Dr. Phil was a private practice psychologist in Wichita Falls, Texas, before starting a trial consulting firm. It was in this business that he worked with television star Oprah Winfrey, consulting with her during a 1995 trial brought against Ms. Winfrey by members of the beef industry. Shortly after, Dr. Phil began appearing on Ms. Winfrey’s syndicated television show. By 2002, he was hosting his own syndicated daily television show and had become a well-known author and popular figure.
Dr. Phil has said that for 30 years, he counseled people battling weight problems and obesity He has said that he wanted to more widely address the problem of obesity with a behavioral and nutritional approach. In 2003, he introduced the book and a line of nutritional products. The diet products were marketed by CSA Nutraceuticals, along with involvement of companies that have produced similar health and nutrition products. At the same time that the products and book were being marketed, Dr. Phil focused on weight loss themes on his television show. However, he did not refer to the weight loss products on the show. He introduced his diet on a nationally broadcast television special featuring Katie Couric and 13 weight loss challengers.
Dr. Phil’s son Jay McGraw followed in his father’s footsteps and authored a book with a similar plan written specifically for teenagers. This book also was published in 2003.
Description
Dr. Phil’s diet involved a book outlining a diet plan and a line of diet food products and supplement pills. The food products included flavored shakes and snack bars. The shakes and snack bars were fortified.
with 24 vitamins and minerals The products’ supplements were geared toward helping people with apple or pear body shapes. The products were only on the market for about one year.
The introduction to Dr. Phil’s book follows his “down-to-earth’ delivery style. He tells readers that he is not going to tell them what they want to hear. He says that seven critical pieces, or keys, help achieve long-term weight loss. The book is filled with personal anecdotes, self-assessment quizzes, and chapters on each key. Dr. Phil writes that those who have kept their weight off use all seven keys. The seven keys are described below.
Right thinking
Dr. Phil refers to a person’s personal truth, or whatever it is about one’s self and the weight problem that a person has come to believe. He says that part of learning to lose weight is learning to get rid of thoughts that don’t work for weight loss and instead gain access to inner power and self-control. Dr. Phil says this helps people break the negative cycle of failed weight loss efforts and negative momentum. In the chapter, Dr. Phil lists 10 self-defeating messages that people often think about weight and weight control. For example, those who have problems with weight may label themselves or be labeled by others.
Healing feelings
This key refers to the way that some people eat to medicate themselves. Dr. Phil says that often people eat in response to negative emotions such as loneliness, stress, or boredom. Dr. Phil says that admitting to emotional triggers for overeating and learning to overcome the connection between emotions and food helps gain control over eating. The key helps to identify a process that is broken down into five manageable steps. Dr. Phil talks about forgiving one’s self and about learning to cope without food.
A no-fail environment
This key helps people manage the environment so that they can be more successful when trying to lose weight. The book provides advice on how to prevent needless snacking, overeating, and bingeing by removing tempting foods from the home, then from other environments such as work. He talks about shopping strategies, bringing healthy food choices into the environment, and even removing large-size clothes from the closet.
Mastery over food
Dr. Phil’s fourth key advises people to control habits by gaining mastery over food and through impulse control. The fourth key focuses on wiping bad, weight-gaining habits from their lives and replacing them with healthier behaviors. He lists weight-gaining behaviors and various pay-offs they offer to people. The chapter concludes with suggested behaviors to replace the weight-gaining behaviors, as well as the payoffs from the healthier behaviors.
High-response, high-yield foods
In this key, Dr. Phil discusses the nutritional value of various foods by describing a “high-response cost, high-yield food’ plan. Instead of offering meal plans or calorie-cutting, Dr. Phil’s diet talks about and lists foods that take longer to prepare and eat, and therefore are healthier. He contrasts these foods with those that take little time to prepare and eat, which normally offer higher calories and less nutritional value. He also mentions vitamin and mineral supplements in addition to high-yield foods.
Exercise
Dr. Phil calls his sixth key to weight loss intentional exercise. He says that instead of becoming obsessed about exercise, people need to take a balanced approach of regular strength-building and heart-conditioning activities to burn calories. Dr. Phil says that intentional exercise can open the door to body control, a state where the body can better metabolize energy for losing weight and keeping weight off. He breaks exercise into categories of moderate activities and vigorous activities. In addition, the book lists the physical and psychological benefits of exercise.
