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The Z Diet

Hi!   One of my girlfriends at work just recently started a diet based on a book called Z: The Ultimate Resolution Starts Now by Dr. Bill Hopkins.  I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about it at all and if anyone had any success.    Can't wait to hear from someone!   -K

Yes, I know a little about it.

Let me see if we can get DODGEMAN_1000 in here to tell you his experiences.

My understanding of it is that you start at a relatively high calorie rate, and then slowly take off calories until you are eating too little, a starvation diet. This is NOT a healthy way to lose weight at all, and can have several negative side effects including your inability to lose more weight.

But... let me see if I can find Greg and get him to weigh in on this conversation.

It looks like Greg hasn't been around in the last 2 1/2 weeks, but I suggest you check out his profile and read some of the threads he was in, when he recognizes how unhealthy his diet is and how it ran him into starvation mode, which is a very real thing.

Thanks!!  I read that at the end you only consume 400 calories...which I questioned because I know going below 1200 calories daily is not healthy.  I can't imagine how a person could "run" on 400 a day.  

That sounds right. I've never done it myself.

I honestly have no idea how one could stop eating :p I love eating too much to go down to 400! ;o

Dr. Bill Hopkins is an orthodontist, so he went to dental school, not medical school. Your girlfriend at work probably doesn't realize that...

an orthodontist?  LMAO.  what's next the Dr. Suess diet?  Nothing but green eggs and ham. :P

lol@kailie

400 calories a day? um, when i was anorexic (60 lbs, 5"4), i ate 300 calories a day. don't do this diet. stupid. i would never go below 800/day, and i still get yelled at for doing that.

The Star Trek Diet...wheatgrass juice grown only on Alpha Centauri...

HK Did I miss something? Dodgeman woke up and realized what he was doing to his body? Thank the stars above! Man, that diet is insane to the membrane!

I think it was actually Jules (united2gether) that helped him see what was going on, but I'm not certain.

Wow! I am impressed. He was so steadfast that we were all wrong. I'm so happy that he was able to see that we werent merely bashing him but were generally worried for his health.

Good Work Jules were ever you are!

A few of the women I work with are on the z diet.  One has lost 75lbs. and she looks and feels great. 

hey this is dodgeman. I wish if someone was going to say thay i agree with them that they would consult me first. I am not on this site much anymore because of the abuse i recieved when i disagreed with other members. i actually support the z diet and never went into starvation mode. i lost 60 lbs and have kept 52 of them off for over a year now.

OHHH snapppppppp!!!!!!1

Well.........kinda akward for some huh?

I am doing the "z" diet right now and I have lost about 15 pounds in about 30 days... I don't know why is everyone so negative about it. There are so many crazy diets and people do them, I won't name them but did try bunch of them. I was also doing those weightloss programs and didn't loose nearly as much weight except bunch of money...

I red so many other post about losing the muscles... I think the simple answer is... if you are affraid of losing them, then start exercising. The diet is not telling you not to, he is telling you about his situation, stating that even without exercise it is possible to lose weight.

Other thing is nutrition... The book is telling you to take supplements so you won't be losing any nutrients... Yet you get worried about nutrition, I am sure chocolate and chips are not contributing to that and I am also sure that while you are eating those you are not thinking if you need to take any supplements.

Starving yourself... it depends on how you look into it. If you are used to eat like a "pig" of course you will be "starving" your self cause you are used to eat that much. However, whern you start the diet you start with 1500 cal. Now if you used to consume 5000 cal, then start with 4000 and go slowly down. You don't have to go to 400 calories... stop at 800, just an example... I am on 750 - 800 cal a day for about 10 days and still losing weight.  Besides, you wanna look good then you have to make some sacrifices, right? I wish I could eat anything I want and as much as I want without gaining a pound... but it doesn't work that way!

Do you ever wonder about those skinny people who don't eat much? I don't think they are starving. Their stomach is used to eating little and it's not craving tons of food, so why can't you train your stomach to do the same?

Also, you will starve if you eat a chocolate bar that might have 200 cal... it's like 4 bites and that's it... or you can choose to eat a whole bowl of salad with some condiments that add up to about 200 cal and feel full for hours... The choice is yours...

But let me give you an example of my "eating" day on this diet: breakfast: cereal, snack: special K bar, lunch: lean cousine a meal (they have delicious pizza), snack: fat free yogurth or fruit bowl, dinner: lean cousine or chicken/tuna salad. Now, does that sound "that" bad?

One more thing and this is my experience... I had no limit with food, the more I ate the more I wanted and no matter what time it is... I am following advice of not eating late and I have discovered a better sleep. As I said I used to eat right before I got to bed and what a pain it was. I couldn't fall asleep cause I was full and coundn't relax, I had night sweats and nightmares, but not anymore... I sleep all night long and wake up feeling better and not hungry... The later I ate the hungrier I was in the morning... and guess what... I ate. I ate myself to be 215 pounds...

But it's everyone's choice... I am going to a doctor on a regular basis and everything is fine... If you are concern then follow the simple rule most weight loss programs advise you of: Consult your doctor before starting this or any other weight loss program...

Good luck!!!

My mom and my dad did it and they had great success! I haven't started yet but I am reading the book and then I will begin!

People read the frickin book before you judge the diet. You aren't malnourished because you get all of the nutrients you need from the vitamins. That is why you don't go into starvation mode. When your stomach is growling it is because you don't have the nutrients not because you are hungry. The reason why doctors say don't go below 1200 calories a day is because eating is how most of us get our nutrients. Both of my parents have done the diet and it has worked very well for them. I am fixing to start it when I finish with the book. I will probably be done with it tonight or tomorrow and start it on Monday. I'll keep ya posted on the progress. Don't knock the diet until you read the book. He gives you all the info you need.

Wow.  It's been a long time since I've been here.  Looks like there is still some interest in Z.  That's good because those of us who are on it aren't dead!  Imagine that!  I thought I would be malnurished and without brain and heart function by the way everyone was talking.  WRONG!

bigloser126 is now bigloser188!  Lowest weight to date is 253 down from 441 lbs.  You do the math!  Let's see...here are some stats:

-Down 18 inches in my waist (56 to 38)

-Down 18 inches in my chest (66 to 48)

-Can run a mile in under 8 mins (used to couldn't walk a mile without stopping)  This is a big accomplishment for me.

-I can bench press 340lbs so obviously I haven't lost any muscle

I still have weight to lose but I'm well on my way.  The best part is I just got married and now I can enjoy a long life with my true love.  Thanks to all of the haters out there.  It makes me try harder.  I'm sorry if you can't lose the weight fast and healthy.  Maybe you should try something else.  Thanks be to God!

Daniel