Hi, in Response to "famous" doctor's comment.

I just read Dr. Weil's response (written in 2008) to a question about this weight loss program.  With all great and due respect to Dr. Weil, I disagree with his assumptions and conclusions about the program and have personally had excellent experiences and results with it.

As a mother of four and someone whose weight has gone up and down through the years, I have found this weight loss program to do more than just help me to lose weight--it has helped me to become keenly aware of my relationship with food while allowing my body to utilize stored fat.  In the summer of 2008 I was 220 lbs.  I did this weight loss program for the first time and lost 20 lbs plus several inches all over my body.  Shortly after, I got pregnant with my fourth baby who is now almost a year.  I was able to lose the "baby weight" within 6 weeks of delivery and continued to lose on my own until I reached 185.  My husband and I did the program together in March of 2010--I lost 17 lbs and he lost 25 lbs.  Each week we met with our practitioner who took all of our measurements and body fat percentages--the results were astonishing.  Of the 17 lbs that I lost, 15 lbs were FAT.  In addition, my body has taken on a new shape, is much more proportioned and my clothes are fitting beautifully.  Currently I am doing the program for the final time--I started it this time at 162.5 (there is a required 6 week break in between sessions and I continued to lose through healthy eating and walking) and plan to get down to my goal weight of 140.  The program requires daily walking (60 minutes recommended) but no weight lifting until the program is over.

It is important that people who want to do this weight loss program understand that the weight loss is a side effect of your body waking up the hypothalamus which helps to control hormone regulation and metabolism.  The rhythm of weight loss on this program tends to be a few days of loss and then one or two days the same, then again a few days of loss, etc.  This is because while the body is living off of its own fat stores it is also redistributing fat around the body, taking from where it does not need and putting it in other places causing your body to gain a new, more balanced shape.  The program itself is not hard, it just takes a little discipline and a desire to really learn about yourself.  As with any eating program, one cannot do this program, drop weight and then expect to go back to old habits--the duration of the program (3 weeks) and the maintenance period (also 3 weeks) needs to be taken as time for reflection, self-discovery and self-care so that when the 6 weeks are up you are ready to live your new life as a healthier and more fit version of yourself.

I urge anyone who is serious about weight loss and simply needs the help to investigate this program and to find a talented and caring practitioner who really knows what he or she is doing.  My practitioner is Alain Rbibo in Los Angeles and he is wonderful.  I'm sure he'd be happy to answer your questions.  He can be contacted via his website www.lasanctuary.com.  I wish everyone all the best in dealing with weight loss!