UPDATE: September 2015. After almost five years, I did another round, but NOT because I gained my weight back. I kept my weight within 3-4 lbs. of my set weight since 2010--THANKS TO THIS BOOK. I did another round to lose my last 10 pounds. In 2009-2010, this book helped me lose 45 pounds and maintain my weight loss, and I used it again this time. In 2009 I wore size 14-16 jeans. I'm now size 4-6, depending on the style. I had the original book, but bought this new, updated one. It has some improved layout and organization of content. Still awesome, and a reference I used almost every day, especially for maintenance.
MY ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM 2010 for the first book:
This book is responsible for my being able to do all phases of the diet successfully and maintain 45 pounds of weight loss, which was my goal. It made me well informed on the diet. I've done a few rounds using the sublingual drops. I don't know what I would have done without this book. I referred to it over and over again during all phases of the diet.
There is helpful info on the Very Low Calorie Diet phase (VLCD or 500 Cal phase), as well as the Maintenance phase (also known as Phase 3 or P3). There is an extensive food list of allowed foods for all phases of the diet, and Dr. Simeons's complete manuscript is in the back of the book.
I have to comment on a couple of concerns some other reviewers had:
1. Despite the fact that the organization of information and editing may not be as ideal as some of the reviewers here (and myself) would like, there is a TON of useful tips, information, and advice that can get you through this diet. There is information relating to the same thing in several areas of the book. So, you might find some maintenance (P3) tips in three or four different places. But the info is there. And it is extremeley helpful.
The author is a pro at the diet, not at editing a book. Who cares? This book was written from her experiences in doing the diet and helping others do it, and her own research, and she wanted to share it with others. I have a bunch of post-it notes sticking out of this book for different things due to the fact that info is all over the place. It works for me and I'm just happy this book exists, because it got me through the diet.
2. Someone mentioned that it didn't really lay out the diet days in a straightforward way and it's not for newbies. I agree that it could have been explained better to the uninformed. But I saw this book as a supplement to what I already knew. There is actually a "Summary of a Typical Round" on page 5. It talks about the 2 loading/gorging days and the rest of the diet. I actually didn't realize it was there until I saw the author's comment on someone else's post. It's nice to know that she definitely put it into the book.
I did each round of my diet through a med spa that used patented sublingual drops. They provided instruction sheets about days 1 and 2 loading/gorging, the Very Low Calorie Diet (aka VLCD or 500 Cal) and the food list for VLCD, and a brief explanation of Maintenance (aka P3). I also read Dr. Simeons's manuscript beforehand--from a PDF that I downloaded for free on the web.
Because I didn't buy the book as a newbie, it was a bonus of info for me. I can't comment about how I'd feel if I were reading this with no prior knowledge of the diet, but my guess is that it would be very valuable.
Why I got this book:
I bought this book toward the end of my first round of the very low calorie (VLCD) phase. I was worried about doing Phase 3 maintenance (3 weeks in which you can eat anything you want except sugars and starches). I obtained this book just before I started P3 maintenance and I have to tell you it prepared me for maintenance in such a great way.
Because of the help in this book, I had no trouble with maintenance or maintaining my weight. It explained why P3 is so important. If anyone does the VLCD and doesn't properly do P3, they are wasting their time because their system probably won't reset at the new weight.
This book has Simeons's manuscript in the back, so it's easy to flip to that and read it instead of having to go to your computer and find the PDF or read it online.
The info on maintenance was most important to me. I lost the weight, but keeping it off and making sure my system reset at my new weight was what was going to keep me from gaining it back. I lost weight and maintained at that new weight with each round I did.
I referred to this book through all rounds and all phases. It has tips about how to break a plateau and how to maximize your daily weight loss.
There are tips on how to get through maintenance and the most common mistakes people make with P3 Maintenance (one mistake is not eating enough food on maintenance! And she explains why that is.).
There are different ways to get the HCG and in various forms. Some people use sublingual drops, homeopathic drops, or injections. There is a lot of information on the injections and mixing this stuff yourself in the beginning of the book. Since I didn't need that info, I ignored those sections. It doesn't matter what form of HCG you're taking. The book will help you get through the phases with success.
I highly recommend that one get a diet coach/buddy (a friend who has done it successfully, or do it through a place that knows how to administer the diet) instead of doing it on your own. It's nice to have someone to talk to about the diet as you're going through it. And in addition to the coaching/buddy, use this book.
Maybe this isn't the perfect layout and editing job, but it is a great book that will help you get through the diet. I thank the author for putting all this together and sharing the info with us. Huge thanks!!!
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Top reviews from other countries
Cheryl
... really exciting book full of very interesting information an excellent aid to changing your eating habits
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 26, 2016