5-Day Miracle Diet

Adele Puhn

Devilishly handsome actor Ralph Feinnes, who packed on pounds for his role in Schindler's List, followed this plan and said it helped him keep his energy level high enough to survive his grueling, eight-times-a-week performances of Hamlet. The word "diet" in the title may be a bit misleading, as it's more of a blood sugar-regulating eating schedule; once blood sugar is normalized, says author Adele Puhn, cravings soon dissipate, and that helps excess pounds fall off almost by themselves. It's not a five-day diet, either, as the title implies; rather, that's the amount of time it takes to get your blood sugar fully normalized.

Puhn, who has a master's degree in medical biology and has been certified as a nutritional specialist by the American College of Nutrition, has 20 years of experience working with this diet. She says that timing is the key. Each day, there's a mandatory snack within two hours of breakfast, and two more snacks in the afternoon. There are a few no-no foods that would cause a rush of blood sugar (no pasta for lunch, no plain bagels for breakfast, no grapes for snacks), but other than that, the program is remarkably simple. Puhn says that losing weight is 75 percent physiological (cravings sabotaging your efforts) and 25 percent psychological, such as when your inner "fathead" says you have to have that piece of chocolate birthday cake or you'll hurt Aunt Fanny's feelings. The 5 Day Miracle Diet shows you how to conquer both of these forces, leading to weight loss, improvements in energy, and decreases in blood pressure and cholesterol levels. While its advice may be unusual (vegetables or turkey get the okay for breakfast), its message is clearly sane. It's "not about never eating certain things again. It's about learning how to live harmoniously with your food."

1 Good Diet
I found this book at a thrift shop last week & decided to try it. I realized I eat pretty much like she says to eat anyway, but not in the correct order, and I've had a hard time losing weight, even with good food. I also don't eat the hard & soft chew snacks between meals. That was a little difficult to do because I don't really crave food between meals, but I tried it & am beginning to lose weight again.

2 It Works!
I first read this book and tried this diet in 1997. By combining it with exercise (low impact - walking) I'd lost 10 pounds in a very short time. I could see and feel a major difference in only 2 weeks. I'm no nutritional expert or anything and I've never been able to follow those diets where they tell you specifically what you have to eat at various times of the day but the program works. This book worked for me because it gave me a list of choices and the overall principles involved in controlling my cravings (blood sugar levels). I love sweets and in 5 days by following this plan, my cravings for sweets were gone. Most diets seem to talk about cutting out the fat in your diet to lose weight. We underestimate the impact that sugar has on our diets - at least I did. Over the years, whenever I feel myself getting above my desired size, I revert back to this diet. It always works. I've just lost another 6 pounds and intend to lose another 4 at least. I've incorporated some of the principles in my everyday lifestyle such as eating something within (I think its) 30-45 minutes of when I wake up, the snacks every 2 hours after breakfast and the 2 snacks in the afternoon. I also started buying no sugar peanut butter after I read this book. I still do. It's not nearly as good as Jif, but I realize what the sugar does to me. I highly recommend this for anyone who's interested in weight loss. I've been trying to convince my sister for years.

3 It Works!
I first read this book and tried this diet in 1997. By combining it with exercise (low impact - walking) I'd lost 10 pounds in a very short time. I could see and feel a major difference in only 2 weeks. I'm no nutritional expert or anything and I've never been able to follow those diets where they tell you specifically what you have to eat at various times of the day but the program works. This book worked for me because it gave me a list of choices and the overall principles involved in controlling my cravings (blood sugar levels). I love sweets and in 5 days by following this plan, my cravings for sweets were gone. Most diets seem to talk about cutting out the fat in your diet to lose weight. We underestimate the impact that sugar has on our diets - at least I did. Over the years, whenever I feel myself getting above my desired size, I revert back to this diet. It always works. I've just lost another 6 pounds and intend to lose another 4 at least. I've incorporated some of the principles in my everyday lifestyle such as eating something within (I think its) 30-45 minutes of when I wake up, the snacks every 2 hours after breakfast and the 2 snacks in the afternoon. I also started buying no sugar peanut butter after I read this book. I still do. It's not nearly as good as Jif, but I realize what the sugar does to me. I highly recommend this for anyone who's interested in weight loss. I've been trying to convince my sister for years.

4 Don't Let the Title Fool You!
This is NOT a fad diet. This is a simple, straighforward and helpful guide on HOW TO EAT. Puhn's style is friendly and upfront. I read this book over two years ago, and my eating habits will never be as random and damaging as they used to be, because the principles described are EASY to implement. GREAT BOOK!

5 This really IS a miracle diet
I find the book and program therein easy to comprehend. The author, Adele Puhn, provides a complete, doable program that when followed delivers on every promise she makes. Using this book as a guide, I have "owned" the program for 9 months now and lost over 110 pounds, dramatically improved my health and well being, and brought order to decades of destructive eating habits and the ensuing blood sugar chaos. Before I purchased the book, I was a little put off by the word Miracle in its title; however, I have come to agree that it truly IS a miracle. Thank you to Ms. Puhn for writing this book and sharing her program. For me, it is literally life-saving.

6 Sensible and Effective
I really struggle with cravings for breads and sweets, but the blanced approach of Adele Puhn's program has helped me curb these hunger pangs. The diet has also helped to alleviate a headache that I've carried for the last two months.

It's basically an eating schedule: protein and whole grains for breakfast and lunch, veggies and fruit as snacks throughout the day, and the most "sensible" dinner I've seen in any diet book. She explains the basis for developing the program and why it works. It's inspiring - you CAN be free from cravings.

Adele's mindset is that this way of eating is a way of life, not just a diet. Of course you can't live without ever having another piece of cake or glass of wine. The program allows for that - requires it, in fact.

This book easily earned five stars. The program is relatively easy to follow, the dietary guidelines are in keeping with RDAs and other programs with high success rates, and the book conatains a helpful section adressing the psycological aspects of dieting.

7 It will change your life!!!
This is the BEST eating plan ever. A friend and I went on it together, and by the end of five days, we were both hooked. It's not just a diet, it's a way to live your entire life. It provides fantastic information, although the organization is a bit confusing. Not only does it teach you HOW to eat for life, but how to shop for food, how to stay on the plan and eat in restaurants, on vacation, at special events, etc. You will be amazed at how quickly and steadily you lose weight and feel so much better. Stabilizing your blood sugar helps to improve your mood, so aside from looking & feeling great due to the weight loss, you really FEEL HEALTHY, have lots of energy, etc. I have suggested this book to several friends and family members. Everyone who has done it has had immediate success with it. I will continue to recommend it to everyone I know who is ready to change his or her life for the better! I cannot overemphasize this - BUY THE BOOK!

8 Good if you can stick with it!!!
I thought it was a good book with alot of good information. I did try it for a week or so but found it kinda hard to stick to. I did feel better though and am going to try again.

9 Starving in Michigan
I was left so hungary on this diet, all I could do was think about food. I kept an eye on the clock just waiting for the two hour mark, when I could have something to eat. This diet book was of no use to me. Of course you will lose weight if you starve yourself.

10 This Book Made Me Ill
I order all three of Adele Puhn's books and started reading. I started on the diet on a Monday morning. After what I had read I thought this really might work for me. It was low carbohydrate and protein. It allowed me to have some fruit, vegetables, a piece of bread, a little cheese, some eggs, etc. It didn't involve making up food from a recipe which I really don't find I have a lot of time to do -- especially in the morning. So I did breakfast and then hard chew and then hard chew and what I was supposed to have for lunch and the chew in the afternoon and the dinner and really didn't cheat. Well I got to Friday after following this for five days, not feeling wonderful but still OK and had no clue as to what was coming. On Saturday I started with leg cramps, then cramps in arm, neck, throat, chest, and abdomen. I assumed that it was probably a lack of potassium or calcium or both. I called my doctor and she advised me to go off the diet and eat things rich in potassium and calcium which I did. Within 24 hours the cramps lessened. By late Monday there were gone.

I can't in good conscience recommend this diet but I did get a lot of good information on what foods can help you curb your appetite and control your sugar highs and lows and the importance of hard and show chews.This one just didn't work for me.

11 This Book Made Me Ill
I order all three of Adele Puhn's books and started reading. I started on the diet on a Monday morning. After what I had read I thought this really might work for me. It was low carbohydrate and protein. It allowed me to have some fruit, vegetables, a piece of bread, a little cheese, some eggs, etc. It didn't involve making up food from a recipe which I really don't find I have a lot of time to do -- especially in the morning. So I did breakfast and then hard chew and then hard chew and what I was supposed to have for lunch and the chew in the afternoon and the dinner and really didn't cheat. Well I got to Friday after following this for five days, not feeling wonderful but still OK and had no clue as to what was coming. On Saturday I started with leg cramps, then cramps in arm, neck, throat, chest, and abdomen. I assumed that it was probably a lack of potassium or calcium or both. I called my doctor and she advised me to go off the diet and eat things rich in potassium and calcium which I did. Within 24 hours the cramps lessened. By late Monday there were gone.

12 Feel Super -Lose Weight!
The 5-Day Miracle Diet sounds like a really fad type diet. It's not! It's one of the best diet plans that I've ever used. It truly works, and I feel wonderful when I follow the guidance it gives me. Sure, I lost weight on the diet - the most important thing is - I feel GREAT!

13 The best thing since sliced bread!
This book is absolutely great! I have been trying to lose 5 pounds for the last 14 months. I gained those 5 pounds when I started eating dessert at every meal, every day, something I never used to do. I never had a weight problem before that but couldn't seem to drop those few pounds. I went on diet after diet but couldn't stick to any of them because I couldn't control my cravings for sweets. I didn't even know there was a way to control cravings until I read this book. I have been following Adele's diet plan for 12 days now and have already lost more than 5 pounds, I can finally fit into my clothes again, I look great, feel great, and best of all, no more cravings. I truly did not think I was ever going to conquer my cravings for sweets until I read this book. True, the book is not very well-written and can be hard to follow, but if you just take some notes, you can easily figure it out. I recommend it to anyone who has any problems saying no to sweets. This book saved me!

14 It really will work, so lighten up.
I laughed when I read some other reviews of this book. You don't buy a diet book for good writing, you buy it for the plan. This plan will work. You can lose weight even if you do not stick to it rigidly. As long as you apply the main principles - timing your meals and snacks according to the plan and eating the right kinds of foods - you will lose weight and feel great doing it. If you feel the need to stick to a diet rigidly, measure your food, and want to know exactly which things you can and can't have, then you probably should talk to your own doctor about a diet rather than relying on a book. So lighten up. Take it for what it's worth.

15 Ejoy your food, loose weight and feel great!
I've lost over 20 pounds by following the guidelines of this book. I recommend it to anyone who is serious about changing their eating habits and lifestyle. The writing is mediocre and so is the organization of the information but the fact remains- IT WORKS! Use sensibility, follow the guidelines and drop the weight! Thank You, Adele Puhn!

16 Short-term for a quick weight loss
Her program will work exceptionally well if it is followed correctly; this is because it is so incredibly low calorie. She advises that you eat so little you can't help but lose weight. For instance Ms. Puhn recommends men eat 1 piece of toast and 2 slices of turkey for breakfast (p.119), this simply will not feed an adult male. The diet is quite strict, and very unforgiving of any relapses. Even your once a week treat must be as small a portion as you can stand. BOTTOM LINE: If you need to lose weight quickly for a special occasion buy some appetite suppressants and follow her program to the letter. To really find a life-long program look elsewhere. I also have the usual gripes about the book being poorly written, poorly organized, and redundant. For this we shouldn't blame her, but her editor really ought to find a new line of work. I gave the book 3 stars because it will work. I took away 2 stars because I consider it to be good only for short-term use, and because the writing flat out sucks.

17 The 5-Day Miracle Diet: Conquer Food Cravings, Lose Weight
I have alot more energy and I do eat healthier on the diet. I am excited about my clothes feeling comfortable after two weeks. My only problem is the same as everyone elses, the book is confusing. I am glad you can do this diet being a vegetarian, but that makes it all more confusing. The rice, potatoes, starches every other day for women goes out the window when you're vegetarian. I find myself constantly referencing back to it and wonder often if my pasta, cheese, peanut butter, starchy veg. are being done correctly. I also can't figure out if I can have diet/no sugar hot cocoa. There are no instructions for drinks except to have cereal with enough milk to cover it. I am losing weight, but like I said, I'm always a little confused. I am now able to drive past Carvel, go to Dunkin Donuts for coffee(no donut), without even thinking about it. It's a great feeling to be in control again.

18 This Book Is The Best
If you feel you must have an ice cream sundae after a full chinese meal this is the diet book for you. No diet is infallible, but this book gives you the tools you need. You can enjoy food and not feel hungry immediately after eating. The book is not particularly well written, but the system is terrific.

19 Sorely Disappointed
What a disappointment. I followed the plan for a full month. A month of hunger pangs and crabbiness. My sweatheart urged me to get off, I was just so dispondent to have lost barely 5 pounds of the 20 I want to lose! The text is poorly organized but I was so determined that I dog eared the pages to make certain I could get the correct info when I needed it. I hoped that feeling so hungry would get better results but it only offered frustration. It did, however, send me back to the Weight Watcher's plan where I can get these results and still be a human. Adele, you promise the world but you don't deliver.

20 5 Day Miracle Diet
After having tried many useless, stupid, and DANGEROUS diets. . .I was starving and desperate. THIS ONE WORKED! 8 lbs. down, I still have 2 more weeks until my wedding! I'm never hungry either! It all works by stablizing your blood sugar. I eat almost 7 times a day, mostly fruits and veggies. It even works with a vegetarian diet!

21 Best Diet Book Ever!
A must read!

For anyone who has ever tried to lose weight, this book is the one for you! I've tried just about every diet out there but Adele's plan really works. I've been doing the 5-Day Miracle Diet now for two weeks and have already lost 9 lbs. More importantly, just like she says in the book, my cravings are gone and I have more energy than I've ever had in my life. I admit I was skeptical when I started her plan but on day 5 I noticed a huge difference in my energy level. I no longer need my coffee in the morning or any sweets throughout the day.

Her plan may sound complicated at first but once you follow it for 5 days you don't even have to think about it anymore. Like she says the weight just falls off and you feel wonderful! I can't say enough about Adele's book and how it has changed my life in just two short weeks. This book is not just about losing weight, it's also for anyone who wants to be free of cravings forever and have more energy than imaginable to enjoy life!

22 I was a skeptic, but now I'm a believer!
This book lays out an eating plan, which will change your life, if you have the discipline to follow it for at least 5 days. When it comes to diets, I have wasted more money and spent more time HUNGRY and in agony than I care to think about. With this diet you are never hungry. With this diet you lose the (for me anyway) nearly constant whispering of cookies, cake, etc. to come and gobble them up in irrational portions. Cravings literally vanish. (That's the miracle to me!) I can't tell you how empowering that is. I was more excited about that than the weight that just started melting off. This book is for real. If you can follow the rules, you can do it.

23 The final answer
This is truly the answer to how to lose weight. I have tried every diet I have come across in the past 12 years. I lost weight with some, I didn't with others. With the 5 day Miracle Diet I have done more than lose weight. I have gained the confidence I needed to not gain the weight back. I have finally learned how to eat a healthly diet that gives me energy and keeps me in shape. The reason it is called the 5 day miracle diet is because the first five days are the only ones that you feel like you are really on a diet...put a padlock on the icecream for those days, after that you won't care if you have ice cream or not and if you really want some you will be able to take enough to satisfy you and not overindulge. Thank you Adele for changing my life! By the way, you have to really want to lose weight in order to lose weight on any diet plan. Adele's plan goes quickly from being a diet to being a way of life if you want to be healthy.

24 Miracle, not quite...
It isn't really a "miracle" diet. This plan requires a lot of effort... BUT it totally pays off in the end: I have been on this diet before and lost weight the healthy way (no more liquid diets for me!) I plan to go back on this diet because it made me feel so energetic and great about myself.

25 eureka!
The system works fine I have lost about 14 pound in 6 weeks! I am from Lima, Peru, and everybody wants to know more about misses Puhn system. I will like more examples of what to eat in a normal day, specially the dinner options. She makes you identify with her clients problems and feelings. Is there a spanish version? Thank you

26 Not a Scam!
I've been on this diet for about a month and have lost almost 20 pounds already. I still have about 110 pounds to go but am very confident that I will get there. It takes some getting used to, but it really works. Once you are in the proper eating routine, you get to where you don't need to watch the clock for the right time to eat anymore. My body tells me exactly when it is time to eat and I don't find snacking on baby carrots or an apple inconvenient in the least bit. I am really excited about this diet. I have finally been able to kick my caffeine addiction. I have so much energy that I actually WANT to exercise for the first time in my life. I am 24 years old and have been overweight all my life and obese for about 6 years. I am confident that I will have reached my goal weight by my 25th birthday. I've said goodbye to food cravings and now I'm saying hello to a new fit and trim me.

27 No Miracle
I tried this diet for a week and did not lose an ounce. I realize that perhaps if I had stuck with it I might have seen results, but I couldn't make it through another week. The 5 days did NOT change my life. This diet is high maintenance and all you ever do is think about food, not because you're hungry, but because you have to. Eating every two or three hours as is REQUIRED by this diet is very inconvenient and can be very stressful. Also, at the end of the first five days, I felt worse, not better. I had a continuous headache, was constantly dizzy, and always tired. If you're looking for a miracle, look somewhere else.

28 It worked for me!
I did not like the way this book was organized. I found I had to read it a million times and had to flip back and forth for the info I needed. HOWEVER, it really worked for me! I lost 50 pounds, going from a size 16 to 8. I gained so much energy that I actually became an exercise junkie. I was never able to stick to any kind of exercise before. Unfortunately, I have gained weight due to a pregnancy, but as soon as I stop nursing, I'll be back on this diet again!

29 i read your book and i thonk that is wonderfull!!
it is necesary that all your knolodge would be share in the schools and college because you give a big chance for have a good way in health and spirit cristina

30 Makes sense in theory, but unrealistic
I am a young woman with diabetic parents. The idea of this book as a diabetes prevention diet was what first attracted me. While it all makes sense on paper, I have no interest in a diet where eating a half of a banana constitutes cheating, or where craving a brownie should launch a full scale investigation of your self- esteem and fear of intimacy. sorry!

31 Look no further!
After trying countless different methods with no sucess, Adele has turned my life around! I have lost 17 lbs. in exactly two weeks and am getting slimmer by the day! People has to look twice to really believe what they are seeing. My self confidence has gone through the roof! The first 3-5 days are rough, but after that the hunger and cravings literally vanish! No lie! It is a lifestyle change that is not demanding and best yet, good for you too! I recommend this book to anyone!

32 Makes a LOT of sense to this RN
The idea of keeping blood sugar levels on an even keel to get rid of cravings makes so much sense. I've read the book and today was my 1st day doing it. The only problem I have is that I actually added up the calories for today and it was under 1000! That's TOO low. I'm sticking with it but incresing the portions at meals a bit. Great concept!

33 The Only Diet That Has Ever Worked For Me
This is the only one of MANY diets I've tried that has not only worked initially (which many do) but has become an easy-to-follow eating lifestyle that, more important than weight loss, has me feeling great every day. I gave it the initial five days, and it ended my depression and lethargy, gave me sustained energy, and led to me losing 5 pounds. I've kept with the way of eating established in those five days. The thing I especially like about this diet is that it's incredibly easy to internalize and follow, and after the first couple of days you feel great and just don't have cravings... I always feel well fed too. Before you try anything else, and I had tried almost everything else, give this program a shot... it will change your life!

34 Although this diet really works, the book is poorly written.
I am using Adelle's diet and it is working. However, it is really difficult to get past her cheesey, disorganized, scatter-brained approach to writing. Rather than putting the core information in a accessible place in the book, she scatters it about, and fills the middle with pseudo-inspiring mantras (she must say 100 times that extras should be something you ABSOLUTELY ADORE until I can practically envision her doing a high kick in her cheerleading outfit). My advice: give it a quick read and outline the good stuff in a page. One other comment: this book seems to assume that the reader is overweight in part due to a complete lack of exercise. If you, like me, exercise at least 5 times a week, you may need to eat a little more for breakfast than her diet recommends.

35 We have an Adele fan club in our neighborhood!
My neighbors and I started Adele's program on March 15th. Six weeks later we have EACH lost 13 pounds and are FEELING fabulous! Thank you Adele! Together, we have 8 children and we NEED energy! Boy, do we have it now---since we cut out sugar! I even e-mailed OPRAH to share our success because we think it could help so many people. Buy this book now! READ IT--don't skim and you will have more focus, energy AND weigh less!

36 High maintenance, unrealistic plan.
Ms. Puhn helps explain the problem with eating high glycemic "trash" carbs like bagels, muffins, and other fat free dishes. The case she makes however is explained and dealt with better by Drs. Richard and Rachael Heller. They're program consists of 2 low fat protein meals, and the 3rd meal consists of a small protein serving and then a meal of healthy carbs.

37 Best diet book I've ever tried.
This book is the ONLY one that really accomplishes what it says. I learned so much about sugar levels. You really see results by the end of day 5. I lost 7lbs in a week and half. And continued loosing for several weeks.

38 I lost 100 lbs
I am maintaining a 100 lb weight loss using this food plan... the key to weight loss in my opinion is to find a plan you can life with... this one does it for me...Thanks Adele...

39 What about picky eaters?
I read this book and it sounds great and makes a lot of sense. The problem: I am a picky eater. I don't like broccoli and cauliflower and other raw veggies. What do I do? This is just like every other diet; they don't consider the picky eaters. Plus being a teacher I find it hard to do the hard chews on schedule. I don't allow my students to eat in class so I don't either, when am I supposed to eat my hard chews?

40 It really works!!!
I started this 'miracle diet' just like any other diet I have started, thinking 'yeah right'. Low and behold after 8 days, I have lost 7 pounds, and I only have 20 more to go. I have 4 children and work outside the home, I am up at 6:00am every morning. Before diet I was falling asleep at 2:00pm every day, now I cannot fall asleep at 10:00pm! I have found out that I was insulin resistant, and a carbo-addict. After 7 days, I don't even crave sugar or bread. Unbelievable!!! I recommend this for anyone who has had a problem losing and keeping weight off.

41 Good, common sense information! Gets you on the right track!
I started following this plan about 1 1/2 years ago. I lost over 70 lbs and have some more to go. I gained over the holidays and plan to just get back on the plan again. So many people wonder what was my "miracle" solution and many people that I know have gone out to buy the book. The only problem with the book is that it is not written well. There are a lot of redundancies - but for the most part the plan works great and is a great life style change.

42 This program REALLY works
Adele Puhn has created a program that really works. It seemed complicated to me at the beginning but when taken step for step it becomes very clear and the results are the proof. I have lost over 30 pounds in less than 4 months and that over the holidays! I had my "extras" and loved it. And managed to still fit in my new "thin" jeans. Her recommendations on how to deal with "fat-head issues" are also pertinent and important. Getting the chemical side in balance gives one the power to easier deal with the emotional issues. Thank-you Adele

43 Very helpful information to get your body in balance.
I have found this book to offer very helpful information about what time to eat certain foods to balance your blood sugar. I am 50 years old and in very good shape and not overweight but have had problems craving sweets and starches. I started the program Dec. 26, after overeating for the holiday and after one week lost 4 pounds, but much more importantly I now have alot more energy and am not hungry all the time like I was before, when I was eating alot of sugar every day. I already like to eat frequently during the day, and I exercise daily, so this book taught me how important it is to be eating the correct foods to keep my energy balanced.jelli39695@aol.com

44 Very Detailed and easy way to Lose Weight and Feel Great!
This book helped me lose, over 40 pounds, in 2 months, Also now I feel great and I can conquer food cravings. Thanks To This book I CAN ENJOY LIFE AGAIN!

45 I hated it!
This is a very poor attempt to emulate the 'Sugarbusters!' diet. It is badly written and repetitive.It is also misleading- of course this is not a 5 day diet -(nothing could be, so that should be a clue to its quality) 'Sugarbusters!' is 100% better.

46 A good plan to follow if you've got a good digestive system.
I was very interested in Ms. Puhn's diet, but found I could not stay on it because it wreaked havoc with my digestive system. The book recommends eating lots of raw veggies, especially as hard chew snacks. But Ms. Puhn offers no alternatives for those who can't digest such foods. The first day, I followed her directives and ate crisp brocolli and raw carrots as my snacks and also with my meals. I was so sick I was forced to spend two days on the B R A T diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast)! What I like about this book is Puhn's insistence that guilt need not be a requisite part of this or any diet. A much welcome message. As for Ms. Puhn's writing style, I found her use of language to be somewhat annoying -- the first time she advises that we eat hard chew snacks to "tie the bow" on the good blood sugar, it was cute in a trite sort of way, but tolerable. By the eighth or ninth time, it was downright boring.

47 This book is too confusing to be worthwhile
I read this book and tried to follow the diet to no avail. The tips and tricks she offers are unrealistic and impossible to actually do right. The diet seems like it's too good to be true, and it would work, but only if you want to put an INHUMAN effort behind every little aspect of the diet. . . and of course, if you mess up one little thing, you've messed up everything. This diet just didn't work at all.

48 Take Charge of Yourself!
I wasn't born fat. I didn't wake up out of the blue craving candy and cake. I was programmed by an expert (ME!). Adele Puhn has shown me the path back and how to take charge of myself. How to eat, how to feel great, and most important how to live again. It's so simple, you'll be amazed at the results. This is not a diet but a primer for better health, energy, and happiness.

49 Make it your own
I noticed a couple of reviews on this book saying it was "confusing." There are parts of the book that aren't clear, but I have not found a more valuable diet anywhere. If you aren't sure of when to eat which foods, pay more attention to the daily menus, rather than the portion listings and you'll get a better idea of how to plan your meals. In other words, take control of the diet for yourself. I highly recommend this diet. Cravings do disappear.

50 Excellent!! A must read. Couldn't put the book down.
I have read many fitness articles, and books. This one by far will outlast them all. Adele Puhn writes with humor and interest. When you read this book, you have the sense she definitely knows what she's talking about. I'm already incorporating the diet plan into my daily regime. There were only a few changes I had to make in my daily activities to meet her criteria in the book. I'm keeping this book close at hand.

51 very confusing, tries to be to comical and is useless..
This book was recommended to me when I purchased "Sugarbuster" diet (which was very good)...It was very confusing, and not because it was too technical for me but was to me, purposely misleading because the author was merely trying to get you to buy the book but offered no answers...Every once in awhile it would, to me, steal hints and bits from "Sugarbusters"...It was trying to be comical but fail short...A total waste of money, as far as i am concerned....Dieters and those who want to lose weight will only get confused, discouraged and frustrated by this terrible little work of "art"....Buy it if you want, but don't say I didn't warn you..By the way, I think the reason Amazon.com is so successful is because it is open to these kinds of reviews by the people who read them and are able to report them....Thanks Amazon!!

52 Very Good
I have tried many ways to maintain my weight. This diet is easy to follow and gives me more energy by late afternoon than I have felt in years. I am an early riser,but putting together snacks and lunches for work is fairly easy. Carb & protein for breakfast, hard chew snacks for the am & pm and a balance of protein and veggies for the rest of my meals--Wonderful. Please try it! Less restrictive than The Zone!

53 Excellent education on food cravings
I have been interested in food cravings for a long time, and the "5 Days" is the first book I've read that explains how you have control over your blood sugar. I just though that I had a sweet tooth. I've tried her diet for 2 weeks and have not had any cravings for sweets at all. Amazing. My clothes fit better. I need to eat more than she suggests otherwise I get tired at the gym. So far I have been very impressed with the results

54 A true miracle
Tried this book after being on every other diet out there. Reduced my cravings for junk food and was not hard to follow. It has been over a year since I first read the book (and lost 20 lbs), and I have been able to maintain my new weight. The best part was, the people at my office picked up on my weight loss and at last count, 8 other were successfully using the diet. Thanks Adele, you are a lifesaver!!

55 Thank you Adele!!!
This diet (new eating habits) has put the control back into my life. I have been suffering for years with a chronic illnes and now I feel great!!! It truly is a miracle. I would have never believed that I could feel this great! And its so easy to follow. I strongly recommend The 5 Day Miracle Diet AND The 5 Day Miracle Diet Companion is a must! Forget Jenny its 1-800-98-ADELE!!!

56 Wow! Chewing my way to success!
As a veteran dieter I am truly amazed at the simplicity of this plan. I have more energy than I thought possible. The difference being in "Good Blood Sugar" makes is amazing. I lost 4 pounds the first week and see no problem continuing until I meet my goal. My cravings are GONE!

57 Effective but hard to follow
I tried this book about 1 month before my wedding because, of course, I had to look great! I must say that it really worked. I lost about 5 pounds in the 2 weeks that I followed it. I was only trying for 5 - 10 so I was happy. Thing is, I'm also an avid exerciser and I found this diet didn't give me enough energy to do my usual workouts. As well, there's a lot of preparation involved and figuring out what you can eat when, etc. For the purposes I used it, it was great but it's definately not something I could follow for a long time.

58 Did not like! Hard to follow.
This book was confusing as all get out, impossible to follow. What the heck do you drink while on this diet? My mother also couldn't fiqure it out. What a waste of money and time.

59 The only book you'll need on losing weght and keeping it off
I at last found success with a diet plan. I had about 20 pounds to loose, and have lost 18 pounds since July by following her plan. I am still losing and with little effort. Her plan is straight forward and efficient. All cravings go away and the energy increases. I'm looking forward to her companion book with recipes.

60 The word "miracle" is no exaggeration!
This book has been a life-saver for me. It is the most common-sense approach to dieting I've encountered in 30 years of trying to lose weight and keep it off. It is well-written and understandable, but best of all the diet works and is almost painless in the process. I am 53 pounds lighter and one happy camper!

61 I'm Changing My Life

Adele Puhn's book has given me hope. I have tried a million diets that have brought failure. The key for me is understanding my cravings are connected to low blood sugar. I can react with my head and make a better choice. I know that maintaining good blood sugar will make me feel fantastic. I am only two weeks into this "life style change" and I have already lost 10 pounds, but more importantly, I have gained an understanding of how my body interacts with food. I have already recommended the book to at least 8 people. It is one of the best things that has happened to me. Try it!

62 An excellent resource if you want to change your life!

Everything the book promises actually works! Being a skeptic, I gave it 5 days just for fun... The fun hasn't stopped 5 weeks and 10 lbs later! The numerous physical benefits from this style of healthy eating can't be overlooked. Gaining confidence through weight loss aside; my skin, hair, and nails are thriving. The food choices are vitamin packed and "metabolically clean" giving you energy AND a lean body.

The 5 Day Miracle Diet contains simple tools and an easy to follow plan to dispell old eating habits and correct your body chemistry quickly. I recommend more food preparation tips and recipes to help maintain enthusiasm for long term maintenance of this effective program.
C. Shaw

63 The 5 Day Miracle Diet-It really Works!
When I first started to read this book, I thought this was a diet that I would never be able to do. Adele Puhn states in the book, "just give me 5 days". I figured that I could stick with it for 5 days. I have to admit, the first several days were tough. At times I was light headed and didn't feel quite right, but at the end of the 5 days I could not believe how good I felt. Not only that, I had not been sleeping well for years and now I was sleeping soundly through the night. As Adele promised, I was not craving those high calorie foods that I always craved when I was "dieting" and yes I did lose weight-11 pounds the first four weeks. I recently visited relatives and ate on their schedule instead of my new schedule and immediately found I was not sleeping well again and was craving those sweets. This was additional verification for me that there really is something to controlling your blood sugar and I know that I feel so much better following this program. Thanks Adele

64 This is not a "diet" this is a way to eat and live
In late September I picked up the book based on the results of a fellow employee (she went from size 18 to 7). I was not only able to quit my habit of a gallon of soda pop a day but felt good doing it. My moods are more consistant (all good). My friends have commented always in a positive strain. I had such great results that no less than 20 people have purchased the book. Over the holidays I did not strictkly adhere and gained no weight. The best part of it is that I dropped 2 sizes in two months. Now that the holidays are over I'm ready to throw away two more sizes

65 The 5 Day Miracle Diet worked a miracle for my dad.
I bought this book because I eat banana's, bagels and yogurt and wondered why I wasn't losing any weight. I had just finished reading the book when my dad called to tell me about his doctor's visit. Dad is 67 years old and was seeing the dr. for a check-up. Also his arthritis was bothering him, and his stomach - bloating, upset. He was intrigued by the information I was reading to him from Ms. Puhn's book and he began to call me every day asking me to reread various portions from the book. Finally, I told him to take the book home with him. Well, eight weeks later, he was 30 lbs lighter, his dr. took him off his high blood pressure medication, his triglyceride count dropped from 700 to 146, colesterol counts plummetted, and my dad was feeling 40 again - no more afternoon naps, renewed zest and energy. Dad! I WANT MY BOOK BACK!!!

66 After 5 long years attempting to lose weight, I lost 20+ lbs
This book begins with upbeat motivational chapters, followed by specific instructions for weight loss. The well written text clearly defines both acceptable and unacceptable food choices. In addition, the author focuses on psycological reasons for eating. The author covers the importance of "good blood sugar" to curb food cravings. With a long family background of diabetes, I really appreciated the emphasis on how to control blood sugar. The author's understanding of the need to get off a diet occasionally provides additional support for the dieter. There is "no breaking the diet" stigma; instead Adele Puhn refers to eating the "foods you adore" as an acceptable occasional happening. In fact, the author encourages the dieter to eat the foods they adore. I recommend this book enthusiastically.