I did the MRC diet about 10 years ago. I lost 32 pounds. I kept it off for 8 months.
The minute I reintroduced starchy carbs into my diet (potatoes, bread, etc.) I started gaining the weight back.
It was semi-expensive, and the diet was basically the South Beach diet with the added expense of their supplements & protein drinks.
Yes it worked. But like ANY DIET, you have to commit to it for a lifetime, and sorry folks, but I love bread.
I have since learned that a diet - any diet - should be tailor made to YOUR specifications. If you LOVE chocolate, trying to give it up completely probably won't work for you. If you LOVE pasta & bread, etc. then doing Atkins or South Beach diet is probably the worst diet in the world for you.
We're all different - we have different needs & wants, and we like or dislike different things. Find a way to incorporate the foods you love into a diet that works for you, and suddenly dieting isn't such a bad thing after all!