The Digest Diet


The Digest Diet is from the Reader's Digest people, so it should be no surprise that their approach to a one month diet takes only 21 days. The diet was based on reviews of hundreds of other diets, selecting their strong points and throwing out their bad. They describe their approach as a "focus on healthy and natural food" that stimulates fat reduction and overall weight loss. And, of course, they published a book available the Reader's Digest.

The digest diet identifies 13 "fat burning" foods that they believe can trick your body into releasing fat without making you feel hungry. These fat burning foods are: calcium, dairy, resveratrol (found in red wine), coconut oil, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, protein, vitamin C, quinoa, honey, cocoa, vinegar and fiber. That's quite a range from the very specific, like coconut oil, to the very general, like protein. Does that mean that bacon is part of this diet?

There are three phases to the digest diet. The first phase lasts only 4 days. This induction phase starts you on soups and shakes or smoothies. For snacks, they suggest a handful of nuts. Lots of vitamins, minerals and protein to jump-start your metabolism.

Phase two of the digest diet takes 10 days. This phase focuses on lean protein and green vegetables. Think the Mediterranean diet. Your diet adds in more mono- and polyunsaturated fats. You get two snacks (again with the nuts) and a glass of wine or handful of grapes for that resveratrol boost.

The digest diet's third and final phase sets you up for a lifetime of healthy eating. Now you broaden your allowed foods to include a wide range of entrees. You can even eat pizza! The meal plans continue their focus, though, on including lots of the 13 fat burning foods to continue your weight loss. This is technically taking you through the end of the three week diet, but you are actually beginning the rest of your life on a new food maintenance plan.

Their book, The Digest Diet, claims that you can lose 26 pounds in 3 weeks. Have you tried it? How did it work for you? Click on the beautiful Comment button and share!

99 comments:

  1. I'm starting it today and so far I'm not impressed. I can't stand yogurt. I mean, the smell of it makes me gag and that is the basis of every shake I'm supposed to drink. YUCK! I'm going to have to find a substitute for yogurt for this diet. The soup I made last night for my lunches is not bad. The recipe forgot to call for water, though, so I had to guesstimate on that. You can't cook lentils with no water. Hello!!

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    1. I use Dannon Natural Non-Fat Plain yogurt and I can't smell it. I prefer the banana shake with ground cinnamon and still can't smell the yogurt. Like you, I guesstimated the water for the lentil soup but I still wasn't crazy about the soup. On the other hand, last night I had the Mexican Chicken soup and it was very delicious and filling. Something must be working because I've lost 10 lbs in two days!

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    2. Wow! That was the first thing I found out and I'm glad I'm not going crazy. How do you make lentil soup without water. I'm going to try the Mexican chicken soup next.

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    3. Kristy try adding some of the flavorings like cinnamon or cocoa powdwe (really good in the banana shake). My husband hates yogurt too but loves his banana peanut butter chocolate shake every morning. I use Chobani Vanilla. for everything.

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    4. Okay, I should have read up on this more than I did. I am lactose intolerant, allergic to tomatoes and shellfish, and I cannot stand yogurt. I'm also not a big veggie fan, particularly the leafy things like all the lettuces. They are not something I would ever choose to eat, nor is stuff like fennel. Can you substitute other veggies like green beans for the lettuces, bulbs, and tomatoes? Can you eat chicken instead of shellfish? Can you substitute fat-free sour cream for the yogurt?

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    5. Okay so it didn't list the water in the list of ingredients but it did say in #3 of the instructions to add 7 cups of water. Really people it's just common sense! Of course you have to cook lentils in water.

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    6. The first printing of the book left out the 7 cups of water in step 3. My book doesn't have it, my mom's does. RD sent me a letter with the correction and an apology. On day 14 and have lost 8 lbs. and my cravings for sweets. I'm very happy with the results so far.

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    7. wow, so much criticism. I'm also lactose intollerant but decided to give it a shot, and hmmm....no problems at all, and I love the shakes...If you have so many dislikes and intollerances, maybe you should just look for another diet! I am on day 16 and have already lost 2 sizes, so I'm sold. The one thing you absolutely need when you go on a diet is a positive attitude!

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    8. I agree Judy. The 1st comment I read on her was from Kristy. I could be wrong but something tells me it's hard to make her happy. Just the tone I guess. I lost 4 pounds overnight! On my 2nd day of the diet now. Love it!

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  2. Congratulations on losing 10 lbs in two days. That's awesome! I only lost 1 1/2 lbs, but I was happy with it. I don't like yogurt either, but the shakes were okay. I'm done with day 4, so I start looking at what's on the menu for day 5. Unfortunately, I don't have enough hours in the day to shop for difficult to find ingredients, cook all that stuff, and work too. i don't know how people who work full time with long commutes do it.

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  3. I am on day four, and I have lost nothing. I agree, the shopping and the weird ingredients are a hassle, and the shakes are nasty. I added a teaspoon of stevia and that made them bearable. There's not supposed to be any calories or sugar in stevia, but maybe that's why I'm not losing anything.

    My second issue is the exercise. I still work for a living and walking an hour a day is not in my schedule. I am making it about 30 minutes, but I have to give up sleep to do it.

    Finally, I did their workout, and my knees swelled. My doctor says there need to be stretches and a warm up. When she was done, it was a 45 minute workout, not 12. So much for that idea.

    I'm going to give it to the end of phase 2 and if I have not lost any weight, I'm calling this a fraud.

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    1. sounds like you are not really committed

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    2. Yea you cant say its a fraud when your barely sticking to it. But good luck

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    3. I love everything about the diet from a food perspective but I am on day 4 and have lost nothing....I am not cheated once! If I don't see some results it will just be another failed plan for me.

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  4. My husband and I have been on the Digest Diet for 15 days. He has lost 11 and I have lost 10. We find the diet really delicious and there are a few things we have never eaten before but not much. It seems very healthy and for a fast start on a diet I have been very pleased - alot of diets with fast starts really reek havoc with your digestive system but this one didn't - no ugly changes in the bathroom habits!!! I have to admit though - we do exercise quite alot between bicycling and tennis but we haven't touched the 12 minute workout yet.....maybe that is what we must do to push beyond this plateau we are on. I think as well it really helps to be two on the diet. We have decided to just stick to the shakes for breakfast - he makes it x2 when he gets up and then I make soups to go to the office with and little bags of the snacks. Dinner is a bit of a hassle sometimes but the recipes are good and pretty simple. If I'm too tired then it is another shake!

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  5. I think with any diet plan it's important to give it a chance and be open. You should always check yourself to see if you aren't just being negative because you are really not open or ready to change. I also think you need to prepare yourself before starting any new routine. For a diet in particular, you should take a day to gather everything you will need in advance and do any prep work that will help you save time. Regarding the 'weird' ingredients, again, this is just something new and different. Shop in advance to avoid frustration. Also remember to adapt the program as you need to. By making small changes, you may not get the same results, but you will be doing better than if you did nothing at all! Regarding the time for exercise, we all have the same 24 hours in a day. If you need to do a few smaller workouts each day, do that. Could you get up a half hour earlier & squeeze in a workout then? I know if I didn't waste time 'vegging' in the evening and get myself to bed earlier, I could get up earlier and workout. We all make choices!

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    1. My husband and I began the diet three days ago and have both already lost 3 lbs. We are not hungry. In fact, we feel mostly energized. No blood sugar drops mid-morning and mid-afternoon. This is in part probably due the early morning and evening walks. I think it helped that I stock piled the ingredients several days in advance and stay one day ahead on preparing the soups. We've experimented with the shakes and prefer the choc./cinnamon banana combination. We also like the new flavors--allspice with the lentil soup. We're hyped!

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    2. Totally agree! I have been on the diet for about 3 weeks, and I lost 15lbs total. I started 'slacking' and gained about 10lbs back, but then I got right back on track (phase 2) and lost another 5lbs. It works very well, but you have to stick to it. It really is a life long change of diet, and the phases help teach you the right type of foods to consume for maximum results. I have found that you can substitute some of the like categories food items, but it is best to adhere to it as strictly as possible. It really is closely aligned with a whole food diet, or clean eating. Good luck to all!

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  6. Lost 7 pounds in 5 days.... I will take it. All change takes effort and commitment, there is no magic to it.
    Favorite shake is Apple w/ cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg and Tahini for the fat......... YUM!
    LOVE the lentil soup ( 7 cups of water ) and the Mexican chicken soup too

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  7. Started it last night - I made the Mexican chicken soup ahead of time using leftover turkey breast from the night before. I agree with the comments about odd ingredients, I could not find dried ancho chiles anywhere and the pumpkin seeds almost broke the bank. The soup was yummy though. I made my first shake this morning using Stonyfield NF Plain yogurt and I was literally gagging as I drank it. Between the smell and the chunky bit from the flaxseed meal it was really tough choking it down. I willBut it is 10 am and I am not hungry so I guess that is working.

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    1. I didn't find the dried chiles but did find Ancho chile powder, these little substitutions probably make little or no difference to the outcome. To the previous person who thinks maybe the diet isn't working because of Stevia, I've been using it throughout, Stevia has NO CALORIES. I think you have to start with a positive attitude. If you disagree with everything on the diet, then look for another program.

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    2. I found all the ingredients at the cheaper food stores in my area. I realized that they also cater to people who want to get healthy. The coconut milk was the only thing I had to go to the health food store for. I live in the Midwest, maybe we have more variety here! I just started (day one) and I am excited. I made the Mexican chicken soup and it is very good and filling. Nothing is easy, people want a genie lamp and poof all healthy and in shape. Sorry nothing works like that. Complainers, stay unhealthy. Serious participants way to go!

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  8. Started it two days ago and have lost 5 lbs! Love the banana/cinnamon shake! I made the kale & chickpea soup and knowing that I don't have to eat that the rest of my life--I can endure!

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  9. We started it yesterday and are halfway through our second day. I'm patiently waiting for day 5, because I don't like being on a soup/shakes diet, but I weighed myself this morning and after the first day had lost 1.8 lbs, so I'm very happy with that!

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  10. The first phase of the diet is the toughest and I agree that yogurt shakes are not my bag. However, the book says (in the FAQ section) that you can substitute non-fat milk for the yogurt if yogurt isn't your thing. That is what I did and I still lost 4 pounds in the first phase. I am close too my goal weight and this was pounds that have been "stuck" for a while. As for the exercise, I would suggest do what you can and don't beat yourself up about it. Exercise is important for lasting weight loss and who knows... you might eventually enjoy an hour walk. Good luck to you all!

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  11. Am finishing day four today and have lost 5 lbs. I actually love the shakes. My husband and I look forward to them everymorning. I made the kale/chickpea soup and the mexican soup in advance and like both of them as well. I think you have to be extremely open minded and open to change to succeed in anything in life.

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  12. I haven't received my book yet, but I'm wondering about breakfast. I have never been one to eat breakfast, and I don't get hungry until about 11:30 a.m. I'm a black coffee until then type person. Can you skip the morning shakes if I'm not hungry in the a.m.?

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    1. I don't think so. I'm not a breakfast person, but the book seems to emphasize eating each of the 4-5 daily meals/snacks that they have in the plan.

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    2. I have never been a breakfast person either...but, honestly, breakfast is the most important meal of your day. It kick starts your metabolism and gets your body moving in the right direction. Any time that I eat breakfast in the morning my weight loss is much greater.

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  13. I have been on the diet for 9 days. I've lost 6lbs but am getting discouraged. I lost the 6 pounds in the first 2 days but the scale hasn't changed a bit since then. Has anyone else hit this kind of a plateau? Tips?

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    1. I'm here looking for reviews before I buy so I haven't even tried it. But in general, weight loss comes with hills and plateaus, so I wouldn't get discouraged if you hit a flat spot once in awhile.

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    2. I have been on the diet for 11 days and like you lost weight the first 4 days, 5 pounds, but nothing since. I like the foods but have not been doing the exercises religiously, but I'm on this site because I'm wondering whether I'm wasting my time.

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  14. Is there a good place to find the recipes, I want to start now but I won't get the book for 2 weeks it said...I have an event next weekend and would love to drop a few lbs before!!! Any suggestions on getting started?thanks!

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  15. I am enjoying my shakes! on day three and I find them quite filling and tasty. I live by myself so only made one batch of soup to eat off for four days. sounds a bit lack luster, but agree with some of the others that a few of the recipes seem a bit daunting to find everything.

    My advice is to commit yourself, you have to eat for the next 21 days, might as well eat from this book! It's only 21 days! Good luck.

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    1. I am on Day 12 and I have lost 4 pounds. I have not had the great loss many of you have, but I am getting in the groove of the food and I am not starving all the time like I was in the first 5 days. I didnt measure my inches in my waist, but I think I have lost more inches than pounds. A few have commented to met that I look great and have lost weight. That made me feel good. I am sticking it out the rest of the 9 days and will probably go one week more. I am learning to eat healthier, for sure.

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  16. Ok so I am on day 5 I lost 7 lbs in 4 days go figures.. I agree the shakes are nasty nasty nasty I to hate yogurt and milk so its a tough nut to swallow.. I also experimented with it, and to me the best was using strawberrys and instead of 3/4 cup of yogurt I used 2/4 cup of skim mild and then 1/3 of yogurt. I also added 1/2 of bananna and then used the unsweeted cocoa as the flavor this is the closet you will get to planet smoothie.. LOL and yes the recipes are a bit to exciotc for me also.. I need simple but I am determined to stick with it I have about 30 pds to lose so I hope I can stand it.. :D

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    1. Another good option for the lactose intolerant is Almond milk, unsweetened vanilla flavored tastes just like regular milk without the lactose problems. You'll find it in your grocers refrigerated section (next to the Soy milk).

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    2. I took out the powdered milk& used 1/2 cup of my la raid skim milk,it totally changed the bad taste.So I think the bad taste is from the powdered milk.I also changed from Greek yogurt ,which is very sour to light & lively vanilla yogurt,it makes a huge difference ib taste.I am losing a pound a day,for the last 7 days.

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  17. I don't think your suppose to skip any meals, it says to try to space your eating through the day. My hubby and I are on day 6. I have stuck to it closely, I am lactose intolerant too, so I've been using lactaid and been OK. And when I say stuck to it closely, I like that in this diet you can modify to suit your likes/dislikes. Using the milk instead of the yogurt. All the different fat realeser options. I dont care for seafood, so I sub on those days. And we repeat a number of meals to make it work for us better. Like the pumpkin seeds, we don't like those, and they are spendy, so we subbed peanuts. I lost 7.6lbs so far and my hubby 5. I took a good part of an weekend afternoon planning the week, and then another few hours familiarizing myself with the natural food section of my grocery store. You have to be open to new things, or don't bother!

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  18. So far this has been great. The first week my husband lost 11 lb, and I lost 5 lb. My husband wants to know if he can use stevia. The book says no artificial sweetners, but stevia says it is all natural. I have not been able to find anywhere I can ask and receive Q & A to specific questions.

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    1. There is a Facebook group for the Digest Diet. You can post questions and someone from the Digest Diet will answer them. And you will also get lots of tips from other people who are on the diet.

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    2. I believe the Facebook page said no to Stevia but yes to raw sugar.

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  19. My wife and I are finishing Day 4 - thank goodness! We are both losing pounds, so that is good. Shopping has taken a lot of work and some expense. Not too impressed so far. I'm losing, but I'm hungry! Of course you can lose pounds if you are hungry most of the day. Yes, we are following the rules to a T. I'm looking forward to real food tomorrow.

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  20. I am starting Day 10. I lost 6.5 lbs the first 4 days and only have lost another 1.2 lbs in the past 5 days so I am getting a little discouraged. I checked out the FB page and you do get some good tips. Way too many exotic expensive ingredients - I spent $7 on pumpkins seeds, couldn't find dried ancho chiles and the flax seed makes me want to gag. I don't have the patience to count out 20 pistachios.

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  21. I completed the digest diet and lost 9lbs total, which while not as spectacular as 26lbs was very exciting for me. I have continued following the meal plans for the last two weeks and have lost an additional 3.5 lbs. That was even with making Sundays a more relaxed day for food and not exercising to any extreme throughout the week. I have generally tried to be more active with my kids though and that has gotten me off my butt :). To make the shakes better I ended up replacing half a cup of the yogurt with unsweetened vanilla almond milk which you can find fairly cheaply at Walmart or any other grocery store. Doing that made them something I even look forward to. And I don't worry too much about putting the exact vegetables in because some are very hard to find and when you find them they're expensive. I just replace with a vegetable that I like and that's easy to find. The main point is to eat fresh fruits and vegetables because they fill you up and are packed with fiber and vitamins. I feel extremely satisfied after I eat now even though it took a week to get used to it fully. Making out a menu for at least a week and shopping for all that I need ahead of time has been key in making this work for me and my family. I hope this is encouraging. :)

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  22. Started today. Not very much impressed with the shake. The lentil soup calls for chicken broth but you can add water as it thickens. It is delicious though.

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  23. I am on day 14 and have lost 13.5 lbs so far. At first, I could not stomach the shakes, but with a little bit of experimenting, I have two that I love. I do one with frozen red grapes and nonfat vanilla yogurt and another one with oranges and nonfat vanilla yogurt. I add a little agave syrup if I want a little sweetness because I don't care for honey. I don't mind the flaxseed meal now. In the beginning, it was a rather odd taste. I also add more ice than suggested. I bought a bag of crushed ice from Sonic and it makes my smoothies so much more creamier. Since I am only cooking for one person, I tend to have a good amount of leftovers which I either take for lunch, or have the next few days for dinner. If there is a vegetable I don't care for, I just sub with something I do like. My grocery bill on this diet has been a little pricey, but all of the spices, vinegars and oils I now have will definitely be used after the 21 days are up. I'm really excited to see how much total weight I will lose. I've been walking after work. Not every day, but whenever I leave at a decent time, and it's not raining outside. It's very encouraging to see the numbers on the scale go down.

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    1. The shake made with frozen grapes is great! I use a bit of peanut butter instead of the honey.

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  24. I started today and compared to the gross shakes I've had to endure on other diets these shakes are awesome! No chemical after taste and I get to decide what fruit to add to make the flavor I want. All goo as far as I'm concerned. I agree with many that it takes time to prepare for this diet - it is not something you can just wake up one morning and decide to do. But, I really like that it is healthy, nutritious and made with real foods. I was able to find everything I needed for the first 4 days at the local Trader Joe's with the exception of the nf dry milk. Day 5 onward I have opted to do only one or two of the various lunch and dinner options within a given phase and repeat them in order to limit the amount of groceries I need to buy and the amount of new recipes I have to try. I trust this will still work out okay as long as I substitute from within the phase. I'm hoping for good results on the scale and overall feeling better!

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  25. I lost 4 lbs. the first four days. I love the banana shake with peanut butter and cocoa! I'm really surprised at how many people don't like the shakes. They are filling and delicious. I am on day 7 right now (I won't weight myself again unti tomorrow) and so far the problems I've had are: the expense of and serach for all those fresh and strange ingredients (and worrying about them going bad before I use them), spending soooo much time in the kitchen prepping, cooking--esp. since I am only doing this for me, and cleaning up the meals, being able to fit in all the walking, and remembering to do the three daily activities. Otherwise, I love every dish I've eaten, I feel full and satisfied, and I feel like I am on a springboard to a successful weightloss journey and healthy way of eating. AND BY THE WAY. THE READER'S DIGEST CLAIM TO LOSE UP TO 26 POUNDS IN 3 WEEKS IS VERY MISLEADING TO THOSE WHO DO NOT DO THEIR RESEARCH--BECAUSE THE MAN IN THE BOOK WHO DID THAT FOLLOWING THE DIET WEIGHED BETWEEN 200-300 POUNDS. THE MORE YOU WEIGH AT THE BEGINNING, THE FASTER IT ALWAYS COMES OFF.

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  26. I just finished my first 21 day challenge. My total weight loss was 14 pounds. I did not exercise. I plan to do this again and add in the exercise. I read many reviews and most people who are negative are probably not ready fo the commitment. If you are considering this, read through the book first and do all your shopping ahead of time. There are some expensive items but they go a long way and are no more expensive than eating junk food or eating out. I used Light and Lively nonfat vanilla yogurt in my shakes. If you have lumps than get a better blender. Mine come out smooth as can be. The most awesome part of this diet for me is not the weight loss. I have arthritis and lots of back pain. All the inflammation in my body is practcally gone. I am sleeping better and my energy level is back to normal. I wouldn't trade that for anything. I did not weigh until after the first 21 days was over. I was pleasantly surprised. This is the quickest I have ever dropped weight. This diet is a winner!

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    1. Glad to hear that the diet was sucessful for you. We just received the book today and will go shopping tomorrow and starting the diet on Monday. I too have arthritis, back pain and inflammation and am encouraged by your results. I will be back in 21 days to publish my results!

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  27. I am on day 16 and have lost 10 pounds (128 to 118). I thought the first 4 days were were awful and I was not much fun to be around. After day 4, I never felt hungry. In fact,I find it to be too much food for someone my size. I have been on 1,200 calories for a long time and I am wondering how the calorie requirement for a five foot tall woman and a six foot tall man can be the same. I veered away from the menu a little because I don't eat meat or fish but I continue to lose. I also didn't do the exercise routines and gave up my normal routine while on the diet. I think the shake made with banana and cocoa with 1/4 c yogurt, 1/2 c skim milk was awesome. I didn't add a fat to it cause everything I tried tasted gross. Good luck to everyone. If I lost weight on this diet, anyone can!

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  28. I am on day 8 of the plan and lost 5 pounds. It does take pre-planning and commitment but is completely worth it! I am telling everyone I know who's looking to lose weight to try this plan! I can't wait to see the final results!

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  29. I was thinking of ordering the book but after reading all the comments I am not so sure. I would like to hear form someone who finished the 21 days, and what has happened since then? Do you stay on it, do you continue to lose, do you go back to normal eating, do you gain some (or all) of it back? I know myself pretty well, I get into it at the beginning and then my enthusiasm dwindles - is this something you get results from by sticking to it beyond the 21 days? When you have a lot to lose as I do, you need to be able to stay with it beyond the first few weeks. Congrats to those who lost anything at all - it beats gaining another couple pounds and feeling bad about yourself. Make progress or make excuses. Time to get myself motivated.

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    1. Hello, I finished the 21 days a month ago and I am continuing to lose weight. My new way of eating is now part of my routine. I've lost 18 1/2 lbs so far, and I'm not sure how many inches, but I went from wearing a size 20 dress to a size 14/16. I'm 5'9 and started this diet at 299 lbs. I have so much energy, I am working out at least 5 days a week(Turbo Jam/Walking), and I am still sticking to my meals and snacks. Every once in a while I indulge in something I love such as pepperoni pizza or a cheeseburger, but I don't overdue it. I have never lost this amount of weight/inches in such a short time, but it feels great, and I am sure you will have success as well. Good luck!

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    2. If you don't want to make the $ commitment and purchase the book, check with your Public Library. If they don't have it they may be able to borrow it for you.

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    3. Like you I had a lot to lose. I did the 21 days- fairly good on the diet but not good on the exercise. I lost 10 pounds. Three months later, I've kept it off. Went back to some of my not so good eating habits but stayed with the shakes in the morning. I think that alone is huge. I just started back on the diet and lost 1.4 pounds the first day. I'm exercising more. I hope to do the diet 3-4 times a year and maintain between. Not a quick plan but one I think will be more successful in the long term.

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  30. As I am reading all the comments, I am also gaining positive energy from you people! Thanks a million! As I am still waiting for my book still, it better be coming quick, *finger cross*, would anyone like to share the hearty mexican soup or any other soup recipe in the book? Your effort is much appreciated! GOOD LUCK ALL!

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  31. Do you think this diet would be okay to go on if I'm breastfeeding (and taking a daily vitamin)?

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    1. When I was on Weight Watchers, they had a special plan for breastfeeding moms. You really do need more calories when you're breastfeeding. If I remember correctly, it was about 1/3 more food than someone who's not breastfeeding. So I'd say adjust your intake accordingly on this diet.

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    2. You need about an extra 500 calories per day to make breast milk. I think it depends on your starting weight and how old your baby is. You should be taking your prenatal vitamins for at least a month after having your baby. Ask your doctor, the initial phase is 1200 calories going up to 14-1500 in the second phase. You would likely be fine if you added an extra shake, soup or large handful of nuts each day. This diet is based on healthy whole clean foods, much better food than most people eat including breastfeeding mom's. I would skip the wine and opt for the grapes though they say that if you have one glass of wine and wait for more than an hour to breastfeed the wine has already been metabolized and doesn't pass into the breast milk.

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  32. I am just finishing day 2 and just wonder if anyone else has had any health issues on this diet? woke up with a killer headache in the middle of the night. Also heart palpitations, and feeling really tired. I am sticking with it. but isn't going to be easy if it keeps going in this direction.

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  33. on day 6, have lost 8.5 lbs so far. I'm male and 43 yrs old. I'm about 40 lbs over weight (250 should be around 210 given my height) I've been extremely strict about sticking to the plan. It has worked for me. I have back issues so heavy exercise doesn't work, but a 30-45 minute walk in the morning and then NOT cheating the diet has shown results. I had really bad eating habits so eating this healthy, little to no processed foods, has been interesting. I still crave a few sweets but those cravings are starting to diminish. I will say the first 4 days were tough as I'm use to snacking on/off all day on bad/junk foods. Now that I get more intake via the second phase I'm really starting to dig it. My wife is doing it with me for support and that has helped a lot. The only way this works is if I, you, make the change to eat much healthier and "right sized" portions for the long term of your normal eating habits. Like any change, if you don't stick with it you'll go back to where you were before.

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  34. It's probably just the lack of caffeine. Stick it out.

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  35. I too would like to start but will not receive my book for 2 weeks... day one plan???

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  36. I have been on this plan for a month. I have lost 12lbs. My husband has lost around 15lbs. Besides the weight loss he has noticed his blood pressure go down. We have the creamy quinoa for breakfast, shake for lunch and then one of the dinners from the book. We love the chicken with artichokes only I leave out the rosemary and put in lemon juice.Awesome! We definitely feel a lot healthier. We will continue on this indefinitely. It seems healthier. Even my kids like the shakes! I made the cauliflower with flax last night and my son actually liked it. Amazing. Good luck everyone!

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  37. Today is my second day on the plan and I have already lost 1lb. I am very happy with this. I actually like the shakes an am not hungry at all. I found all the ingredients at Whole Foods and Pathmark and at a total of about $60 for four days, I didn't feel it was too expensive. Of course the next phases include more veggies and meats so I might change my opinion on that. Haven't done the walking yet - we are having a heat wave - but will try to ease into some exercise in the next few days. I have 30 lbs to lost and hope to lose at least half that by the end of 21 days. Will let you know when its over. Good luck everyone.

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  38. I am completing the first 4 days and have found the soup and shakes interesting and tolerable. They certainly are healthy and I feel like my skin and insides are getting healthier. I am very sensitive to gluten and have had no issues at all doing these first 4 days. I have lost 3 pounds. I am satisfied with that and look forward to the next 2 phases and plan on repeating them unttil I am 35 pounds lighter. I have done many diet plans but feel very positive about this plan. I am an RN and was also a certified personal trainer for many years. I am 65 years old and continue to work as a Triage Nurse 40 hours a week. I love this job and hope to do it at least part-time until I am 75 or more. The arthritis in my feet is so much improved with just these few days of healthy shakes and soups. I hope to get back to hiking soon.

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    1. I am on day three. I have lost 2 lbs and am adhering faithfully to the diet. I will take soup for lunch tomorrow to work.
      I have a question if anyone knows: I see the soups are not included anymore in the daily menus (except I noticed one on day 15) and I am wondering if they can still be part of the daily menus after day 5. I made a batch of the Mexican soup and a batch of the shrimp soup and I have a lot in the fridge! I know I can freeze them but I"m reluctant to freeze the shrimp soup. If I can just have a serving each day I will use it up. Will the calorie count and ingredients be ok to substitute for the lunches or dinners for day 5 and beyond?

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  39. I started the DD today as part of Reader's Digest's BLOG IT OFF! challenge. I'm trying to lose 10 lbs and go from 135 to 125 at 5'5".

    So far I love the diet! The shakes are really tasty (I use agave instead of honey bc I'm hypoglycemic) and found that super ripe bananas and avocados are extra delish. I also like vanilla coconut milk versus plain.

    I'm also psyched that it allows for wine since I live a hectic partygirl life here in NYC.

    Follow along with me on Twitter at @DowntownShallon or on ShallonOnline.com

    GOOD LUCK!

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  40. How long did it take for you guys to get your book? I ordered my book on August 6, 2012 and up to today I still don't have my book. I keep calling customer service and all they tell me is to give it until October 1, 2012 for my book to arrive the it was shipped on September 1, 2012. I have emailed, called customer service, even called corporate and no one seems to give me a good answer as to why I must wait so long to get my book. The website says book ships 2-4 weeks and it's coming from New York it shouldn't take this long to arrive! I at this point I'm not even sure I was try the diet!

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  41. I have been on the diet for 6 days and have lost 4 lbs. I love the food but I am having a problem with the exercises. I have arthritis in one hip and a slighlty torn meniscus in my knee . I can do the walk for 45min. but thats it. Any suggestions?

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  42. Have a question. Just started the diet, day 2. Used bananna in the first shakes. Am using frozen berries for tomorrow. Just realized that there is 12g sugar in the berries. Will this completely defeat my other work ?? Actually didn't see and frozen berries without sugar.

    Thanks

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  43. Day 5 for me and I've lost 4.5lbs already. I've never been on a diet that actually helped me to lose that much weight that quickly and to not feel like I'm starving all the time. I think it's worth sticking with!

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  44. I have been living on and off the atkin's diet for the last 10 yrs or so, I lose 100 pounds and than my health (brain issue and spinal cord issue), knocks me down and back onto steroids and i gain it all back and than some. Recently i lose about 30-40 pounds in about 2 months and than end up going off of it.

    But I do have about 150 pounds at this point to lose...and i dont want to buy yet another book and have it not work for me.

    My question: with 150 pounds to lose, would i stay in the induction phase longer?? if its only a 21 day diet, what do i do the other 9 days of the month???

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    Replies
    1. Your might try the Facebook page. There the diet guru's will answer questions.

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  45. I was considering buying this book but am looking at reviews first. Folks, this quick of weight loss is not sustainable and not healthy. I know I need to back off of anything white and reduce my carbs, and now it's clear that this diet is not the one for me. Thanks for all the feedback.

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  46. I'm on day 5 of the diet. Sent 2 hours shopping for the groceries yesterday. Can't find any of the brands of wraps they have listed.

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  47. I just started Day Two and I really like it. Yesterday was fine. I did the peanut butter and banana shake for breakfast and dinner. I made the soup a day earlier and portioned it out so all I had to do for lunch was heat it up. (I made the shrimp and Italian vegetables soup). For the morning snack I did the pepper and FF ricotta. I only ate half of it. It wasn't great but no big deal.

    When I felt hungry, I drank water and while I did feel some hunger, it was bearable.

    I checked the scale this morning and lost 2 lbs. on my first day.

    I checked my calories for the day and they were around 1200 which is low but not terribly so.

    I'm curious to see how this plays out. I actually have a doctor's appointment one week from today so I plan on running this diet by him and we can also see if my blood work comes back better than last time.

    Good luck to all!

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  48. I started the iet a few ays ago, and let me just say that it has not been good. For starters, the shakes all taste gross because of the huge amounts o yogurt, and i couldnt stand to drink any other than the rasberry. Then, the soups. Oh dear God they were digusting. The hearty mexican soup had way too much onion (my house stank like it or days) and it left me so hungry that i almost cheated evry time my heart beat. Then the kale soup was digusting as well. And those where the two soupsb that at least sounded ok on paper. Not to mention that i walke around feeling like a waterballoon waiting to puke because i was only eating liquid crap. The biggest diet failure is because the diets make you eat horribble things, and that was so true for the first week of this diet. An they trie to validate the grossness by saying that it maskes it bto where you dont crave sweets or junk food anymore, but if there has never been a time in my life that i wanted to stuff my face with snack cakes more than right now. And the worst part is that if you cant stand the soups, and you have to eat sometghing else or not eat at all, then you feel horribble about yourself if you dont eat the soup. Instead, i ate some salad and a bit of cooke turkey, which is perfeclty healthy, but still. I felt horribble because not forcing myself to be starving and on edge an ball my eyes out every hour because constantly feeling sick somehow made me a weak person. Thats what these money hungry cash cow ranchers want you to believe. But theyre wrong. Healthy living and shedding a lot of weight is hard work, but it doesnt have to be that bad. Msaking healthy choices, like salad over cheeseburgers, and fruits over cakes is just common sense, but they try to make it impossibbley complex. And now look what happens. I spent over $75 on the book, and over $300 on foodd, just for the first week. And i thought the same thing most people id: hey, its only three weeks right? Yrust me, it will seem like the longest three weeks of your life. Dont try doing it yourself, but please try something else.

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    1. I wrote this comment a few days ago, when i was on day four of the diet. Now i;m on day six and i have to say that i was wrong. Once you get past the first four days, the food gets SSOOO much better. im actually enjoying it. i never minded the excercise, but the food had definately gotten to me. But the food is actually really good after day four. I really apologize forbeing so cranky, but i was starving! And also, for the shakes, trying different flavors of yogurt helps. Keep it nonfat though. And trust me, dont let your crankiness fget the best of youb like i did. SStay positive, because it helps toughen through the first few days. I might even continue to cook a lot of this stuff after im done with the diet. Thanks to whomever suggested that you change the flavor of the yogurt, by the way. :)

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  49. I am interested in the diet however I am allergic to nuts, coconuts/milk and avacados. I also have candida issues that means no bananas and honey what do you suggest. A friend is doing it and it has worked well but they do not have these limitations

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  50. I am 56 years old, post-menopausal and 5'5". I have been tipping the scales at almost 160 pounds which is disgusting to me. I can't fit into more than half the clothes in my closet. I'm not sure what to set as my beginning weight because I had been so reluctant to get on the scale. I will guess 159 as my beginning weight. I am into Day 3 and I'm down to 154. The strawberry shake with honey and peanut butter is DELICIOUS to me. Peanut butter is one of my weaknesses and one of the reasons for my weight gain (late night peanut-butter binging). I also like the Mexican chicken soup. I would like to get back down to at least 140 if not a little lower. I have to say that so far, I feel good. The shakes are filling and satisfying. Wish me luck!

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  51. My husb. & I are on day 4 & doing pretty well. I'm wondering if we can substitute red grape juice (like Welch's) instead of drinking red wine or eating red grapes. Also, what brand of cocoa do you recommend? What can we substitute for Splenda in our AM coffee? How much honey can I use when I have a cup of tea?

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  52. What happened? I followed the first 4 days religiously. When I got on the scale this morning, I had GAINED a pound!

    What went wrong? I am discouraged.

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  53. I find it really bizarre when people list off all the foods they don't like, and it includes every vegetable known to man. I mean, there are things we like to do and things we have to do. Suck it up and eat them, and stop complaining if you truly want to be healthy!

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  54. My husband and I just started the 2nd phase yesterday and I never thought he would stick with a diet that has yogurt in it. The shakes have been delicious. Instead of using 8 strawberries we use 5 and add a small amount of frozen raspberries and love the taste. We have both lost 5 lbs so far. This morning was the first day I didn't lose, but will continue to follow it faithfully.

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  55. I am on day 3 of the diet, lost 6 pounds! I do walk for 45 minutes in the morning before my shake. Let me tell you, I'm STARVING!!! I'm grumpy as heck, my family can't stand me right now. I don't know if I can go anther day - I'll try but it's so hard! I don't love any of the soups, but I force myself to eat it. I'm really looking forward to day 5 when I can eat some real food. I am loving the weight loss though. I have been following this diet to the "T." I even made all the soups in hope to find one that I love but no success, I'm not even a picky eater. Day 5 couldn't come fast enough.

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  56. I started three (3) days ago and I have lost 6 lbs. I think it is great! I love the shakes. I'm an old weight watchers leader and this is a great way to get a kick-start .....it is chock full of veggies and fruits, so of course is good for you. The recipe I've tried is the soup with shrimp (I don't have my book with me) and veggies. It is giving me a much needed lift that yes....once again....I can lose weight! I wanted to try something different than Weight Watchers.

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  57. I have just received my book and i've been checking the recipes. they all look yamy:) i m really looking forward to the shakes. Best of luck to everybody with this new way of life! i don't call it a diet because in diets there are usually things which you can't have....

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  58. This is not a bad diet. A bit challenging and time consuming, with all the shopping and preparing.I have a horrible stomach everyday. I have difficulty with nuts of any kind including the nut butters. I love vegies, but I am limited to cooking them, because my system can't tolerate the fresh ones and I am allergic to all citrus. I am on day 11 and have lost 4.5 lbs. I will keep trying this, but am not sure my internal systems will allow me to continue this program.

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  59. I am on day 7. I've lost 11 pounds, I've found that when I don't have an ingredient at home I can make substitutes that I have confidence in based on reading the book. I don't recommend tahini butter to anyone! Almond butter is my choice. Loved the lentil soup and so did both my grls (23 & 27) I found that fennel bulb is anise and edamame is green soybeans- I also substituted lite & fit vanilla yogurt and don't add any vanllia extract in the shakes-Exercising has helped --My wife is not dieting with me but is helping with the shopping and substitues. Once I broke some of my old routines and created a new one everything seems to have gotten easier. I Go at this with positive attitude to change my sedentary lifestyle.I'll update in a week.

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  60. Had slips over Easter weekend so I just re-started at the same spot I left off-3 days later. I've lost 15 pounds -Found that I'm too lazy keep up with the exercises daily but the food alone has helped. I made the Italian vegetable soup with shrimp and substituted it when I needed a quick lunch. I love good Hamburgers so when the Turkey burger came into play I was skeptical-- Maybe I was starving but it was one of the better burgers i've had in a long while-

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  61. I had my first shake this morning and it was amazing!! I used plain no fat Greek yoghurt, coconut water (not milk, cause I only had water lol), half an avocado, frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, no ice cubes, and everything else called for - but no cocoa or cinnamon. It was one of the best shakes I've ever had! If I could just drink that all day, I'd be a happy girl :)

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  62. I cannot find ancho clili's anywhere, can I use pablano chili's, which is a fresh ancho chili, ancho chili's are dried pablano chili's.

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  63. I'm starting this tomorrow morning. I have lost 54 pounds over the past year by eating healthier and exercising more but have gotten stuck over the past few months. Hoping this will get my weight loss moving again. My only dilemma with the plan is avoiding gluten. I'm sure I can get around that :)
    Good luck to everyone!

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  64. I tried this diet. I only made it to day four. I was so cranky and hungry that I ditched the shake in the morning and went crazy and made a grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast. Unfortunately for me my son had cheese in the refrigerator for his cheese burgers and I broke down when I saw it. I felt sooo much better after eating the grilled cheese that that I went on an all day eating binge. I wish that I would have had the will power to stick it out for another day or two, but I don't really like shakes and I was gagging thinking about having to eat the soup again for the day. I felt sick, hungry, weak and had a headache. I really went into the diet wanting to succeed, but my hunger got the best of me. I guess I will just have to go back to trying to eat "good". For those of you who liked the shakes and stuck it out congratulations on your weight loss. I must say that I did lose two pounds in the three days that I stuck to the plan, but I was so miserable that I couldn't go on...

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  65. I have lost 5kgs (10 pounds) in the first 11 days. I am thrilled and really haven't felt hungry - except the first 2 days.
    this is the second time my husband and I have done this diet and we would do it again in a heart beat.

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