The Love Diet: A Personalized, Proven Program That Changes the Way You Feel to Transform the Way You Look – Low-Glycemic Nutrition and Gut-Brain Science for Weight Loss

by Connie Guttersen, Mark Dedomenico

All You Need is Love: From the New York Times best-selling author of The Sonoma Diet and the acclaimed medical director of 20/20 Lifestyles—one of the country’s most successful weight loss clinics—comes the revolutionary plan that will forever change the way you feel about food, yourself, and how you look.

According to doctors Connie Guttersen and Mark Dedomenico, the secret to successfully losing weight isn’t HDL, LDL, or DNA. It’s LOVE: loving yourself, loving your body, loving your overall health. Self-doubt and self-loathing are responsible for our dysfunctional relationships with food and our destructive health habits, which inevitably lead to poor nutrition, unwanted weight, and dangerously low self-esteem. Learning to recognize your own worth is the first step to finding the waistline—and the life—you deserve.

Drawing on their revelatory research, the latest science on nutrition and weight loss, and thousands of patients’ accounts, Dr. Guttersen and Dr. Dedomenico have developed the Love Diet, an accessible, practical, and proven plan to transform your body, emotionally, mentally, and physically, from the inside out.
The Love Diet includes:
• 21 days of meal plans for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner, based on ideal nutrient distribution and nutritional strategies for both men and women;
• Illustrated “power pairings” for feel-good meals and easy-to-manage portion control;
• Anti-inflammatory diet strategies to limit the metabolic syndromes of obesity;
• Low-glycemic meals specifically designed to optimize your body’s blood sugar level, decrease cravings, improve energy, and promote weight loss;
• Micronutrient information related to the science behind the “gut-brain connection.”

Combining good nutrition with positive emotional reinforcement, The Love Diet can deliver sustained weight-loss and radically transform you mind, body, and soul.

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 21, 2015

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've waited awhile to review this book because I wanted to actually test it out. It gets 5 stars because so far, it has worked.

This diet is based on the 20/20 Lifestyles program at the Pro Club in Bellevue, WA, just down the street from my house. I know quite a few people who have successfully lost weight on the 20/20 program, but I haven't wanted to invest the time and money to do it myself. When I found out they were publishing a book on it, I was willing to give it a go.

First off, the title is terrible. If I hadn't known about the program this diet was based on, I would not have picked up this book based on the title. The first half is a lot of psychological stuff that may be really useful for some people, but not so much for me.

The meat of the book is the diet itself. When I first read it, I thought it looked really hard. I almost decided to set it aside. After revisiting it a few weeks later, I decided to at least give it a shot. The diet is in 7 stages. The first stage is a week, and the other stages can be followed for as long as desired. I decided to shoot for a 13 week program with 1 week on stage 1 and 2 weeks on each of the other stages. At that point, I'd assess where I was (if I was still sticking with it) and go from there.

I found it much easier to follow than I expected. Although it looks a little complicated at first, it's actually quite simple to execute. Each stage adds just a bit more complexity and variety, so it's easy to learn what and how to eat. Also, by re-introducing things gradually, I learned a lot about how different foods affect my body and my appetite. There was only an occasional day here and there where I had cravings that were difficult to overcome. I also followed the exercise regimen, adding a lot of walking and working up to running in addition to maintaining the strength training I was already doing. I have worked up to running 2-3 miles and at a faster pace than I have in 15 years.

After 13 weeks, I had lost 20 pounds, and moved from just into the obese range of BMI to just a couple pounds above the healthy range. About a month into the diet, I had blood work done for my physical, and my cholesterol and other numbers were phenomenal (which gave me some encouragement). I finished up in mid-November, just before my birthday, anniversary, and Thanksgiving (which all happen within about a week). Since then, my goal has been to maintain my weight through the end of the year. So far, I'm a month in and my weight is stable. My eating habits have changed dramatically, and even when I splurge, I'm satisfied a lot sooner than before. I feel like I have successfully made a sustainable lifestyle change. It'll take some effort to maintain, but it feels doable. After the New Year, I plan to go back into weight loss mode for another 10 pounds, and then I'll be at the place I want to stay.

Even if I don't lose any more weight, I'm really happy with what I've already accomplished. I'm eating better, sleeping better, and I'm a lot more fit. It's been a lot of work, and during the 13 weeks, I did not stray from the diet at all - no special days, but I'm really pleased with the outcome.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed, thorough diet that teaches you to get rid of salt, sugar and fat and begin to eat healthily for life. The plan is somewhat complex but should be easy to incorporate into daily life once you get the hang of it. The author focuses on the mental health aspects of weight loss as well, a huge bonus in my opinion. I would definitely recommend.

[Adrienna · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I liked most of the book in comparison to other diet-related books is that they have a habit response circle that we tend to repeat the cycle as well as the shame cycle (which makes perfect sense for remaining obese or fat all these years).

There were only two recipes of interest (vegan or vegetarian like foods):
1. Toasted Quinoa pilaf
2. Coconut Lime Cauliflower "rice"

In addition, it was an easy read and completed quickly within a few hours. I wanted to see the several phases which grains and starchy things are last. I do not plan to try. I see the similarity from two other previous reads, concerning grains is the cause of digestive issues and rashes for example, and those with gluten issues. I decided to let go of gluten as much as possible since about 2 years ago. I am tired of suffering from acid reflux or digestive issues such as constipation, indigestion, and chest pains that shoot up the back and around the heart. Gas via belching or farting, becomes tiresome after so long.


1. What you eat
2. why you eat
3. how you eat


Identify your unhealthy habits (working on) and cues that trigger them. This is another great piece in the book.


For meat eaters, you can still eat this as your protein.


Overall, it was an okay read and helpful to some degree.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got this book because Connie Guttersen's previous book The Sonoma Diet changed my life and the way I ate. The book was paired with an online program that was super easy to follow and had excellent, easy recipes. I went looking for the online program the other day when I spoke about the diet with a friend and sadly found out that the online program had been discontinued and Dr. Guttersen had written this new book.
Thinking that it would be the same philosophy I checked it out. Sadly, she's joined with a weight loss doctor and diet program that is sells powders and supplements to use in the diet. Gone are the delicious fresh flavorful Mediterranean theme of the program.
I'm so glad I have her original book and companion cookbooks as it really is the easiest tastiest diet I've ever followed in my life.

[Nourhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first learned about the 20/20 Lifestyles Program when a friend joined the program and successfully lost weight. I have often felt confused from the endless available food options, and the many buzz words that are thrown around such as "low-fat," "gluten free," etc. I wanted to grow my nutrition knowledge, to eat healthier and to be more supportive of my dieting friends.

The first part of the book is a lot of psychology - how to find support, getting out of blame cycles, dealing with shame, etc. The second half of the book walks readers through a seven stage meal and exercise plan to to lose weight and stay healthy.

I really like that it is a comprehensive approach and focuses on emotions, food and exercise. I walked away from the book with a stronger foundation on eating healthy and weight loss. I think I also learned a little bit about how to support friends who choose to lose weight.

[Melanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you liked the positive, joyful approach to eating that Connie Guttersen promoted in her Sonoma Diet books, then you will be sorely disappointed with this book. Completely different: restrictive and what seems like questionable advice. I deleted it within a couple hours of downloading it.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book through goodreads giveaways. All opinions are my own.

Feels like just another "fad" for a diet....

[Kai · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot of great advice in this book. You have to be ready to put some work in and make some changes. Loving and respecting yourself hit top of the list. I definitely recommend.

Thanks to Goodreads giveaways, publisher and authors for my copy. Good stuff.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy to read book, that will get you on your way to your weight loss transformation. I liked that they weaved people's stories and how this diet transformed their lives, in between the pages of the rest of the content of the book! It also explains why loving yourself is first and foremost so important. You have to be able to see yourself as a human, who from time to time may make some not so good choices, but to ultimately love yourself enough to give yourself the gift of health for the rest of your life. I love that they included recipes in the book as well. It seems that the diet they provide is definitely manageable. Lots of good information in this book! Thanks for allowing me to be a Goodreads winner! I definitely will be passing on this book.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads win.

I had entered this giveaway initially for a friend, but decided to read this book before handing the book off to them. This was an interesting read and I feel it was pretty informative. It was written well and seemed well thought out. I hope others enjoy it as much as I did.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Light on love, heavy on very restrictive dieting.

[TS]

Finishing up the Whole30 challenge but don't think I could follow this diet. I don't have that much will power but if you do best of luck.

[Ocean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Food is medicine and this is explained here.