So how does the Flat Belly Diet Work?

The diet is based around a type of beneficial fat known as monounsaturated fat or (MUFA). The idea is that you eat a variety of foods that are high in this fat and as a result you will feel full from this and not eat other foods as a result. As well the ability of your body to burn off this fat more easily than other forms of calories is the major benefit for weight loss you can expect.

So what are the downsides to this diet?

The focus on MUFA as a way to fill you up is misleading as it has been shown that protein is the ideal food for this purpose. If that wasn't enough though to hold up an argument the major problem with this diet is the fact that it will eventually end and through the duration of this very redundant diet you will have slowed your metabolic processes as a result. This is a major problem with most diets and is the reason why people experience a rebound effect after a diet and put weight back on. Most diets have you either avoiding calories as the flat belly diet does, or has you eating a very structured schedule of the same types of foods which is yet another problem with the flat belly diet.

The ideal rachel ray diet focuses on your metabolism, not on avoiding calories

Lets face it, when you come off of a diet are you going to eat the same as you did on the diet or are you going back to your old habits? Odds are you'll be back to your old habits and the weight will slowly creep back on. Now what if you were to try something different such as calorie shifting. The idea behind calorie shifting is that you are focusing on boosting your metabolism through eating, not avoid calories. This is a much more realistic long term