We have to first remember that Dr. Phil started out as a general practice medical doctor. We all know that MDs don't get much training in nutrition.

I really like Dr. Phil, and I think he's right on alot of counts. He hit the nail on the head that many of us DO have underlying reasons why we eat. I think that many overweight people have low self esteem and we all know the predjudices that fat people endure.

However, what really bothered me is that he kept saying that metabolism plays no part in this equation. Even when the older woman said that menopause slowed her metabolism and he agreed, he only said that that may account for 5-10 lbs but not 50-100.

What he may not realize is that yo yo dieting DOES slow down the metabolism and that if you really work hard at it, you can speed it back up. Once your body is so efficient that you don't need much to sustain it, it will be very difficult to lose weight even if you do solve your emotional problems associated with it. I, for one have really been trying hard to lose weight, but seem to be at a standstill. According to Dr. Phil, I should be losing tons of weight.

I really like Dr. Phil, but we must learn to apply his approach to ourselves and then also apply what we have learned here. I like his get real approach, I like when he says that we make the choice and we must accept the consequences (good or bad). I like when he says we must first acknowlege our problems if we are to solve them.

Dr. Phil can get almost nasty to some folks, but sometimes it takes that to shock people into reality. I know once my mother-in-law made a nasty comment about my weight and I proceded to lose quite a lot of weight. I did it for the wrong reasons, though. I lost the weight to "show" her. He wants us to do it for ourselves.

Sorry I wrote so much. I really am a fan of Dr. Phil

Carol