What is the F-Plan?

The F-Plan is a low fat, high fiber diet that co-founder of "Slimming Magazine," Englishman Audrey Eyton, developed. Eyton published his idea as a book called "Extraordinary F-Plan Diet: Lose Weight Fast and Live Longer" in 1983. Eyton's book became one of the top selling books in the United States that year. This could be attributed to the eagerness of people to try out a diet plan that promised weight loss through reducing calorie intake, while consuming much more fiber than the human body actually needs.

The staples of the F-Plan diet consist of complex carbohydrates, such as baked potatoes, legumes, and whole grains. Large amounts of fruits and vegetables are also consumed. Overall, the amount of fiber content eaten goes beyond the recommended daily intake of 25 to 30 grams, while the calorie count is designed to go no further than 1,500. Eyton's plan, through the high intake of fiber, is meant to stretch the time period in which the body feels full, thus reducing the urge of plan participants to overeat. Moreover, fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system, since it acts as a natural laxative and encourages bowel regularity.

The F-Plan, however, has its drawbacks. Those who are willing to participate in such a high fiber diet might not like the food texture, as it requires more work to chew and swallow. Excess flatulence is to be expected within the first few weeks, and dieters need to drink a lot of water to prevent constipation. Also, since the release of Eyton's book in 1983, changes in the way the diet industry views weight loss — facilitated by years of medical research and the resulting proliferation of high fiber alternatives — threatened to render the F-Plan as obsolete.

In 2007, Eyton released a book, "The F2 Diet," that was supposed to be the revised version of his original plan, as well as being a combatant of low-carbohydrate plans such as the Atkins™ diet. The diet plan has been slow in establishing an online presence, which leaves adherents of the F-Plan largely on their own. For those who are not concerned with this, however, the F-Plan may work well for people who need a cheap, affordable diet regimen.