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18 Pounds in 4 Days Investigated
18 pounds in 4 days (18in4) is a weight loss program that was created by James Zeta.
In his search for the solution to his own weight loss concerns, he states that he discovered a special combination of foods that enabled him to lose weight rapidly.
Zeta claims that his program can show dieters how to lose weight and even up to 18 pounds in 4 days. He says that he managed to lose 20 pounds in less than a week simply by following the principles outlined in his plan.
18 pounds in 4 days or 4.5 pounds a day is an unrealistic goal and most will set themselves up for disappointment!
18in4 Diet Basics
There are two parts to the program. The first part is the diet and the second part concentrates on maintaining the weight loss.
The diet aspect of the plan consists of a four-day extreme calorie restricted diet, which is based around mainly vegetables with lean proteins and small amounts of fruits.
He advertises his program as not requiring any special foods, but rather as involving specific combinations of regular foods that supposedly jump starts the weight loss process.
Zeta asserts that there is no need for supplements, meal replacements, or exercise in order to achieve rapid weight loss.
He provides a detailed outline of what dieters should do for the first four days of his program along with a complete meal plan.
He then offers tips to dieters that will help them to keep the weight loss in the long term.
Breakfast every day includes half a grapefruit and the rest of the diet is centered on vegetables with some eggs, chicken and meat.
Foods to Lose 18 Pounds in 4 Days
Vegetables including butternut squash, green beans, broccoli, celery, and lettuce. beef, chicken, eggs and small amounts of fruit including grapefruit.
Lean meats like certain cuts of beef and chicken breast., eggs and small amounts of fruit including grapefruit.
Also, eggs and small amounts of fruit including grapefruit.
Exercise Recommendations
Dieters are forbidden to exercise during the four-day program but exercise after is fine. During the first 4 days, the calorie level is too low to support exercise.
He states that his clients actually achieve better results when they don’t exercise.
Costs and Expenses
The program costs $27 and is received as an instant download.
Here’s the official website.
Pros
- Includes a detailed 4-day meal plan.
- Appeals to those who want to lose weight fast for a special event.
- Rapid weight loss may increase motivation to stick with a longer-term approach to weight management.
- Offers suggestions to help with maintaining weight loss.
Cons
- Most dieters will experience fatigue and hunger on such a low-calorie diet.
- Gives dieters unrealistic expectations in terms of weight loss.
- The majority of weight loss will be water rather than fat.
- Any weight lost is likely to be regained as soon as normal eating is resumed.
- No scientific evidence is offered in order to support his claims.
- Most of the support for the diet is in the form of testimonials.
- The author of the diet has no nutrition or health credentials.
- Expensive for a short program.
- There are some reports of failure of the author to follow through with the money back guarantee.
Long-term Success Not Likely
Even if it were possible to lose 18 pounds in 4 days, it is certainly not a healthy approach to weight loss. If dieters experience any significant results on this program this will be largely attributed to water rather than true fat loss.
Zeta is encouraging a quick fix mentality that will ultimately leave dieters feeling discouraged when the desired results are not achieved.
In addition, his lack of credentials and the various reports of his failure to honor the money back guarantee brings his credibility and that of his diet into question.
There are several much healthier and trusted methods to achieve weight loss that can be maintained for the long-term.
All have a good track record and offer a healthy approach to losing weight.
References
- Atkinson, R. L., Dietz, W. H., Foreyt, J. P., Goodwin, N. J., Hill, J. O., Hirsch, J., ... & Hoofnagle, J. H. (1993). Very low-calorie diets. JAMA, 270(8), 967-974. link
- Wadden, T. A., Van Itallie, T. B., & Blackburn, G. L. (1990). Responsible and irresponsible use of very-low-calorie diets in the treatment of obesity. Jama, 263(1), 83-85. link
- Roberts, D. C. (2001). Quick weight loss: sorting fad from fact. Medical journal of Australia, 175(11/12), 637-640. link
- Atkinson, R. L., Dietz, W. H., Foreyt, J. P., Goodwin, N. J., Hill, J. O., Hirsch, J., ... & Hoofnagle, J. H. (1993). Very low-calorie diets. JAMA, 270(8), 967-974. link
- Wadden, T. A., Van Itallie, T. B., & Blackburn, G. L. (1990). Responsible and irresponsible use of very-low-calorie diets in the treatment of obesity. Jama, 263(1), 83-85. link
- Roberts, D. C. (2001). Quick weight loss: sorting fad from fact. Medical journal of Australia, 175(11/12), 637-640. link
I bought this diet years ago and although I didn’t lose 18 lbs in 4 days I did however lose 8lbs which is more than I lost on any other diet so I use it for getting in shape for holidays or after Xmas. I would say that the diet is healthy and all the food can be bought easily. The hardest part is not having any condiments such as salt, sugar, sauces etc. It is very motivating so see the scales go down very quickley. I think the diet works on the basis of it being low calorie, low carbs and foods containing potassium which helps you get rid of excess water weight due to high salt consumption from processed foods, also black coffee is a diuretic.
I went on this Diet a couple years ago! and I never regained my weight back, so yes this Diet does work, I’m planning on going on it again, and I never starved during this diet because I spread the food out so I can eat 5 times through the day! there’s no broccoli, or lettuce in this diet where do you see that? I happen to believe this diet works and it’s healthy!!!
I remember trying this once. There is a very big “con” to add to the list: the hassle involved in getting a refund. Zeta set up some stiff regulations: the only way you may qualify for a refund is if you scan and email (or snail mail a copy of) a grocery receipt of every single item required on this diet, otherwise you are not entitled to a refund, even if the diet plan didn’t work. It’s not enough that you paid for the diet, you have to “prove” you really tried it (although that doesn’t really prove that you did, just that you bought the required ingredients). Naturally I would not want a refund if it worked as promised. But I soldiered through the non stop hunger and fatigue and stuck iut out for 4 days, I lost a scant 10 pounds that came racing back like a slingshot just eating normally. I mean it: it took half the time to reappear than it did to lose. I cried. Then I got peeved and sought a refund. Zeta answered my email with a token apology and a demand to see the grocery receipt. What grocery receipt? It was then that I learned about his stipulation. I felt like such a dope: when I first opened the diet plan, I was thrilled to find that just about 90% of what it required was stuff I already had on hand in the kitchen….I thought that was the beauty of the plan! Turned out, it’s the very reason I got locked out of my refund due. He actually advised me to go to the store and buy the required ingredients AGAIN, AFTER THE FACT, and send him that receipt. I tried to work my way around it, but he would not budge, was in fact quite cold and unsympathetic…even implying that I didn’t follow it correctly! Finally, he had the nerve to upsell me another plan of his that he “thinks” would work and would sell it to me at a “discount”…and that he’s offering it to me “out if sympathy”. After the fumes from my head cleared, I decided to make peace with the fact that he was never going to let go of my money, and decided not to respond…and instead posted his diet on every black hat forum I could find ?
Hi can u send me the zeta 18-4 diet please
I got the diet years ago haven’t tried it yet but am going to this weekend