Nearly a year, 5 stone and almost half a dozen dress sizes later, I still regularly dip into the book for recipes and inspiration. If you're really serious about changing your life, BUY THIS BOOK.


Food Doctor Diet is Sound   March 19, 2005
 21 out of 21 found this review helpful

I was recommended to read this book and try the detox diet, both of which I did. Although I needed to organise myself for the 7 day diet -particularly for lunches at work - it was very effective and I lost not only 7lbs in 7 days but also cravings for both sugar and coffee as a result. The ongoing diet is proving effective and not too onerous.The recipes are all delicious. Some ingredients are not so easy to come by, but many recipes can be made from the store cupboard. The advice given is sensible and achievable and the 80/20 rule is nice to fall back on. I have already bought copies of the book for friends who have asked about it.


Delicious pictures, bland food   January 8, 2005
 32 out of 32 found this review helpful

This book is well illustrated but some of the theory is a bit complicated. I found some of the food (especially the soups) on the 7 day detox too bland for words (even for me, who is rather partial to salads and vegetables), so I skipped onto the Eating for Life section, which was a bit more appetising. You will probably find yourself having to shop for fresh veg and salad mid-week, which is a bit inconvenient for those of us who work full-time. Nevertheless, I still lost 3lbs in the first 6 days (seemingly without even trying) and amazingly, as the book promised, was never once hungry! I am now going to investigate his follow-up book to see if the recipies are any better than those in the Food Doctor Diet.


Curate's egg (free range)   November 30, 2004
 39 out of 41 found this review helpful

Hmm, a bit of a mixed bag for me.

First, the good news. This book is based on good nutritional sense, you don't have to count calories and the diet lasts for 7 days. The recipes are good and simple and tasty.

Second, the middling news. You may find it difficult to get some of the ingredients (one of the preview reviewers mentioned this). I live in London and near to a very good supermarket and I have still yet to find yeast-free bouillon cubes. I also spent a humungous amount of money on groceries the first week but this will vary depending on the state of your herb/spices cupboard (mine was very basic). A lot of the items you buy will last you weeks if not months.

Third, the bad news (well, it was for me). The 6 snacks a day left me so weak with hunger that I was literally shaking by lunchtime on day one. It bought back all my fears about anything with the word 'diet' attached to it and I found I was obsessing about food in a way I haven't for years. So the restricted food intake was a no-no.

Having said that, Marber encourages readers to eat imaginatively and widely (I now buy many different types of bread, add linseed to my porridge and can cook quinoa) and understands about the need to keep snacks in desk drawers and bags. He is also unfanatical about following his 10 principles of healthy eating - 80% of the time will do, which leaves ample room for 'off-message' dining.