Many Similarities Between McDougall and Engine 2 Diets

I rejoined the Engine 2 Extra site again and have been spending time catching up on all the group posts. One in particular struck my eye. It's written by one of their "coaches," Ami, and is in response to someone new who was struggling with weight loss (and food allergies, but that's a moot point). It's behind a pay-wall so the general public can't see it.

Here's part of her post:

For best results - skip the avocados/nuts/seeds/smoothies.
Chew your food instead of drinking calories.
Here are my best tips for maximum benefit:

• No oil at all in any product, by itself, or in a cooking spray. Zero.

• If you are trying to lose weight or have heart disease, skip nuts and avocados.

• Keep products that have a barcode to an absolute minimum.

• Keep the sodium low - use no salt added or reduced sodium products.

• Keep sweeteners to 1 tablespoon or less per day.

• Snack on ONLY fruits and veggies

• Do not drink ANY calories. Only water or herbal tea.

• Become caffeine free.

• Make the bulk of your plate veggies, 1/4 grains, 1/4 protein

• Follow the calorie density scale when assembling meals and snacks.

• Become a label reading expert and adhere to the label reading rules always!

• Do not use ANY processed Vegan substitutes - no V. burgers, V.sour cream, V. cheese etc.

Sound familiar, fellow McDougallers? It should, since Jeff Novick is also one of *their* nutritionists. The only real difference I see between what Ami wrote and what Dr. McDougall says is in the proportions. Dr. McDougall stresses that our plate should be at minimum half starch, and as far as I know, I thought the Engine 2 diet books said the same thing, but I see Ami here saying the starches (grains) should be kept to a quarter of the plate. I wonder if this is her own bias, just as some of the Star McDougallers push MWLP and 3/4 of the plate as veggies on the McDougall forums.