Should You Sue If A 'Diet' Doesn't Work?

Dr. Phil being sued? "How's that working for you?"

This CNN story reports that popular television talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw is the defendant in a class action lawsuit over his now-defunct diet program.

McGraw, affectionately knowns as Dr. Phil, who has made a name for himself with his charming personality and engaging advice since Oprah Winfrey helped him become a household name, is being scrutinized for his "Shape Up!" diet plan which required participants to consume 22 various herbal supplements and vitamins each day at a price tag of $120 per month. Additionally, the weight loss plan required individuals to also begin a low-calorie diet and a regular exercise routine.

The plaintiffs in the case are three people who claim McGraw defrauded them out of hundreds of dollars on the supplements because they did not lose any weight and now they want to invite people all across the United States to join them in their class-action lawsuit seeking refunds for the vitamins they purchased as well as punitive damages for the "pain and suffering" Dr. Phil caused them.

A ruling will not come until next year, but this brings up a hot topic of discussion: Should you sue the company that makes a diet program if it doesn't work for you?

The people involved in this lawsuit against Dr. Phil certainly think so. If fact, they said in the story that McGraw was so convincing about his weight loss plan that they thought all they had to do was take the $120-a-month pills and the pounds would melt away! GIVE ME A BREAK!!! Are there still people out there who think there is a magic pill or potion out there that is going to take the place of hard work, motivation, healthy eating habits and exercise? Haven't we learned ANYTHING watching truly fad diets come and go like the seasons over the past few decades?

While I do not advocate any program that requires you to take hundreds of dollars worth of supplements AND eating a low-calorie diet while starting an exercise routine, I do not think it is their fault that people bought into their program. That's just good marketing and they cannot be held responsible for the failure rate of the people who tried their diet. What "diet" out there provides weight loss over the long-term to 100% of its clients? Or even 50%? Or even 10%? The companies that make THOSE kind of weight loss plans couldn't keep the doors from being smashed in they'd be so busy!

A diet is only as good as a person's commitment to doing it no matter what. I have no doubt in my mind that if the plan was followed as the creators of "Shape Up" intended, then these plaintiffs would have lost weight and would be happy campers today. Instead, they now want to come up with yet another excuse to explain why they're still fat and/or unhealthy. Are you listening to this Jody Gorran?

NEWSFLASH: Stop crying and blaming others for your lack of commitment to a real lifestyle change!

People are always asking me, "How in the world are you keeping your weight off this time?" I've been on the rollercoaster ride for many years before I started livin' la vida low-carb and it's not fun at all. But after losing 180 pounds in 2004 and keeping it off for nearly another year, the answer to that question is simple. I never went "off" the diet. Actually, if you want to be completely accurate, I never went "on" a diet. Instead, I took my previous way of eating before I started livin' la vida low-carb and removed the unnecessary carbohydrates I was consuming such as sugar, flour and starch to create a menu of delicious food choices that will keep my weight steady for many years to come. Plus my daily exercise plan doesn't hurt me either! ;-)

Lawsuits against specific diets are useless. If you are overweight or obese, then your job is to find ANY WAY POSSIBLE to lose weight. PERIOD! Nobody's gonna lose weight for you and they're not gonna hold your hand every step of the way. You have to figure out what works best for you and JUST DO IT! That's always been my philosophy and I strongly urge people who need to do this to stop wasting any more time toiling over what to do. If you want to try low-carb, then do it with gusto and make your momma proud of you. If low-fat floats your boat, then knock yourself out and stay committed to it forever and ever and ever and...(oooh, that's a scary thought!). LOL!

We need to stop looking outward for excuses about why we didn't lose weight and instead turn our attention inward to that man in the mirror who can stop the ruthless cycle once and for all. YOU CAN DO IT!!!