The Harcombe Diet: Stop Counting Calories & Start Losing Weight

A really interesting read, which I thoroughly recommend. It was helpful that Zoe had gone through yo-yo dieting and struggled with weight issues in the past - she shows empathy to those struggling with their weight and eating, including food addictions. Her honesty was refreshing! The eating plan (I hate the word diet!) was explained simply and clearly, backed up with sound reasoning - watch your insulin levels (too much makes you put weight on).As a vegetarian, it can be difficult to follow some plans - Atkins works well for me for losing weight but maintaining this afterwards has been difficult (for me) - the weight goes back on (and some!). I struggle with carbs, in terms of weight gain, so know I have to restrict my intake; however, you can eat a sensible, yet low carb diet on the Harcombe plan (with more carbs than Atkins). Not mixing fats and carbs has also been quite easy (there may be special occasions where you break this, which Zoe acknowledges, that you do not need to beat yourself up about!). It reminds me of Atkins combined with The Hay Diet but it has worked brilliantly for me. I lost two stone in four months - I have been on it for five months now, including going on holiday (I was 11 stone 8lb in May, at 5ft 3ins, and am now down to 9 stone 4lb and still losing weight quite easily but more slowly now).This book has genuinely transformed the way I eat and not only do I now weigh less, I feel so much better in myself - no headaches or IBS - apart from when I have the odd off day due to a special occasion. I also know I will not return to my previous bad eating habits - this will be how I eat for the rest of my life. I have bought this for two of my friends who have had similar problems to me - I look forward to seeing their journey! Good luck to you if you choose this eating plan!

Waste of time, this is just a rehash of the Hay diet, written 100 years ago and based on food combining, whilst Dr Hay can be forgiven for not knowing any better, nutrition and our understanding of it has come on in leaps and bounds since then. Zoe Harcombe can’t be so easily let off the hook. I looked her up and she is widely regarded by serious scientists and doctors as a quack. Since this book was published she has made several spurious claims in the media that fruit, vegetables and indeed fibre are not necessary and are rather pointless. She’s another low carb fan. This book advises you don’t eat foods containing fat and carbs together because of some weird theory that the stomach can’t digest them.The upshot is if you are expecting anything new or innovative you are going to be disappointed. To my mind the science is bogus, the chapters on Candida and food intolerances contain a long list of extremely vague and very common symptoms which could apply to almost anything. And the dietary advice and recipes are not practical. It’s just more low carb advice and mantra.I’m afraid the only way to lose weight and keep it off is to adopt a healthy, balanced diet and take some exercise. Rather than buying the book put the money towards a gym membership or a bicycle.

This was recommended to me by my sister-in-law. I'd be trying to lose 14lbs for a while but not managed - but now I have.Initially reading the book and understanding what you're doing is quite hard but once you get into it the diet is easy/ The first 5 days are quite difficult, especially if you're giving up caffeine, but I lost 6lbs in the first week.Phase 2 gets easier and it is a case of planning your menu and understanding that carbs and protein shouldn't be mixed. It's also all about avoiding processed food and, I find, sugar.What has amazed me is that my taste for sweet things has disappeared. No chocolate cravings and just the occassional scone.I'm now into phase 3 and so long as you're sensible it's easy to stick to good food and maintain weight - even when you're eating out.Not written in the style of usual diet books which some people may find hard but very effective. I now have 6 other people on the same diet!!!

Best diet EVER if you’re not vegan! It WORKS!!! No other diet is ever needed. This is healthy wholesome eating, this loses weight like nothing I’ve seen before (I’m a nurse) ... my partner lost 4 stone in 3 months and came off his BP tablets.. BUT not easy for Vegans... I have tried as a vegan but found it difficult for variety and psychological food comfort... Zoe has taught me loads about nutrition and health and I dip into this diet as soon as I feel unhealthy, which I’m not and I’m using it to battle my cancer... since using her book I cannot stand cheap sugary snacks, I cannot even eat less than 70% chocolate or confection it tastes fake ! I’m back on this diet after chemo etc but I’m doing it as a non vegan (I still don’t eat meat only fish on occasions) mainly because I’m eating cheese again and avoiding all PROCESSED food, which sadly a lot of vegan food is processed so has added sugars. If you follow her rules you will notice SUCH a difference in your life... it’s hard to go back to ‘normal’ you won’t WANT to, you will know what food does to your body, you know how insulin works and how bad candida is! I bought the kindle AND the paperback and carry it around with me! I’ve recommended it to so many people after comments I had about how slim I looked. I went down to my goal weight of 8 stone which is healthy for me.. my only snag is chemotherapy and steroids which creeps my weight up, (8.5 stone) as it causes hunger and cravings, but I can’t stop the treatment, however this should not affect everyone though !!!!! So give it a try :)))))

This proclaims you can eat all your favorite foods and then goes on to say you cannot eat fat with carbohydrate...so spaghetti bolognaise out then.This is a rehash of the age old HAY Diet.

Key thing for me was to stop sugar and most processed carbs and wheat. Saw my weight melt by 300g a day for 3 weeks without any more sport....

Lost just over 9st on it (stuck to phase 1 for the duration) and I'm now finally able to live a normal healthy life