask why it is not allowed to eat greek yogurt.I do understand why we shouldn’t eat all the other dairy products .

    • Penny Hammond December 13, 2015, 6:22 pm

      Hi Christina,

      Greek yogurt is very popular, but it’s still made from milk and therefore it’s a dairy product.
      Haylie says: “it [dairy] stimulates the sex hormones in metabolism-stalling ways. Even organic products contain amino acid ratios that alter the balance of the sex hormones. I use full-fat dairy in my fertility diet, and encourage many women trying to get pregnant to drink whole organic milk. But it isn’t appropriate on this program.”

      You can try reintroducing organic dairy foods mindfully in the Lifetime Diet after you’ve reached your goal weight, and eat them if you’ve tested them and found they don’t give you symptoms including weight gain.

  • Jinna December 17, 2015, 9:44 pm

    Thank you providing all this information. I am about to start week 4 on the diet and am frustrated with errors and discrepancies in the book and between the book and the app. Didn’t anyone edit these things?? It sort of lowers my confidence in this diet but I am sticking with it for 28 days and will see what progress, if any, I’ve made. I am battling adrenal failure and have a terrible time losing weight. I am trying to stick to the diet perfectly and these inconsistencies really frustrate me. For example, broccoli in Phase 3 – the book I have says it’s ok but the app says it’s not a Phase 3 veggie! Which is it?

    • Penny Hammond December 26, 2015, 1:34 pm

      You’re right, that is frustrating.
      The book is pretty consistent about having broccoli in phases 1 and 2 only. I find as a general rule that the people who create diets will often change their opinions over time, so a more recent edition might be better (the app was written after the book). However, quality control can be variable, especially for a diet as complex as this one – if the author didn’t spend a lot of time checking the app, it could be that there was something they missed.
      Haylie encourages you to have some variety in your diet, so maybe it’s not a bad idea to not have it every day of the week, and skip it in phase 3.
      Sorry not to be able to give you a definitive answer.

  • Sigrid Klein January 1, 2016, 6:16 pm

    How do you feel about using microwaves to heat up food? Is the nutrition value compromised?

    • Penny Hammond January 1, 2016, 7:06 pm

      The author suggests a few times to briefly warm foods in the microwave – I’d assume she doesn’t think it compromises the nutritional value.

  • tiri January 6, 2016, 7:49 am

    Hello,
    I am in phase 2 , but I don’t know what to eat for breakfast. It says to consume protein and veggie. Can anyone suggest something for breakfast?

    • Penny Hammond January 10, 2016, 2:23 pm

      Have a look at the recipes in the diet book and cookbook. Examples include Spanish Egg White Scramble; Egg White, Mushroom, and Spinach Omelet; Turkey Bacon with Celery, Sea Salt, and Lime; and all these are from the cookbook: Smoked Salmon and Cucumber; Jicama with [turkey] Bacon and Lime; [Turkey] Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus; Spinach and Mushroom Scramble; Hard-Boiled Egg Whites Stuffed with Minced Veggies; Rhubarb Meringue; Steak and Eggs [whites]; Pork and Collard Greens; Southwestern Breakfast; Stir-Fry Tempeh-Mushroom Hash (vegans only); Egg White and Broccoli Omelet

  • Meenu January 7, 2016, 4:22 pm

    I am planning to start next Monday and am an vegetarian. When it comes to have unlimited veggies do I need to take as raw (salads) or can I steam the vegetables or can I cook the vegetables entirely?

    • Penny Hammond January 10, 2016, 2:43 pm

      Haylie doesn’t dictate how you should cook your vegetables – they could be raw, steamed, or cooked.

  • tiri January 10, 2016, 9:22 am

    I wonder why on phase 3 it says at lunch for example ¾ cup cooked legumes, but Carbs should be limited..Don’t lentils and other legumes have much carbs already?

    • Penny Hammond January 10, 2016, 2:45 pm

      Phase 3 is moderate carbs – you’re not eating them freely and in large portions, but you’re supposed to have a reasonable amount of them. Legumes have protein and fiber as well as carbs.

  • Johanne MacAndrew January 12, 2016, 12:14 pm

    Greetings from Canada,
    I make this delicious Lentil soup that I just love. I wonder if I could eat it during the 28 days and what would be the appropriate portion? The ingredients are as follows: 1 kg bag of lentils, rinsed, 1.5 litre beef or veggie stock, diced carrots, celery and onions (approximately 4-5 cups), 1 large can of diced tomatoes, 2 TBSP. tomato paste, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 cup of diced fresh coriander, 2 TBSP. turmeric, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp. basil, 1 tsp. thyme, 2 TBSP. olive oil, 2 TBSP. flour, 2 cups water, salt & pepper.

    Could you please let me know if I could eat this during the 28 day program.

    • Penny Hammond January 13, 2016, 5:50 pm

      Okay, let’s look at each of the phases.
      Phase 1 – high carb, moderate protein, low fat – no olive oil because it’s low fat, and wheat isn’t allowed so you’d have to have another type of flour
      Phase 2 – high protein, low carb, low fat – lentils and carrots are higher-carb and excluded on this phase, as is olive oil; wheat isn’t allowed so you’d have to have a low-carb flour, and none are listed in the book
      Phase 3 – high healthy-fat, moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein – this looks like the best fit for this soup, although as above you’d have to use a different flour as wheat isn’t allowed on any phase of the diet unless sprouted.

  • Bob January 12, 2016, 10:23 pm

    Hi, Are you part of Haylie Pomroy’s organization? Some of your answers seem inconsistent with answers on her site. For example, your food lists include green peas. Per Site Admin Christine on http://hayliepomroy.com/magnesium-and-metabolism/ , green peas are not allowed (see question&answer below). Which is correct?

    pamelajo • a year ago
    I see peas on the list by lentils. I thought no peas were allowed. Are dry split peas allowed?
    Christine, site admin pamelajo • a year ago
    You can have snow peas and snap peas, but not green peas or split peas.

    • Penny Hammond January 13, 2016, 5:36 pm

      Thanks for pointing that out. I’m not part of Haylie Pomroy’s organization; I provide food lists for many different diets (see the Diets tab in the navigation). The food lists come from the books and other sources – in this case Haylie Pomroy’s website and the Fast Metabolism Diet app.
      There are sometimes contradictory information – between the two books, the books and the app, the books/app and the website…
      Lentils are dried split peas, and lentils are definitely listed as a food to eat on phases 1 and 3, along with other legumes. So I’d assume that other split peas would also be allowed, and the admin was mistaken.
      I can’t find the source of why I added green peas in phase 1, so I’ve removed it.

  • Bob January 13, 2016, 10:02 pm

    Thank you for the prompt reply. The lentils (yes) versus the green peas (no) may be due to the much higher glycemic index of the green peas – just a guess. I agree it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the up-to-date rules even within the ‘official’ sites (e.g., the discussion on whether broccoli is allowed in phase 3 – book and phase 3 recipes include broccoli; website discussion answers indicate broccoli is not allowed in phase 3. Keep up the good work!

  • Naira January 14, 2016, 1:02 pm

    I have a question about the fat/protein combination on phase 3. Haylie says to use oils liberally, so for breakfast could I have 1 whole egg plus three egg whites cooked in a bit of coconut oil (with 1 cup veggies?)

    • Penny Hammond January 14, 2016, 7:06 pm

      1 whole egg plus 3 egg whites is basically a protein portion plus more protein, so that should be okay. Egg yolks make it a fatty protein, so you’ve already got some fat there.

      Coconut oil is used in some of the phase 3 recipes in the cookbook, so it looks like Haylie thinks it’s okay (it’s not listed as a food to eat in the diet book). A little bit of coconut oil for cooking should probably be okay in this phase.

  • Gabriella January 14, 2016, 1:52 pm

    Hi,

    So I have two comments.
    1- do we know why we can’t eat dairy? Does it affect the process of rebuilding your metabolism or is it just part of the “dairy is bad for you” camp and that’s why its excluded? If it doesn’t fundamentally change the diet goal, don’t see why I can’t eat some cheese… (I really love cheese if that wasn’t obvious)
    2- I am getting frustrated with her choosing to call this NOT a low calorie diet. IT IS. I track all my food in myfitnesspal and guess what, i’m averaging 1,000 calories a day over the course of the week. What’s not low cal about that? I eat all her portions so I call BS. I’m losing weight because I’m burning more than I’m eating… anyone else find this to be the case? Are you going to tell me I just need to up my vegetable intake since those are ‘free’/unlimited foods?
    To be fair, I am not hungry aside from phase 2 on the diet; the other days, i seem to do ok with the caloric intake. Phase 2 is by far my lowest calorie intake days though, coming in at about 700-800 calories… doesn’t seem healthy to me.

    • Penny Hammond January 14, 2016, 7:10 pm

      I know, cheese is addictive!
      Here’s what Haylie says about dairy:
      “Cheeses and all other dairy products, have a high sugar-fat-protein ratio that wreaks havoc when repairing your metabolism. The rate of sugar delivery from lactose (milk sugar) in dairy is way too fast, and the animal-based fat is too high.”
      “The other problem with dairy is that it stimulates the sex hormones in metabolism-stalling ways. Even organic products contain amino acid ratios that alter the balance of the sex hormones. I use full-fat dairy in my fertility diet, and encourage many women trying to get pregnant to drink whole organic milk. But it isn’t appropriate on this program.”

      If you look through the comments, you’ll see you’re not the only one who has pointed out that the calories on this diet are on the low side. Maybe think of it instead as not a calorie-counting diet.
      On phase 2, can you fill up with phase-allowed veggies that have some calories – e.g. green beans, broccoli, onions, peppers?

  • Gabriella January 14, 2016, 7:24 pm

    Thanks Penny for getting back to me! Ah.. ok so I will refrain from the cheese.
    Just munched on some green beans in fact! Appreciate the tips to navigate this 🙂

  • Gabriella January 15, 2016, 12:14 pm

    Thanks Penny for the response, helpful to understand why we can’t eat certain things, I’ll refrain from the cheese…
    I was just eating green beans in fact so will continue to munch on veggies.
    Thanks for all your help!

  • tiri January 17, 2016, 7:06 am

    I am finishing week 2 but still haven’t lost more than 2-4kg. And I should loose 10-18kg in 4 weeks as I use the 21-40 pounds program. That’s weird, but I haven’t been exercising much only 2 times. Do I need to exercise every day?

    • Penny Hammond January 17, 2016, 7:50 pm

      The book has exercise guidelines:
      – Phase 1 exercise: “Do at least one day of vigorous cardio, like running, the elliptical trainer, or an upbeat aerobic-based exercise class during Phase 1. Cardio is perfectly suited for high-carb Phase 1.”
      – Phase 2 exercise: “Do at least one day of strength training (weight lifting) during Phase 2. Focus on lifting heavy weights with low reps. Lifting weights during Phase 2 will seriously increase your metabolic power, so go for it! If you aren’t sure how to do it safely, see if someone at your local gym can guide you through the free weights, or take a class that uses weights, like Body Pump.”
      – Phase 3 exercise: “Do at least one day of stress-reducing activity like yoga, or deep breathing, or enjoy a massage during Phase 3. Yes, massage counts! It’s not an “activity” per se, but it increases blood flow to the fatty areas of your body, reduces cortisol, and does the work we want for you during this phase.”

  • Rosie Riva January 21, 2016, 11:23 am

    Hi Penny, I have the book, and I’m currently on my second week of the diet. I have only one concern that maybe you can help me with. I couldn’t find anywhere how many whole eggs we can have in phase 3 per meal. There is a recipe in the book that has 3 eggs in just one meal and I thought it might be a little too much. Maybe you know the answer! Thank you so much for this amazing post, it’s very helpful 🙂

    • Penny Hammond January 24, 2016, 7:52 pm

      The tables containing portion sizes (p.105-107) don’t list eggs, just to confuse you!

      However, the clearest guideline showing 3 egg whites for phase 1 is in the Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook – see “A Guide to Portion Sizes” in chapter 2. Here’s what it says:
      Phase 1 – 3 egg whites
      Phase 2 – 3 egg whites for meals, 1 egg white for snacks
      Phase 3 – 1 whole egg plus up to 2 additional egg whites

      If you look at the recipe with 3 eggs (you’re looking at the three-egg salad, right?) it says to remove 2 of the yolks, so you’ll have 1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites.

      Hope that helps!

  • Heidi January 25, 2016, 2:05 pm

    Hi Penny,

    The meal portions in phase 1 are quite filling. However, I get hungry again within an hour of eating lunch. Can I split up my lunch (e.g., eat 1/2 at noon and the other 1/2 at 1 pm) then eat my normal afternoon snack around 3 or 4 pm?

    • Penny Hammond January 26, 2016, 4:36 pm

      Hi Heidi,
      The diet concentrates on making sure you’re eating frequently, so it would probably be okay to split up your lunch if that really helps.
      Are you drinking enough? Sometimes hunger symptoms can really be because you’re thirsty.

  • Lotta January 26, 2016, 7:09 am

    Hello Penny

    Thank you for a great site. I started the diet yesterday and I was wondering if you could eat the same lunch and dinner during the phases? I find it easier to make a lot of food at once and stick with the same lunch and dinner, of course within the phase.

    Thank you
    Lotta

    • Penny Hammond January 26, 2016, 4:51 pm

      Hello Lotta,

      Glad to help!

      First, let’s check to see whether you’re supposed to be eating the same nutrients for lunch and dinner:
      – Phase 1: Lunch – grain, protein, fruit, vegetable; Dinner – grain, protein, vegetable (same as lunch except no fruit)
      – Phase 2: Lunch – protein, vegetable; Dinner – protein, vegetable (same as lunch)
      – Phase 3: Lunch – fat/protein, vegetable, fruit; Dinner – fat/protein, vegetable, grain/starch, vegetable (same as lunch except grain/starch instead of fruit)

      So it looks like you’d be able to have the same for lunch and dinner if you made some substitutions.
      Just make sure you’re having a decent amount of variety in what you eat.

      Hope that helps…

  • Claire Kopka January 28, 2016, 8:34 am

    Approaching the end of my third week and I am extremely disappointed. Only lost 2 lbs. This diet is WAY too much work for only 2 lbs. This was nothing more than a big hype and I am done with it.

    • Penny Hammond January 28, 2016, 11:36 am

      Sorry to hear it didn’t bring the results you wanted – I hope you find something that works for you.

  • Sandy January 28, 2016, 3:04 pm

    Hi I am a 49-year old menopausal woman who because of it has gained 25 lbs in one year. This diet is my last ditch effort before giving up completely. Generally I eat clean all the time as well as try to go gluten free. I have been on this plan for 4 days now; I haven’t weighed myself every day even though the app for this plan makes me fell like I am supposed to. After weighing myself I haven’t lost any weight but have GAINED 1 lb. I have drank all of my water every single day. I am getting used to these rules, as there are many, and below is the slip ups I had this week so far:
    Mon Phase 1 = had chicken with cornstarch (didn’t remember cornstarch is a no no)
    Tues Phase 1 = had “just great stuff” bars as snacks not realizing they are maintenance only
    Wed Phase 2 = had salmon for dinner not realizing it is only ok for phase 3
    Thurs Phase 2 = had a Zuchini and tomato for lunch, didn’t realize it wasn’t ok for phase 2

    My question is this… I have recently been tested for adrenal fatigue and the results were bad. Could this possibly be the reason that despite my efforts my body is holding on to the weight? The doctor suggest supplements but they make me feel terrible. If all my efforts in this plan aren’t going to do any good, then why continue??? Any advice is appreciated.

    • Penny Hammond January 28, 2016, 7:27 pm

      This diet might work best if you were previously on a low-fat or low-calorie diet…

      Have you tried an elimination/reintroduction diet to see which foods you personally react to, that might be causing weight gain? E.g. The Virgin Diet or The Plan.

  • alana January 29, 2016, 9:39 am

    Does anyone know if baking powder is allowed? if not , a approved substitute. I would like to make baked oatmeal for breakfast in P1. I even round a recipe without egg or dairy but baking powder is still listed.

    • Penny Hammond January 31, 2016, 7:03 pm

      Baking powder is listed in several recipes in the Fast Metabolism Diet Cookbook, for phases 1 and 3 (there aren’t any baking recipes for phase 2 because it’s low carb and low fat, so baking powder probably is a moot point in phase 2)

  • Laura February 4, 2016, 10:56 am

    I hope this is still being monitored! This is such great information. I have a question regarding protein portion size. For example, when 6 ounces of chicken is the serving size is that 6 ounces cooked or raw? Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond February 15, 2016, 2:09 pm

      Yes, still monitored!

      There was a post on one of the Haylie Pomroy forums that’s no longer available, with a comment from an admin saying that the weight is raw weight for most proteins, but cooked weight for cold cuts. That post is no longer available, and I can’t find any other guidance on the website or in the books.

      Some meats are injected with fluids (and sometimes salt or flavorings as well), which increases the weight – you might want to check to see if the label says “x% added water” or similar. If that’s the case, you could probably assume that the liquid will disappear in cooking, and have a slightly higher raw weight to compensate for that.

  • Anna Fairbanks February 8, 2016, 3:11 pm

    Hi,
    Just finishing off day 6 of FMD. I feel great, my skin is fantastic, but I do feel a bit bloated (not due to cycle). I’m 44 and have been up and down in weight like a yo-yo for the last 2o years.
    I haven’t weighed myself yet but I don’t feel any lighter. It’s of course a win in it self to feel better but I have 25 kg (55-ish lbs) to loose also.
    I have spent the last hour reading all (well most) comments and got some questions I had.
    I saw that I have not understood the measurements from the book entirely cause I have not eaten enough vegetables, got the protein portions a bit wrong and have had coliflower in
    phase 1.
    Just looking at so many saying they loose weight so quickly… could the errors be the reason or do you know if it’s common for it to take some time before it kicks in?

    • Penny Hammond February 15, 2016, 2:13 pm

      Hi,
      Everyone loses weight in a different way – there’s no single diet (except perhaps starvation) that will cause rapid weight loss in everybody. So you have to find the diet that works for you.
      Try adding more vegetables and doing the other fixes you identified in terms of portion sizes, and also keep an eye out on the amount of water you drink, and see if that helps.
      Are you at least feeling healthier?

  • Lorry February 8, 2016, 4:03 pm

    I find this diet VERY confusing – it in itself has caused so much stress and the cooking and planning is a big head ache!
    I am on week 4 phase 1 (Mon & Tues) and I still have to stare at the book to figure our what I am going to eat tomorrow.
    So far I have lost 10.4 lbs (no were near 20 lbs) and I only have 6 days left.
    I will keep going but I wish the weeks and phases were set out more clearly in the book. I am constantly flipping back and forth. There is a “blank week meal plan” but if you follow that it’s different for each week and each phase so one would screw it up if you followed the “blank” meal plan. If anyone has an easy plan laid out that covers all weeks and all phases I’d love to see it!

  • Rachana February 9, 2016, 7:14 am

    Hi, I am planning to start this diet. But it looks like phase to is a problem for me.
    I am a vegetarian person and dont even eat eggs and Fish. The type of Tofu that is suggested in this diet is not available in my area. Can I consume lentils for Protein part of the diet on phase 2.

    Thanks

    • Penny Hammond February 15, 2016, 2:50 pm

      That’s tough, as lentils are fairly high-carb. Not sure what to offer as an alternative for you.

  • Sofia February 9, 2016, 3:58 pm

    Hello Penny,
    I have a quetie in accordance to the water each day … I made the translation in litres and it was an extremely large portion for a day … Can someone explain it to me please? I am not sure if i calculate it right !!

    • Penny Hammond February 15, 2016, 2:53 pm

      First, convert your body weight to pounds. E.g. 150 pounds.
      Then take that number and divide it into two. E.g. 75 pounds.
      Drink that number in ounces each day. E.g. 75 ounces of water (converts to 2.2 liters).
      Does that help?

  • tiri February 19, 2016, 3:08 pm

    Hello,

    in snack it says 3 ounces of protein(instead of 6 ounces) which is around 85 gr, but you say “or 1-2 white egg” which is 11-22 gr of protein..So what is true?

    • Penny Hammond February 21, 2016, 9:29 am

      Could you let me know where it says “or 1-2 egg white”? I can’t find that in this post… Thanks!

  • puckroger February 23, 2016, 11:23 pm

    Foods I have no clue about! Kirkland’s granola bars 100 calories, total fat of 2 1/2 g 18 carbs 1 g of protein.phase 1 ……. Bolthouse Farms green goodness.. I can’t stand vegetables.. Phase 1? Milk I thought whole milk was kind of permitted in phase 1? Chili with no beans phase 3? Any feedback would be appreciated!

    • Penny Hammond February 24, 2016, 1:07 pm

      For packaged foods like granola bars, look at the ingredients to see whether there are any that should be avoided in all phases or in the phase you’re currently in.
      E.g. looking at the brand you mention, there are a lot of ingredients you’re supposed to be avoiding on this diet, including sugar, corn syrup, and soy lecithin.

      Vegetables are pretty central in all phases of the diet, and getting a variety (and different vegetables in each phase) is something the book says is important. The drink you mention has some spinach in it, but it’s mostly fruits. And unfortunately you’re not allowed to have fruit juice on this diet. Would you be able to find a green smoothie with no fruit, or make them yourself?

      Milk isn’t allowed in any phase of this diet.

      In phase 3 there isn’t any reason to avoid beans, as long as you’re within the serving size guidelines. If the chili recipe contains allowed ingredients for phase 3 in portion sizes that meet the guidelines, go ahead!

  • Janis Lange February 24, 2016, 6:29 pm

    I heard about this diet and the book thru a friend the first part of January. Started on the eating plan Jan. 18 and lost 13 lbs the first 15 days. I have continued to loose – 16.2 lbs total by Feb 21. I suggest getting the book (buy online thru Amazon) because it does have recipes in it and the author explains how our body processes food or the lack of it. I focus on all the things I can eat and have enjoyed cooking. Planning & preparing are the biggest challenge but it is so worth the effort. I set a goal the first of the year to loose 90 lbs in 2016 so of course I get to eat larger portions and I am on my way. I will continue the 28 day cycle until I loose all the weight! I am still able to eat out when I want but no more fast food. My only cheap has been chocolate candy almost daily but for the most part my other cravings have gone by-by.

    • Penny Hammond February 29, 2016, 6:51 pm

      Good luck!

  • George March 3, 2016, 3:53 pm

    Hi,

    First week in to FMD. doing quite ok 🙂 some meals are quite boring, but that’s on me – i dont spend much time in kitchen so some of the meals are just what it says – Protein (sousvide chicken) and veggies (broccoli).
    oh , and converting the dietplan to metric system was no simple task.
    i have few questions.
    1. First days i was surprised by the portion sizes. Having 170g of chicken + 1 1/2 Cup of oats and 2 cups of brocoli is a ton of food. it was kind of bothering me at forst, eating more than i want, but i think i got over it. so that’s not a question. whatever. but a comment on that would be nice.
    2. Sprouted grain bread. Probably the most asked question here. Haven’t found any in any local supermarkets, and local raw shops dont brag having it aither.
    Make it yourself you say. Let’s just say its not an option, my schedule is too tight already.
    Is there any alternative to it? i have found an ecological RYE bread(fullgrain rye flour, 2g sugar/100g), and this one (sliced RYE, RYE flour, no sugar). Are any of these ok ? it would really brightern my day if i could find a solution here 🙂
    3. Phase 3 snack is a veggie and a fat. so am i wrong thinking a 0,75 avocado + a serving of nuts?
    because it seems kinda fatty. because avocado is a veggie and a fat too in my mind. or am i just overthinking it ?
    4. Jerky. made some fantastic jerky, was surprised myself. How much of it should i eat “per snack” i measured 55grams (2oz) and bagged it all in such servings. and i consume 1 serving per snacktime, is that correct ?

    • Penny Hammond March 10, 2016, 7:09 pm

      Yes, portion sizes are huge! This diet is designed as a reaction to small-portion diets, where people starve themselves and their bodies react by holding onto weight – instead you’re eating a lot of healthy foods so your body feels safe and nourished.

      In the USA you can often find sprouted grain bread in the freezer sections in supermarkets – look for Ezekiel bread or sprouted grain bread.
      Rye bread should be okay as long as it doesn’t contain any wheat or other ingredients you’re supposed to be eating on the diet.

      Avocado is already a fat (and it’s listed that way in the book) – having that plus nuts might be a bit much.

      The serving for deli meat is 2 oz, and I’d assume that 2oz or less would be a good serving size for jerky. Just make sure you’re using the recipe in the book or another that doesn’t have added sugar or other not-allowed ingredients!

  • s March 9, 2016, 7:34 am

    Are there any allowances for pregnancy and-or breastfeeding whilst on this diet

    • Penny Hammond March 10, 2016, 7:33 pm

      The book doesn’t say that this diet is okay during pregnancy.
      The cycles might take a toll on your body while it’s going through a lot of changes that you don’t yet see. You may find yourself eating less in the first trimester, especially if you get morning sickness/nausea, while at the same time your body needs to be building systems that support your baby.
      Try concentrating on avoiding sugar, white flour, and processed foods / diet foods – those are some of the bases for this diet and many other diets, and you’ll probably become more healthy by just observing those restrictions while you’re pregnant and nursing.

  • s March 12, 2016, 3:42 pm

    Hi! Thanks for your reply. 2 questions:
    1.Is celeriac (celery root) allowed or would it be considered like a potato. 2. If I messed up one day, do I continue the next day according to the correct phase or redo the one i botched up.

    Really grateful for your help!

    • Penny Hammond March 22, 2016, 5:16 pm

      Celeriac isn’t listed in the book, which makes it hard to know whether you can eat it on the diet – it’s an unprocessed veggie, yey, it has some carbs so it’s probably not suitable for phase 2. However, it’s not clear whether it could be eaten on phase 1 and/or phase 3.

      If you mess up one day… as this diet is quite complex, it’s probably best to get in a pattern of eating certain phases on certain days of the week, rather than moving things around because you messed up.

  • s March 12, 2016, 5:49 pm

    Also if there is no dairy allowance on the diet, where are we to get our calcium from. And how can the diet be appropriate for men and women, our body makeup is so different!

    Thank you for your time

  • Michelle March 14, 2016, 11:17 am

    Hi penny
    I still don’t understand the quantities as in the book it’s written eat 9oz of cooked grains on phase 1 but contradict with 1 cup of grains which is much much less?
    Thx michelle

    • Penny Hammond March 22, 2016, 5:28 pm

      Hi Michelle,
      Where in the book does it tell you to eat 9 oz of cooked grains on phase 1?
      thanks,
      Penny

  • s March 15, 2016, 8:52 am

    Just learning the diet and been on ot for 1 week and really need the clarification.

    Eating within 30 mins of waking up-does that mean waking up-opening your eyes waking, or getting out of bed and starting the day

    and also whats wrong with iceberg salad
    Waiting to hear from you

    • Penny Hammond March 22, 2016, 5:31 pm

      The book says “When you are awake and working, you have to keep eating. Otherwise, you leave your body without fuel, and then it thinks you are starving and before you know it, your metabolism is slowing down.” (p.35). So it sounds like the clock starts when you start doing stuff.

      Haylie doesn’t specifically say why not iceberg in the book, but there used to be a comment on the website (which disappeared when they moved things around) which said that iceberg lettuce is very much lower in most nutrients than other lettuces.

  • Norma Mulvey March 20, 2016, 11:26 am

    I am a vegetarian, this seems like a complicated diet. Is there a way to make more user friendly?

    • Penny Hammond March 23, 2016, 8:33 am

      This page is an attempt to make it easier to follow 🙂
      You could also try the app.

  • Maria Roque March 24, 2016, 4:53 pm

    This diet has been life transforming!The pounds are melting away…and my energy level has substantially increased. My husband has reduced his insulin dramatically and his energy has also increased. We are on our 3rd 28 day cycle and find it easy to stay true to the diet. We will continue until we reach our goal and beyond….. I thought “fat” was forever but thanks to Haylie Pomroy- energy, health and shedding the excess weight are our daily mantras!!!!

    • Penny Hammond March 24, 2016, 6:44 pm

      That’s great! Thanks for letting everybody know.

  • Gayle Meadows March 25, 2016, 8:13 pm

    I am on day 5. This diet is so much to figure out and comprehend, but I love the way I feel already. Feeling healthier, more energetic and clean inside.
    I just came home from Costco and the hummus I chose for the next three days is Hope brand Organic Spicy Avocado hummus. It is made with garbanzo beans, avocado, tahini, olive oil, sea salt, spices, garlic and jalapenos. After I ate some for lunch, I wondered if the jalapeno was off limits? It’s not on the list, but other peppers are. Didn’t I hear her say that spices and herbs were good? I would be so appreciative if anyone has an answer!
    Thank you,
    Gayle

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2016, 8:36 pm

      Peppers of all kinds (including jalapeno peppers) are listed as okay to eat on phase 1 and phase 2.
      On phase 3, only certain types of peppers are allowed – bell peppers, Italian peppers/pepperoncini, and poblano peppers.

      The only phase that recommends hummus is phase 3 (as you can have both starches and fats in this stage) – which means the hummus you described wouldn’t be allowed, as it contains jalapeno peppers, which aren’t allowed in phase 3.

  • Gail L McKay March 26, 2016, 11:29 am

    If someone can’t afford the diet book and cookbook, I just borrowed them from the library.My library didn’t have them so they borrowed them from another library for me. I have the complete collection coming from PBS because I donated $180.00 but am still waiting for it to arrive. I started the diet this past Monday from the borrowed book, and so far, on Friday I am doing OK. A couple oh=oh’s, (wrong fruit one day) but ok I think on everything else.

  • Don March 27, 2016, 5:18 pm

    I have found no information regarding the use of honey. Can it be used to sweeten instead of the processed sugar-free sweeteners?

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2016, 8:36 pm

      The books says you shouldn’t use sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar on this diet (p.87).

      The only sweeteners allowed on this diet are stevia (powdered or liquid) and xylitol (birch xylitol or hardwood only)

  • Anna March 29, 2016, 4:42 pm

    This is my 2nd round on the plan. I have successfully maintained since October 2015
    and have not resurrected wheat, dairy, sugar or caffeine (well, maybe a few nibbles here and there). For the last 5 months I have followed the plan for Phase 3. Now I feel like a booster to reset my metabolism. I lost 3 kgs the first time, and don’t wish to lose any more. I am currently 118 lbs (53.6kg) and feel amazing.
    Once I developed a meal plan from foods that I enjoy, it was just a matter of making a list of foods to buy each week. I buy what’s in season and avoid the expensive suggestions e.g. sprouted bread, quinoa, avocado etc. as buying these items could blow my budget.
    A huge thank you to Hayley who developed this plan and to you Penny for making is easy to follow. What I have learned about good eating/exercise habits have set me up for life.

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2016, 8:03 pm

      Thanks for the tips, Anna, and glad to hear you’re feeling so healthy!

  • Janice March 29, 2016, 8:23 pm

    I’m confused on the yam/sweet potatoes. How much is a serving?

    I’m hoping this will help me, I have diverticulitis and I can’t lose weight for the life of me.
    Thanks in advance. 🙂

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2016, 8:38 pm

      Sweet potatoes are listed as unlimited vegetables in phases 1 and 3. However, be reasonable here – they shouldn’t be your only veggie; make sure that you have some variety.

  • Sandy April 1, 2016, 9:10 pm

    This does not live up to its claims. Know a couple people who have done it and none have lost more than 6 lbs a mo. Ages mostly late 50’s. Now loosing 6 lbs is great…I stuck to it faithfully….lost 4-1/2 lbs a month first month then 3-1/2…Again 8 lbs. is not bad. Found it very very hard…too punishing. I will try again after this 2 week break…I gained back 2 lbs though…Will drink l cup of caffine coffee a day and treat myself to chocolate a couple of times mes a week…I think more people would do this and be happy with 5 lbs a month but give up when diet does live up to expectations.

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2016, 9:11 pm

      Sorry to hear it hasn’t worked for you – no single diet is perfect for everybody. As with many diets (especially in the short term), this diet works well for some people and not as well for others. Maybe try another diet instead?

  • mary April 6, 2016, 3:11 pm

    My doctor has me taking soy supplements and black cohash. How will this affect the diet?

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2016, 9:42 pm

      Soy supplements aren’t in line with the guidelines of the diet, as it asks you to avoid soy. Black cohosh is an herb, not a food, but it might affect your metabolism. If you have them at the same time as following the diet, the results may not be the same as if you didn’t have them – but you could try anyway to see if there’s some benefit from following the diet alongside them.

  • Pam April 6, 2016, 8:12 pm

    I ate Doritos is phase 1 and in phase 2 I ate a rice crispy square. I started this week and I have huge cravings. I feel terrible for cheating and will keep working hard at setting in my mind to eat just as recommended for each phase. ehat chemistry is going on in my body when I cheat?

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2016, 9:49 pm

      I don’t know what chemistry is going on in your body when you cheat – there are probably brain as well as body effects.

      It’s very common to eat foods you’re trying to avoid, either because you’ve got a physical addiction or because you’re emotional eating.
      For physical addictions, if you go cold turkey you’ll probably eventually be able to stop straying (when I stopped eating sugar, it took me 6 weeks to stop the cravings).
      However, if it’s emotional eating, you might want to look into the reasons you’re eating – diary what you eat, and how you were feeling when you ate it (e.g. lonely, angry, depressed, etc.). Just recognizing that you’re emotional eating can help you move away from it. A good read for emotional eating is Plan D by Sherri Shepherd.

  • Pam April 6, 2016, 8:33 pm

    In Canada, you can buy ezekiel bread at Loblaws in the healthy foods section in the freezer. At Metro, you can buy Ezekiel English muffins in the heathy foods frozen section.

  • Roxanne Wiley April 15, 2016, 12:32 pm

    Starting the FMD today and have a couple of questions…. Confused about the fruit portion size–On page 105 in the book it says 1 piece of fruit or 1 cup of fruit in all phases. But then when I was looking at the recipes for Phase 1 (smoothie p. 182 and watermelon p. 194) they only call for 1/2 cup of fruit! Why is that?? Also the Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie (p.183) serves 1 but calls for 1/2 cup steel-cut oats (uncooked). Wouldn’t 1/4 cup be a single serving?? The oatmeal recipe below it calls for 1 cup steel-cut oats and it serves 4!? Like I said, confused….

    • Penny Hammond May 4, 2016, 12:54 pm

      The recipes aren’t perfect, unfortunately – sometimes you have to add extra to get to the servings of each type of food you’re supposed to have for a meal.

      Phase 1 grains portion size is 1 cup cooked grain. The smoothie recipe doesn’t ask you to cook the grain, and contains 1 cup for 1 portion. The oatmeal recipe has 1 cup oats uncooked, which will probably come to 2-3 cups cooked – so you might need a little more.

      Hope that helps…

  • Randy April 16, 2016, 8:46 am

    Just finished 14 days and glad I did this diet. Down 14 pounds. Bought the book first then found this site. You need both to succeed. I think that is why some people with the negative comments are not doing well. You need to understand what you are doing and without the book, I don’t think you will succeed. Nice job on the description of everything here Penny.

    • Penny Hammond April 17, 2016, 9:58 pm

      Thanks, glad to help!

  • Yunie April 25, 2016, 8:34 am

    Can I have my probiotics with my meals or should I avoid taking my probiotics for the 28 days?

    • Penny Hammond May 4, 2016, 11:20 am

      What type of probiotics are you taking? Check to see whether they contain any of the foods you’re supposed to be avoiding – if not, then taking them should be fine.

  • Maxie May 2, 2016, 1:58 pm

    Is Chinese 5 spice blend permitted in any phase?

    • Penny Hammond May 4, 2016, 12:14 pm

      The spices in 5 spice blend can vary. Check the ingredients in the one you’re using, and see which of them are allowed on each phase. E.g. fennel is allowed on all phases. However, not all the spices may be listed… the diet is very prescriptive about what may and may not be eaten on each phase, so it’s not helpful when the food hasn’t been considered in the book or app!

  • Barry Litwack May 5, 2016, 7:54 pm

    2015 Oct-Nov-Dec – 1st 2 wks of Jan lost 15# on “Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type — pretty much
    identical list of giving up everything Ms Pomroy recommends. Went from 34 to 32 waist.
    2016 Feb-Mar-Apr- now May 5th – have lost 7 / 8 # fluctuate on “Fast Metabolism”
    actually got to 145 last week – and gained back 2.
    This makes sense. I have to give up having that 1/2 tsp of natural honey, it’s playing havoc with
    my muscles. I’m a affluent wine drinker….yet, I’ve given up wine. My tastes buds are “off”.
    I have a bit of a sweet tooth. I’d love to have something W/R. But I don’t want to screw up.
    I’m a 59 year old guy in Indpls IN., and I’m feeling better, I asked my wife, “don’t I look skinny
    in these new Ultra Slim Skinny Fit” jeans ?” she admitted I looked sexy !

    • Penny Hammond May 22, 2016, 4:14 pm

      Great that you’re feeling better!

  • Sharon McGowan May 14, 2016, 10:00 am

    Can anyone explain two things: 1) what exactly does fat/protein mean? A fat plus a protein? A fat or a protein? 2) How do you use the vegetable protein in Phase 3? Do you eat it instead of animal protein? If you want almond milk, what does it count as? I’ve been on the diet five days, and I’m convinced it can work, but I think some things are explained very poorly in the book.

    • Penny Hammond May 22, 2016, 5:17 pm

      There aren’t clear guidelines in the book about what exactly is meant by fat/protein, but it’s clear that both fat and protein should be eaten during this phase. That’s different from the other phases, where you’re supposed to be avoiding fat.
      Here are some examples of recipes with fat/protein from the recipes in the book:
      – Chicken and olive oil or roasted sesame oil
      – Turkey and avocado
      – Fish or shrimp and olive oil
      – Eggs and safflower mayonnaise
      – Tuna and hummus (which contains oil)
      Nuts appear to satisfy both the fat and protein parts of the requirements.

      Vegetable protein is an option in phase 3 that you can eat if you want but don’t have to eat – if you want you can have just animal protein. Some people like to have some variety or to eat less animal foods, and that’s what’s eaten to get your protein.
      Almond milk is counted as a vegetable protein – in most cases it’s fortified. It’s not going to be a meal in itself, but it can be used in smoothies to add some protein.

      Good luck with the diet!

  • Tanya May 14, 2016, 11:26 pm

    Hi, I started this diet 5 days ago and I am experiencing horrible muscle fatigue with a burning sensation. Has anyone else had this same experience with dieting? I had the same problem when I did the Weight Watchers Program several years. I want to continue but am concerned. Any help would be great! Thank you! Tanya

    • Penny Hammond May 22, 2016, 5:18 pm

      I haven’t heard that one before – anyone else?

      People go through all kinds of symptoms when weaning themselves off sugar, caffeine, processed foods, and foods they’re intolerant to in some way and it’s possible that’s what could be happening. Usually the symptoms are from a few days to a week.
      If it goes on for longer than that, or if you’re worried, check with your doctor.

  • Adrienne May 19, 2016, 4:59 pm

    I am looking at the Phase III shake – https://hayliepomroy.com/product/the-fmd-shake-phase-3-unleash-the-burn-14-servings-18-27oz/ What is the flavor? Since we can have unsweetened coconut milk and unsweetened almond milk, could we mix the shake with those options?

    • Penny Hammond May 22, 2016, 5:23 pm

      It doesn’t look like it has much of a flavor (wouldn’t it be great if people could leave ratings and comments on the store website?).
      You could add fruit to give it some flavor.
      Coconut milk and almond milk contain some fat and protein – check you wouldn’t go above your serving requirements if you added them to the shake.

  • Jen May 23, 2016, 4:13 pm

    Penny,

    I am in my mid 50″s getting ready to start the plan next Monday. Question I have: how will having Graves disease and having had my thyroid radiated play into the whole re-balancing of the metabolism? Should I expect the same typical results that the plan has shown for most?

    Thanks for any insight.

    • Penny Hammond May 30, 2016, 3:22 pm

      Jen,
      Sorry to hear about your condition and what you’ve had to go through.
      I don’t know whether having Graves disease and having had your thyroid radiated will affect the re-balancing of your metabolism. You might not get the same results as the book suggests. Probably a good idea to check in with your doctor to see if there are any red flags for you following this diet, which has a lot of variation from day to day and might be stressful on your body.

  • elaine June 4, 2016, 10:57 am

    I just started a week ago and I find it very hard as I don’t eat a lot of veggies. All mine are cold veggies like cucumbers, celery and tomatoes. Finding it hard to eat them all the time. Seems like all I’m doing is eating. I need time to go places and do things and find it’s very inconvenient for having to eat so often.

    • Penny Hammond June 6, 2016, 5:04 pm

      You’re right, there’s quite a lot of eating on this diet, and if you’re not used to having lots of veggies this can involve a lot of chewing (they’re a little harder to eat on the run or mindlessly than processed snacks are!)

  • anna June 4, 2016, 9:19 pm

    I am just about to do this but I am taking Estruim to lower my estrogen level ( under my naturopath) is that going to effect the results. Does ANYONE KNOW???

    • Penny Hammond June 6, 2016, 5:06 pm

      I don’t know whether that medication will affect the re-balancing of your metabolism. You might not get the same results as the book suggests. Probably a good idea to check in with your health professional to see if there are any red flags for you following this diet.

  • shera June 6, 2016, 10:28 pm

    Actually… this article got me to buy the book!

    • Penny Hammond June 8, 2016, 11:45 am

      Great! I hope you’re doing well on the diet so far.

  • Madeline June 8, 2016, 2:58 pm

    Hi. I am in my third week and I lost 8 pds in the first two weeks, 4 pds each week so far.I try to walk several times a week. I am 79 and I just finished radiation for breast cancer so i need to stay healthy. the second week I had energy and I really feel good. If I am going somewhere the book goes with me and so does some of the foods I have pre-frozen.

    • Penny Hammond June 27, 2016, 4:49 pm

      How great that you’re doing so well! I hope you continue to feel healthier.

  • Madeline June 13, 2016, 7:21 pm

    I just finished 3 weeks and i am in awe of having lost 14 pds , I had to weigh myself several times to be sure.
    If you stick to the plan it works

    • Penny Hammond June 27, 2016, 4:44 pm

      Congratulations! I hope you’re feeling healthier.

  • Patricia June 20, 2016, 12:49 pm

    Hi,
    Is Newman’s Own spelt pretzels ok for phase one. I heard they were but they have a gram of fat and that fat is organic sunflower oil. If so, how often may we eat them?
    Also, Jackson’s Honest sweet potatoes chips are cooked in coconut oil. A small bag of 1.2 oz is 11 grams of fat. I was also told that we could eat these as veggie and fat on phase 3. True? How much of our fat is that? One tablespoon? ??
    Thank you!

    • Penny Hammond June 27, 2016, 4:54 pm

      You shouldn’t have any added fat in phases 1 and 2, so neither of these foods would fit into those phases.
      There isn’t anything in the book saying you can’t have slightly-processed foods. Check the sweet potato chips don’t contain any ingredients you’re supposed to have in phase 3. According to “How to convert fat grams into teaspoons“, 11 grams would be 3 3/4 teaspoons, or 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon.

  • Susan June 22, 2016, 9:23 am

    Hi, I am having a hard time eating all that meat! I feel like I am stuffing myself and it taste worse every day.

    • Penny Hammond June 27, 2016, 5:04 pm

      Are you eating meat every time the meal plan calls for protein? You could try other approved proteins instead – fish, legumes, egg whites.

  • Connie June 24, 2016, 6:33 pm

    Can I eat plantains? I wanted to make tortillas out of them but wasn’t sure, thank you! Just bought the book

    • Penny Hammond June 27, 2016, 5:10 pm

      As plantains are a starchy vegetable, you could probably have them in phases 1 and 3 but not on phase 2.
      I can’t find any guidance from Haylie about this, so that’s just a presumption.
      I hope that helps!

  • Connie Kurtew June 30, 2016, 4:20 pm

    yes, that helps! Thank you!!!!! Bought the book , thank you so much! I am on Phase 2 second day and it is a challenge as I am Vegetarian and one can just eat so many egg whites 😉 But hey, it’s already afternoon and just thinking that I can have a juicy peach (among other fantastic stuff) will get me through this phase. Thank you! One more question , how fast do you see results? I know it’s different for everybody but I would think after a week?

    • Penny Hammond July 5, 2016, 2:51 pm

      You’re right, it’s going to be different for everybody. Some people report seeing results in a few days; I’d imagine most people would see or feel results after a week.

  • Ziva July 9, 2016, 9:33 am

    OK I’m confused,in phase 2 for breakfast can you have smoothies?

    • Penny Hammond August 21, 2016, 3:47 pm

      In phase 2 you’re supposed to be avoiding sugars and fats, which makes it really hard to find a smoothie recipe – but you could have something more like a green juice.
      There aren’t any phase 2 smoothie recipes in the original book; in the cookbook there are some “green” smoothies for phase 2 – Lime-Mint Smoothie, Colon Cleanse Smoothie, Detox Smoothie. Those will provide you with some veggies but not the other nutrients you need for breakfast, so you should have other foods for breakfast as well.

  • Ziva Bennett July 9, 2016, 9:49 am

    hi, this is end of my third week and I lost 15 pounds,isn’t great? i have one more week to finish my first circle.I need to loose at least another 10 pounds,so I”m going to continue the second circle.
    Thank very much!!!!!

    • Penny Hammond August 21, 2016, 3:47 pm

      I hope the diet has continued to work well for you!

  • Crystal Steinke August 9, 2016, 12:28 am

    I started FMD today and was wondering if anyone else had an issue with being hungry a lot through the day. The meals seem to have large portions while I’m eating them, but then I get hungry fairly quickly and the Phase 1 snack doesn’t carry me through to the next meal so I’ve snacked on veggies, but still seem to be getting hungrier that I expected and I’m afraid I’ll give up. I’ve also tracked the nutrition on My fitness Pal just for curiosity and my first day is at about 1000 cal. Does that sound right? Seems pretty low. Any helpful input would be greatly appreciated.

    • Penny Hammond August 21, 2016, 3:48 pm

      Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water; you can also add “unlimited” veggies to fill you up. Hope that helps!

  • Gay K August 10, 2016, 2:24 pm

    Hi Penny,
    Thanks for the really helpful synopsis of the FMD! I’ve been recommending your webpage to a lot of people who have seen the weight loss I’ve enjoyed on this “diet” (12 pounds & 17 1/2″ in 8 weeks). However, I think I might see an error in Phase 3 foods to enjoy. You include brown rice products (“Brown rice cheese, brown rice milk, rice milk (plain) milk”) and according to the book, brown rice is not allowed at all on Phase 3. Is there some info you’ve seen that changes that since the book was written? That would be a wonderful addition to Phase 3 which is already a great phase! Thanks again.

    • Penny Hammond August 21, 2016, 3:59 pm

      Hi Gay,
      You’re welcome! And back at you – I appreciate you recommending the webpage, and thanks for taking the time to notice and point out inconsistencies.
      I double-checked the book, and also the app and the cookbook, and you’re right – not sure how that snuck in there. I’ve updated to exclude them.
      Thanks!

  • Jill August 10, 2016, 3:49 pm

    I realize that dried fruits with the leathery consistency concentrate the sugars in the fruit, but what about freeze dried fruits? Does this have the same effect?

    • Penny Hammond August 21, 2016, 4:02 pm

      Whatever way it’s dried, the drying process removes moisture and therefore there will be a higher concentration of sugars. So I’d assume that freeze-dried fruits should be avoided like other dried fruits on this diet.

  • Nagore September 6, 2016, 7:20 pm

    We have started today with this diet and hope to get great results. Hailey talks about getting nitrate free turkey bacon for phase 2, but the only ones I have found organic and nitrate free, had some kind of sugar in them. We know we are supposed to eat no sugar, but in this case with the turkey bacon, is it an exception? It´s pretty confusing as I have not been able to find any that does not have it.

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2016, 7:39 pm

      Hmm, that’s tough. There’s a very small amount of sugar involved in the curing process for most bacon and sausages, which might be mostly “consumed” by the curing. Can you see how much sugar is involved?

  • M Gardner September 8, 2016, 12:24 pm

    Why no Iceberg Lettuce?

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2016, 7:40 pm

      There isn’t an explanation in the book, but it was mentioned on the website (on a page that was subsequently changed to remove the comments section) – Iceberg lettuce is very much lower in most nutrients than other lettuces.

  • Sara September 13, 2016, 9:57 am

    Hi!
    I just started the FMD yesterday and had a few questions, though I’m not sure this thread is still updated regularly.

    First, is Organic Almond Butter the same as raw almond butter? Or are they different? I bought Barney Butter almond butter but now I’m wondering if that isn’t correct?

    Second, I followed the Week one meal map pretty closely, but I’m confused on vegetables. So even if phase 1 snack says a fruit, I can also eat unlimited vegetables with that? Or when it says grain and fruit for breakfast, can I also eat veggies?

    Last question…I made the Chicken and Barley soup following the recipe exactly from the book. It seems very thick and goopy because the barley soaked up the broth and expanded, but the recipe says a portion is 3 cups. That’s like a huge gut bomb! Is that real? I was confused because the phrasing is different. For the barley soup it says “portion size: 3 cups” but for the turkey chili for example, it says “single serving: 1 1/2 cups”.

    Thanks so much 🙂

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2016, 7:46 pm

      When you make almond butter, you take almonds and crush them into a paste. It can be made with roasted almonds, or with raw almonds. Roasted almonds have a stronger flavor, and most commercial almond butters are probably made with roasted almonds. Check on the label to see if they’re made with raw almonds – if it doesn’t say raw, it probably isn’t. The brand you mention doesn’t look like it’s raw.

      You can eat unlimited veggies with everything, any meal or snack, and you’re encouraged to do so. For all phases.

      Most of the time soups have a high proportion of water, so serving sizes are bigger to get the same amount of solid food.
      For the barley, did you use whole barley or some kind of flake/crushed barley? I’d assume the recipe asking for 1 cup barley is for whole barley; if you use another type you’d probably get more in a cup and that could be why you ended up with something thick and gloopy that wasn’t supposed to be.

      Hope that helps!

  • Elaine September 13, 2016, 5:43 pm

    Can you really eat corned beef in Phase 2? It always looked like it contained fat. Your advice please.

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2016, 7:49 pm

      Corned beef in the USA (where this book was written) is an unfatty cut of meat that’s been braised for a really long time, so it’s pretty unfatty. Very different from the stuff in a can in the UK that is pretty fatty.
      Thanks for pointing it out; I’ve updated to try to make it clearer.

  • Carol September 14, 2016, 12:22 pm

    Please clarify how many 8 oz cups of water should a 150 pound person should drink each day ? Information says drink half body weight in water do that 75 lbs of water in ounces
    I calculated approximately 3 cups of water or 24 ounces equals 1 pound. So would that mean 150 pound person would have to drink 225 8 oz cups of water a day ??? Please clarify.

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2016, 7:51 pm

      Start with 150 pounds
      Divide by two to get 75 pounds
      Keep the 75, ignore the pounds, use ounces instead
      75 ounces is just over 9 x 8 oz cups of water.
      Hope that helps!

  • oscar hernandez September 19, 2016, 11:16 am

    this plan sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    this plan isnt very good its horrible and fake

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2016, 7:51 pm

      What don’t you like about it?

  • Jonna Sugden September 19, 2016, 1:01 pm

    Have a few questions about the diet:

    Is it alright to snack on Phase appropriate veggies during the day, not just eat 5 times a day?
    Also, are chick peas considered legumes?

    Thanks

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2016, 7:53 pm

      Yes, you can snack on phase-appropriate “unlimited” veggies whenever you want.

      Chickpeas / garbanzo beans are listed as legumes.

  • Sherri September 21, 2016, 9:23 pm

    I’m wondering if I can continue using my Plexus products while on this program (Plexus Slim, Probiotic and Biocleanse, sometimes Block and Boost).

    I’m just getting started.

    Thanks,

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2016, 7:56 pm

      Haylie has recommended supplements at http://hayliepomroy.com/store/.
      If you’re using other supplements, look at the ingredients to make sure they don’t include anything that’s supposed to be avoided in any phases of the diet.
      Also, as the diet itself is designed to help you lose weight and improve your health, maybe you could try the diet without the other products to see if that works for you.

  • Julie Smith September 23, 2016, 12:51 pm

    Question regarding P3 lunch. I made the Hummus and Turkey roll-up per the recipe in the paperback. I can see it still needs a fruit serving, but does the recipe count the hummus as the fat & veg or do I need to add that, too?

    • Penny Hammond September 29, 2016, 7:59 pm

      Chickpeas are considered a legume, not a vegetable, so you’ll need to add a separate veg. There’s usually olive oil or another oil in hummus (I’m assuming you checked the ingredients don’t contain anything you shouldn’t be eating!), so your fat portion will probably be taken care of already. So hummus itself is fat/protein as chickpeas are a vegetable protein.

  • Natalia Reyes October 8, 2016, 9:52 am

    Hi, im in my first week in phase 3 and I wanted to know if I can add kiwi in the fruit list. I make it as a smoothie with oatmeal in phase 1. And helped me to go to the bathroom. I’ve los 2 pounds already and I need to loose 20 pounds.
    Also do you recommend quest bars as protein?

    • Penny Hammond November 8, 2016, 7:23 pm

      Kiwis are only listed in phase 1, not in phase 2 or phase 3 – the book is very particular about which foods to eat in which phase.
      If you’re eating the recommended amount of veggies, you probably won’t have too much trouble going to the bathroom… if you are, then make sure you’re drinking enough liquid and chewing your food properly.

      For any food, check the ingredients list to see whether it’s allowed on this diet and on the phase you’re on.
      With a random sampling of quest bars, I saw a number of ingredients that aren’t allowed in any phase of this diet – Milk Protein Isolate (made from milk, not allowed), Whey Protein Isolate (made from milk, not allowed), Soluble Corn Fiber (made from corn, not allowed) – and these were the main ingredients.

  • Sarah October 25, 2016, 4:16 pm

    I am planning and meal prepping to begin the fast metabolism diet on Monday. My only question is about the smoothies. I see the serving size recommended is 16 ounces for my target but i dont see when it is acceptable to have those. For example in Phase one for breakfast it calls for a fruit (1 1/2 cups in my case) and a grain. Now does that mean if i wanted a smoothie I could only use 1 1/2 cups of fruit and the rest ice to make 16 ounces? Also is it acceptable to replace both snacks that call for a fruit with smoothies? Thank you in advance looking forward to your reply!

    • Penny Hammond November 8, 2016, 8:13 pm

      Are you using the smoothie recipes in the book? They include phase-specific ingredients, e.g. phase 1 breakfasts include “Frozen Mango Fat-Burning Smoothie” and “Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie”. They usually include some ice. The recipes don’t necessarily include all the foods you should be eating for a particular meal, so keep an eye out. You could start by making the smoothie recipes in the book, and then use them as a basis for making your own variations.

      I can’t see anything in the book about replacing snacks with smoothies. At one point it talks about having smoothies for breakfast 2 times a week. As with everything else on this diet, I guess the guidance would be to have some variety in what you eat, and eat whole fruit sometimes rather than just smoothie-ing everything.

  • Faith M Hallum November 3, 2016, 3:10 pm

    I know that I should not use White rice but can I use Basmati rice?

    • Penny Hammond November 8, 2016, 8:15 pm

      I can’t find any references to basmati rice in the diet book or the cookbook. Unless it’s brown basmati rice, I’d assume that you should consider basmati rice to be white rice, not to be eaten on any phase.

  • Ann November 17, 2016, 2:27 pm

    I had a similar loss–6 the jest week, only 1 the second. I’ve been told this I’d not unusual.

  • Ann November 18, 2016, 8:32 am

    Do you know the reason we can’t count herbal tea for water?

    • Penny Hammond November 25, 2016, 12:41 pm

      The book says “Once you’ve met [the required amount of water for your weight], you can have noncaffeinated herbal tea, or make lemonade with fresh lemons and limes sweetened with a natural sweetener like Stevia or Xylitol (but not with sugar, honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar). However, tea and lemonade do not count toward your required water ounces.
      I can’t find the explanation of why herbal tea doesn’t count towards the limit for water for this diet, sorry.

  • Lorraine January 3, 2017, 9:36 am

    I have got an under-active thyroid and high blood pressure – I take thyroxine and also 3 different blood pressure tablets. I really want to do this diet – has anyone done this diet who has any of these medical conditions too? If so, any advice would be appreciated.

  • Emmy January 11, 2017, 11:49 am

    What about the portion sizes for turkey bacon at a meal and as a snack in Phase 3? The brand I bought is only about 1/2 ounce per slice, so does that mean that I should have 8 slices to make 4 oz for a meal, and 4 slices for a snack? The only recipe I saw in the book says 2 slices (2-3 oz), so I am assuming that those slices are larger than the ones I bought . Would appreciate your clarification here. Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 12:31 pm

      That sounds right. The portion sizes for protein in phase 3 are 4 ounces for a meal and 2 ounces for a snack. So if the turkey bacon you bought is only about 1/2 ounce per slice, you should have 8 slices (4 oz) for a meal, 4 slices (2 oz) for a snack. In case there’s any variation in size of slices, why not try weighing 4 ounces / 2 ounces to see how many slices you get.

  • Ruth January 14, 2017, 5:36 pm

    Just started this diet, have done Phase 1 and 2 first day of Phase 3. When will I start to loose some say the first week, not for me. Help Jan 13/17

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 12:32 pm

      I hope you’ve had some luck – the results of diets vary for different people.

  • Michelle January 29, 2017, 5:40 pm

    I notice in Phase 1 brown rice is allowed and in Phase 3 black rice is allowed. I’m wondering if there’s a significant difference between black and brown rice? Or could they be interchangeable?

    Thanks!

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 12:35 pm

      On this diet, similar foods are treated differently and allowed at different times – in one of the forum discussions a few years ago (no longer available), the explanation was that the strategy is “to combine nutrients of different foods on each phase, so that’s why we eat different combinations of fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins on each phase”.
      Brown rice and black rice are different varieties of rice, so it looks like Haylie has separated them out into different phases so you have variety. It’s possible there might also be different properties of the two types of rice that she believed would suit them to different phases.

  • Anne February 2, 2017, 2:27 pm

    I finished the 28 days and lost 11 pounds. It takes a lot of pre-planning and I’m in the kitchen cooking and doing dishes. But the food was great and I was never hungry! Once you get the hang of this, it’s easy! I feel that this has been a life-changing for me. I really learned a lot about cooking and How food affects our body. And prior to that I always did a ton of cooking but now my cooking has changed. I am so grateful for this diet!

  • OS February 7, 2017, 11:43 am

    I have a question about the water, I feel so full I dont feel like eating.
    Plus is it Ok to be behind an hour or so to eat a meal as I’m at work or in training so I can’t always eat at those set times?

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 12:39 pm

      Are you drinking the water with meals, or between meals? Try drinking between meals, allowing at least 30 minutes after drinking before you eat. That might help.

      You can probably stretch out the times a little – try making sure you don’t go more than 4 hours between meals/snacks to fit within the guidelines of the diet.

  • Joan February 19, 2017, 10:55 am

    I’m starting the diet again I lost 30 pounds in 3 months last year I love this way of eating I had so much energy and just felt so much better then I have in years, the only thing if I go off of it for a day and eat what s not on the diet , does it throw off the diet that much ? And when I go back on the plan at the same place I ‘m at ( phase ) its ok ,,,,, you don’t have to start again at ph. 1 Thanks

  • Joan February 19, 2017, 11:05 am

    is it ok to go off the plan for a day and the next day continue on without starting over at ph.1 again

  • Patty March 1, 2017, 3:34 pm

    Hello Penny,
    I’m confused about the amount fat/protein for each meal in Phase 3.
    Firstly is a ‘snack’ considered a ‘meal’ in the book as I note fat/protein is required for all meals and snacks. If one choose a fatty protein like salmon or eggs, then I assume no additional fats are needed. On the other hand, if you choose tuna or similar lean protein, then you need to add one of these healthy fats: 1/2 avocado, or 1/4 cup nuts or 1/3 cup hummus or 2 tbsp seed or nut butter or 3 tabsp oil or 2-4 tabsp safflower mayo. These amounts are for <20lbs loss.

    If I choose to follow the plan for maintenance, then the only change to the plan is to add healthy fats to all phases. Can I assume that the above recommendation applies?

    Thanks for your reply.

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 1:20 pm

      Hi Patty,

      Hayley says in the book that you should have Fat/Protein in all meals and snacks in phase 3.
      If you choose a fatty protein, you don’t need to add fat. If it’s not fatty, then add some fat.

      In the lifetime diet, you don’t need to work through the phases, just follow the lifetime maintenance diet guidelines. There’s no need to restrict fats or carbs.

      Hope that helps.

  • RON March 13, 2017, 7:21 am

    For animal protein do you weigh the meat before or after it is cooked?

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 1:21 pm

      According to the site administrator on the FMD forum a few years back (post no longer available), you should measure meat/poultry/fish using the raw weight (or cooked weight for cold cuts).

  • Jan April 17, 2017, 1:14 pm

    Does anyone know or remember why you should only consume egg whites? Hasn’t it been mostly debunked that cholesterol is caused by saturated fats? It just seems like so much extra work, and waste. I don’t want to buy egg whites from the carton, because I have laying hens, and because I always elect to consume fresh, whole foods over packaged. Did this diet over 2 years ago, wasn’t overly exacting, a few little cheats and not much exercise, but still lost about 15 lbs. in 28 days. I love this way of eating; it made my body feel great. At the time, I was working 2 jobs and found the meal planning/prep, and even just being able to get food into my body every 2 hours challenging. Now, I have more freedom in my schedule, so I’m anticipating it will be easier. It was also a challenge for me to consume that much water. I was using a thermal, drink-spout lid cup, that didn’t allow water to flow out very quickly. When you need to consume this much water, I found it easier to gulp down a quart in the morning (while your body is dehydrated), or after sweating. A little spout or straw prevents you from doing that, making a big job take longer– so drink from a big girl cup. Plus, it made me feel like I was ahead of schedule if I got a big portion of my drinking done earlier in the day, and it was a little more convenient not to be playing “catch up” at the end of day and making numerous bathroom trips at night.

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 1:23 pm

      Phases 1 and 2 are low-fat phases, and egg yolks are fatty, so during those phases you only have egg whites. In phase 3, which is high healthy fat, you have whole eggs.

      Thanks for the tips!

  • Sarah Chavez April 21, 2017, 12:29 pm

    Hi,
    I’m reading the book and there are several references to a “PFD” file with blank Meal Maps Plans. Where can I find this file?

    Thank you in advance!

  • Theresa May 2, 2017, 9:53 am

    Where can I find the Sprouted Grain Products, and smoothie Recipe.

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 1:28 pm

      You can often find sprouted grain breads in the freezer section of your supermarket. Health food stores also carry them. Ask the store manager.

      There are quite a few smoothie recipes in the recipe section of the book.

  • Carla May 11, 2017, 2:12 pm

    Hi can anyone suggest a smoothie fir the days only allowed lemon and lime?
    Tganjs

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 1:32 pm

      There aren’t any recipes in the book for phase 2 smoothies – it’s difficult as you can’t have fruits or grains.
      One person above suggested making vegetable-only smoothies using phase-appropriate veggies. The texture wouldn’t be like smoothies, and they probably wouldn’t meet a meal requirement, so it might be easier just to skip smoothies in phase 2.

  • Y May 18, 2017, 9:57 pm

    Hi there,
    Penny I hope you are still helping to answer questions?
    I have read pretty much every post and would like to know how is the debate going for :
    The Tomato… Fruit or Veg?

    I notice in some recipes tomato is a fruit, but in P1 & 3 it is considered a veg and therefore is it unlimited?
    Also in P3 where Haylie says to use fats ‘liberally’ how much over our allotted portion are we allowed to have? I am afraid to overdo it on healthy fats =(
    Thank you in advance!

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 1:36 pm

      Hi there,
      Haylie considers tomatoes as vegetables. They’re allowed / phase-appropriate on phases 1 and 3 (not allowed in phase 2) and can be eaten in unlimited quantities on those phases.
      Eating fats “liberally” in phase 3 isn’t the same as unlimited – it’s a phase to not be afraid of fats. See the recipes for examples of a reasonable amount of fat to have with meals and snacks.
      Hope that helps!

  • Y May 19, 2017, 9:45 am

    Also, do we weigh or measure portion sizes?
    Just now I tried to measure out 1cup of frozen cherries. I took a 1/2c measuring cup and portioned out two of them to equal 1 cup. For an experiment I decided to weigh them and only came up with 5oz!
    1c=8oz right?
    Which is more accurate?
    I am happy to eat MORE food but don’t want to overdo it. This is my second time trying FMD and I only lost about 5lbs in 4weeks the first time. Granted I only want to lose about 12-15lbs so I wonder if I was not measuring things correctly.
    Thank you again!!

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 1:39 pm

      1c = 8oz of fluid.
      For non-fluids, it’s a volume measurement. When you have pieces of fruit, you should expect there to be air gaps between them, and for 1 cup of food not to weigh 8 oz.
      When i’m measuring things like fruit I’ll usually not use a level measurement – some pieces peek a little over the top of the line, but there aren’t any pieces of food where the bottom of the piece of food is over the line. I hope that makes sense and helps!

  • Dr. Bob Haubold May 25, 2017, 12:21 pm

    Over the last fourteen (14) months, I’ve been on the Pomeroy 28 day diet on two separate occasions. I allowed a one year period to lapse between my first and second exposure to the diet. While I lost weight in line with Haylie’s projects, on both occasions I found myself feeling weak, generally fatigued and somewhat lightheaded. I’d value any insight that you might provide concerning the weakness, generalized fatigue and especially the lightheadedness that I experienced.

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 1:42 pm

      Were you feeling the weakness at the beginning of the diet, or after you’d been on it for a while? At the beginning of the diet, you may have some symptoms of withdrawal from sugar and caffeine – for some people it’s a couple of days, for others up to a week. Symptoms may vary, but weak/fatigued/lightheaded are possible. If it’s after that, it sounds like the diet isn’t suitable for you.

  • Robin tanney June 8, 2017, 9:53 am

    Hi. My Doctor recommend I start this diet to lose 60lbs. I was just wondering where the smoothie fits into the formula. I was following the table set out in your notes ie/breakfast, 3 hours later snack etc. It when during the day does the smoothie fit in or is it one of my fruit snacks? Thank you. Have purchased the book online and thought I would get a head start following your web page. Gratefully Robin

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 1:44 pm

      Hi Robin,
      The smoothies are usually shown in the breakfast sections of the recipes.
      Good luck with the diet, and I hope you feel healthier!

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