Bob Greene's Best Life Diet Review

Written by Jolyne Babineau

Jolyne has a Master's degree in clinical nutrition. She has a true passion for the field and enjoys doing research on any topics related to dietetics.

Bob Greene, a personal trainer and lifestyle coach, created the Best Life Diet. Since 1992, he has helped Oprah Winfrey shed pounds by teaching her how to stop eating emotionally. Like many diets, this healthy eating plan is divided into 3 phases.

Phase 1 – New eating habits

Use the scale to get your starting weight.
Start exercising at least 3 times per week or more if you are already active.
Eat 3 meals per day plus snacks.
Eliminate alcohol.
Have a glass of water with each meal.
Take a multivitamin; omega-3 supplement and a calcium supplement.
Stop eating at least two hours before you go to bed.

Weigh yourself after four weeks. If you didn’t lose more than four pounds, you’re ready to go to phase two. If you lost more weight than that, you should stay in this phase for longer.

Phase 2 – The pounds will drop

Weigh yourself once a week.
Increase your exercise levels.
Cut out soft drinks.
Cut out foods containing Trans fats.
Avoid fried foods.
Avoid white breads – eat bread containing at least 2g fibre/slice.
Avoid regular pasta – substitute with whole grain pasta that contains at least 4g fibre/ 2 ounces.
Avoid high fat dairy products.

Stay in this phase until you have less than 20 lbs to lose. Then move on to phase three.

Phase 3 – Happily ever after Maintain the previous changes but add “anything goes” calories depending on your activity level. Eat lots of veggies. More than any other food group. Eat at least two servings of fruits each day. Continue to replace refined grains with whole grains. Weigh yourself at least once a month. You will stay in this phase for the rest of your life.
The focus of this diet program seems to be more on the emotional part of eating and lifestyle changes. Long-term weight loss and maintenance does require lifestyle changes and is not easy, and this book supports that. What are the pros and cons of this diet? Pros You have to eat three meals with snacks in between. You will need to exercise at least three times per week. You have to take a look at why you are eating. Is it real hunger or emotional hunger? Focuses on eating healthier foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low fat milk products. This is not a strict diet. Instead you focus on healthier eating habits.
Cons An expert in exercise physiology and not nutrition wrote this diet regime. There are some nutritional claims that are inaccurate or not proven. For example, if you eat a combination of protein, high-fibre carbohydrate and fat you will gain an hour of satiety. The fact is that only protein has been proven to help with satiety (feeling full). And where does an “hour” come from? It is also evident that some companies sponsor the regime. He seems to promote the brands rather than the actual food itself. Bob Greene doesn’t talk much about portion sizes, which I think is a major cause of obesity these days.

Overall, this diet seems to be acceptable because it is not a quick fix but rather a lifestyle change. It also focuses on emotional eating and might help some people deal with these issues. If you should decide to follow this diet plan, I would recommend that you focus on the foods rather than the branded products and that you are aware of the claims. Remember, this is a multibillion-dollar industry and he is trying to sell his diet. Also, make sure that you get the recommended amounts of servings from all four-food groups according to the food guide. If you are eating a balanced diet there is no need to take a multivitamin, unless of course a medical doctor prescribed it. If you want to assure that you are eating properly, contact a registered dietician. They will be able to help guide you through this journey. [ Learn more about Bob Greene's Best Life diet
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