The F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss

by Tanya Zuckerbrot

Citing the role of fiber in the establishment of a permanent healthy diet and weight-loss goals, a top nutritionist provides seventy-five recipes and guidelines designed to help readers to bolster energy levels, lower cholesterol, and reduce disease risks.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Diets, Self Help

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Irina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don't waste your time and money.

The only advice you get out of the book - eat more fiber. The rest just recipes and label reading information that most of people already know. In addition this diet promotes packaged food , yogurts and other junk food like popcorn. I am disappointed. In addition , writer claims that it is not low carb diet , while it is!!!!! She is telling you In the book to exclude carbs nearly completely for the first 2 weeks ( phase 1). Another fad diet.

[Izzy Kaminer · Rating 1 out of 5]

BEWARE OF THIS DIET. I was on FFactor following the recommendations in this book for 6 months during which I developed severe GI symptoms. Since stopping the diet I have been diagnosed with SIBO (thankfully treatable) and Gastroparesis (not treatable and incredibly serious). Please do not mess up your body like I did, I am begging you. I am 24 years old and will never lead a normal life when it comes to food ever again because of this woman’s unsubstantiated and incredibly dangerous claims. I beg you not to read this book and not to do this diet for your own health.

[Terri B'Hymer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good reminder for me to get more vegetables and fiber - I'm feeling less lethargic already. There's too much emphasis on the special cereal and crackers in the menus and recipes though. Get it from your library, and make the soup!

[Chrissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The TL:DR: eat fiber

[Ada-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. This was bloggers’ favorite diet a few moons back and I saw the book at the library. More fiber + protein + water. Written in 2006, so the science and recommendations felt dated.

[Cams Corner | Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It’s a well known facto that people need to eat a certain amount of fiber to be healthier and get the benefits from it, and a lot of people know Total Carb - Fiber = NET (countable) carbs. However the thing I liked about the book was that it got a little more into the why of those things. Why is it important to get so much fiber for just the health benefits? Why does it help with weight loss and weight management? Why does fiber affect net carbs the way it does? It also worked to help you recognize how to make simple swaps to include more fiber in your day to day eating habits.

It wasn’t the deepest most comprehensive book on health, weight loss, fiber, etc. but it was a good starting point and had a lot of information in a format and style that helped the reader along instead of being too dry. And the recipes were nice in that it gave a visual of easy adds or swaps to foods so you can incorporate them easily elsewhere in your diet.

I particularly appreciated it at the time I read it because I had a close relative struggling with a diabetes diagnosis and learning to eat right to better control their blood sugar. “No sugar” and “no carbs” isn’t realistic for anyone and it’s not healthy, even for a diabetic so I appreciated the balance this book brought to the topic. If you want a starter or intro into the topic I’d definitely recommend this book.

[Tiffany Maese · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book resonated with me, especially after having done KETO which always felt unhealthy. There aren't any food off limits which makes a lot of sense. The idea is that you are incorporating more fiber into your diet which keeps your carbs down, and keeps your digestive tract working in full capacity, and it keeps you fuller. Once you track even a days worth of fiber you realize how deficient you truly are, and for me I realized how many carbs I was eating to stay full. I enjoy the FFactor 20/20 protein powder although it's not available other than by mail if you don't live in NY, I think she's on to something. You can make tons of food from her protein powder, muffins, waffles, hot cereal the list goes on, all high fiber, all pretty good. Further more, the "fiber" community is pretty strong on social media so there are plenty of different recipes floating around, it's simple and with a few staple items, I've really changed my eating habits. The best part is Tanya even gives you tips on what to order when you are out, she categorizes them by type ie. Mexican Food, French, Chinese the tips are great and arm you with a confident feeling that you can stay on this eating plan, if you eat out a lot or very little.

[Becki Iverson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got sucked into this book after listening to a podcast interview with Tanya Zuckerbrot that had all sorts of fascinating information. Above all this is a diet book (and highly focused on losing weight) - that is the main reason I docked points, as I dislike the heavy emphasis on "only skinny is good" and those types of philosophies. That said, if you're looking for some science based research about diets that are great for your body, there is a lot of great information in here that can be of use to you. Many people get focused on vitamins and proteins and forget about fiber, and that's a mistake. Even dietary obsessives will probably find some new information here, so if you're into health and wellness books, this may be a fun addition to what you usually read.

[Kaitlin Jundt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard the author on the radio the other day and she really struck a chord with me. I decided to read her book because so much of what she says makes sense. She's a licensed dietitian and doesn't believe in fad diets. This book gave some great ideas on how to get more fiber in your diet while losing unwanted weight. Her focus is more on creating a healthier lifestyle while still enjoying dining out, desserts, and drinks.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know a few people who have had success on this system (also very similar to Tim Ferris' Slow Carb method). What's nice as this book lists suggested products (albeit brands) to focus on, as they have the most nutrients for their dollar.

I'm going to finish my crate of slow crate of slow carb materials then give this routine a shot. It allows for a little more flexibility than the other method I just mentioned.

[Lindsey SD · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could have been a magazine article. Adding a lot more fiber to your diet is a good thing and she certainly gives numerous examples, recipes, meal plans, etc, of how to accomplish this. However for the first 2 weeks you're not supposed to eat much fiber or carbs and stick to a more Atkins type diet. Um... no.

[Brooke Thrasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greta book for learning about the relationship of carbs to fiber! I tried the diet for a while, and it is more of a lifestyle change. I am now a lot more aware of fruits/veggies that have more fiber and what my body needs to maintain vs loose weight.

[Brian M. Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Insight

Great book with lots of tips on healthy eating, excellent recipes and it’s all founded in science. I found the suggestions helpful and the recipes intriguing and will be preparing several of them.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about the basics of carbs and fiber. I go back to this book often to reference the extensive tables of nutritional 8nformation.

[Maureen Forys · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of nonfiction books that could be a few pages in a PDF. This is one of those. But high fiber is my new way of life!!!!!!!

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

No need to read all of this book--just eat more fiber! Book gives you some ideas how to.

[Wendy Venza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the recipes and ideas for eating right

[Lauren Hunnicutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realistic, healthy and practical advice for eating well and losing weight. Fiber plus protein at every meal is the key.

[Zane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good reminder to eat a balanced diet with more fiber.

[Kristi Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on a diet you can live with the rest of your life. I decided to look into this book after reading Megyn Kelley's book Settle for More in which she recommended it.

This book is written by a nutritionist and it is easy enough to follow. The F stands for Fiber and she recommends you eat 25-35 grams of fiber every day. It will make you feel fuller and will give you more energy. I personally need more fiber because I had most of my colon removed to cure a blockage.

This is a well written book with many recipes and if you are lazy or too busy you can order foods directly from her website. I think if you eat oatmeal, shredded wheat, all bran for breakfast and remember to have beans and whole grains in your diet you will do fine. It's very easy to follow and easy to maintain. It will help you with many health problems like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity.

I borrowed this book from my local library.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like to reading diet books and then not follow any of the recommendations but this one has inspired me to add more fiber to my diet (FiberOne cereal with blueberries in the morning is something to look forward to) and to have a 'house salad' on hand at all times.

[Karina]

This book was not what I was looking for. I am trying to find a good high-fiber recipe book to help with my child that has some digestive problems, but this was not the right book for that. I did not read through most of it, so I did not rate it. I guess I'll keep looking...

[Rieta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually listened to this on audible but that option was not available. What a wonderful book. I'm glad I have it on audible because I'm going to listen again. There was so much new information regarding diet and feeding myself well. Really amazing book.

[Lori Mowl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept seems doable; however, the products she recommends are hard to find and expensive (and now they sell their own which you can only by on her site). Not sure how much of this I'll take with me.

[Mizbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

library

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Low Carb - add the fiber and you feel full - duh !

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

good information

[Scott Thigpen · Rating 3 out of 5]

it felt like a giant ad for their products

[Sharon]

skimmed it

[Lisa Achilles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical advice with a sustainable plan. A vegan ebook is also available