The Maximum Weight Loss version (usually seen as MWLP on forums and FaceBook) is a subset of the regular program.
Dr. McDougall claims that most people can lose weight on his regular program (Details in this link:
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/educ ... l-program/ )
but if one wishes to lose weight faster or have medical conditions that warrant it, like heart disease or diabetes, there's MWLP, a stricter version (Details here:
viewtopic.php?p=265094#p265094 )
When you see people on-line calling the McDougall program the "Starch Solution", they're also referring to the basic program, not MWLP. All but one of his books refer to the regular program, not MWLP.
Dr. McD advises starting out with the regular program and see how it goes. Weight loss will be slow and steady, he says, and he assumes most people can lose 1-2 pounds a week following the more liberal plan. In his book, The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss, he said some people can lose 3-4 pounds a week following MWLP.
Of course, everyone is different, and weight loss depends on many factors, such as how much you weigh, how much you were eating prior to starting the program, age, sex, activity level, etc. When you read through the forums you'll see a lot of the Star McDougallers and other people who lost large amounts of weight, they lost the bulk of it doing the regular program but had to tighten it up and follow the MWLP restrictions to get those last few pounds off. Then again, you'll also find others who didn't lose a pound until they did MWLP. Everyone is different.