The McDougall Maximum Weight-Loss Program

This doctor really knows about diet, weight loss, health and nutrition. He shares information so clearly, I love him!

Being very skeptical, I decided to give this diet exactly a month to see if it really works. After a few days, I noticed that my food portions were becoming smaller and smaller because I was satisfied and full very quickly. One week into the plan and my energy was through the roof but I wasn't jittery like that rush you get with caffeine or sugar. Two weeks into the program I no longer craved pizza, hotdogs, cookies or junk foods.Three weeks into the program I noticed I had no more good morning bad breath. One month into the program I have lost 18 pounds! It's not just water weight loss either. Even my double chin is shrinking. It is now five weeks into the program and my only regret is not finding this program before I wasted so much money trying to lose weight other ways. I feel incredible and the plan is easy enough that I can see the finish line even though I have a ways to go. This book also includes many outstanding recipes as well. To help you succeed by losing weight this way I also highly recommend the vegan cookbooks "Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure" by Lorna J. Sass (A vegan pressure cooking recipe book that gives you two hour taste in ten minutes! Saute with a little water or broth instead of oil and you can easily make all of these scruptuous recipes work.) and "How it all vegan" by Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer (this vegan cookbook does include a few recipes with very high fat vegetarian foods like nuts, avocado and tofu, but many of the recipes you can still have on the McDougall program are just incredible). May you have good health.

I have lost weight using two different methods in my 49 years of life. The first was to eat 1,500 calories or less every day and excercise 4-5 times per week. All of my food choices were healthy on this regimen, and my only complaint is that it took lots of effort to keep track of the calories I was consuming, and I was usually painfully hungry between meals and late at night. I twice lost around 30 pounds using this system.The other method I have used is the one developed by Dr. John McDougall, using this book and one other: "The McDougall Program". This book is without question the one to use for efficient weight loss, the second more for maintenance and cultivating healthy eating habits for life. I give this book my highest recommendation because (a) it makes the best common sense of any "diet" I've ever heard about or been on...all you have to do is eat the world's healthiest foods in whatever quantities you like so long as you follow the instructions, and (b) the results are fast, steady, and come with many other pleasant benefits. In my case, my complexion has improved, my facial color and tone have radically improved, my energy is great, and my bodily functions have all started getting in sync. In the first month I have lost around 12 pounds, and all I've been doing for exercise so far is walking 3-5 times per week for around 45 minutes to an hour.If you are not used to living without meat and dairy products, breads and refined grains, as well as other high calorie and fatty sources in the typical American diet, I would imagine that the transition could pose some challenges. (Don't forget, I'm only talking about the "maximum weight loss" program now. However, since you never need go hungry, and the results are so spectacular, you will be richly rewarded if you just get into the McDougall groove and make the delicious and life-giving adjustments to what you're eating he suggests. I have had the best success sticking with it thus far, by shopping much more than I used to, and cooking and preparing food every day. And yes, I have had a few "feast" days, where I ate some sushi, or a few bites of something made with oil etc. But I usually just stick with it because when you're putting this much effort into something, it's not too nice to backslide. Even when dining out with my wife and friends I've been pleasantly surprised to see myself checking carefully with the food servers as to the preparation of things, avoiding all oils, breads, and danger foods. A few times I very happily ended up with 2 baked potatoes with salsa, steamed veggies, a gigantic salad with vinegar and a squeeze of lemon, boiled beans etc. etc. My friends jaws dropped in amazement as I resisted every temptation! Dr. McDougall teaches us winning strategies for snacking, eating out, dining at friend's homes, shopping, the proper amount of exercise etc. Give his program a try! You will be very glad you did!

Most people who reviewed this book are quite happy with the book, which is good, but there were a few negative reviews. It seems to me that those negative reviewers saw some benefit to this program, but saw some things in it they did not like. Well, I think too many people are caught up with being "perfect" and following diets/programs to the T. If you feel you need a bit more fat or oil in your diet, then add it, sparingly. If you want some pasta one night, then have it. I have lost over 80 pounds in 10 months on this program and I have been flexible. I eat vegan about 96% of the time, but I still eat a bit of shrimp once in awhile, or some egg whites. If I am too strict, I will most likely fail. I found a good balance. I think its okay to take away something from this book even if you are not perfect on it. It has a lot to offer.

I think this is the best diet information available. I had read fit for life a few years ago and followed that for a while and put on some weight, I tried high protein diets and put on weight. I became a vegetarian and followed fit for life again and put on a lot of weight. I had read about how vegetarians were all skinny but the book never mentioned that eating oil, nuts, tofu, and peanut butter would cause weight gain. I picked up this Mcdougall book in September 1998 at a weight of 183 pounds (at 5"6). I followed it to the letter (except that I drink lots of black coffee) and I went down to 140 pounds in 4 months. I find it very easy to follow although I have not gone to any restaurants since I started which would be difficult. It is also important to mention that during this time I was eating huge quantities of the required foods and I had no time to excercise; so there was absolutely no deprivation whatsoever. I'm still on the diet and have had no cravings for high fat foods or animal products. I've never felt better.

Being an overweight woman in her 40s, I have lots of experience with trying and failing to lose fat, and with the misery entailed in the process. Dr. McDougall's book has the first system I have found that I really feel I can happily follow, not just to lose weight, but for the rest of my life in order to stay healthy and maintain my weight loss. At first I was startled by what Dr. McDougall had to say about nutrition, but I have found in practice that his claims are correct. My energy level took a big leap forward within two days, and I just keep feeling better all the time. In my experience, losing weight with this system is unbelievably easy and painless, and your food can be as simple or as gourmet as you want to make it. In the past I tried the Atkinson high protein diet (the most opposite one to this!), and even if I did temporarily lose some weight, I couldn't wait to get off that diet and start eating real food again, and I felt very unhealthy on it after a few weeks. On the other hand, I find the McDougall diet to be extremely satisfying, and as a bonus my skin and hair (dried out by the Nevada climate for years now) have become healthy again, and I have more energy and vitality than in years. Also important is that following the McDougall diet ensures that you minimize the toxicities you get from your food (see Howard Lyman's book "Mad Cowboy" for further information on that aspect!). It really feels good to improve your health, do what is right ecologically, and even lose weight as a bonus and keep it off! Everyone should do themselves the favor of reading and trying for themselves this or another of Dr. McDougall's books.