The Shangri-La Diet

Infobox Book
name = The Shangri-La Diet: The No Hunger Eat Anything Weight Loss Plan
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Seth Roberts
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
subject = Dieting
genre = Non-fiction
publisher = Perigee Books
release_date = April 2006
english_release_date =
media_type =
pages = 203 pp
isbn = ISBN 9780399533167
oclc =
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"The Shangri-La Diet: The No Hunger Eat Anything Weight Loss Plan" is the first book by Seth Roberts, a professor emeritus of psychology at UC Berkeley. [http://sethroberts.net/about/index.html About the Author] on SethRoberts.net] The book outlines a method of natural appetite suppression which can lead to substantial weight loss.

Inspiration

As a graduate student, Roberts studied animal learning, specifically "rat psychology". [http://www.thedietchannel.com/Shangri-La-Diet-Interview-with-Dr-Seth-Roberts.htm Interview with Author Dr. Seth Roberts] The Diet Channel] As a psychology professor, Roberts read a report by Israel Ramirez that studied the stimulation and growth in rats due to saccharine.Ramirez, Israel [http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/120/1/123 Stimulation of Energy Intake and Growth by Saccharine in Rats] September 25, 1989.] Based on this research, he developed a new theory of weight control – eating foods with a low glycemic index and eating sushi – on which he lost twenty pounds. [ [http://sethroberts.net/about/whatmakesfoodfattening.pdf What Makes Food Fattening?] SethRoberts.com PDF]

In 2000, Roberts traveled to Paris. He noticed a loss of appetite, and connected this with drinking sugar-sweetened soda, a food he did not consume at home. [http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2005/09/16/seth-roberts-guest-blogger-finale/ The Elephant Speaks] "It’s true, in the grand scientific tradition, that my discovery of sugar water’s useful effects began with an accident (in Paris)."] He saw a relationship between unfamiliar tastes and loss of appetite, and expanded his weight-loss theory, which led to the Shangri-La Diet. [http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2006/06/27/a-little-bit-of-paris/ A Little Bit of Paris] "It reminded me of being unable to eat in Paris, which led to my discovery of the SLD."]

Book summary

The book features short anecdotes from followers of the diet who had heard of it through Seth's blog or "The New York Times". Roberts' diet is based on the fundamental principle of a set point – the weight which your body "wants to be". When actual weight is below the set point, appetite increases; when actual weight is above the set point, appetite decreases. Furthermore, eating certain foods can raise or lower the set point. Foods that have a strong flavor-calorie relationship (such as fast food or donuts) can raise the set point, whereas bland foods which are slowly digested (like extra light olive oil or fructose mixed with water) can lower the set point. Roberts states that the diet is based upon connecting two unconnected fields: weight control and associative learning. Because of this, the research behind the diet is from multiple fields, ranging from Pavlovian psychology to physiology to rat psychology. [http://sethroberts.net/science/index.html Science behind the diet] on SethRoberts.net] Sclafani et al [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T0P-4GHBPHJ-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1fe4b5e592d73f318736bccef8994f99 Flavor Conditioning as a Function of Fat Source] on ScienceDirect.net] Cabanec, Michel [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T0P-45XTDWY-3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=4231a0644b15e52dcd0a1a52c820f777 Evidence that transient nicotine lowers the body weight set point] on ScienceDaily]

The diet itself consists of taking two to four tablespoons of extra-light olive oil per day (not extra-virgin), either all at once or spanned throughout the day. This must be consumed in a flavorless window, which is at least one hour after flavors have been consumed, and at least one hour before flavors are consumed.cite book
last= Roberts
first= Seth
title= The Shangri-La Diet: The No Hunger Eat Anything Weight-Loss Plan
publisher= Perigee Trade
date= April 24, 2007 – note, can't find original publishing date
isbn= 0399533168] The consumption of these flavorless calories lowers the set point, and therefore, lowers weight.

uccess and reception

Through word of mouth, the book became a "New York Times" bestseller [ [http://www.sethroberts.net/images/2006-05-21_nyt_bestseller.pdf] May 21st, 2006. New York Times Bestseller list.] and reached #2 on Amazon.com's bestseller list. [ [http://calorielab.com/news/2006/05/10/shangri-la-de-da-diet-in-comic-form/ Shangri La De Da Diet in Comic Form] Calorie Lab. May 2006]

The Shangri-La Diet was featured on "Good Morning America", on which journalist Diane Sawyer tried a tablespoon of olive oil.cite news
last =
first =
title = Oil and Water: Key to Weight Loss?
publisher = ABC
date = November 14, 2005
url = http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/BeautySecrets/story?id=1310260
accessdate = 2008-06-26] cite news
last =Dubner
first = Stephen
title = The Shangri-La Diet, Between Hard Covers
publisher = Freakonomics Blog, New York Times
date = November 14, 2005| url = http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/04/20/the-shangri-la-diet-between-hard-covers/
accessdate = 2008-06-26] It received additional coverage by "The Times", ABC News, "The New York Times", and "The Washington Post". [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article1288631.ece A fat lot of use] on TimesOnline.co.uk, Jan 7, 2007] [http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/BeautySecrets/story?id=1310260 Oil and Water: Key to Weight Loss?] on abcnews.com, Nov 14, 2005] Dubner and Levitt [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/11/magazine/11FREAK.html Does the Truth Lie Within?] The Accidental Diet, September 11, 2005.] [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001651.html Diets Do's and Don'ts] on WashingtonPost.com, August 13, 2006]

The diet has been endorsed or mentioned by Tyler Cowen, Stephen Dubner, Tim Ferriss, Tucker Max, and "Wired" magazine writer Gary Wolf. [http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2006/04/the_shangrila_d.html Marginal Revolution:] The Shangri-La Diet, April 7, 2006.] Ferriss, Tim [http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/01/27/relax-like-a-pro-5-steps-to-hacking-your-sleep/ Relax Like A Pro: Five Steps to Hacking Your Sleep] "thanks Seth Roberts, PHD. for this tip"] [http://messageboard.tuckermax.com/showthread.php?p=515754&#post515754 Tipping the Scales] Rudius Media Messageboards] [ [http://absolutelyeverythingelse.blogspot.com/2008/06/annals-of-self-experiment-seth-roberts.html Gary Wolf blog] "'I'm becoming a devoted fan of Seth Robert's, one of the great champion of self-experimentation."] Radio host David Lawrence wrote that he lost over 100 pounds on the diet in the year after Roberts appeared on his radio show. [ [http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/07/13/david-lawrence-down-100-pounds/ David Lawrence Down 100 Pounds!] Seth Roberts Blog. July 2008]

It was heavily criticized by UCLA medical professor Dr. John Ford.Ford, John [http://www.tcsdaily.com/Article.aspx?id=052206D Troubles in Shangri-La] on TCSDaily] In an interview on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's "Sunday Night" program, nutritionist David Jenkins criticized the lack of scientific research validating the diet. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=hR33LNwgGIc David Jenkins] YouTube Video] In the same program, Roberts responded, saying that the results are there for all to see and that "there was no need for a big study to demonstrate the obvious". Jenkins admitted that the diet can only be benign, saying, "It is both cheap and safe."

References

External links

* [http://www.sethroberts.net/ Official website of Seth Roberts] . Includes a [http://blog.sethroberts.net/ blog] and a [http://boards.sethroberts.net/index.php forum] .
* [http://www.amazon.com/Shangri-Diet-Hunger-Anything-Weight-Loss/dp/0399153640 The Shangri-La Diet on Amazon] ,
* [http://shangrilawatcher.blogspot.com/ The Original Shangri-La Diet Blog]