I am a vegetarian and from what I gather it this plan would be helpful, anything helps for my lifestlye change, probally will loose some weight , eating yogurt but with his plan, no dairy, but I can eat a plain baked potatoe, not bad!! look forward to your feed back, or will any one join me, I do like his plan more for me! will can check in from time to time!!! John Mcdougall MD /Author!!

I was on the Mcdougall plan before, about 2 years ago. I initially lost about 20 lbs, but then somehow fell off of it. I had also been walking 1-1 1/2 hours a night. Which probably really helped it along. I found it really hard to stick to for very long. It's totally fat free but allows starchy carbs like potatos.

I lost weight on it but I never felt really great while doing it. I also started bruising a lot and had no energy at all. In the end it just wasn't something that I could live with long term. If you are looking for something that allows a little more carbs then you might look into south beach.

Jenn

I did Atkins for about a year -built lots of muscle, lost my ab-fat, and felt ok (note - still was recovering from bulimia at this point, so anything that allowed me to 'not puke' was great).

Then I suddenly went mad about eating fruit (something I unwisely cut completely whilst doing Atkins) - so I went raw vegan, in the hope I could achieve enlightenment at the same time as shedding those last pounds. WRONG (multiple deficiencies and bulimia rebounded full strength along with huge blood sugar problems).

So, went McDougall for about 4 months. Fine for the first week, then skin completely dried up, and moods started to become very up and down, plus I was very anxious ALL the time. I lost about 2 kilos in the first two weeks, and then gained about 5 overall. I would get up in the middle of the night to eat, and my skin started to look really pasty and basically awful. All my ab fat came back, and I couldn't wear all my 'Atkins' clothes, which upset me, as I was despite being low-fat vegan, eating very healthily. I did McDougall to the 'T'. I never cheated, and I always ate regular meals. Just not for me.

Right now I eat Atkins / paleo (fruit included) - but I am wary. I used to be convinced it was the 'healthiness' of the fruit that attracted me to it - now I KNOW it is the sugar - if you give me vegetables when I'm craving fruit, I don't react so strongly (note, I have never been into junk food so fruit is the nearest thing I have a taste for for pure sugar).

Mostly now, I eat oily fish and lots of vegetables - oh yes, and LOTS of cheese. Once I cut the cheese I find myself craving milk, so I keep the cheese. My skin is oilier (which is good), my hair not so brittle and my body temperature is up, as on McDougall it plummeted (felt cold all the time).

Loops

I can't think of a diet less consistent with low-carb than McDougall. Doesn't he advise shooting for something like 75% or 80% carbs? I think it is impossible to combine the two. I, too, felt terrible on that diet when I tried it many years ago. I was irritable all the time.

I actually felt best on the mcdougall diet, but the food choices were very limited.
I've got to have variety or I go insane. And I love lots of veggies, especially salads.