20/20 Diet

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NewBeginnings682
NewBeginnings682 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everybody!. Does anybody know how many calories are in Dr. Phil's 20/20 diet?. My mom recently started it and says she has lost weight and loves the diet. I have also seen very good reviews on it. I'd like to try it but every time I calculate how many calories I should have a day with my activity level and how much I weigh and how tall I am, it says I shouldn't be under 1500 calories. Is the 20/20 diet something I should be able to do?. Is counting calories really important in this instance?. Thanks in advance for your help!

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  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
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    From a quick google search, it sounds complicated and gimmicky.

    A calorie deficit is ALL that is needed for weight loss. No food restrictions, no special thinking, mindset, etc.

    So I am not much help on this post, but simply suggesting that weight loss is straight forward and does not have to be rife with restrictions and hoops to jump through.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    edited December 2015
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    I had to Google it as well. Its biggest asset appears to be that it makes Dr. Phil a lot of money selling his books/programs. Looks like a lot of woo from what I could see, and much more complicated than losing weight has to be. He's a mental health physician, not a dietitian or nutrition researcher.

    ...Is counting calories really important in this instance?...
    Counting calories (rather, ensuring that you're in a reasonable caloric deficit by whatever means) is always important, no matter what diet you're adhering to. If you're not in a deficit, you don't lose weight. Period. There's no food, supplement or exercise that can change that.
  • frankiesgirlie
    frankiesgirlie Posts: 667 Member
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    I don't mean to be negative, but I never understood dr Phil writing diet books--he looks over weight to me??? Is it just me???
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
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    frankiesgirlie wrote: »
    I don't mean to be negative, but I never understood dr Phil writing diet books--he looks over weight to me??? Is it just me???

    Yes I agree. He's hardly a ringing endorsement for optimal weight & fitness!

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited December 2015
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    The good thing about this diet is that it isn't a starvation diet like many other diets circling around. I see no problem in you wanting to try it and going for it, but while you do try to learn more about calorie counting, logging, portion size...etc. These are the skills that will help you take your diet farther and successfully transition into maintenance. Knowledge is power, and learning how to navigate different real life situations (not just the hypothetical perfect world most named diets attempt to build) is extremely important.

    Unlike many people here I'm not against playing around with named diets (diets that have a name) if someone wishes to give their dieting experience some structure, as long as they realize they're losing weight because they are consuming fewer calories than they are burning, and that no food is inherently evil. Some people do better with specific rules and a clear structure to follow, and there is nothing wrong with that. Having a support system like a family member or a friend who follows the same diet may give the diet a backbone and make things easier. My only advice to you: if you feel it's too restrictive and is making you unhappy don't be stubborn. It's just a diet, not a contract. You can (and you should) make changes if something isn't working for you.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
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    MFP was awesome for me. Give it a try? Get a food scale and go for it.
    No diet needed. Remember that protein and fiber keep you full. Have fun losing weight !
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    Just eat at 1300 cals/day. You ll be fine.
  • RadiantKola
    RadiantKola Posts: 7 Member
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    I think it's important to remember that within your daily calorie allowance there has to be an understanding that PLENTY of foods on offer are sub-par, and many, too many, are downright evil. Laden with chemicals and bound together with oils and colored with chemicals that nature has never harvested. Sure, you can argue that just staying in your allotment is a way to lose weight ... and it is ... but this is about being healthy and well nourished.

    A lot of people, in this, the heaviest country in the world, make fun of Dr.Phil and say he's "too fat" to talk about weight loss. For a man from Texas, USA who is a diabetic, compared to most of the people in this country, he looks good! Be realistic, most folks are not going to look like movie stars. Especially if they're not eating bioavailable, healthful foods!

    Yes, he's an industry. Do I watch his show, no, but I have read both of his books and have to say, there is a lot of sense in the 20/20 books. A psychologist is EXACTLY what a person with any kind of compulsive disorder needs ... and we are a world full of people addressing our psychological hunger with rampant eating in an effort to self-soothe.

    I do think the restrictiveness of the 20/20 diet would, over the long term, be an issue. The chapters on addressing your triggers, true hunger needs and learning about whole foods is very helpful.

    Good luck with whatever path you choose (and don't lie to yourself that "every calorie is equal").
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,565 Member
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    Another necrothread sighting! It's an exciting day!
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
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    You really don't have to go on anybody specific diet. It's a matter of just eating within your calorie goals. Plug-in your stats and activity level , set how much you want to lose and just follow the daily caloric intake.

    To give you hope my starting weight January 1st 2016 was 288 my current weight is about 208. Took me about eight months to lose the 80 pounds and I've been maintaining for eight months. During that time I ate whatever I wanted to I did not look at this as a diet. I looked at it as a lifestyle change. During that time I still had Wendy's hamburgers pizza and beers on the beach. If I gave those up I could have never done this. I'm also eating whatever I want now as long as it's within my calorie limits.

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