Suzanne 3FC -- the question is more than fair. I came to the boards in response to someone else mentioning an SLD (Shangri la Diet) thread -- and that is most of my interest here.

Now, if you just want to know more about me, you can read about my girls at adrr.com/living or my blog at ethesis.blogspot.com -- just browsing those three locations will probably tell you more than enough to sate your curiousity.

I wasn't trying to say that the review was bad, but more that you had kind of missed the point about the diet, which is really a method for moving your set point, surrounded by diet like publisher's trappings. But it really isn't a typical diet and exercise regimine, it is a different approach.

I agree, whole heartedly, that SLD doesn't cover things like making sure you get enough protien, exercise routines (including stretching and balance work) or other things this site seems very good for. It is not a complete tool chest, it is only about a method to move your set point so your weight will follow.

But it has been fun to watch my friends and family follow the method in addition to the things they have been doing. Suddenly everything else works for them. And it is easy to try, one of the few things you can do without buying the book or spending money.

Which is why I've decided to spend some time supporting the concept. It seems to work more often or not (about 9 out of 10 times with the people I've been getting to start on it), it is easy to try without spending any money, and 2-3 days in, people suddenly start feeling different about food (yes, I know, some people have taken up to seven weeks, and others have had the reverse effect -- one mailed me his book) and it changes everything for them.

I've bought several batches of the book and given them away, because I keep meeting people who don't get the method from my explaining it.

Hope that answers your questions and clarifies things.

For what it is worth, for exercise, when I started, I had been walking a mile or so (that was what I could manage at my weight) and lifting weights. I've moved to meogenic lifting (once a week, slow repetitions), judo and walking longer distances. I eat what my wife calls a "heritage" diet that has a lot of yogurt and whole grain bread in it (I'm half Greek), that is aimed at getting enough protien so I do not have muscle mass loss.

I should stretch more. My current hobby is telling people about SLD.

I suspect that you've already guessed the last point, but it has been a life changing experience since November of last year.

I have been on SLD since 5/10 and have lost 8 pounds with little effort on my part. I take around 3 TBS. of Extra Light Olive Oil a day and am enjoying the lack of appetite.
It is hard to explain I have always been portion size challenged but on SLD it is if a switch has been turned off. I love food especially since I quit smoking everything tastes so good, but I am not tempted to over eat and if I do I feel too full and bloated.
I don't think the reveiwer could understand the freedom SLD gives you unless she had tried it. I have given it a real test I have been on almost every diet from Atkins to the Zone so am not new to the land diets.
The best thing about it for me is I don't want to snack anymore and that the lack of appetite allows me to eat what I want without over eating. I quickly learned not to force food just because it tasted good other wise I feel too full.
Pat S. (patsi)

Stephen, thanks for your reply

Patsi, my goal was to try the diet for one week before writing my review, as I usually try to do when reviewing diet books, so I can understand it better. I was recently asked my opinion about SLD (and other diets) for an interview, and I stated that I hadn't tried it. So in the interest of writing a review for our own site, I decided to give it a shot, which is why I bought the book. I didn't think my experience was worth mentioning in the article for several reasons. I didn't like the idea of sugar water because I agree with the World Health Organization's recommendation of 10% daily calories from sugar, and I'd rather spend them on something else. I tried the oil/water but I have a strong gag reflex and I didn't think it was worth it to continue since I wasn't seeing an effect. I kept having flashbacks of the time I was forced to drink a bottle of castor oil before a medical exam, and I vomited for a month. The thought of that alone was a good appetite supressant I really detest the feel of oil in my mouth, unless it's accompanied by a french fry I managed to drink the concoction for 3 days and quit because of the above. In those 3 days, I noticed no difference in appetite, other than when I had the yucky flashbacks. But the truth of the matter is that I'm rarely hungry anyway, so I didn't expect it to help. What DOES help me stay on track with my diet more than anything is regular exercise. It's a natural appetite suppressant, it's calorie free. I watch food portions because subconsciously, I don't want to undo any good that I did during my workout, plus I have a lot more positive energy. My mealtime goals are focused more on making sure I ate enough whole grains and green things, or making sure I excluded sat fats.

My personal opinion, based on many reviews I've read elsewhere from people that tried SLD, is that more than anything, the ability of SLD to help weight loss is simply based on the will of the person that tries it. Like hypnosis - if you want it to work and you put yourself into that mindset, then it will work. We can talk ourselves into virtually anything, even eating less There is no scientific basis for oil or sugar to do what Roberts suggests. The only reasonable explanation, in my opinion, is personal will, which is not a bad thing. The suggestions in the book are not harmful (though the sugar water is questionable) and if it helps encourage personal will in this manner, then by all means do it

Suzanne, you make some interesting comments.

I've tried a lot of things, I'd be very surprised if suddenly, this was the magic key to unlocking personal will, especially since I'm completely unaware of using will power, but rather cooperating with it these days.

But I appreciate your perspective and where it comes from, that makes a lot of sense.

This has probably been asked a million times, i dont understand how it works, by drinking light olive oil you can lose weight?

Sorry but just the thought of drinking sugar water and olive oil makes me feel ill.

the theory is that taking in up to 400 calories of tasteless calories (flavorless oils and/or sugar--which by itself the body registers as flavorless) will drive down your body's setpoint thereby suppressing appetite.

and it works. i take in around 400 flavorless calories and i'm eating around 800-900 food calories which totals 1200 cals a day. it is an effortless method since i'm nowhere near as hungry as before and when i do eat i eat a lot less.

i'm taking 2 T of extra light olive oil + 1 T of sugar in water in the morning and then sometimes another T of ELOO and another T of sugar midafternoon.

the author's method is just so different, it is worth exploring.

Everything in life is worth exploring, chrianna We never said otherwise, and we didn't give the book a bad review. I'm not sure why it has elicited such a defensive response from the sethroberts membership. I still think good nutrition and exercise is the way to go, but everyone needs to find what works for them.

I'm confused. Is this an 800 calorie diet? It sounds extreme to me.

with tons of due respect, suzanne, suggesting that SLD would only work for 6% of dieters isn't a good review.

plus, i don't see it as seth roberts vs. good nutrition and exercise. someone who wants to lose weight can use SLD and good nutrition/exercise. more of an "and" situation rather than an "or" one.

Welcome back carnie! I visited your blog recently, you look fantastic! Weight Watchers has been very, very good to you

No, this isn't an 800 calorie diet, so that confused me a little, too. 1200 calories isn't a magic number just because it's 1200 calories. It's usually considered the lowest amount of food you should eat and still get in all of the important nutrients you need which are provided by a balanced diet. When you reduce to 800 food calories, it's considered a 'very low calorie' diet and medical supervision is usually suggested. It's also much easier to regain the weight later. Are you a Weight Watchers lifetime member now? My mother still goes to her weekly meetings, even though she reached goal ages ago. She just enjoys the support and friendships she made. She should probably put on a couple of pounds

Okay, in my personal experience olive oil (light or otherwise) has a taste to it.

And I have tasted oil and water together and it is really unpleasant and leaves a horrible feel in your mouth.

Not only that - I did South Beach Diet and it killed my sugar and carb cravings and that was over 2 years ago and I still don't have those cravings eating real, unprocessed and satisfying foods. And before you argue about diet plans with me - I did a combo of Weight Watchers and SBD before WW came out with their core plan and I lost 30 lbs and kept it off for some time. I regained 10lbs through not exercising but have lost 5 of that by doing yoga and bellydancing.

I know different plans work for different people but this Shangri-la diet sounds a bit far fetched to me.

I just don't see the point of consuming "flavourless calories" when I can enjoy nutrititious whole foods instead.

I will however do some research on it to satisfy my own curiousity.

We polled over 10,000 dieters to learn why they overate and only 6% overate from appetite problems. The rest overeat from stress or boredom without hunger. Most experts agree that this type of overeating is unfortunately common, and the real solution is to deal with the problems that cause the stress or boredom, such as finding a new hobby, or learning relaxation techniques.


Our members are free to try any diet plan they want, unless it's illegal, of course And if we have members that choose this technique, then more power to them But obvious trolling from another forum community isn't doing anyone any good, so this thread will be closed.