Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution

Dr. Phil McGraw, a mental health professional, introduced his Ultimate Weight Solution in his book, The Ultimate Weight Solution: The7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom. As the book’s title suggests, this is not just a diet plan but a complete lifestyle plan that works on both physical and psychological levels.

This Ultimate Weight Solution works in a systematic way because, as Dr. Phil McGraw puts it, “It’s about changing what you eat, why you eat, where you eat, when you eat, and how you eat, and doing it all in a way that is custom-designed so that it is natural for you.”

The seven keys to this ultimate system cover all these aspects, right from the way you think to the way you exercise and the support you get from people around you. And of course, you must follow a proper diet plan.

The 7 keys to weight loss freedom, as given by Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution are as follows:

1. Right Thinking: This begins with monitoring your thoughts and replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Negative thoughts can occur in many ways: labeling yourself as a failure, following the “all-or-nothing” way, catastrophizing, and self-downing are just some of the way in which you may harbor negative thoughts. Self-analysis will help you get rid of all these negative thoughts. 
2. Healing Feelings: One of the major causes of incorrect eating and weight gain is emotional eating. Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution directs you toward identifying your emotional issues and dealing with them such that you stop connecting it all with eating. Finding different ways to cope with your emotional issues will ensure that you eat sensibly. 
3. A No-Fail Environment: Once you have worked on the two psychological steps, it’s time to follow the third step of Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution. This requires you to make changes in your immediate environment such that there is no scope for any binge eating. So replace all the “sinful food” with healthy food in your pantry, and make sure that your refrigerator is filled with fruits, not cakes. 
4. Mastery over Food and Impulse Eating: Once the environment is set, Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution tells you to identify the payoffs that you may be getting from your unhealthy eating habits. Then “unplug from them, and replace bad habits with healthy behavior,” Suggests Dr. Phil. 
5. High-Response Cost, High-Yield Nutrition: To help you choose healthy foods, Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution categorizes food into High-Response Cost, Low-Response Cost, High Yield, and Low Yield. High-Response Cost foods are those that require quite some effort in their preparation and consumption, cannot be eaten quickly, and are not "convenient" in any sense of the word. Some examples are a sunflower seed in its hull, meat, poultry, soup, fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, whole grains, and certain cereals. Low-Response Cost foods, on the other hand are quick to grab and quick to gobble. Similarly, High Yield foods provide ample nutrition, “are close to the state in which they are found in nature, and are often colorful.” Low Yield foods, on the other hand, provide excessive amount of calories and are low in nutrients. You must choose food from the High-Response Cost and Low Yield categories.
6. Intentional Exercise: Regular exercise features prominently in Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution. You must prioritize regular exercise. It energizes you, shapes you up, and helps you get rid of that “couch potato” label. You can work out at a gym, take up aerobic dancing, start playing a rigorous sport, or perform Yoga. Whatever you choose, you must make a conscious effort.
7. Your Circle of Support: The final step in Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution is to “surround yourself with supportive, like-minded people who want you to lose weight and succeed at your health and fitness efforts.” Dr. Phil gives out a list of Dos and Don’ts that you can hand over to your support circle. In addition, you can join a support group.

Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution does not have any strict diet plan. 
As long as you follow Key 5, you can eat whatever you want.

Dr. Phil recommends eating three meals and two snacks a day, and adding a fruit to each of them. Occasional meal replacement bar or beverages are permitted.

Your daily water consumption should be 8-10 glasses.

Dr. Phil also suggests a high-quality multiple vitamin-mineral supplement.

Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution does allow for occasional treats. But they need to be really occasional. Binge eating is a strict no-no. When you get that craving, choose “slenderizing substitutions.” Replace your regular ice cream with no-sugar ice cream and candy with dried fruit.

Dr. Phil’s Ultimate Weight Solution also has a solution for the “weight-loss resistant.” If you are not able to shed those extra pounds even after following all the steps religiously, you may have some undermining medical condition that might be preventing your weight loss. Dr. Phil recommends a complete medical evaluation for such cases. Get your blood sugar, cholesterol, and hormone levels tested.

Dr. Phil’s weight solution emphasizes on planning each of your meal well in advance and sticking to your plan. This way, you don’t have to make any last minute plans and so don’t need to succumb to the temptations of picking up quick-fix, Low-Response Cost and Low Yield food.