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Suzanne Somers Diet
Background
Somersizing is the creation of television celebrity Suzanne Somers who has outlined her approach to dieting in a series of books. The Somersizing plan is basically a reduced carbohydrate diet with an additional emphasis on food combining.
Suzanne Somers Diet Basics
There are two phases to the diet. In phase one, which is focused on weight loss,
dieters are advised to eliminate what Somers refers to as “funky foods”.
“Funky foods” include sugar, white flour, honey, maple syrup, carrot, avocado, banana, sweet potatoes and more which are outlined in her books. Nuts, whole milk and yogurt are also to be avoided.
Many of the foods to be eliminated are high glycemic index and the idea is that by avoiding these foods the blood glucose levels will remain more stable which allows the body to burn fat more easily.
In addition food combining principles are incorporated into the diet plan. Foods are divided into four food groups which are proteins/fats, carbohydrates, vegetables and fruit. The rules for combining these foods are as follows:
- Always eat fruit alone and on an empty stomach.
- Combine vegetables with fats and proteins (no carbohydrates).
- Combine carbohydrates with vegetables (no fats).
- Wait 3 hours between meals of different combinations.
Dieters are also advised to consume frequent small meals and to eat at least three meals per day with no precise guidelines provided for serving sizes. Caffeine and alcohol are to be avoided in phase one.
Phase two of the diet is aimed at maintaining weight loss. Dieters are allowed to include red wine and chocolate in the diet in moderation and more leniency is allowed regarding food combining. Dieters are allowed to deviate from perfect food combining occasionally such as by adding some olive oil or cheese to a pasta dish.
Sample Diet Plan
| Phase 1 |
| Breakfast Fruit Salad Herb Tea |
| Lunch Grilled salmon Large green salad |
| Snack Piece of string cheese |
| Dinner Steak with mushroom cream sauce Steamed broccoli |
| Phase 2 |
| Breakfast Herb fried eggs Spinach and mushrooms 1 cup coffee |
| Lunch Caesar salad with grilled chicken |
| Snack Strawberries with nonfat yogurt |
| Dinner Whole-wheat pasta with pesto primavera Green salad |
| Dessert Crème brulee |
More healthy recipes can be found here.
Exercise Recommendations
Somers downplays the importance of exercise for weight loss stating the she personally never goes to the gym. However she does advocate aerobic exercises three times a week and is known for her home fitness equipment such as the thigh master.
Look here for other exercises that can be down at home.
Costs and Expenses
Suzanne Somers has written four books related to her Somersizing Diet Plan. The fourth and most updated book is called “Fast and Easy” and retails at $24.95.
Suzanne Somers has also published a collection of recipe books, which average at $16.95 each.
Pros
- No calorie counting or portion control.
- Good variety of foods will reduce risk of dietary boredom.
- Emphasizes fruit and vegetables.
- Includes high quality protein for muscle maintenance and metabolism.
- Many dieters report improvement of gastrointestinal problems and better digestion.
- Online community with free access.
Cons
- Highly restrictive in terms of food selection and meal timing.
- Lack of guidance regarding meal planning.
- Lack of scientific evidence to support the idea of food combining for weight loss.
- Eliminates many highly nutritious foods such as nuts, yogurt, banana, carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato and avocado.
- Calcium intake may possibly become inadequate.
- Does not adequately address the importance of exercise as well as psychosocial factors involved in weight management.
- Dieters may experience rebound weight gain when they go back to eating higher carbohydrate foods.
Conclusions
Somers’ philosophy in regard to eliminating foods with a high glycemic index does have some foundation however her approach is overly simplistic, and in failing to consider the effect of the entire meal on glycemic load, many potentially nutritious foods are eliminated from the diet.
It is highly possible that dieters will have success with weight loss on the Suzanne Somers diet because limiting the amounts of different foods in a meal can reduce the tendency to overeat. Although there is no scientific research to support the role of food combining for weight loss, many dieters have reported success with this method and in particular there is often an additional benefit with improvement of digestive function.
Hey, I have SS in the past and received huge results. I am sure you are not to combine strawberries with cream. I am not so certain about level 2 as I always try to stick to level1.
There IS a science to food combining so don’t let the article put you off. You eat until you are satisfied and you’d be surprised how having full fat meals reduces the urge to cheat. I found eliminating caffeine and sugar made a big difference too. And as a diabetic who was about to be put on insulin because the pills were no longer working–this diet has saved my life! My sugars are fantastic. Glycemic dieting is the key!
I have a question I have just started sommersizing and I have tried it before but only from the vedio tape that came in the package now I have been listing to the tapes and Im not sure about skim milk and yogart what can I mix them with or are they a no no ? And what about the bread that you buy from the stores that say whold grain or multi grain or multi grain english muffins are they ok ? or so i have to look at the label and see either sugar or carb content? thank you in advance Pam
I lov the freedom of eating as much as ilike
I love SomerSizing! I’m 29, so menopause is not my issue. but I do find that this plan helps control my moods. I’m a manic depressant. SomerSizing & my medication helps me 2 control my moods a little bit better my mind seems 2 be clearer than usual
I am not a chronically overweight person– just an average woman with the peaks and valleys of weight (a five-seven pound swing up and down since I had my baby twenty years ago…) now facing menopausal weight gain. THIS IS THE ONLY SANE WAY TO EAT, whether you want to lose weight by being strict, or whether you want to have a nice healthy digestion and control over your weight by following the suggestions of food combinations. It truly does become a way of life rather than a drastic and unpleasant punishment. And it works if you have put on a few pounds (Christmas, a vacation, a stressful period of your life…). I can vouch for this. There is science and there is experience. This is a healthy, pleasant everyday diet. (The 1200 calories stuff is unecessary– i never counted calories… just followed guidelines and avoided white foods.)
Love vegetables,so this should be good,
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This is my third time of going back to somerizing and I am so glad I am back. I have FMS and if I don’t eat enough protein I really suffer. I have lost 68 pounds, kinda at a stand still right now. But staying with it. And feeling so much better…..Thank You Suzanne Somer for this program. I have it on two VCR tapes and let get skinny book. I refresh myself every once and while to make sure I am doing it right!
I have had stomach issues and food sensitivities all my life until I tried somersizing. By not mixing protein and carbs I can enjoy eating food again – meat, veggies, carbs and not be in pain. When my friend lost over a hundred pounds in a couple of months (and maintained for years until her pregnancy) I decided to fully somersize and immediately started losing weight but more than that I felt better and looked better. Unlike the review states, Suzanne has always promoted a healthy lifestyle – fruits, veggies, healthy carbs and proteins while minimizing whites, sugar, processed foods and chemicals. And no she doesn’t go to the gym but she does actively exercise – walking, biking, swimming, hiking etc. everyday. She’s right – make it a part of your lifestyle. Enjoy cooking and exercising as a family!
I have done sommersizing and while it is hard to get in the rythym once you’re in it gets easy and you feel great very soon.
Bfast- huge bowls of plain cheerios with skim milk
Huge 4 egg omelettes with lots of meat, cheese and vegies. Don’t make the mistake of having toast with this or coffee.
Lunch- melted ham and swiss cheese stackers and a big salad.
Favorite dinner- Buffalo chicken (non breaded) with celery and blue cheese.
Thin long (use carrot peeler)Zuchini strips quickly stir fried in butter covered with marinara meat sauce and lots of mozzarella.
Favorite dessert- strawberries with tons of whipped cream. Sweeten whip cream without sugar.
Susan says fat is your friend and she’s right.
Man i gotta get back to sommersizing.