The F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss
Product Description
A top nutritionist reveals the secret to permanent weight loss. To help her busy clients ditch the fad diets,Tanya Zuckerbrot spent more than a decade designing a healthful, delicious, sustainable diet that sheds pounds, boosts energy, lowers cholesterol, and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes. The F-Factor Diet presents a fresh take on eating high-fiber carbs, and reveals the secrets to satisfying meals and lasting weight loss, including: – A simple three-stage program – A wide array of food choices – More than 75 delicious recipes-from appetizers through desserts-and a complete set of guidelines for those who don’t want to cook – Journal pages and helpful hints to keep dieters on track… More >>
The F-Factor Diet: Discover the Secret to Permanent Weight Loss
INITIAL REVIEW
As I read this book I couldn’t help thinking how similar it is to the Zone diet. Low refined carbs, high fiber, lean protein, and a small amount of healthy fats. The only thing that’s different is that you are aiming for about 35 grams of fiber per day; the Zone doesn’t stress fiber as much, although it does clearly say that the more fiber, the better, because it fills you up.
So…I am now on day 2 of the 2-week introduction phase of the diet, and I’m not dying…yet. I don’t feel too deprived on this diet because the foods you eat really are quite filling. I also like that after the first 2 weeks, there are no forbidden foods…you just have to eat appropriate portions since what you can eat is limited to a certain # of servings.
I had to buy a case of the GG Crackers online, because I can’t find any stores here that sell them (and I’m in Seattle!!!). The crackers are definitely 100% fiber, and they taste like it. I’ve found that as I get more creative with how I use them, it gets easier. For instance, they’re great with peanut butter. I also like them with light cream cheese and lox, or light cream cheese and cucumbers w/ cracked pepper.
So, basically it’s a diet. If you’re an absolute foodie like myself, you will feel limited, despite the author’s claims. The notion that “you don’t take away foods, you just add more fiber” is a little misleading, because you have to cut way down on processed carbs. However, processed carbs aren’t off limits, you just really can’t enjoy that chicken pot pie like you used to.
Overall, it’s a sound diet. It describes the way humans are probably meant to eat. It’s healthy, there are a million benefits to eating enough fiber, and you definitely feel less weighed down on it. However…the fun factor goes right out the window. I mean, seriously…have you ever seen a Nutritionist who looks like he/she has any FUN when he/she eats?
ADDITION TO ORIGINAL REVIEW, 7 weeks later:
I don’t know if it’s due to the diet, or due to me finally being enlightened about my relationship with food, but I have definitely been able to integrate the concept of more fiber/less refined carbs into the way I just live. After the first two strict weeks, I have definitely relaxed some of the “rules” (I mean, sometimes you need a slice of pizza) and found that I’m successful at 1) Not feeling guilty when I do indulge, or feeling like I’ve “failed” and 2) Being able to continue the diet without feeling that since I’ve gone off course, there’s no longer hope. My main mantra is that if I follow the diet (which I now consider to be a lifestyle) 90% of the time, then I will benefit from it 90% of the time (I believe Dr. Sears of the Zone had a similar philosophy). There is no danger of going “out of the Zone”, or getting “out of ketosis” i.e. Atkins. There is no physical state that you “must maintain” in order for the diet to work. You just pick up where you left off.
So…some things I’ve experienced while on this diet, and again–I can’t claim that it’s 100% due to the diet, or if it’s because I am now finally “ready” to accept that living a healthy lifestyle means ADOPTING healthy habits–are below. I do believe this fiber diet has been a great initiation to a better lifestyle:
1. I have lost about 10 pounds in the last 7 weeks. This doesn’t seem like a lot, but it has been gradual and I’ve accepted this as the way I will eat for life, not a crash diet. Also, I have NOT increased my exercise during this time. I’m o.k. with slow progress if it means I’ll be able to do this for a lifetime and never have to diet again. I am slowly working more physical activity into my lifestyle. I feel much better, clothes fit better, and I carry myself with the confidence I had when I was in my 20’s and weighed much less.
2. I was taking a proton pump inhibitor for my chronic heartburn, indigestion, and acid reflux. I was able to stop taking this medication after week one because I no longer have the above symptoms, and really believe that I won’t need to take it ever again. I’m relieved for this because of recent evidence that suggests PPIs inhibit calcium absorption and therefore may lead to less bone density (particularly in the hip) and higher risk for bone breakage as I age.
3. My hunger is under control. I have learned how to be satisfied without being “stuffed” when I eat, and I am happier with smaller meals, thus fewer calories. I do not feel the low blood sugar crash when I get hungry between meals (meaning that I am not a crazed maniac if I cannot immediately eat), and I am much more aware of what I’m eating because of it. If I eat a really large lunch, I can easily eat a much smaller dinner and be perfectly satisfied. I no longer have cravings for junk, and believe me: I used to LOVE the junk.
RECIPES AND STUFF THAT’S WORKED FOR ME:
One thing that has been a great addition to this diet are Mama Lupe’s low-carb tortillas (60 calories, 3 grams fat, 7 grams carb, 4 grams fiber in each 10-inch tortilla). They are the best tasting low-carb tortillas I’ve ever had, and I’ve tried many. I have not found them in stores, but order them online. I’ll make quesadillas with fresh homemade salsa, use them for wraps with lunch meats, cheese and plenty of fresh veggies, or use them as I would normal tortillas when I cook Mexican food.
As for the GG crackers, some great success I’ve had:
1. With peanut butter and apple slices
2. With dijonaisse, lunch meat and low-fat cheese and pickles
3. As pizza crust: line them up on the bottom of a baking sheet, add your favorite tomato topping (or make your own by simmering fresh diced tomatoes, plenty of garlic, oregano and salt to taste), add the italian cheese blend you can find in the bags already shredded, and top with chicken italian sausage that you’ve taken out of the casings and cooked in a skillet (may need a bit of olive oil since the good chicken sausage is low-fat). Throw the whole thing in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and getting to be golden. The crackers soften up a bit, but hold up to the firmness needed to hold the toppings.
4. I’ve been adding a tablespoon of ground Flax Meal (you can find it at health food stores, or online) to my morning yogurt for an added boost of fiber, plus the great benefits of heart-healthy omega-3’s.
Flax has a wonderful, nutty taste and adds great texture.
5. I make a home-made Chinese Chicken Salad with cabbage, shredded carrots, diced chicken or turkey breast, sesame seeds and whatever sesame dressing (I like Girard’s Chinese Chicken Salad dressing–it’s fairly high fat but I consider it my daily indulgence–the glass triangular bottle). Then, instead of the high-fat fried chow mein noodles, I’ll add 1/2 cup of Fiber One cereal for crunch. The salad still tastes great, and packs a nice fiber punch.
6. I have been very dedicated to preparing meals and setting aside “leftovers” or putting something together for lunch the next day at work. Because of this, my lunches are healthy and support my diet, and I save money because I don’t eat out every day like I used to.
Best of luck–if this diet resonates with you and you can work with it as a lifestyle change, I have no doubts that you will benefit from all the great things FIBER can do for you!
***My review, like all the others, both positive and negative alike, should not in any way influence your decision to purchase or pass on this book.
Weight loss is a personal struggle. What works for someone, may not work for someone else.
My review is merely intended to share the fact that I have not “tried” this diet – I have PRACTICED it for ONE FULL MONTH and I am excited to share the results of my effort. I genuinely wish you luck in your weight loss journey!***
Day 42 of the Diet:
Total pounds EVICTED from ME: 16.5 (can we just call it 17, or do we have to be formal here?)
And, the shocker…My husband announced a 6 pound drop on the scale (and all I changed was his DINNER!) in the past month.
The biggest change I’ve made is NOT bringing carbs to the table at night. No starchy veggies, rice or potato side dishes since I’ve started. From DAY ONE, I offered to continue to make these sides for the husband, but he voluntarily passed at first because he “didn’t want to tempt” me by eating something I couldn’t/shouldn’t.
My (oh so brilliant) mom started to portion out a package of instant mashed potatoes into single-serving size baggies/containers so that my dad gets 1 serving of potatoes or rice with his meals on occasion and I found the single serving Corn with butter sauce/Broccoli in Cheese sauce for when my husband deserves a “treat”.
Anyway…now my husband walks into the kitchen as I’m putting food on the plates at dinner and says “I’ll have what you’re having” and I load the plate with approximately 2-3 cups of a couple of veggies (rotating and using up leftovers so we don’t get stuck eating broccoli or green beans EVERY night in the week). And, a HUGE piece of meat – like 8 ounces of juicy steak, a monster chicken breast, or a massive pork chop. I simply plan my day around some FANTASTIC dinner!
If I do something “different” like marinate the chops in Soy Vay teriyaki seasoning, I get the question “and all this stuff is on your diet?” and the answer is always YES. In fact, last night I made a microwave teriyaki rice from Uncle Ben that served 2 people and had my parents over so the guys had a massive veggie stir fry piled high on their plates WITH RICE – died and gone to heaven!- and 8-10 oz of grilled terriyaki pork chops.
The husband (and my dad) continues to eat pasta in Italian restaurants, and would never dream of giving up the chips & salsa, nachos, hot dogs & beer – but, if he continues to eat healthier at home and simply indulges when he’s out then I suppose there’s no harm…
Side note – I’m a month away from having blood work done again, and it will be interesting to see how the cholestoral, glucose (my own personal, currently non-diabetic, horror) and blood pressure compare from last year to this year.
As always, I really hope you are able to find the food plan that becomes a life style and is easy to adapt to your family. Good luck!
Day 32 of the Diet:
ONE SIZE DOWN! Seriously, does it get any better than zipping a pair of “old” jeans? I continue to learn life lessons (like 1/2 a pizza + 3 pina coladas = 3 lb sodium/carb GAIN…EEK!) but a few days back on target brought me sailing back down on the scale from my weekend splurge and then some… So, the official number is 14 down and counting… I wish you the best of luck in your own journey – which ever path (or book) you take!
Day 22 of the Diet:
I am down 11.6 pounds and feel amazing. I even feel my will power stengthening and I have navigated stressful environments like the office lunch room (homemade fudge!) and restaurants (mmmm, Mexican!) and still witnessed success.
In 3 short weeks, this has changed from “diet” to “lifestyle” and the crackers are the key. I am so full, I am able to resist the urge for sweet or salty snacks.
I cannot tell you that this will work for you, but it has definitely worked for me.
From Original Post: Day 8 of the Diet
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My mom and I are sharing a copy of this book. We have each read it twice, made notes in margins, and added our own clippings and inspirational tidbits.
We have been living this “diet” for 8 days and we cannot share our success with enough people. It is simple and basic and has rearranged how I organized Meats, Cheese and Starch in my brain. During Week 1, my mom has taken a 4 day weekend vacation and eaten in restaurants 3 meals a day during her travels and I had a lunch out with friends.
The crackers are the key (I’ll agree with the reviewer who hated them with light cream cheese – but I absolutely LOVE them with peanut butter! I also love to use them as my “bun” with Laughing Cow Light Onion Cheese smeared on one of them for added “flavor” to my now, very filling, burgers!)
I cannot tell you that this plan will work for you, but I can tell you that Weight Watchers, Optifast, Jenny Craig, ChangeOne, Atkins, The Zone, SugarBusters, Southbeach and OTHERS have not been successful for my mom and I.
The F-Factor Diet is what we have labeled as “our answer to dieting”. It has changed our life by simply changing what we eat and how we eat it. I have NEVER been this full on so few calories in my life.
WEEK ONE, DAY 7 RESULTS: Mom and I have lost 8 pounds (5 from me, 3 from her.)
When you find the plan that suits you, you’ll know.
We did.
The diet itself is bascially a low-carb, high fiber plan in three phases. No problem with that, but it’s not really anything new.
HOWEVER, the author advises the frequent use of GG Bran Crispbread as a way to get lots of fiber without many calories or carbs, especially in the first phase.
Well, I couldn’t find these crackers locally, so I ordered a case of them from their website, at a cost of more than 50 dollars. Then I tried eating a few of them, with light cream cheese.
They taste HORRIBLE. I don’t mean just blah, but really NASTY, as in, they made me literally start gagging.
So now I have a case of these wretched crackers which cost me 50+ dollars and have no idea what I can do with them, because I sure can’t eat them.
Maybe I can crush them up and sprinkle them on my cereal every day for about the next ten years before they are all used up.
At any rate I sold the book within two weeks after buying it. I went back to using Weight Watchers online to track my food, and made up my own high fiber diet that does not include horrible tasting crackers. I’ve lost 8 pounds in the first two weeks of my own diet and tracking my portions on the WW site to make sure I don’t overeat.
So buyer beware – the crackers are truly gag-worthy, and the diet iteself is nothing new. Low carb, high fiber, and portion control.
I’m starting on Week Four, after having read this book, and can only say: it’s simple, it works and I’m loving it. The book is easy to understand, it’s clear and helpful. The lifestyle diet, most importantly, is simple to adhere to and I’m losing weight. I even stuck to it in Florida on a vacation! In fact, my mother watched me eating on this diet and said “I can’t believe you can actually lose weight eating that much food.” But I did and I am! I find the book to be encouraging and realistic and it certainly does help to understand WHY certain things will assist in the weight loss process. The author treats the reader like an adult and assumes one can understand the ins and outs of nutrition and explains it in-depth but with humor, clarity and encouragement. I don’t love the crackers but then again, there is so much food containing fiber that it’s not entirely necessary to eat them in order to remain on the diet. I think the reviewer who said that there are a lot of product endorsements is being ridiculous. Readers need and want clear ideas as to how to stay on this healthy lifestyle plan and the author gives them. Try this. You won’t be sorry and you’ll feel great doing it. I promise.
When my friend suggested I try reading this book, I rolled my eyes and went through my list of why “diets don’t work”. She convinced me to give it a try and to my surprise I found the information in this book to be extremely useful as well as easy to digest. I understand why choosing fiber rich foods are important not just for weight loss but also for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I would definitely recommend this book! In addition, I have to disagree with the negative comment posted about the book trying to sell the reader certain products. People trying to lose weight or adopt a healthier lifestyle are looking for easy, simple ways to make positive changes. If a book happens to suggest recognizable products or brands I think most readers would find that very helpful and help make weight loss goals more attainable. If you are going to pick one “diet” book, I suggest you give this one a try! All of my friends are now working more fiber into their diets as a result of reading this book.