Needless to say, without Oprah Winfrey’s stamp of approval, Dr. Phil, in our opinion, would be just another psychologist and would not be nationally known. As we all know, when Oprah endorses someone, they become an overnight marketing and financial success. Dr. Phil has leveraged this fame by jumping on the weight loss bandwagon via writing a book and launching a supporting website. However, BestDietForMe.com analysts wonder, along with many others, just what makes him an authority on obesity and weight management?

In his book, The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom, Dr. Phil McGraw claims to change the way you behave and think about food, weight loss, and yourself. The book does not offer weight loss quick fixes, and his action plan is designed to give you results to last over the long term.

The plan does not involve counting calories or tracking carbohydrates or fat. The book aims to get at the real reasons why you've lost control of your weight, with tools to identify what to eat, when to eat, how to eat, and why you eat when you don't want to.

While most diet bestsellers focus mainly on nutrition, meal planning, and specific recipes, Dr. Phil’s book focuses mostly on the psychology of overeating. This is what makes it stand out. You won’t find any recipes in his book, unlike 99% of the other diet books being sold.

Dr. Phil and his team created a self-help line of weight loss products called Shape Up!, consisting of the following products:

Nutrition bars… contains high levels of fiber and protein

Weight loss supplements… two types of supplements are offered: one for "pear" shaped figures and one for "apples."

Meal replacement shakes… these Shakes can be used as a snack or, when used with fruit or vegetables, a meal replacement. They are low in sugar, and are available in pre-measured powder or ready-to-drink cans.

Status Report

Dr. Phil has recently run into some trouble with his weight loss plan, as of late October 2005. Several unhappy dieters are suing him over his now discontinued Shape Up! diet plan, and are seeking class-action status. Plaintiffs claimed they lost no weight on the program. In a lawsuit filed in California last year, McGraw is accused of making false and misleading claims for this supplements, including claims that they would reduce appetite swings and carb cravings. The FTC investigated the pills when it appeared that there was no clinical data or trials to back up the claims. When Texas-based CSA Nutraceuticals agreed to stop marketing the products in March 2004, the FTC dropped its probe.

No ruling is expected until next year on the lawsuits.

Shape Up! shakes, bars, and multivitamins were on sale for almost a year in pharmacies, supermarkets and retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart. The plan called for dieters to take 22 pills (herbal supplements) a day, at a cost of $120 per month. The program also advised dieters to adopt a low-calorie diet and to exercise.

This line was heavily advertised in women’s magazines and other print media since mid-2003.