Wellness Wire: SOS – The End-All Diet

There is a reason new fad diets and weight loss products are changing every single year, it’s because that is exactly what they are– another trend. These diets that have celebrity spokespersons and money-back guarantees are just another way for companies to make boatloads of money, and feed (literally) misleading information to gullible consumers. There is no logical way you can eat bowls of ice cream and still “shed pounds in a matter of days.” Losing weight takes some sort of sacrifice.

Dr. James A. Surrell, a board-certified colorectal surgeon believes he has found a diet that requires minimal lifestyle changes, but will dramatically help patients achieve their health and weight loss goals. His only advice? Ditch the sugar.

His book, SOS (Stop Only Sugar) Diet, says that by eliminating refined sugars from your diet can improve heart health, lower cholesterol and allow you to lose 5-8 pounds per month. The book says to stop counting calories, carbs, fats, and cholesterol and simply stop only sugar. The SOS Diet seems too easy, but Dr. Surrell, who holds a special interest in nutrition and weight loss, says that the connection between sugar, cholesterol and gaining weight is all interconnected. Dr. Surrell gives readers a guide to healthy fast food choices, healthy snacks with low sugar, meal plans, and how to keep your sweet tooth without sugar.

It all seems too good to be true, right? The genius behind this kind of diet is that it’s really not a diet at all. Making a few simple lifestyle choices and eliminating certain things from your life won’t make you feel like you’re dieting, which is one of the reasons to SOS Diet has so many success stories. By trial and error in his own weight loss goals, eliminating refined sugars proved successful to him, as well as his patients.

Not only does he advise eliminating sugar, he suggests incorporating high amounts of fiber into an effective diet. As a colorectal surgeon, many of the issues he treats patients for are digestive issues. Fiber helps regulate the digestive system, as well as promotes portion control and keeps you fuller for longer.

So does this type of diet work for everyone? It’s hard to say. The idea behind SOS is that sugar is stored as fat. Regardless of different body types, eliminating the sugar and this storage of excess fat will dramatically improve cholesterol levels and heart health. While the weight loss varies for every individual, the lack of refined sugars in a diet is always a good thing and may help to jump-start any weight loss goals.

After attempting the SOS Diet, it is true you never feel like you’re on a diet. Dr. Surrell advises patients not to weigh themselves so they won’t get discouraged, and to not be upset if they don’t see results right away. There is more to this diet than simply eliminating sugar– the high fiber aspect is equally as important. The portion control is important in limiting food intake. It’s common sense that you must burn more than you take in and by not consuming sugar and consuming smaller portions, the chances of seeing results are greater and avoiding overeating. Reading the book cover to cover and truly or acting upon all of the advice is the key to success with the SOS Diet. Dr. Surrell provides an interesting, laid back, yet motivating approach to a lifestyle change. The SOS Diet is a book that I would recommend to anyone who struggles to find a diet that suits him or her. This book provides a very real approach to the world of dieting and has strayed me away from any fad diet on the market.

What do you think of the SOS diet?

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