Weight Loss & Diet Plans

The Brown Fat Revolution Diet

The Brown Fat Revolution: What It Is

According to The Brown Fat Revolution, fat is your friend, and you need it for a younger-looking face and a slim, toned body. But, the book says, not all fat is the same. 

It's the yellow fat in our bodies that makes us look old and flabby, according to author James Lyons, MD, a Connecticut plastic surgeon. Brown fat, on the other hand, gives skin volume for a better appearance -- and can actually help you lose weight.

What's the difference? Yellow fat, which is what we usually think of as body fat, serves as storage for extra calories. Brown fat, found in much smaller amounts in the body, actually burns calories to generate heat. Babies and children have a relatively high proportion of brown fat to help keep them warm, but as we age, we lose it.

The Brown Fat Revolution, according to Lyons, is not so much a weight loss diet as an eating and exercise plan designed to help you increase metabolism, get rid of yellow fat, and replace it with healthy brown fat. Lyons believes that increasing brown fat is more important than the number on the scale. Still, he says, you can expect to lose weight following his plan.

"I have spent years as a plastic surgeon looking at fat under the skin and have seen how diet and exercise can internally change your fat, rejuvenate your appearance, and enhance weight loss," he says.

The book, which is aimed primarily at women, suggests a four-week diet plan that alternates high-carb and high-protein days. The book also recommends 20 minutes of daily exercise, focusing mainly on strengthening the body's core muscles.

The Brown Fat Revolution: What You Can Eat

The guiding principles of The Brown Fat Revolution diet are:

• Eat six times a day to keep your metabolism at an even keel.
• Alternate "carb days" with "protein days." On protein days, you eat protein, low-fat dairy, non-starchy vegetables, low-carb fruits, and healthy fats. On carb days, you eat grains, starchy vegetables, high-carb fruits, and small amount of protein.
• Use the glycemic index to choose the best carbs -- high-fiber ones like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
• Get your protein from lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, soy, legumes, nuts, low fat dairy, and eggs.
• Eat before and after every workout.
• Eat a variety of foods.
• Keep portions reasonable.
• Drink plenty of liquids.
• Once a week, enjoy a "choice day" when you eat whatever you want within reason, up to about 2,000 calories.

A sample "protein day" might include:

• Meal 1: 1 protein, 1 carb, coffee
• Meal 2: 1 carb, 1 fruit
• Meal 3: 1 protein, 2 vegetables
• Meal 4: 1 fruit
• Meal 5: 1 protein, 2 vegetables
• Meal 6: 1 protein, with or without fruit

A sample "carb day" would be the same as the protein day, but with the addition of a carbohydrate serving at meals 3 and 5.

A glass of wine with dinner and a cup of coffee in the morning is fine, but dieters are urged to steer clear of processed foods, artificial sweeteners, colors, and preservatives. The book recommends taking a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement.