Customer Reviews

Hunger Free Forever: The New Science of Appetite Control

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is not really a review -- I haven't read the book -- but, reading the other reviews here I can offer a different perspective on the chief complaint against the book -- that it is an extended ad for a semi-obscure product. I suspect that Dr. Murray faced the same dilemma that I have sometimes experienced. If you find a product that you think would be genuinely helpful to a large number of people (or, in this case to a number of large people) how do you get the word out without sounding like an info-mercial?

I have been using the PGx fiber product that the book recommends for about three years now. I started using it in my mid-fifties after having been fat all of my adult life, despite any number of different diets and weight-control strategies. I believe that the product made the difference that finally let me lose that extra hundred pounds and (with a bit of a struggle now and then) keep it off. It is not a diet in a pill -- it blunts your appetite but food still tastes good and you need to remember to eat less. And, yes, it has side effects -- mostly bloating -- which tend to diminish with time but can be bothersome, especially at first. And it does cost money but it is not clear how to score that. I somehow doubt that without it I would be able to have one item from the Taco Bell 89 cent menu for lunch and feel satisfied. I spend less on food than I used to. But it does cost money and I really wish that it was true that there was nothing more to PGx than Glucomannan, which is cheaper. I'd buy that instead. But the other two main ingredients -- sodium alginate and guar gum -- do increase the viscosity and enhance the effects.

From time to time I run into people who are complaining about how hard it is to control their weight (either in person or online) and I am faced with Dr Murray's Dilemma -- to offer advice or just nod sympathetically. I have found out the hard way that sympathy is almost always what people want and advice is discounted at best and often resented.

I agree with so many other reviewers here. Theres no real new info presented. And the PGX--poyglycoplex--they want you to buy from Natural Factors? Nothing more than a fancy schmancy name for KONJAC/GLUCOMMANAN which can be found less expensively all over the internet.

Here's what Dr. Weil said about Konjac 6 years ago:
Konjac fiber is a starch from the root of the konjac plant (Amorphophallus konjac) that grows in China and Japan. The popular name for the root in Japan is devil's tongue or konnyaku, and it is prepared there into foods that look like squares or strips of stiff gelatin, with a rubbery texture. The Japanese regard konjac as a health food, especially good for intestinal function.
The main component of the konjac root is glucomannan, a water-soluble dietary fiber consisting of mannose and glucose sugars. ...Some countries... have banned a number of weight-loss products containing glucomannan, which were found to cause choking when caught in the throat.
If you're interested in konjac fiber, try some of the traditional Japanese foods such as shirataki noodles or konnyaku. "

The fact that this book is one long advertisement for an expensive and particular "weight loss" supplement bothers me. The fact that this one expensive and particular weight loss supplement is easily found less expensively but covered up by the fancy shcmancy term PGX or polyglycoplex bothers me even more.

We all know what foods are most healthful to eat, so there's nothing new in the book there. We all know about the glycemic index, so there's nothing new there. We all know that satiety and appetite have so much to do with eating, but the jury is still out as to whether konjac is the end all and be all for everyone.

The book is worth a glance or two, and you may even want to give the suggested product a try, or a similar less expensive one, such as a Glucomannan supplement, WHICH IS THE SAME THING AS PGX only a LOT less expensive!
"Glucomannan is a gentle and effective natural fiber that promotes healthy colon function. Derived from the konjac root, glucomannan is a water-soluble dietary fiber considered to be a 'bulk-forming laxative.' Glucomannan may also promote healthier cholesterol and support healthy blood sugar levels."

Do a little internet research on PGX/konjac/glucomannan and see if you think it's worth a try. But don't believe all the hype, and look beyond the single and highly expensive supplement they focus on solely in this book. There are other less expensive options if you think you'd like to give it a try.

The reason this books only gets one star from me is because the authors purposely mislead the public into believing that ONLY their product, PGX aka WellBetX by Natural Factors is the ONLY product with konjac fiber. Any author who purposely misleads people in that manner are selling a book that is nothing more than an advertisement for a single product. Had the authors mentioned that PGX is also known as konjac, glucomannan, etc., their book would've scored an additional star or two or even three. Purposefully misleading folks is not honest.

If you have never heard of PGX, by the time you are done with this book, you will have heard more than you ever wanted to about it. PGX is the miracle fiber that is the basis for appetite control in this book. There is good information here, I just kept getting irritated constantly hearing about this special (and expensive) fiber. I bought the granules and the pills, and the pills are a lot easier to deal with. The granules become jello-like in water and do not dissolve to any degree in smoothies. I have noticed an appetite blunting effect, but there are, ahem, other effects as well. Be prepared for bloat, gas, and frequent trips to the library(or in my house, the bathroom ;)

Unless you've never read another diet book before.

This book just reiterates everything you've ever read else--glycemic index, exercise, blood sugar stability, portion control, control stress, get enough sleep.

I have a great deal of respect for Dr. Murray, don't get me wrong. He sang the clarion call of nutrition before almost anyone else.

The PGX is nothing more than Gluccoman and coconut oil. They are not doing a thing for me.

The diet consists of breakfast and lunch of their proprietary and not cheap, shake, and a sensible dinner along with a couple of snacks. Sound familiar?

I don't know about my fellow fatties, but there isn't a shake alive that will fill me up for long. And two of them certainly won't hold me till dinner.

Don't spend your lunch money on this book; borrow it from the library instead.

Hunger Free Forever: The New Science of Appetite Control
I read this book and found it really helped me understand the connection between excess weight, blood sugar spikes, insulin resistance and appetite. I know others who have used PGX with excellent results - so now I am really curious. I can see that if you aren't hungry then you don't need willpower to eat less. Find out how important this kind of fiber is and you will want to use it even if you AREN'T overweight!

This book taught me a lot about managing my blood sugar and why it's important to keep it level around the clock. It has wonderful, healthy recipes in it and is jam packed with useful information. I don't believe that long rant, aka review, about this being a commercial for PGX because it is much much more than that. Following the advise in this book could add years to your life if you suffer from Diabetes.

The concepts presented in this book are excellent. The application is the problem.
The recommended supplement must be taken several hours before/after taking any other
supplements and/or medications due to the fact that its absorption rate is like that
of a sponge. I did try it and it made me feel very bloated. I would say it is worth
a try, but it is not for everyone.

Very readable even though it includes scientific data on hunger research. If you are interested in why you overeat, the medical science behind food cravings and the easy-to-follow solutions to what seem like overwhelming obstacles to weight loss, this is your book.

The in-depth approach is well-stated and backed up by valid research. Even though I have read a number of popular books on the subject of weight loss, I found that Hunger Free Forever compared very favorably with the others. But to practice the program as laid out in the book, you need to have reached a point in your life where you have stopped making excuses and are serious about sticking to the program.

By following the suggestions to keep a daily journal, eating low-glycemic food and adding PGX (the super fiber!)to my daily supplements, I am slowly losing weight while not feeling deprived. In other words, I can LIVE on this program!PGX Daily 750 mg 120 Softgels

This book has solid and proven methods to lose weight in a safe and relatively painless way. If someone follows it, it really can be a means to permanent weight loss and end the yo yo affect. Much of it became redundant however as they kept repeating the same things over and over and over, probably to make the book as big as it is.

Natural Factors - PGX Daily 750mg - 120 Softgels are a fiber supplement used heavily in this program to decrease hunger and stabilize blood sugar. I used this product and actually did like it. Although you do have to work up to the recommended dosage slowly or you'll do some excess bathroom time. Once I used it slowly, I did like it a lot.

SlimStyles? Chocolate Weight Loss Drink Mix with PGX (1lb12oz pwdr) - 1lb 12 oz - Powder is another product they recommended that I used. It tasted very good for a protein drink and was very filling. Especially great after a workout and you're on the run without a time for a meal. It does tend to get VERY thick towards the bottom however, so be sure to shake it frequently while drinking it, and you'll want to consume it fairly quickly as it gets quite thick.

PGX is a godsend for anyone who struggles to control their appetite. All my adult life I have yoyo'd from strict dieting to out of control eating. The older I got the harder it was to lose weight and once I hit my 50's I could not get the pounds to budge.
PGX has changed all that. In the first three weeks I took the product, I lost 12 pounds. By taking PGX as outlined in the book, I eat less than half the food I used to and never feel hungry. I was a night time snacker with a terrible sweet tooth, but now I eat a piece of fruit or a single-serving ice cream treat after dinner and I am satisfied for the rest of the evening.
I used to wake up in the morning craving sweets, but now I don't. My small bowl of fruit and cereal or fruit and plain yogurt keeps me going until well in the afternoon.
Even better, with my appetite under control, I am not thinking about food all the time.
PGX works for me and I would recommend it to anyone who struggles with a hearty appetite.
Without this book and the great physicians who wrote it, I would never have found this life-changing supplement.
My only problem now is what to do with the dozens of ineffective diet books I've collected over the years--a bonfire, maybe?