The Doctor Phil Diet, also known as the Ultimate Weight Loss Solution, is a weight management plan that focuses more on your psychological relationship with food, exercise and weight loss than on menu plans, calorie counts and fat grams. Developed by the psychologist Phil McGraw, the diet encourages you to learn seven keys of weight loss success and provides tips for implementing them in your daily life. While the Doctor Phil Diet does emphasize exercise and healthy eating habits, health professionals contend that portions of the diet are not supported by reliable scientific evidence.
Background
The Doctor Phil Diet was first introduced in Dr. Phil McGraw's 2003 book, "The Ultimate Weight Loss Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom." As a Texas-based psychologist, McGraw worked for over 30 years counseling overweight patients and formed his diet around psychological techniques that he claims he used during that time. McGraw's theory of sustainable weight loss is based on the idea that weight loss can't occur successfully until you have identified and accepted the emotional root of the reasons why you overeat. According to McGraw, once you have cleared away these mental obstacles, you will be better able to maintain a lifestyle that incorporates exercise and nutritious food eaten in moderate portions.
Seven Key Steps
According to McGraw, the seven key steps of the Doctor Phil Diet are designed to alter your physical, mental and emotional response to food. Steps 1 and 2 focus on helping you identify your problems with weight control and changing your perspective from victimhood to someone who can work to actively change. During steps 3 and 4, McGraw encourages you to change your physical environment by getting rid of high-fat "bad" foods and replacing impulse eating with other activities. Steps 5, 6 and 7 give you tools to begin losing weight: focusing meals on what McGraw calls high-response, high-yield nutrition foods instead of low-response, low-yield nutrition foods; exercising daily; and surrounding yourself with family and friends who will support your weight loss goals.
Benefits and Drawbacks
The Doctor Phil Diet emphasizes regular exercise, encourages portion control and does not require you to completely eliminate certain foods from your diet The diet also discourages you from setting unrealistic weight loss goals that can lead to failure and disappointment. However, McGraw recommends taking a number of daily dietary supplements, including vitamin E, calcium and vitamin C in addition to a daily multivitamin, some of which McGraw markets himself. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not checked for effectiveness, safety or purity. The benefits of using many dietary supplements is not supported by scientific evidence and you should consult your doctor before beginning a diet that advocates their use.
Expert Insight
Lisa Dorfman, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, argues that the Doctor Phil Diet makes a number of claims that are not supported by scientific evidence and that reputable medical institutions do not endorse. According to Dorfman, there is no research to support McGraw's idea that people with different body types require specially formulated dietary supplements in order to lose weight, or that the supplements he recommends will have any benefits. Dorfman adds that a nutritional analysis of the sample menus included in McGraw's book contain high amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol and provide insufficient amounts of several essential vitamins and minerals like iron and vitamin K. Meal replacement shakes or bars are required for dieters to get enough calories daily, a practice that isn't recommended by health professionals. However, the Doctor Phil Diet does address many of the aspects that medical institutions like MayoClinic.com highlight as important for sustainable weight loss, including setting realistic goals and examining your perspective towards eating patterns and lifestyle habits.
References
- Eat Right American Dietetic Association: Dr. Phil's Ultimate Weight Loss Solution
- Diet TV: Dr. Phil's Ultimate Weight Loss Solution
- Diet.com: Dr. Phil's Diet
- That's Fit: Dr. Phil Diet Review
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Loss - 6 Strategies for Success
- MayoClinic.com: Weight-Loss Goals - 10 Tips for Success
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