Dr. Irwin Stillman developed the Quick Weight Loss Diet -- commonly referred to as the QWL Diet in his book "The Doctor's Quick Weight Loss Diet" -- as a means to quickly and drastically reduce the weight of his overweight patients. Dr. Stillman promises an average weight loss of 5 lbs. per week. Although the QWL Diet may sound promising, it is important to remember that when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Consult your physician prior to embarking on the QWL Diet or any other weight loss program.
Diet Guidelines
The QWL Diet guidelines are quite simple: eat only the food on the allowed food list. Dieters are encouraged to eat when they are hungry and stop eating as soon as they are no longer hungry. There are no portions or calories to count. The allowed foods are so limited that Dr. Stillman believes that most dieters will naturally reduce their caloric intake when on the QWL Diet.
Allowed Foods
The allowed foods list is very narrow and includes only high-protein foods, a few condiments, calorie-free beverages and bouillon. Allowed foods include lean red meat, lean poultry, eggs, cottage cheese, chicken and beef broth and bouillon, ketchup, cocktail sauce and sugar-free gelatin. All foods require cooking methods that do not involve additional fat such as grilling, boiling and broiling. No substitutions are allowed. The diet includes no fruits, vegetables or complex carbohydrates.
Considerations
The QWL Diet includes foods from only one food group: the protein group. Fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats are completely neglected. As a result, the QWL is deficient in a wide array of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Furthermore, the QWL Diet doesn't teach dieters how to eat to maintain their weight losses. Therefore, dieters are likely to return to the same eating patterns that got them overweight in the first place. Dieters who lose weight rapidly are prone to regaining more weight than they lost, states the "Handbook of Obesity Treatment."
Alternatives
With any diet, you should aim for a slow, gradual weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Focus on making healthy food choices and eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and complex carbohydrates. According to the "Handbook of Obesity Treatment," you should shy away from any diet that promises quick weight loss or requires you to cut out an entire food group. These diets do not address the underlying cause of being overweight: a poor relationship with food. Gradual weight loss allows dieters to make important lifestyle changes that increase their odds of maintaining weight loss for life.
References
- "The Doctor's Quick Weight Loss Diet"; Irwin Maxwell Stillman M.D., et al.; 1969
- "Handbook of Obesity Treatment"; Thomas A. Wadden PhD, et al.; 2004
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