What do you think of Susan Powter?
 

I have mixed feelings for her. On one hand I like that she believes in eating a reasonable amount of calories, and she is so enthusiastic, and always willing to help anyone stay motivated. She even e-mailed me to tell me to keep up my eating, moving, and breathing, as she puts it. But... I also think she is way to stringent as far as the amount of fat you should eat. She reccomends 10-15% which I have heard is way to low, and can make you sick, not to mention is hard as **** to stick to. She also says that all red meat is bad, and you shouldn't eat it, but I think that red meat eaten in moderation is fine, and a pleasurable part of my diet. I was just wondering, because I dusted off my old copy of Stop The Insanity for inspiration, but some of the things she says is just too strict. So, ... what do you all think?

She is hott! Oh, haha sorrry that is not what you mean is it Velvet? Actually I have her book, but have not read it all. I think she is a pretty together woan however,Stop the Insanity! Kinda says it all, don't you think. I would like to take the time and really read it through. Maybe than I will be able to give you an educated opinion, however, I wouldnt wait around for it.
Hope you have a good Christmas chick.
Virginia

I like her... I have a lot of respect for her - after her show went belly up and she disappeared from the world she admitted that she was drinking and that took a LOT of guts. She lives out here in the pacific northwest now and I see ads for her doing speaking engagements at health fairs and women's groups. I love her message of empowerment and strength.

Eating wise - yep, I think it's too strict. I tried to eat like she recommended in Stop the Insanity and I had a real hard time doing it. Her book called Food scared the **** outta me too (didn't want to eat meat for months) and her "new" (it's a few years old) cookbook is good and I think a little less all-or-nothing.

Now, what bothers me is that according to her web site, she's hocking pills/vitamins. Not sure why, but that just screams "WRONG" because it looks like the message is lost - just pop these pills n' there ya go!

I donno' in general I really like her and miss her 'in your face' attitude, but eating no fat like that does little to keep you satisfied and selling pills is just plain scary.

Terri

I'm sure she's good, but I read one of her books and she went on and on about her ex. She sounded very *****y and bitter, and I expected her to be more together. She's done so well for herself... I think she needs to drop all that crap by the wayside. All I could think was, "Get to a psychiatrist, hon!! Move on!!!"

I have mixed feelings about her too. I think she was/is a good motivational speaker and anyone who is for female empowerment is ok by me :) ... ( oh and I liked her exercise videos)

That said........I've always found her a little too "hawksterish" for me, but then I am a cynic when it comes to most people in the media, so........

and as to her lowfat eating plan - looks similar to the Dean Ornish plan if I recall correctly.

Terri

Susan Powter??? Now there's a name that I haven't heard in ages.

I guess I'd put her in the same category as I do Richard Simmons. Some good solid advice that has helped a lot of people, but a personality that is ANNOYING AS ****!!! I swear, I'd rather go get a root canal than be stuck in a room with either one of these
two.

Sabrina, who is still alive ... really! :)

I like her attitude, hate the way she looks and am a low-carber.
I pretty well ignore her.

I find her exercise tapes very energizing, and I like the way she has people of
different sizes in them, and tells you to go at your own pace. I can't do Richard Simmons tapes because he is TOO sympathetic. I need someone a little hyper, or else I collapse on the couch in a puddle. I LOVE her hair (does she still wear it that way?) I don't follow her eating plan, although I like a few of her recipes. My kids like her "Texas Trash" better than Chex Mix, and it has no fat in it, which makes me feel better about them munching on it.

Here is her website, she has a new pic of herself there. I like her better with more hair, but I like the hairless look too.

http://www.susanpowteronline.com/index.asp

I have always thought that her 10-15% fat diet was way to little, and my doctor said that it is indeed to little fat to be eating, he said 20-30% is much better, but at least I should be eating 15-20%. I do like her empowerment message, but I do agree with Ellis that the schtick about her ex is getting a little old, but really they did get along well enough, and at one point they lived in a duplex so they could both be there for their boys when they grew up. I hear she just had a new baby a couple of years ago. Yeah she is a lot like Dean Ornish, I don't like him at all. I think he is even more strict than Susan. The fact is very few people can live on that kind of eating plan, and be happy. I believe in moderation, that's why I like the WW points plan better. I usually eat between 15-25% fat, sometimes I go up to 30%, and occasionally I go off completely but I'm more satisfied with this than I was trying to follow Ornish.

I agree with everyone with mixed feelings about Susan Powter. I have her books Stop the Insanity and Food, and there is some good stuff in there but her personality is kind of grating after awhile - like she is trying SO hard to be in-your-face and witty every second. I wish she would just chill out a little! And I agree, Velvet, that 15-20% fat is a good number to aim for.

The stuff about meat doesn't really bother me as I am mostly vegetarian, but relaxation and calmness are a part of the whole weight-loss thing too. If I was as wired as her I would for sure be face down in the cookie tin in no time!

Lidian

I just saw her new picture, with hair. I definitely think she looks better with hair, the bald look was a little too scary for me. :)

I'm guessing that she is NOT a natural blonde? I'd like to see her as a brunette, I'll bet she is quite stunning.

Sabrina

I liked her with short hair. Also, she looks like she has had some plastic surgery or something. I liked the way she looked before better.

I never got into her diet plan but the idea of "stopping the insanity" of yo-yo and fad diet makes sense to me. I couldn't listen to her or watch her show-she is way to high strung for me.
I don't do perky/hyper :shrug: just me I guess :)

I love her with short hair, too. I envy anyone with a head good enough for that look. I've NEVER had short hair... I do believe I may be hiding something. :D

ok, I can't help it - I have to say something that might be mean....

but when I looked at her "before " picture in her book - she did not look heavy to me - she just looked pregnant - all the extra weight was in the typical pregancy way - a person can tell the difference between someone who is heavy (it's more evenly distributed around ! LOL) and someone with a basketball-like baby in their middle section.

Call me kooky but, I think Ms. Powter may have been a little disingenuous there.......

Ok, Terri - running back under her rock