Weight loss is a challenge in today’s age and time, particularly because of the sedentary lifestyles humans tend to lead. However, Dr. Ian K. Smith has discovered a new method that aims to increase metabolism flexibility. The physician explained that weight loss is linked to a person’s metabolism, and it is more often stuck than slow in most cases. Therefore, the 2-2-2 method increases their flexibility to burn both carbohydrates and fats. “This is a six-week program that uses a 2-2-2 method that helps people burn both fuels so that their metabolism keeps going and they start losing weight,” Dr. Smith explained during an appearance on TODAY. 

He pointed out that most people easily lose one of the other while the secret lies in balancing both carbohydrates and fats. The method was taken straight out of his 24th book and a New York Times bestseller, The Met Flex Diet: Burn Better Fuel, Burn More Fat. Dr. Smith charted a meal routine for every week. He advised that the first two weeks of the plan is to “have heavy carbs” and protein. With plates of pasta and some protein lined on the table, the expert noted that carbohydrates are our “friends” and the body “needs to see” the fuel first and then train the metabolism to learn how to burn it efficiently together.  

The doctor, who previously served as the President’s counsel on fitness, sports, and nutrition under Barack Obama, suggested following a ketogenic diet for the next two weeks and carbohydrate loading for the last two weeks. Plates of salmon fish and green beans were stacked on the table for representation of the said diet. “Salmon is a fatty fish,” he said. He noted that the body has to learn to be able to process fats, carbs, and protein, thus, increasing metabolic flexibility. One of the show hosts highlighted the notion that metabolism usually slows down with age, specifically around the age of 60. Most of the routines that worked in the 20s do not seem viable by the ages of 40 and 50 until hitting the inverted peak of metabolism at 60. 

But Dr. Smith was quick to clarify that is hardly the case. “It’s not until 60 when your metabolism starts to slow down,” he said, adding that the changes can be felt at 30 itself. Another step in the program, Dr. Smith noted, was journaling and charting for better insights and analyzing the progress. He emphasized that people wanting to lose weight maintain a workbook in their journal with specific questions. “What is your word for the day? What is it you want to work on today? Dr. Smith prompted what some of the questions looked like. He also revealed that participants share their progress on his dedicated Facebook group to help him and other experts with greater insights into the program. 

Dr. Smith shared that people in his group putting up with the daily journaling practice “lost 25% more weight” than others. Introducing a distinct aspect of the weight loss process, Dr. Smith discussed people’s obsession with measuring their weights. “Everyone weighs themselves too much,” he highlighted. Instead, Dr. Smith urged everyone to weigh themselves only once a week while maintaining a similar order of things as before. “Same scale, same place, in the same clothes, and the same time,” the expert added. According to his claims, the body weight fluctuates throughout the day due to body fluids. Hence, measuring themselves too frequently will end up in artificial and misleading results.