Factor4 Compared to Other Diets

Summary

Susan summarizes the reasons why other weight loss diets and weight loss medications do not work.

WEIGHT LOSS DIETS

• Highly regimented diets are boring and therefore hard to sustain.


• Eating many small meals a day is distracting and time consuming and the extra time and effort is hard to sustain.


• Diets with special preparations of food are tedious and thus hard to sustain.


• Most diets use a 2 week induction period during which food intake is significantly decreased leading to dehydration, protein deficiency and loss of muscle mass. Yet muscle tissue is responsible for burning fat. Such diets cannot be sustained for significant periods of time. Subjects regain fat when diets are abandoned.


• Major diet programs work too slowly (Weight Watchers), provide little taste (Jennie Craig), are difficult for meal-planning purposes (Atkins), are difficult to sustain (South Beach) or are complicated, requiring too many calculations and too much discipline (Zone).

• Low calorie diets result in starvation and therefore poor subject compliance.


• Trick diets (cabbage soup, caramel candy, banana diet, water diet, apple cider vinegar, green tea) do not work.


• Protein replacement diets are usually of poor taste and therefore hard to sustain.


• Meal replacements with formulated drinks do not taste good and are too boring and regimented to lead to effective weight loss.

WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATIONS

• Weight loss medications have numerous adverse side effects.


• Many dietary pills simply do not work.


• Metabolic boosters result in unwanted increases in energy, jittery muscle twitches and headaches.

OTHER DIETS SUSAN TRIED

1. Weight Watchers: I tried Weight Watchers twice, the original "weigh and measure plan", and the "point system". The diet works very slowly resulting in plateaus and feeling sorry for one's self most of the time.


2. Jennie Craig: This diet includes packaged, low-calorie, low flavor meals and weekly counseling. I Lost 20 lbs, hated the process and gained it back faster than I lost it and then some.


3. The Atkins Diet: The high protein/fat and low carbohydrate diet. This diet turned into the "what can I make with bacon and cheese diet." I lost weight at first, but I couldn't eliminate the fruits and vegetables that I love. The diet plan didn't make sense to me because it allowed too much fat.


4. The South Beach Diet: A modified Atkins diet in which you can have more carbohydrates, although in moderation. This diet initially worked, but then I hit a plateau and lost motivation.


5. The Zone Diet: This diet recommends food combinations that are supposed to work together to promote weight loss and burn fat. The diet probably could work. I just couldn't get into the calculations and discipline and had to think too much about each morsel of food and what time of day I was eating.


6. AYDS: This diet recommends caramel candy before eating meals, which is claimed to suppress appetite. Like candy there is the temptation to eat several at one time. No real weight loss.


7. Sego: This diet includes a liquid meal replacement with approx. 250 cal per can. However, no sustained weight loss.


8. Cabbage Soup Diet: Eat cabbage-based soup twice a day every day. I lost weight and promptly gained it back. I don't exactly remember but everybody at work had a pot of this soup going.


9. Banana Diet: One banana per meal to replace two meals. Water weight loss promptly gained back.


10. Hollywood Diet: A concentrated fruit flavored drink mixed with water replaces all meals for 48 hours. Promises up to 15 pounds loss in two days! I Lost 2 pounds and was hungry.


11. Hoodia: Hoodia is a pill that is supposed to stop all feelings of hunger. Hoodia is extracted from a plant grown in Africa that the Bushmen rely on when out hunting for food when they know they will not have any food for long periods of time. I also tried the Hoodia patch. It did not do a thing.


12. Dr. Stallman's Diet: The water diet. I tried this diet for less than a week. It did nothing.


13. Michael Thurmanís 6 Week Total Body Make Over: This diet is a complex 5-meal a day plus exercise program. No salt. It really worked fast but it was complicated and very tedious. The diet allowed 100 ounces of water a day. Protein was recommended in every meal, 2 oz. for women; 4 oz. for men.


14. DASH diet: 5 fruits & Vegetables, 3 protein, 2 dairy, 7 grain. The diet also recommends Omega 3 fatty acids, ìTonalî in supplement & olive oil. This is basically a hypertension diet but it is supposed to help loose weight. This is a slow weight-loss diet that is supposed to take a year to loose 30 pounds. It worked for a while. However, I got side-tracked by sweets and craved white cake.


15. The apple cider vinegar diet: This diet recommends 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with each meal. It is supposed to prevent fat storage. However, it turned into a starvation diet just so I didnít have to drink the vinegar. It lasted about two weeks.


16. A doctor supervised protein diet: No food was allowed on this diet. Only protein shakes were allowed. I cannot remember the actual name of the protein shake product. I lost a few pounds but put them right back on after the program was over. Mostly, I really missed eating!


17. Herbalife: In this diet a protein drink replaces two meals a day and recommends a sensible third meal. The diet allowed protein bars as snacks. The protein drink had a really bad flavor and made me miserable and feeling sorry for myself all the time.


18. Amway: Meal replacement shakes and power bars. Horrible flavor and texture. I experienced a slight weight loss, which was not sustainable.


19. Shacklee: Meal replacement shakes and power bars. Miserable taste and experienced only a slight weight loss.


20. Slimfast: This diet uses a meal replacement drink together with a sensible diet. Loss in body water resulted in weight loss. Because of intense hunger, I felt deprived and miserable.


21. The Nothing White Diet: This diet is basically a low carb diet, avoiding wheat, rice or sugar. The diet resulted in bloating and weight loss due to water loss.


22. Dr. Philís Ultimate Weight Loss Solution: This diet includes a book of instructions with a meal plan. A sensible diet and self-examination on the reasons people eat too much. I experienced a quick start, like the Atkins diet. The diet includes tips to rid the home of dangerous foods or no ìpay-offî foods. This diet required too much discipline.


23. Bodyslim: This approach recommends a liquid drink before bedtime. If taken as instructed the customer will wake-up skinny. However, I experienced no change in weight.


24. Green Tea: This green tea concentrate may be taken straight or mixed with water. It is supposed to suppress food cravings. However, no weight changes.


25. 1000 Calorie Diet: This diet requires strict calorie counting. It resulted in starvation.


26. Wheat Grass Diet: This diet did not work.

THE WEIGHT-LOSS MEDICATIONS SUSAN TRIED

1. 5-HTP: A 5-Hydroxytryptophan pill which is supposed to suppress appetite. No noticeable change


2. Phen: Phen is a Doctor-prescribed and supervised pill. The Doctor gave me one of the Phen products. However, I knew that Phen Phen resulted in fatalities and the FDA took the combination off the market. I experienced really great results. I had no hunger. I felt good for the three weeks that I used the medication. However, I was afraid that the Phen might damage my heart so I quit taking it.


3. Cortislim: Cortislim is a pill which is supposed to control cortisol hormone levels, eliminate food cravings, boost metabolism and maintain glucose levels. However, no weight loss.


4. Carb Intercept: This pill is supposed to block carbohydrate absorption. However, I experienced no change in weight.


5. Dexatrim: These diet pills claimed to keep you from eating too much. However, no changes in weight after the first four pounds of water weight.


6. Xtreme Health Formula: These diet pills are claimed to boost metabolism, Increase energy and increase stamina. Although Ephedra free, the pills resulted in increases in energy, jittery muscle twitches and headaches. However, there was no weight loss.

The Complete Letter

Dear Dr. Scheele,
Attached is a list of most of the diets I have tried.

I must admit after seeing this list, I feel like such a "Dope".There are even more diets that I have tried and didn't list. Every now and again various women's magazines would feature 3-day, 10-day or 30-day miracle diets. Other times the magazines would feature the amazing secrets of stars and celebrities with weight loss diets and meal plans. I would try them all.

Last night I was complimented by a girlfriend that I had not seen in two weeks, and she said she could tell my thighs were getting smaller. Yeah!!

You are the best. Thank you for the opportunity to use Factor-4. It is the easiest, most satisfying approach to losing weight with the best results I have obtained to date. At last count I have lost 15 pounds in two months.

The amazing thing is I don't feel deprived or depressed because I am on a diet, yet again for the umpteenth time!

Susan Perkins

HERE ARE THE DIETS THAT I HAVE TRIED IN THE PAST:

1. Weight Watchers: I tried Weight Watchers twice, the original weight and measure plan, and the point system. The diet works very slowly resulting in plateaus and feeling sorry for oneís self most of the time.


2. Jennie Craig: This diet includes packaged, low-calorie, low flavor meals and weekly counseling. I Lost 20 lbs, hated the process and gained it back faster than I lost it and then some.


3. The Atkins Diet: The high protein/fat and low carbohydrate diet. This diet turned into the what can I make with bacon and cheese diet. I lost weight at first, but I couldn't eliminate the fruits and vegetables that I love. The diet plan didnít make sense to me because it allowed too much fat.


4. The South Beach Diet: A modified Atkins diet in which you can have more carbohydrates, although in moderation. This diet initially worked, but then I hit a plateau and lost motivation.


5. The Zone Diet: This diet recommends food combinations that are supposed to work together to promote weight loss and burn fat. The diet probably could work. I just couldnít get into the calculations and discipline and had to think too much about each morsel of food and what time of day I was eating.


6. AYDS: This diet recommends caramel candy before eating meals, which is claimed to suppress appetite. Like candy there is the temptation to eat several at one time. No real weight loss.


7. Sego: This diet includes a liquid meal replacement with approx. 250 cal per can. However, no sustained weight loss.


8. Cabbage Soup Diet: Eat cabbage-based soup twice a day every day. I lost weight and promptly gained it back. I don't exactly remember but everybody at work had a pot of this soup going.


9. Banana Diet: One banana per meal to replace two meals. Water weight loss promptly gained back.


10. Hollywood Diet: A concentrated fruit flavored drink mixed with water replaces all meals for 48 hours. Promises up to 15 pounds loss in two days! I Lost 2 pounds and was hungry.


11. Hoodia: Hoodia is a pill that is supposed to stop all feelings of hunger. Hoodia is extracted from a plant grown in Africa that the Bushmen rely on when out hunting for food when they know they will not have any food for long periods of time. I also tried the Hoodia patch. It did not do a thing.


12. Dr, Stallmanís Diet: The water diet. I tried this diet for less than a week. It did nothing.


13. Michael Thurmanis 6 Week Total Body Make Over: This diet is a complex 5-meal a day plus exercise program. No salt. It really worked fast but it was complicated and very tedious. The diet allowed 100 ounces of water a day. Protein was recommended in every meal, 2 oz. for women; 4 oz. for men.


14. DASH diet: 5 fruits & Vegetables, 3 protein, 2 dairy, 7 grain. The diet also recommends Omega 3 fatty acids, Tonal in supplement & olive oil. This is basically a hypertension diet but it is supposed to help loose weight. This is a slow weight-loss diet that is supposed to take a year to loose 30 pounds. It worked for a while. However, I got side-tracked by sweets and craved white cake.


15. The apple cider vinegar diet: This diet recommends 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with each meal. It is supposed to prevent fat storage. However, it turned into a starvation diet just so I didn't have to drink the vinegar. It lasted about two weeks.


16. A doctor supervised protein diet: No food was allowed on this diet. Only protein shakes were allowed. I cannot remember the actual name of the protein shake product. I lost a few pounds but put them right back on after the program was over. Mostly, I really missed eating!


17. Herbalife: In this diet a protein drink replaces two meals a day and recommends a sensible third meal. The diet allowed protein bars as snacks. The protein drink had a really bad flavor and made me miserable and feeling sorry for myself all the time.


18. Amway: Meal replacement shakes and power bars. Horrible flavor and texture. I experienced a slight weight loss, which was not sustainable.


19. Shacklee: Meal replacement shakes and power bars. Miserable taste and experienced only a slight weight loss.


20. Slimfast: This diet uses a meal replacement drink together with a sensible diet. Loss in body water resulted in weight loss. Because of intense hunger, I felt deprived and miserable.


21. The Nothing White Diet: This diet is basically a low carb. diet, avoiding wheat, rice or sugar. The diet resulted in bloating and weight loss due to water loss.


22. Dr Philis Ultimate Weight Loss Solution: This diet includes a book of instructions with a meal plan. a sensible diet and self-examination on the reasons people eat too much. I experienced a quick start, like the Atkins diet. The diet includes tips to rid the home of dangerous foods or no pay-off foods. This diet required too much discipline.


23. Bodyslim: This approach recommends a liquid drink before bedtime. If taken as instructed the customer will wake-up skinny. However, I experienced no change in weight.


24. Green Tea: This green tea concentrate may be taken straight or mixed with water. It is supposed to suppress food cravings. However, no weight changes.


25. 1000 Calorie Diet: This diet requires strict calorie counting. It resulted in starvation.


26. Wheat Grass Diet: This diet did not work.

HERE ARE THE WEIGHT-LOSS MEDICATIONS I HAVE TRIED IN THE PAST

1. 5-HTP: A 5-Hydroxytryptophan pill which is supposed to suppress appetite. No noticeable change


2. Phen: Phen is a Doctor-prescribed and supervised pill. The Doctor gave me one of the Phen products. However, I knew that Phen Phen resulted in fatalities and the FDA took the combination off the market. I experienced really great results. I had no hunger. I felt good for the three weeks that I used the medication. However, I was afraid that the Phen might damage my heart so I quit taking it.


3. Cortislim: Cortislim is a pill which is supposed to control cortisol hormone levels, eliminate food cravings, boost metabolism and maintain glucose levels. However, no weight loss.


4. Carb Intercept: This pill is supposed to block carbohydrate absorption. However, I experienced no change in weight.


5. Dexatrim: These diet pills claimed to keep you from eating too much. However, no changes in weight after the first four pounds of water weight.


6. Xtreme Health Formula: These diet pills are claimed to boost metabolism, Increase energy and increase stamina. Although Ephedra free, the pills resulted in increases in energy, jittery muscle twitches and headaches. However, there was no weight loss.

Susan Perkins
Canyon Lake, CA
July 26, 2006