Rating: 
Summary: What a lot of Anger
Review: I've been reading Amazon reviews for a long time and I don't think I've ever seen a book produce so much anger and negativity. The pot shots at Dr. Phil are particularly interesting, since he's certainly not presenting himself, either in the book or on TV as being some kind of perfect specimen. If you actually READ the book, which it seems that many here have not, he talks at length about finding a reasonable weight and sticking with it, which he seems to have done. I mean the guy's in his late fifties, he not going to look that good.
it is more of a self help than a diet book, and while I think a lot of what he says just makes sense, some of it strikes me as psycho-babblish. On the other hand, many diet books with their bizarre restrictions or obsessive counting of carbs or fat grams are completely useless to the average person. Dr. Phil is basically saying "eat right and exercise" but he's also acknowledging that this is very difficult for many people and giving you tools and information that will make it somewhat easier.
Why that puts people's backs up to the degree I've seen in these reviews I have no idea.
Rating: 
Summary: A real life testimonial!
Review: I have read many diet books and been on many diets. I believe that I can speak with some authority on the topic of dieting advice and I say what Dr. Phil has done here is remarkable. From the first chapter I felt moved emotionally. A few chapters in the reader is asked to begin writing about themselves. I set the book down for several weeks because I knew that if I moved forward there would be no going back. I would not be able to pretend that I would take care of my weight at some nebulous point in the future. I would either have to deal with my weight or completely accept that I would always be fat. If you have never struggled with weight then I doubt you can understand how terrifying that was for me. I was afraid to make that emotional commitment to a course I did not know if I would be successful at. You see, as long as I hadn't really attempted to get fit I could always cling to the hope that I might someday. Well I picked that book back up and I finished it and it was remarkable and life changing. I can think of no better way to review the book than to tell you of my experiences after reading it. From my earliest childhood it was an accepted fact that I was overweight, my parents said so as did my siblings and most of the neighborhood. The larger I became in life the more I fit my own self image of myself as a fat person. I refused to be in pictures from early childhood and at one point went through all of the family pictures and cut up or burned all my photos. After I finished the book I went to visit my Mom, I had the urge to see myself growing up fat. My intent was to fix in my mind how fat I had always been to give me stronger motivation to change. I had an eye opening discovery ahead of me. What I saw for the first time is that I was not a fat child, I could have stood to lose five or ten pounds throughout my childhood, but only the most pessimistic observer could have described me as fat. To put in another way I had such a strong self image of myself as fat that I didn't match my own image until I weighed well over 300 pounds. When I read the book I weighed 474 lbs., that was almost three months ago.Today I weigh 428 lbs. I work out six days a week with a trainer alternating weights and cardio. I can walk for miles without pain and in fact am planning to spend a lot of my summer hiking in the beautiful wasatch mountains. The reviewers who've said that there is nothing new in this book are missing the point. As far as the "diet" itself goes of course they are right, the message there is essentially eat right and exercise. What is remarkable and new with this book is that Dr. Phil addresses what is stopping you mentally from changing your life. While this may not be what everyone needs (it certainly was not what I thought I needed) it has changed my life. And you know what? I was right, once I truned that next page there was NO going back!
Rating:
Summary: This IS a great book!!!
Review: This book is wonderful as it teaches you how to adjust your life style and your surroundings so that you have no more reason for failure. I read that someone left a review wondering what Dr. Phil's body fat is. Well, first of all, just because he wrote the book, does not mean that he has to look like Fabio. But, to answer that question as it was mentioned on a talk show on TV - he is 6'4" tall, is in the low 200s with his weight and has 18% body fat which is excellent for his age. He is physically active every single day and he knows that he will never look like Fabio or any other guy with a dream body. He is realistic with his goals.
Some of you forget one very important point: You can never achieve to become somebody else's dream body, nor will you ever look the same way you did when you were in high school. Accepting that fact is crucial or else you will set yourself up for failure.
Dr. Phil is a big guy, but he is NOT fat.
I am a fitness and diet professional myself and my clients look up to me for my knowledge, and not because I look a certain way. Lots of people rather deal with professionals who are not that perfect as they feel that they can relate much better to them. I think this book will help a lot of people who have weight problems (it already did!). Sorry, but I had to get this off my chest.
Rating: 
Summary: He's lean?
Review: I have a hard time with Dr. Phil ... I'd love to know his body fat percentage! Now that he's selling his diet bars, etc. that just seems a bit opportunistic to me. I read the book, but didn't find any insights I haven't read in lots of other diet tomes and/or weight loss articles rehashed in lots of women's self-help magazines. My girlfried has lost 7 lbs in the past two weeks on an "underground" diet her coworker turned her on to. "Cookies and Hot Fudge Diet" is a little five-buck booklet she found on ebay ... no special foods, no jettisoning of friends who like to eat ... no special Dr Phil apple/pear body type bars. I'm curious myself to see if she loses all 40 she needs to, but I got her Dr Phil book ... she didn't want it anymore.
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Summary: This book provides a solid foundation for weight loss by
Review: addressing the issues that most "diet" books omit.
Key one, Right Thinking, requires you to address the way you think about yourself and helps you to stop the negative self-talk so that you don't sabotage yourself. Key Two, Healing Feelings, requires you to clear up emotional issues that are getting in the way of living a full, emotionally healthy life.
Once the foundation is laid with keys one and two, the standard weight loss techniques are addressed - dealing with cravings, intentional exercise, eating high nutrition food, and keeping your environment "fail safe."
Finally, the book focuses on another area that is frequently missed by "diet" books - a circle of support. Key Seven requires you to look at the people in your life - are they sabotaging your weight loss (intentionally or unintentionally)?
I've outlined the basics, but I cannot say enough about this book. I finally, after years of losing and regaining weight, feel confident that I will lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Rating:
Summary: Good Stuff, Pardner!
Review: Dr. Phil's 7 steps are a great launching pad to weight loss. To *really* blast off and get the most out of this book, I strongly suggest tailoring the 7 steps to suit your individual needs. Slightly modifying Dr. Phil's advice, I created my own 7 steps. I suggest you do the same! Here's my "life template": 1. God filled the world with abundance. But He doesn't like you. He thinks you're lower than an armadillo's belly. Go hungry today. 2. Turn off that TV, cowpoke' except to watch chubby life coaches on sunny afternoons. 3. Exercise: Look in the mirror and point at yourself, 50 times with each arm. Then thrust each thumb toward yourself, 50 times each. As you exhale, yell 'Me!' 4. Tell yourself, 'Only *I* can make ME lose weight (and mean it!!)'' then buy more life coach products. 5. Stop eating so much!!! Quench your desire for food by reading lots of books about food, thinking about food, talking about food, shopping for food, preparing food, and writing in journals about food. Just don't eat it!!! 6. When you're tired and feel you can't go on, remember this nugget of wisdom: "Drop and give me fifty, maggot!!!" 7. Show some self-control and don't finish everything. Say to yourself, 'I can do without number 7!!!'
Rating:
Summary: One of The Best ! !
Review: Dr. Phil's "Ultimate Weight Solution" is one of the best weight loss books I've read in a long time. I'm giving this book four stars because weight loss should encompass the full gamut of an individual including spirit, soul, and body. Dr. Phil covers the soul and body beautifully, but neglects the spiritual aspects of weight loss. Keys one and two deal with the soul which is our thoughts, will, and emotions. Keys 3-6 deal with the body and flesh, and key 7 deals with the soul. It is critical to include the missing spiritual aspect of a complete weight loss program. Dr. Phil does an excellent job of dealing with the seven keys included in this book. There are lots of nuggets to glean from. Two of my many favorite golden nuggets of truth in this book are: 1. "If you believe with utmost certainty that you will fail and never, ever, be able to manage your weight, then failure is what your personal truth dictates to you." Pg 11 2. "When you weight train, its like taking a little chisel to your body. Off comes blubbery thigh fat, gone is the jiggly butt. There's muscular definition to your arms you never knew you had. You're firm all over, and smaller, and better proportioned too." Pg 222 The inclusion of the questionnaires such as the "Nutritional Assessment," the "Behavioral Audit," and the "Personal Environment Audit" are powerful ways of getting the reader to personalize this book and their own personal weight loss program. The interaction leads people to draw closer to the words on the pages and to internalize the keys. There is so much good material in this book that I really wanted to include a dozen nuggets of truth, but you'll just have to read it yourself and pick out your own favorite nuggets. I thank Dr. Phil for writing this book. It was a combination of this book coupled with his Monday television program that motivated me to get started on my own weight loss journey. Thank you Dr. Phil!
Rating: 
Summary: Advice
Review: Seems like a lot people are complaining that Dr Phil doesn't look the part. I suggest you look to Bill Phillips and his two books, Body for life and Eating for life. Mr. Bill Phillips is inspiring and has helped many overweight people. Unlike Dr. Phil, he looks amazing!
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Summary: Dr. Phil Bashers
Review: It's obvious that most of the negative reviews for this book are from people who did not bother to read the book. They just don't like Dr. Phil for whatever reason. "He's just trying to cash in.".... I don't see any weight loss books that are being given away for free.
"Why take weight loss advice from someone who is overweight"...That's like saying I shouldn't take medical advice from an MD because he smokes. "He's not an MD".....Most weight problems have more to do with psychological and emotional problems than nutrition. Do you think someone who has anorexia is too thin because of nutritional issues? The same holds true for overweight people. Some people have called this plan "Dangerous". Are you kidding me? What's dangerous is popping OTC weight loss supplements, or having no plan to follow at all. Or worse off following the advice of Dr. Atkins, MD. Anyone telling people to eat mostly meat and dairy products is dangerous. You'll probably lose weight but I think the rate of cancer and heart disease just tripled. What Dr.Phil is advising is life style changes that will support your weight lose effort. That can be too much work for some people to go through. It's not a diet. He tries to help you figure out why you're overeating so you can address it. I admit I don't agree with the selling of his other products but that doesn't take away from the advice in this book. I truly believe this book will help nearly everyone who actually reads it and sticks with the plan.
Rating:
Summary: Phil the Great
Review: I have to admit that I was a sceptic initially, everyone nowadays seems to have the "ultimate diet". Dr Phil starts by ridding you of the concept of a diet straight away, only a lifestyle change leads to successful, permanent weight-loss. I was inspired, I now go to the gym regularly, I do things at my own pace. I realise it is consistency not how fast you go on the treadmill on a particular day that leads to weight loss. The Dr Phil line of foods are so helpful in avoiding dangerous cravings, and with his step-by-step explanations I have been able to bring back some kind of order and structure to my meals. I love his matter-of-fact approach, it just made it all so much easier to stomach!
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