The Simple Diet (Dr James Anderson)

cmh0213
cmh0213 Posts: 2 Member
edited June 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
Is anyone currently on this diet? I've read his book and case studies from his weight loss clinic. I know it seems restrictive or boring but it's only for those wanting to lose a decent amount of weight (75+ lbs) Supposedly it's quicker weight loss for the first phase of meal replacement shakes and pre packaged dinners (no guesswork), and then it slowly transitions you back to eating everyday foods and maintaining goal weight. I'm just curious if anyone is doing it as well. Thanks!

Replies

  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
    I agree with the other posts, I've tried many fad diets and all made me unhappy until using MFP.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Even very overweight people can lose weight eating food they like. One of the main problems with "diets" ("eat this, not that"), is that they are hard to follow, and they only work if you follow them. Weight loss is almost always quickest in the beginning anyway, when your body uses more energy just to be alive, you may lose some water weight initially, and there is plenty of fatty tissue to metabolize.

    I don't understand "guesswork". You eat food, look it up in the database, weigh it and log it, the program tells you when you have eaten enough. Why would anyone want to replace precious delicious meals, just to "transition" back to eating? I'm curious as well! It's absolutely intriguing!
  • riverofcrystallight
    riverofcrystallight Posts: 7 Member
    Hi,

    I know why people do it. For many reasons, like they just want for a little while to be told what to eat (not me) they want something easy, convenient, they don't like to cook, they don't have time to cook, etc.

    I am following the " form" of the diet right now in in a loose way. First of all, I call it The Pattern Diet. It's giving you a pattern to follow.

    You can gleen enough info online to follow the plan, which I did to start but I also ordered the book. And yes it calls for shakes but as the book lists different kinds that fall into acceptable parameters. You do not need to buy any shakes from Dr. Anderson.

    Now yes the plan calls for frozen dinners. I knew I could last maybe one week with those. Let's just say hubby has a stack of TV dinners waiting for him! Lol. So it wasn't long using the frozen dinner guidelines that I began to make my own meals.

    Next I replaced the shakes ( pretty much had to as I think they were a migraine trigger) I am currently only using one bar as a snack.

    So using Dr. Anderson's guide for meals and snacks, I am making my own. ( Just my second week). For example your snack was supposed to be a shake up to 200 c, not more than 8 grams of fat and at least 10 grams of protein.

    Ok so today my snack was 1/2 c pinto beans with spices, 1/4 c success brown rice, 90 c each plus 2T salsa 20 c for a total of 200. Not much fat and 8 grams protein. So I did fall short of the 10 but I'm getting plenty today from other sources.

    See, I'm using his guidelines for my pattern. And yes basically I'm counting calories but I don't mind. I already knew about how many calories I needed to eat to lose, so I make everything for the day fit in.

    For me this is working and it's helping me. I wasn't eating enough protein or vegetables. Dr A. Wants you to have at least 5 fruits and veggies a day minimum. So now I am getting plenty of protein, 5 fruits and veggies a day, three meals, two snacks ( or one - today not enough time or room for second snack) You aren't supposed to drink any calories but I have today ( again migraine recovery) tart cherry juice, which I read was good for inflammation.

    Of course it's not for everyone (the diet as written). I only found one frozen dinner ( ravioli) I liked and would eat again.

    I know I have lost but not weighed because of 2 migraines. But there are signs , my legs look thinner, my husband noticed my face looks thinner.

    And the book has exercise stuff in there! I wouldn't recommend as written for long term for anyone but to jumpstart some weightloss for a week or two - doable. And certainly adapt the pattern to fit your calorie needs.

    Here me doing the plan:

    B- protein + carb up to 200 calories + fruit or vegetable
    S -protein plus carb up to 200 calories
    L- protein, carb up to 300 c + 2 veggies
    S- protein+ carb up to 200 c
    D- protein + carb up to 300 c + 2 veggies

    Each meal 10 g of protein or more. Say my breakfast is a 70 c egg (6gp) , one 80 c sl. Ezekiel toast(5 gp) for 150 calories, I'm allowed up to 200, so one tsp. Butter 33 c 188 c +. Tomato juice 8 oz, 50 c, 2gp.

    I am glad I found Dr. Anderson and the Simple Diet. It is just a tool to be used if it works for you.



  • riverofcrystallight
    riverofcrystallight Posts: 7 Member
    P.s. Dr. Anderson does want you to exercise of course!
  • riverofcrystallight
    riverofcrystallight Posts: 7 Member
    Well that's what I eat because I'm 5'2", so yeah taller folks would have to eat more, that comes in the form of fruits and veggies. Oh and you can also do soup instead of shake. I only eat five fruits and veggies because that's about all I can hold. I do plan to get more in later, once this becomes rote. And that's 1200 plus fruits and vegetables.

    Also the 50 grams is minimum. So for me personally I'm going to get only about 10 for snacks but more like 20+ for lunch and dinner. So between 60-80 for me but many shakes and bars have more than 10 grams. Also some of the frozen dinners had 15, 20ish grams of protein.

    Good job losing 50 lbs!

    Activity level, mine is low but one must start sometime, so tomorrow it is. I'll just begin by walking. I do have an exercise bike I can use and down the road about a billion exercise tapes, lol.

    So I imagine a taller person who is more active would pretty much burn through their calories.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,302 Member
    MFP does let you set macros too.

    So you could devise your own diet with x amount protein/ carbs at x time.

    I agree with all the posters from 2016 - no need to buy a book or products to do this.
  • riverofcrystallight
    riverofcrystallight Posts: 7 Member
    I'm the type that likes to have the book in my hands. :)
  • Sinisterbarbie1
    Sinisterbarbie1 Posts: 711 Member
    There are different approaches that work for different folks. I think the thing I would pay attention to is that this is another approach that is packaged as a ‘diet’ or a ‘program’ that you need a specific plan or book to follow, which can lead to a mindset of whatever you do to lose the weight is a short term thing with an end date and you will then go back to your old lifestyle, whatever that was. That often leads to regaining weight. That would be especially likely for me if I was relying on prepackaged things like soups and shakes and bars and frozen meals during the program not making my own food that I can share with friends and family or enter into my calorie total from estimating or looking up a restaurant meal. But I am totally sympathetic to the feeling of ‘just tell me what to do and what to eat and i will do it” rather than a ‘eat anything within calories allotted approach’.

    It sounds like maybe you are starting with the book and already translating it into foods that you make or buy or already eat yourself so just using it as a guideline anyway, and maybe as you get more used to it you will make even more substitutions to “real” foods you will always eat. The reason I signed on to mfp when I did was to be sure that when I got down to a weight where it was hard to lose and I wanted to maintain accurately I would be accounting for my calories accurately. Assuming you eventually plan to transition to all real foods when you do that, if you arent already doing so you may want to start to weigh and log things and transition fully into the mfp calorie counting system so that you have an accurate count of what you are eating once you are not relying on food that isnt prepackaged and prepared anymore.

    In any event you sound motivated which is half the battle!
  • riverofcrystallight
    riverofcrystallight Posts: 7 Member
    I've found a pattern that works for me that I can use for life. Yes it is based on Dr. Anderson's work. I did not Have to buy the book, I wanted to. I bought a used copy from Thrift books.

    Also going back to SB1's comments, I've read a little more in the book. Dr. A says that if you need more calories you can double up on a shake ( one or more as needed) and or double up on the frozen dinner/dinners. And eat More fruits and veggies! The plan outlined in the book is just a place to start. So I had to stay there because I'm 5'2". All others will need to adjust the their own calorie requirements to lose weight

    I've been weighing and measuring all my food! And yes I'm eating all real food now.

    It was a place to start. I'm fine with it.

  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    edited June 2022
    Jumping in to agree with @riverofcrystallight that a pattern can be really helpful. I have not read nor am I familiar with the book under discussion. Nor have I ever had success with shakes or frozen dinners. But getting into a groove with foods you actually like that deliver the nutrition you need to feel good at a calorie level that achieves your goals... yep, I'm on board with that. I've been in maintenance a while, but my meal planning/shopping/cooking pattern streamlines the effort. You're not reinventing the wheel every week but still enjoy variety.
  • riverofcrystallight
    riverofcrystallight Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for your comment Ahoy_8 ( love the name!)) My husband and I had been praying, asking the Lord to send me a plan I could use Well he did, I agreed with it, I wrote it down, but it didn't click. Then I came across the info about The Simple Diet. Bingo! Dr. A. Filled in the slots for me, showing me how to do it myself.

    However I do want to give a warning to food sensitives and migraine sufferers - as written probably wouldn't be the plan for you.. but as a pattern for eating, should work for anyone.
  • riverofcrystallight
    riverofcrystallight Posts: 7 Member
    Well I may have to eat my words, I'm not going to be following the simple diet pattern any longer. I won't say why right now. I'll up date in a couple of weeks.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,783 Member
    riverofcrystallight wrote: »
    Well I may have to eat my words, I'm not going to be following the simple diet pattern any longer. I won't say why right now. I'll up date in a couple of weeks.

    We all try different things, learn from it, and hopefully grow. I don't think anyone here would say they've never tried something that didn't work for them. It's all part of the journey in finding what does work. You realized it wasn't working... good for you!
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,302 Member
    riverofcrystallight wrote: »
    Well I may have to eat my words, I'm not going to be following the simple diet pattern any longer. I won't say why right now. I'll up date in a couple of weeks.

    It i fine to say this is worth trying and then after doing so decide it isnt for you.

    Same goes for IF, keto, etc.

    I dont think anyone here would have a problem with that - the only problem, IMO, is when posters post this thing of mine is the Be all and end all for everyone (not saying you did that, just sometimes it happens)

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