Customer Reviews

My Big Fat Greek Diet: How a 467-Pound Physician Hit His Ideal Weight and How You Can Too

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This is an unusually thorough discussion of the fundamentals of weight loss by a physician who successfully used these 'Seven Pillars of Weight Control' himself, and who communicates his theories in a concise and readable way. This is not a specific diet, like the Mediterranean Diet, but a step by step how-to book. I recommend this book to anyone, particularly those with previously disappointing result, as a scholarly and believable 'diet book.' He includes his own story and his frustrations and disappointments. There are some before, during, and after photos. I enjoyed his recounting of his personal story and plan to give some away at Christmas to some of my larger relatives and friends. Buy it, you'll like it!

I have read every diet book out there. I have NEVER come across a diet book that tells a inspirational story of a DOCTER who has lost over 200 pounds. Dr. Nick speaks from experience, he's been there, he's felt the humilation of being over weight. In this book he gives you 7 steps you need to take before you start your journey. Like "LIKE YOURSELF".
Not only does he talk about losing weight but he takes us on a journey of those 8 months he was traveling, saving a womans life during a Cubs game, seeing the aftermath of 9/11. He is NOW the Skinny man with the BIG HEART! It's a must Read for anyone who has ever struggled with his/her weight!

I understand from reading an interview with Dr. Nick that he would have liked this book to be called "My Big Fat Greek Miracle" This would have been a better name for the book as I did not take this as a diet book, but a piece of inspiration for all of those searching for happiness with their body. The story he tells is one that every obese person has gone through at one time or another. His seven pillars of weight loss is sound advise and a solution for your health and future. The reader needs to keep the message in mind and not the how. Not everyone can take off work for a year and watch baseball games, but everyone can get healthy with the seven pillars. This book is a great reader as well. I got it on Friday from Amazon.com and burned through it by Sunday That was three weeks ago and now I am back on my diet and working on my body at the gym and I weighed 425! Thanks Nick, through this work you gaves us hope back.

This story has some inspiration and motivation in it for many, I am sure. But for a physician who writes--more than once--that "diets don't work," then why did he undertake a DRASTIC 800-calorie-a-day-nothing-but-liquid-protein-shakes DIET to lose the weight he writes about??????

And while he promises early in the book to write more about liquid protein shake diets, his very scanty page about it in the back provides no substantial information.

And while bravo for him that he could take a year off work and go motoring around the country to take his mind off his self-induced drastic diet, it's certainly nothing practical the rest of us can follow.

And his 7 Pillars? Written after he lost his weight, certainly not what he followed while on his drastic diet.

On the plus side, reading his story does make it easy to think that if he did it, so can others.

I feared this was just another diet book (and I have them all) but was happily wrong. The first half detailing Dr. Nick's weight loss is personal, compassionate, filled with adventure and loaded with humor. I couldn't put the book down!

The second half has really changed my life. I view my relationship with food totally differently making more conscious, responsible decisions as a result of Dr. Nick's 12 Pillars. He has helped me see how my life is out of balance and that the weight is only a symptom, not the problem.

I lost 16 pounds in 12 days quite easily as a result of getting my head on straight. For the first time I have confidence that I will lose all of my excess weight (I was scheduled for weight loss surgery!) and keep it off with the inspiration of this terrific book.

I met Dr. Nick and his entire family at a book signing. He is one great guy and deeply committed to helping each person lose their weight and get healthy. Consider him to be your personal coach and be prepared to fall in love with this book!

This is a very motivational book. Nick's story is interesting, unique and well worth the price of the book by itself. But in Part 2 he gives the reader his 7 Pillars for success and that is a real bonus. For me it was great to have a book that speaks to guys more than gals. Even so it will motivate even the most die hard food addict regardless of gender.

No quick fixes here, just good common sense. No elaborate theories or difficult to read, scientific language. If you need motivation to lose weight go out and get this book. You won't be sorry.

I was already fortunate enough to have heard about Dr. Nick's journey into weight loss since the local television stations and newspapers were covering this story. He used to be known as "the big doctor with the big heart." I was excited to hear that he had written a book about his adventure across the country in his conversion van. Dr Nick decided to walk away from his job and to do what most could just dream about, to travel all 50 states and to visit all the baseball parks in a single season, while losing weight and beginning his lifetime of healthy living.

The book is broken down into 2 major parts.

1. A "journal" with photos not only talking about where he went but how he was feeling. He spoke about how he felt when he was starting including a "last supper" and depressing weigh in on the first day. Next were the way his body felt after a couple of days on the diet and how much he just wanted to give up. As his journey became easier, it was apparent that he was much more confident (not afraid to have his friends eat in front of him). He began to exercise while on the road and how that felt for someone who had not exercised regularly. Finally, he comes home on Thanksgiving Day and eats for the first time and his family sees him for the first time in months. Included in there are very candid feelings, so truthful, that I cried because I could relate.

2. His Seven Pillars. He realized what he did that was successful and put it into a plan. It isn't rocket science. No magic pill, no exercise in a bottle. He doesn't tell you eat this way and you will lose weight. He happened to lose the weight quickly on a liquid diet but then the tough part began...maintaining the loss. The Seven Pillars are guidelines to help you make your own plan of attack to make you the best that you can be. They can be used with any "diet" plan. It can be used whether you have 20 lbs to lose or over 250lb like him.

What makes Dr Nick stand out is that he is not a doctor who says eat like this and you will lose weight. He is a person who set out to do it himself, who happens to be a doctor. I believe that has more credibility than Dr Atkins. He made his living caring for those who could not afford healthcare. I'm sure that it was difficult for him to openly express the humiliation and embarrassment that he felt in the early days of his journey but I am so glad that he did.

I am now preparing to start my own journey. Although I cannot take time off the same way that he did, I am going to do my own version of a "sabbatical" to get me started.

Dr. Nick eloquently and very personally captured the essence of the miracle of weight loss in this book. He identifies from the beginning of the book that his endeavor was not going to be simple or easy. He shares the difficulties of his journey, which were many. Lightheartedly he shares many humorous events as well as sorrowful moments along the way. He projects the hope of a changed outlook and perspective whereby the seemingly impossible becomes undoubtedly possible and how the rewards of losing excess weight far outweigh the difficulties faced. He portrays weight loss to be a journey of unspeakable fulfillment: a not-to-be-missed event in the life of an obese individual. He places the reality of freedom from captivity to food within reach of every obese individual. His testimony is one of hope, a lesson to all of us whether we are obese or whether we struggle in some other way to have victory in our lives regarding fulfilling our own responsibility for health and well-being. As a nurse, I desire my patients and their significant others to know the lifechanging lessons found in this book. His story is radically miraculous and is certainly a page-turner, as it shreds the traditional, shoebox ideas of how weight loss should be done and instills the reader with the hope of the possibility of changed, victorious living that every obese individual CAN have.

I just finished reading My Big Fat Greek Diet last night, and I must say that it is the most profound message that I have read...ever.

Dr. Nick has overcome a Herculean task and has shown to everyone who has ever had a weight problem that - no matter how much you have to lose - you can do it!

Unlike most "diet books", this book connects with both men and women, explores many popular options available to acheive your goals, and inspires the reader to make a paradigm shift in their outlook on weight loss. This is the key to success! There are plenty of books that show you "HOW" to lose weight and "WHAT" to do to get there, this book answers the "WHY" we should lose weight. If you are overweight, buy this book. It is a pleasure to read and an inspiration to anyone who has ever struggled time and time again with the humiliation and pain of being obese.

Finally, Someone who understands the pain and humiliation of being obese. This is not another book by someone who has never had a weight problem trying to tell obese people how to lose weight. Follow Dr. Nick through his incredible weight loss journey week by week. Truly an inspiration to anyone who has a lot to lose or even just a little to lose. I read this book in one sitting. It is just too good to put down. This book gave me the hope and will to try "one more time". I truly believe I can to it this time. Thanks, Dr. Nick.