The Beck Diet Review

Diet Review

By Myatt Murphy

The author, Judith S. Beck, M.D., is very clear to point out that her book isn’t for those looking to lose weight fast, or think that they won’t gain a few pounds while trying to lose weight. That honesty alone makes this plan quite unique when compared to other weight-loss programs on the market, since most nutritionists advise that shedding just one to two pounds per week is the safest and smartest way to lose weight.

The plan itself is fairly simple to follow: once you know how many calories you’re allowed to eat all day (a quick test at the start of the book will tell you), you’re shown what types of foods they should eat in each meal. The book provides lists of foods, divided according to how many calories they contain, so dieters can simply choose which foods they like, then eat only the amount that’s recommended.

However, unlike many diet books, this program spends a lot of its time retraining dieters on why and how they eat. The book uses a lot of exercises, from reporting your progress on ‘success skill sheets’ to jotting down your thoughts and feelings on a series of different types of notecards. If you’re a dieter looking to see immediate results, you’ll be easily frustrated. However, if you’re looking to change how you think about food, this program could give you better, long-term results that will stick with you for a lifetime.

Is the diet healthy?

It can be, but because dieters choose which foods they want to eat based on how many calories they have (instead of how much protein, carbs or fat they contain), it’s possible for dieters to make poorer food choices for themselves. When we asked nutritionists to follow the program’s Think Thin guidelines to the letter, then create the most nutritious menu possible, they were able to devise plenty of different food combination that matched the ADA’s recommendations for healthy eating. However, when asked to create the most unhealthy menu possible, they were also able to create several unbalanced meal plans as well, including one that consisted of nothing but eating cheese, hash browns and soup.

Dieters need to follow the book’s advice, which is to change their meals around for variety. If they do that consistently, it will prevent them from creating too many imbalanced meals and will make the plan more effective.

What do the experts say?

“The integrity of the diet definitely adheres to the principles of the ADA,” says Tara Gidus, MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and Team Dietitian for the Orlando Magic. “On the nutrition side, its approach is very sensible, offering a wide variety of healthy foods to select from, plus, it encourages dieters to look at the quantity and caloric value of the foods they’re eating.”

As for the other tasks dieters are encouraged to follow, the success of the diet depends on the individual. “Seeing that the author’s background is rooted in psychology, you can understand why this program’s approach is centered on examining the behaviors around why we gain weight and how to overcome those challenges,” says Gidus, “This makes the diet a bit more complex than other simple diet books out there. However, the mindful exercises in the book are powerful for those that are willing to put the time and effort into doing them.” Gidus says that research has shown that it’s crucial to change our behaviors in order to lose weight and keep it off for life. “It’s designed is to do just that, which is why it’s a smart approach for someone that is looking to lose weight the healthy way and do it for life,” she says, “But if you’re looking for a quick fix—which is not what the ADA ever recommends—then this is not the book for you.”

Who should consider the diet?

Any dieter looking to change their eating habits and make better food choices can easily benefit by this program. Dieters looking for fast results should go elsewhere, but would probably benefit more by giving this program a try.

Bottom line

Unlike other diets that blame everything from eating too many carbs to not eating enough healthy fats, the Complete Beck Diet for Life’s basic message can be broken down into three simple points: 1.) don’t eat more calories than your body needs; 2.) eat healthier foods when meeting your calorie requirements; and 3.) understand why you make poor eating choices and learn how to prevent them from happening in the future. If all three sound difficult to do together, Beck’s book will certainly make them much easier to accomplish.

Foods

Eggs, cheese, oatmeal, chicken, cod, salmon, turkey, beans, apples, watermelon, mini bagels and nuts. What you can't: Nothing is really off-limits, but dieters are only allowed to eat not-so-healthy foods when they’ve earned enough bonus calories for the week.

See the Beck Diet at a Glance