The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom

by Phillip C. McGraw

'The Ultimate Weight Solution will change the way you behave think about food, weight loss, and ultimately yourself. In this landmark book, Dr Phil delivers an action-oriented plan to gives you immediate results, results that will last a lifetime. Forget counting calories or traking carbs or fats. You'll get the real reasons you have lost control of your weight, with tools to identify what to eat, when to eat, how to eat and why you eat when yo don't want to. The Ultimate Weight Solution is a book that is a product of thirty years of working with overweight patients, and figuring out what really works. Giving you the real tools to permanent weight loss will change your life and its quality. I am Determined to get you immediate results and do so in a way that will last a lifetime. Permanent weight loss is about changing many things in your life, The Ultimate Weight Solution will help you do just that -- change yourself, change the way you think about dieting, change the way you think about food, change the way you thik about your health. The 7 Keys that are in this book will open to a new life for you." Dr. Phil Mc Graw

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Health, Diets, Psychology, Fitness, Food

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Phillip Calvin McGraw, best known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality, psychologist and author who is the host of the psychology themed television show Dr. Phil. He gained celebrity status following appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Reviews

[Cindy (BKind2Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not much new, but then the principles of weight loss are pretty much the same no matter which celebrity or weight loss program you use - eat high-quality, low calorie, nutritious foods in a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats; move regularly and balance the exercise with movement, flexibility work-outs, and strength training; and get your head in the right place by setting up your home and work spaces for success.

Dr Phil structured his book with 7 keys to control:
Self-control - thinking and goal setting
Emotional control - replace food with other, healthier actions when emotions get the best of you
External control - setting up your home and work for success; you can't eat what you don't buy
Habit control - replacing bad habits with good ones
Food control - eating nutritious balanced meals
Body control - moving, flexibility, and strength training
Social Control - getting a team behind you and replacing those who undermine your efforts

Things to remember:

Focus on substituting activities that interfere with overeating and other self-defeating behaviors you're trying to eliminate. Find activities that are 1) readily available and 2) interfere with the action of eating. These become coping tools to substitute for overeating. 3 broad categories of activities include:
FUN
Pursue a hobby
Work in the garden
Learn a new sport or take up an old favorite
Visit or call a neighbor or friend
Write in a journal
Give yourself a manicure or pedicure
Watch or go to a movie
Read a book or magazine
RELAXATION
Meditate or pray
Go for walk or swim
Exercise video
Dance
Take a shower or bath
Listen or sing along to music
Take a short nap
OBLIGATORY
Housework
Pay bills
Balance checkbook
Wash car
Clean out a closet or drawer
Run errands
Brush or floss teeth

Vitamin supplements to consider:
Multi-vitamin/mineral formula
Vitamin C 500mg
Vitamin E 400 units
Calcium 500-1000 mg

Food plan suggestion:
Breakfast - fruit, protein, cereal/bread, other (fat or milk)
AM snack - milk, fruit
Lunch - protein, veggies, grain/bread/starch
PM snack - milk, fruit
Dinner - protein, veggies, grain/bread/starch

Aim for 3 servings protein, 2 servings dairy, 2 fruits, 4+ veggies, 2-3 servings starches, 1 serving fat

Really made me think of the Weight Watcher program.

[Alina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope, nothing new here.For those of you who are expecting to find some sort of magic formula in this book for weight loss , let me tell you this : you won't! No magic potion , just healthy food and working out.

[Ashlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I resisted this book.

However, it was recommended to me by a very pregnant lady at the gym, who then lent me the book. Out of respects, I started it. It's not bad.

[Velma · Rating 1 out of 5]

WTF? I went through one of those "I'm gonna get healthy, come hell-or-highwater!" phases in spring 2004, some kind of need for internal spring cleaning, methinks, and this book was one of the "tools" I put in my cleaning arsenal. And whaddya know, there's only one way to healthy weight loss: eat less, move around more. Duh! Dr. Phil is raking in the cash by re-packaging this one truism in the guise of a diet book, all slicked-up with a healthy (or unhealthy) dose of pop-pseudo-psychology. Not my cuppa. Time to head to Bookcrossing!

[Abeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

أكثر شيء أعجبني في الكتاب تغطيته لموضوع التغلب على الوزن من جميع النواحي العضوية والنفسية وأساليب الحياة والعوائق التي قد تصادف الإسنان خلال سعيه لذلك والحلول لها.. كما أن دكتور فيل لا يطلب من الشخص عمل ريجيم قاسي لأن ذلك غير مجدي وبعد فترة سيعود الإنسان ليأكل بشراهة أكثر، إنما هو يعطي الإنسان الحل السحر وذلك بأن يغير معتقداته ويعيش بطريقة صحية ويكون واقعي..وأيضا أن لايكون مهووساً بالأكل أو الريجيمات..والكثير من مبادىء هذا الكتاب ممكن تطبيقها على أشياء أخرى غير التحكم بالوزن

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book (unlike Make the Connection) does have some very good parts to it. Phil has good advice and his page chewing nearly pointless never ending "audits" are occassionally informative. But to get to the good stuff you have to wade your way through his enormous ego which shines through in every page.

[Tamra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book last year when my husband and I both did a Health and Fitness Challenge together. His goal was to lose more weight and mine was just to be healthier. He had already used this book as the motivator and guide to losing almost 40 lbs. and during the challenge lost another 25 lbs. or so.

Anyways, this book is fantastic. It makes you commit to things, and if you're not ready to commit, then DON'T READ THE BOOK. Simple as that.

The book is an excellent guide to making changes in your life, and not just weight-loss related goals. He goes into the reasons why people fail to lose weight and talks all about building a supportive environment for yourself. If you don't think about all those other things that seem "unimportant" (you know: "I can lose weight without changing that habit"), then you won't be successful. It's a POWERFUL lesson.

I learned through this book that I had been undermining my husband's efforts to lose weight. For years. And I didn't know it. So it's worthwhile to read the book even if it's a loved one that wants to lose weight. It'll help you know how to be more supportive.

I have to disagree with him a little, though. He says will power is a myth, but I think will power can be a powerful tool. Some people are better at having will power than others--a lot of us truly suck at it. But still, I think will power exists. ... But that's just me picking at the nits. The book is excellent.

[Mountain Girl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made it about 3/4 of the way through. Not because of the information, but because I already KNEW the information. Weight loss is simple: Eat healthy, eat less, exercise more. I think this would be an EXCELLENT book for very overweight people who are just taking the first steps to alter their health and have NO idea where to begin. Dr. Phil is homey, easy to read, and "speaks" to you like you're his neighbor. This resonates well, because it is non-threatening and easy to hear, even if the information is difficult to hear. So, I (personally) didn't learn anything new. What I did "relearn" is how to stop and think about what I'm doing. I eat when I'm bored, I eat when I watch TV, and I often snack on treats at work because they are right in front of me. I've reprogrammed myself to "stop" and think first. Now, I may still have a donut at work, but I've THOUGHT about it first and made the DECISION to eat it. I've also THOUGHT about it and made the decision NOT to eat the donut, and this feels very rewarding to me. I am not overweight, but I could stand to lose a few pounds so my clothes fit better. Not a drastic wardrobe change, but a more comfortable fit with what I have. After reading this book, I feel confident that I'll be able to do this.

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book with lots of others that deal with weight loss.

Phil McGraw doesn’t disappoint. The biggest bonus is the psychology knowledge that he brings to the topic and that is why his section on emotional eating and how to overcome it is the most valuable. Otherwise his approach to weight loss feels too controlled and too disciplined for me.

I found the biggest success weight wise, mood wise, life wise even (I think it did change my life), when I quit sugar, an addictive substance for many. This is tough, but after 2 weeks to 4 months you will have only your emotional eating to deal with and even then it’s hard to overeat when your hormones are in balance (thanks to quitting sugar). I highly recommend books from David Gillespie and Sarah Wilson to get you going if you wish to try.

And you do have to deal with your emotions:

“If emotional pain or problems have cropped up in your life, you must insist on getting closure. Closure means you don’t carry the problem or the pain. You address the issue, then you slam shut the book and put it away.”

Happy reading!

[Adrienna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started the other day listening while going to the gym; once I got to track 15 it spoke about his CD ROM to review PDF files on ideal weight, stress, and other tools to assist in weight loss. While listening to the CDs in the car, it is motivating and helpful so far but unable to take notes but only mental notation. So far he is speaking what we already heard, need to hear, or just to get us in gear! I still have 4 more CDs to go. But printing or taking notes from PDF files on the CD ROM.

In one of my gym classes a woman advised this book and "Choose to Lose" which is a trainer that another friend told me to watch last year since I usually watch "Biggest Loser".

*Detoxing for 10 days by JJ Smith right now; not easy but you see what foods you will reach for when it thinks it is starving and these are the same snack foods I am working on eliminating to later eat in moderation once I lose the weight.

It was an okay read.

Adrienna Turner
Author of God is in the Equation
www.dream4more.org

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Dr.Phil's "Get Real" approach to weight loss. I like to hear it straight, listen to the facts, and feel that I gained a better perspective on living healthier. This has lots of practical advice but be forwarned... you may actually START to exercise and start eat right (cause most likely if you are reading this book, you may find those things to be a bit challenging):)

My favorite advice is that 'motivation' alone will never get you to loose weight, it simply can't carry you to your goals since it's dies to quickly and fades to easily in the face of temptation... Dr. Phil helps you to realize the importance and reality of what being overweight means (in every sense) and why it should be important enough to each of us to MAKE THE DECISION try harder and put into practice the things that we know are good for us to do. VERY good book, recommended to anyone whether you have 5 lbs. or 500lbs. to loose.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. So much happened and I read it so fast that I went back at the end and re-read a few parts so I could fully grasp what was going on. I was really surprised that Dimitri was changed back so early in the book and boy, did I get mad at him for the crap he was pulling with Rose afterwards! If I think about it, it was not fully out of character for him to try to pull out of her life but to worship Lissa at the same time was really irritating. I was glad that at the end it still looked like he would be there for her-that gives me some hope for book 6. And Adrian-what can I say there? That poor guy-I really was glad for him when he broke it off with Rose but then they got back together!!!! This was a soap opera LOL. I loved that Abe showed up at the last minute to defend Rose-he's a cool character. I hope that everyone has a happy ending-looking forward to book 6!

[Peggy]

OMG this Book and Dr Phils words has so help me. I was at my wits end and i had my fair share of D-I-E-T-S ..... Especially the one's that Did Not Work ! Ok this isnt a Diet by far . Its a Self look at Your Inner person . A look that will Open Your Eyes to finding out what it is in your life that has you bound. It help me go from 233 lbs to 169.lbs not by starvation nor by wont work diets. But by taking a look at other issuse in my life that had me bogged down . Helping me to find the real cause of being overweight . And once i found out what my issues were ...Wow did the weight start to go . This book change my life and the way i saw myself . It Saved My Life !

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some interesting things to say about why people eat in ways that are unhealthy. The insight I got from the book is that most of the eating behaviors that cause weight gain occur at specific and limited times that are different for each person--for example one person might feel compelled to eat a lot of chips every night, and another person might feel compelled to visit fast food restaurants several times a week. If you figure out what specific habits are causing you to be overweight, you can target them.

I listened to the audio version of this book, read by Dr. Phil himself, so I had the unpleasant feeling that Dr. Phil was yelling in my ear. I was jumpy the entire day!

[Karol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a lot from this book, especially the first 2 "keys": Right Thinking and Healing Feelings. A No Fail Environment, Controlling Binge/Impulse Eating, Proper Nutrition, Consistent Exercise, and a Circle of Support are all things I needed -- and found -- to successfully lose weight. I benefited a lot from Dr. Phil's perspective on these topics. His writing style is very down-to-earth, very much like how he comes across on TV.

[Jodi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know... I wasn't sure if I wanted to actually admit to reading this book or not. But I got it for free at a library book sale, and since I'm struggling to lose my last 10 pounds after having Lexie 4 months ago, I thought I'd see what Dr. Phil has to say. Of course this book is more geared for people who have much more weight to lose than me, so I'm just doing a quick browse-through to see what I could apply to help with my last 10 pounds of pregnancy weight. We'll see how it works!

[Faith Kilgore · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't care for this book, I don't care for most. But it came highly recommended, and worked for a few people I know.

I don't have the exact read start and finish dates on many books I have read this year. The dates are approximated, as I have been in & out of the hospital, and on bed rest, and read 2-5 books a day depending on the book & length and my ability to focus. All dates are approximated, by month.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave me some new ideas for improving my health. Most importantly it challenged me to look at the reasons Behind not exercising and not eating healthily. I liked the idea of high response cost and low response cost foods which was just another way of thinking about home prepared whole foods versus fast or packaged foods. I liked the questions and explanations throughout the book which helped me examine myself and my feelings.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Self Help, we all read them. I especially enjoy reading all of the weight loss books that come out. This one is sensible. It teaches you that you are important!! The only way to successfully lose weight and keep it off is to exercise, eat right, and deal with you emotions. Can't get any more real than that

[Samantha Taylor]

This is the cheesiest and sleeziest weight loss book i ever read, did richard turn from queer to straight, but actually lost his hair on the way to straight, this book is a bunch of testimonials about how great dr. phil is and ugh, the guy is an idiot, it's bad when britty actually beats him in mentality teehee

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book to jump-start me into weight loss and setting goals for overall good health. I would recommend this book to someone interested in being losing weight. It is a good book, but be ready to do some work. It has lots of questions to answer about yourself. It was kind of eye opening for me to learn about myself in that way. It was worth reading.

[ضحى الحداد · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most excellent written and executed books about weight loss and keeping it off forever , it covers all the aspects about why you may be overweight .. it has the "real deal" I was half the way through the book and I already lost 2 lbs !! I think I lost more now
so so so good and most most most recommended :)

[Allison Andrews · Rating 2 out of 5]

way too technical. people who have become overweight need books that help them primarily mentally and emotionally. too much emphasis on food, calories, and exercise. we need more support on the abstract aspects of weight management and less specifics as they can be overwhelming and far less necessary for healthy, fit living.

[Julie4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same ole type book. Blah blah you need to not eat sugar.... eat more vegtables, exercise more..... I want a book that shows you how to look buff without exersizing and eat all the chocolate you want and still be healthy. Oh, and lets have it also makes us look 20 with no wrinkles too.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

You either love him or hate him, I personally LOVE him! He tells it like it is and this is a book about finding out why you eat, making no excuses, and changing your life to make nutrition really work. I'm looking back at it again... need some help with the weight issues!

[Carlynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much from this book. It has really helped me to see why I eat and helped me to solve those problems. I've lost 14 lbs so far and I know that I will never see those 14 lbs again because of what I learned in this book. If you take the 7 keys seriously ther is no way you can fail.

[Lilly Jarusevicius · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to reinforce a healthy lifestyle based on 7 keys to success. It is NOT a diet book but more of how to take steps to lose weight more mindfully. Has a lot of great little quizzes to help you determine your readiness to lose weight and make it a lifestyle, not a temp diet

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'm not a Dr. Phil watcher, this book was very helpful to me in losing weight a few years ago. Its got great practical ideas. Even though I don't follow the eating plan, I still use the principles found in this book to eat healthy. Recommended.

[Jadine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started out reading this with hope that it would help me. I got about halfway through it and put it down. Now I am doing the Ideal Protein diet and I finally finished it. I am not sure if following this book would have helped me alone but maybe I can take some lessons from it.

[Shari · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Ultimate Wait Solution.

I know nutrition, and it irks me when a celebrity tries to write on it without the background, which was sorely obvious here. The only way this book could work would be to wedge your refrigerator door shut with the tome.