Faster Way to Fat Loss Review: Pros, Cons, and Effectiveness

What Is the Faster Way to Fat Loss?

The Faster Way to Fat Loss (FWTFL) is a 6-week virtual weight loss and fitness program.

Customers can choose to be assigned to an FWTFL-certified coach to motivate and guide them through the program.

The program was created by Amanda Tress, a personal trainer who also advertises that she’s a “certified nutrition coach.”

The website lists their “scientific advisory board” for the program: a microbiologist, a naturopathic doctor, and a Mr. Universe fitness expert.

A registered dietitian has recently been added to the leadership team.

How It Works

FWTLF integrates five weight-loss strategies:

• Intermittent Fasting: FWTFL uses a form of intermittent fasting known as time restricted-feeding in which the program recommends eating only during an eight-hour window of time each day, fasting during the remaining 16. Members are also encouraged to fast for 24 hours on one day per month.

• Tracking Macronutrients: During the prep week, participants are instructed on calculating their macronutrient needs (protein, carbohydrate, and fat). Participants are encouraged to adhere to the macronutrient recommendations, weighing and tracking their food daily on the MyFitnessPal app.

• Exercise: The program provides streamed videos for daily exercise and rotates high-intensity interval training, strength training of different muscle groups, and cardio on different days of the week. Users can stream gym or home workouts that are adaptable to those who have limited equipment.

• Carbohydrate Cycling: On two successive days each week, when exercise is lighter, carbohydrates are restricted to less than 50 grams/day. Carbohydrate calories are replaced with calories from higher fat and protein foods.

• Accountability: Coaches check in with participants daily in a group setting on a social media platform and check macro logs, especially in the first week.

Because the program is complex and introduces new concepts to most people, participants are invited to a “prep week” to learn the concepts before the program begins.

The website advertises programs tailored for men, women, and pregnant women. An FAQ section of their website states that this program is suitable for breastfeeding women.

FWTFL encourages a wide variety of healthy, whole foods. Participants are told, “You can eat anything that comes from the ground or has a mother.”

Dairy foods and foods containing gluten are highly discouraged on the program; the program shares articles preaching against them without cited research to explain why. Highly processed foods are discouraged as well.

Does It Work for Weight Loss?

I’ve spoken to enthusiastic participants who have succeeded in losing weight and gaining fitness with FWTFL.

However, there is no way to tell what the actual success rate is without any available randomized trial studies.

With all of the different components in place, some of which are well backed by research, weight loss should be no surprise. (1)

Daily exercise, possible reduction of calories (depending on the participant’s pre-FWTFL intake), whole foods, low intake of processed foods, and accountability have all been proven ways to lose weight.

Intermittent fasting and carbohydrate cycling have not yet been studied enough for experts to recommend them over other weight loss strategies.

Sustainability

This may be the most complicated diet platform I have ever researched. At least four things may make this diet difficult to sustain:

• Weighing and tracking food is very time-consuming and would only be sustainable for highly motivated people.
• Missing the social aspect of sharing food with loved ones while practicing intermittent fasting may be difficult to sustain.
• Restricting foods that people enjoy is hard to sustain, even if only for 48-hour periods of time.
• The overall complexity of the program may be too overwhelming to sustain.

FWTFL is customizable to dietary preferences and allergies.

Customers report that a company motto is “progress over perfection,” meaning that participants are encouraged to do what they can to improve and are not discouraged if they don’t follow every aspect of the program.

If modifications are needed, participants are encouraged to discuss them with the coach.

Accountability

The program advertises virtual coach availability throughout the 6-week program, available to answer questions in their social media group page that is set up during prep week.

Reviews written by customers who have tried the program imply that getting an enthusiastic coach increases motivation and success; apparently, not every coach is equally motivating.

It’s also reported that some coaches help participants and offer more of their time than others.

Value for the Price

The program’s cost is $199 for 6 weeks, with a coach who guides participants through all aspects of the program through their social media platform.

During the six weeks, participants are also encouraged to buy upsells like record logs and FWTFL cookbooks.

Lastly, as the 6-week program comes to an end, participants are encouraged to continue FWTFL with a “VIP” membership for a $99 monthly fee.

With the VIP membership, participants have access to the FWTFL app, which gives continued access to coaches, exercise workouts, meal plans, and monthly challenges.

The program's cost is expensive, in my opinion, but some may see this as a replacement for the cost of a gym membership since daily exercise is incorporated.

Safety

The program is likely safe for most people, as long as they’re eating a wide variety of foods.

I don’t recommend restricting carbohydrates for 48 hours weekly without consulting a doctor, and I don’t recommend fasting for 24 hours each month.

I am also concerned with FWTFL’s reach to pregnant and breastfeeding moms.

As a dietitian and internationally board-certified lactation consultant who worked with pregnant and breastfeeding moms for years, this is not a diet I would recommend without seeing the fully disclosed details that the program tailors for these populations.

The population that concerns me the most with this program is people at risk for disordered eating. (2)

This population should be steered away from programs that require a daily hyper-focus on eating habits and exercise.

How It Compares

I’m unaware of other programs that incorporate so many different weight loss strategies with such intensity as FWTFL.

While many people may appreciate and find success with this rigor, as a dietitian, I recommend programs with more relaxed approaches.

For example, WW (Weight Watchers) offers accountability, support, and nutrition information that registered dietitians and other nutrition experts have overseen.

If consumers are looking for a program with accountability that tracks both exercise and healthy eating, Noom’s app links to participants’ exercise watches/bands and has its own nutrition database.

Both of these programs have research to back their success rates, which is something FWTFL currently lacks.

The Bottom Line

People who can complete the Faster Way to Fat Loss are likely to succeed with weight loss and increased fitness.

More research is needed on some aspects of the program. Additionally, fasting for 24 hours every month is something I would take completely out of any program.

Because of its complexities and lack of evidence-based human research, the FWFL is not a diet I would recommend to most people.

As a dietitian, I recommend programs backed by solid research with a more relaxed approach like the Mediterranean Diet or the diets mentioned in the comparisons above.