Diet Reviews: Stop the Madness

Patty Durell’s (a.k.a. “The Weight Loss Dudette”) Stop the Diet Madness Program is sub-titled “the smart, sensible way to lose weight and keep it off forever”.  Patty is a Master Level Personal Trainer, Certified Conditioning Specialist and a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant.  She has completed specialized training in nutrition.  Patty is an example of “practicing what she preaches” as she has lost over 40 pounds, and kept it off, through proper exercise and nutrition. 

The Program:

Patty’s Stop the Diet Madness Program is NOT one of those lose 12 inches in 12 days schemes.  She feels that diets don’t work because people do not learn how to manage the foods THEY like and that fit into their daily lives.  Her program is personalized. Unlike many other programs that tell the consumer what foods not to eat and what food to eat, someone choosing the Stop the Diet Madness Program has the freedom to pick the activities and foods THEY like. Patty’s program recognizes that without the freedom of choices, people will not be able to create a habit of a healthy lifestyle that works in their life.  This freedom enables people to lose the weight they want and keep it off.  One of the reasons programs like this work is because the user is in control, and Patty has pulled it off with this straightforward approach to weight loss.

What It Includes:

The Stop the Diet Madness program covers the three components of a healthy lifestyle; healthy eating, safe and productive exercise, and accountability.

The first component of the Stop the Diet Madness Program is one year of access to Patty’s online daily menu and activity/exercise program. It is simple, easy to use, and fully equipped with video tutorials to help out every step of the way. This online system includes:

• Optimal Caloric Recommendations – based on your current body weight, age, height, activity level and desired goal
• Goal Estimate Calculations – based on your goals, body and activity level
• Food Preference Options – so you have the freedom to choose your foods
• Customizable Menu Templates – to work into your daily schedule
• Customizable Activity and Exercise Templates
• Ability to create an unlimited number of menus
• Grocery Shopping Lists based on your menu items
• Proven Food Exchange Database which includes fast food and prepared food options
• Ability to add new foods to the Food Exchange Database
• Tracking Charts, for you to track your progress

For what you get, this is a very affordable, accommodating and effective menu planning program.

The second component is an E-book called “The Fast Way To Fitness.” This E-book will get you started on the right track with your exercise program.  With “The Fast Way To Fitness” E-book you will learn:

• The Secret To Making A Commitment To Exercise That You Will Finally Stick With
• How To Overcome The “I Don’t Have Time To Exercise” Problem  
• Safe, Effective And Time-Efficient Exercise Programs
• How to Believe In Yourself
• How To Turn Your Fitness Goals Into Reality
• A Proven, Safe System of Progression to Insure Fast Results

This e-book also comes with:

• Commitment Forms
• Workout Cards

In order to become what Patty calls a “successful loser,” she has also included accountability into her program in the form of her Stop the Diet Madness 8-Week Daily Exercise and Nutrition Journal.  Patty points out that, according to a study done at the Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research, a daily exercise and nutrition journal can double a person’s weight loss.  

This journal includes:

• Physical Activity and Readiness Questionnaire
• Major Coronary Risk Factors
• Nutrition Tips and Creative Ideas
• Facts About Weight-Management/Starvation Defense Mechanism
• Aerobic Activity / Cardiovascular Fitness Information
• Warm-Up & Cool Down Instructions
• Muscle / Skeletal Charts
• And many more tips, facts, and information

It also includes:

• 8 Weeks of Daily Activity/Exercise Tracking Pages
• 8 Weeks of Daily Nutrition Tracking Pages
• Grocery Check List
• Food Exchange List (the same one from the online database)
• Before & After Photo Frames

Cons

There are only two cons I can see with this program.  One is for the person who wants to be told exactly what to eat.  This program simply does not give that option.  It is designed to give freedom of choice with foods, so if you’re the kind of person who needs a structured regiment, this may not be for you. 

The second con is the psychological aspect of losing weight.  As you know, I believe this is a huge part of why people are overweight to begin with, and while the accountability part of the program is a great step in the right direction, some people will need more.  Although Patty offers coaching, she is not a psychologist, so I can appreciate her sticking to what she knows best. 

Cost

The Stop the Diet Madness Program costs $79.95 for the starter package.  There are no long-term commitments to the subscription but you can continue for $10.95/month.  You get a ton of stuff with it and it has a no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee, which makes it a good choice.    It's a little pricey, but it is a nice program. 

Recommendation:

As I have said over and over again, it is lifestyle that makes us healthy or unhealthy.  Patty’s premise for her Stop the Diet Madness Program is just that, a healthy lifestyle approach, which is what I like about it.  It is not gimmicky and everything is based on current scientific principles.  Overall, for all you get, the price, and the no-questions-asked, money-back guarantee, this program is a sound investment for people who are tired of fad diets and want something they can live with.  For more info on Patty and her program, go to www.WeightLossDudette.com.