As an obesity specialist physician who has been treating obese and overweight individuals for the past 11 years of my life, the term “The Hollywood 48-hour Miracle Diet” makes me upset. The field of medicine has come a long way in recognizing obesity as a medical problem and furthermore the research and the practical aspects of treating overweight individuals is far more advanced than 15 to 20 years ago. Any legitimate bariatric physician or obesity specialist physician would agree that weight loss or weight maintenance requires a comprehensive approach which must be tailor-made to the individual’s needs and must start with an appropriate diagnostic approach which includes a blood test and a detailed questionnaire about the individuals weight history.

I have learned that there is no one answer that works well with all individuals. In fact, even the most potent medications that work for most individuals still don’t work for ALL INDIVIDUALS. Therefore, the question “what is the best thing for weight loss?” is never the same from individual to individual.

Yet despite of all the advanced knowledge that we have attained and we obtain in the year 2017, there are still—unfortunately– a good portion of our society that because of their desperate attempts to lose weight will believe and waste money on numerous gimmicks invented and labeled by the commercial industry.

Hollywood Weight Loss Diet

I was asked to comment about “the Hollywood 48-hour miracle diet” and whether it is a valid method of losing weight: to answer this question appropriately one must dissect the title and think about the different attractive, Google-philic words that are used in this phrase.

• “THE HOLLYWOOD” — why do we, as a society, think anything that includes the word Hollywood must be better?
• “48 hour” — if anyone thinks that anything can happen in 48 hours to reverse a chronic problem that has been a result of YEARS, must have an imaginative belief system.
• “Miracle” — no, unfortunately we have not come up with the miracle answer yet.

The word Diet is the only accurate word in the above label. A “diet” simply refers to any eating behavior or regimen. A “diet” can be a bad diet or a good diet. But as most think the word “diet” does not always equal to “weight loss” nor is it always healthy.

I encourage anyone reading this article who is thinking about losing weight effectively, to please be cautious and aware of false claims or fancy names. Most important of all: use your common sense. If it’s too good to be true, it’s too good to be true.

Effective weight loss and weight maintenance does not happen overnight or in a few days. In fact, it takes work and structuring a complete and balanced diet regimen with low calories and high protein intake along with a structured exercise regimen. If such behaviors are done effectively 40% of the population will not need any further help. However, if you have tried an effective diet and exercise behavior and lifestyle modification and are a part of the 60% who need further help, I encourage you to find an experienced bariatric physician or obesity specialist physician that can do a complete diagnostic lab tests and has the appropriate questions to start a long-lasting weight management plan of care for you.

Long-lasting results only come from tailor-made programs that include structured diets, structured exercise plan, and physiological optimization (in form of natural supplements or medications or even possibly hormone optimization) as needed to enhance and optimize your body’s ability to cooperate and react to your weight loss efforts.