My additional motivation is that I have gone from a size 22W pants to a comfortable 12 and often a 10. I run /walk 3 - 6 miles each day with my son, something I would not have been able to do 6 months ago and this also gives us some special time together.

I will say that this is obsessive, and my family hates to eat with me. Everytime we cook or eat together I do a lot of "do you know how much fat that has" or "I can't believe you ate sausages for breakfast!"

If you are even thinking of buying this book ... DO IT... RIGHT NOW!


Not a diet - a lifestyle   July 8, 2002
 7 out of 8 found this review helpful

I love this book! This is the only "diet" I have ever followed and I am still my high school weight at 45 years old. I first ordered the paperback from the back of the Special K cereal box at least ten years ago and have completely worn out the book. I've just ordered a hardcover edition hoping it will last into my old age. If you're new to this book, keep in mind the fat comes off slowly - replaced by muscle. It's not an overnight diet - but a forever body change. Give yourself a couple of months to really see the difference. Also, you won't be hungry. The only thing I do differently from the book is to have two starches at lunch and one at dinner; this seems to work better for me. Also, I've found that water-packed tuna with BBQ sauce for flavor really sticks with you. Have fun and be creative!


Watch the inches disappear!   January 29, 2002
 11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I first saw this diet in " Ladies Home Journal" back in 1989ish.
It had a page size color chart to figure your fat index, which the paperback book lacks.

I used this diet back in 1992 and lost 48 pounds. However, during the holidays over the years, the weight crept back.

Now my wife and I are both on this diet and in the first two weeks, I have lost:

14 pounds

2 inches in the hips

3 inches in the waist

1 1/2 inches across the breast

My wife keeps her weight secret, even after 14 years of marriage, but she has lost 4 inches in the waist, 3 inches in the hips, and 2 inches across the breasts, in our first two weeks. HINT: Buy a scale with a memory!
I would say the diet still works. In addition, I don't feel any hunger pangs between meals.

The exercise is important, but drinking 64 oz of water each day is more important, to wash out those fatty acids that accumulate from burning your stored up fat. DON'T WAIT until you are thirsty, start with water before the first cup of coffee.

There is no mention of increasing your water intake after drinking caffeinated drinks, that in hot weather would leave you dehydrated. The typical rule is to drink 2 times the amount of water for each amount of caffienated diet soda. Apparently, the fluid intake and outgo with 64 ounces of any liquid is enough to flush the system.

Our sample supper meal for one person:

Fruit: 4 oz high pulp Orange juice

1 Vege: 2 cups salad mix with 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar dressing

Protein; 1 Vege; 2 starch & 1/2 dairy:
2 yellow no fat tortillos
1/2 can no fat refried beans
1/2 can diced tomatoes with green chillies
grated cheese on top

Heated in microwave 2 1/2 minutes. Magnifique!

I whole heartedly recommend this diet. DON"T FORGET to exercise at least 30 minutes every other day. Walk, spade your garden, put up stuff upstairs or like I'm doing this morning...unloading 20 sacks of humas, 40 pounds each, which I found last night @ 49 cents each.


not a diet   January 7, 2002
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I only had to read about 1/2 of the 1st chapter of this great book(I dont like to read), but thats all i needed to understand why "diets" dont work. This book is a must for anyone who want to lose weight(fat). I lost 25 pounds in about 40 days. The concept of this "diet" is so easy i had to slow my loss down because i was afraid of losing too much too fast. Now that the holidays are over, i'm going for another 25 pounds. My wife lost about 33 pounds also.