Customer Reviews

6-Day Body Makeover: Drop One Whole Dress or Pant Size in Just 6 Days--and Keep It Off

5 star:		(62)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This is a great book. I have seen Michael Thurmond on Extreme Makeover and his infomercial for the Six Week Body Makeover. I thought this book would be a great way to sample his ideas. In the six days since the book arrived, I am down a size, and more importantly, I'm not hungry and have more energy. The book has you take a quiz to determine if your body type is A, B, C, D or E. Then it recommends an eating plan for your body type. The eating plans have you eating five or six small meals a day, combining measured portions of protein with certain vegetables, fruits or carbohydrates. The book also recommends daily long slow distance exercise, like walking for 45 to 60 minutes. Then he tells you how to modify the eating plan after the six days by adding additional fruits, vegetables and carbohydrates. He also includes modifications to his plan for certain health problems. I have been doing Weight Watchers, but without much recent success. I find that this works well with Weight Watchers. This past week I lost several pounds, and more importantly, gained energy. I just feel so good when I follow this plan.

I've admired Michael Thurmond's work since I first saw him appear on Extreme Makeover. I purchased this book soon after it was published, excited to try out his plan for myself. The book is well written and well organized, offering a personal body type test in order to identify the correct six day meal plan for each individual.

I didn't expect to lose an entire dress size at the end of the six day period (I'm not overweight, but I'm trying to lose about 10 pounds and tone up for the summer). As I expected, I had not lost a whole dress size at the end of the six days, though I did lose 4 pounds, and more importantly, I learned some excellent eating habits and workout tips. For the past two or three years, I've consumed more frozen meals than I can remember. I always find myself starving about two hours after consuming one, however. Michael's book promotes a very "whole foods" approach to eating, offering recipes with virtually no sugar or salt. I can honestly say I was not hungry one time during the 6 day period (I did tire of chicken breast and turkey breast from time to time, but I did not follow all of the recommended recipes).

All in all, I believe that this is a great read for anyone that wants to learn more about health and finess, metabolism, and a healthy approach to eating.

Though it did have some good ideas about diet and eating healthy it does also have some drawbacks that people should know about.

The menus advocate drinking lots of water (no juice), eliminating added sugar, consuming low salt, whole foods and eating 5-6 times a day. Sound advice.

The book is a volume of common sense but it may be difficult for people just starting to eat healthy. For example, all dairy, breads, no nuts, and pastas are eliminated from the program. Some critics say this is reason enough for concern. However, dairy is not a necessary part of the human diet, it is a convenience for many but is an allergen for many more. So its elimination is beneficial as it is taking away a potential allergy source and extra calories since many people consume too much dairy. It is a misconception that you can't get enough calcium without dairy products. However you will want to choose vegetable sources with high levels of calcium and do NOT use this plan for a long-term diet. Many plans are very high in protein and this can deplete stores of calcium. Many people live quite happily without copious amounts of bread or pasta and the sample plans give a quite nice 35-40 grams of fiber, which is far more than the average American eats.

If you already eat low dairy, breads, and pasta, you won't miss anything. If you make these items a large part of your diet, you will go through some withdrawls. Nuts should be eaten in moderation as they are high in fat and often high in salt if you can't get them unsalted and eliminating them for 6 days is no sweat.

Metabolism types (A-E) are emphasized in the book and you will not be using half of the book for this reason. Some say that there is no such thing as eating for your "type". And those who oppose the book cite this as a reason to dismiss it entirely. However, it is absolutely true that people react to foods in different ways and it is wise for certain people not to eat large amounts of certain foods. Some people do well with meat in their diet and some get very ill. Keep this in mind.

Be warned, this is a LOW CALORIE PLAN. The menu plans (for men and women) total exactly 1200 calories for women (I didn't evaluate the man but it is probably 1500) and the book DOES NOT take into consideration age, current weight, or activity level. A larger more active person should consume more than 1200 calories a day. There is no harm in upping the vegetables and recommended fruits if you still feel hungry or light headed. It is easy to overeat chocolate cake, not so easy to overeat a bowl of mixed vegetables or grapefruit!

This book is ONLY meant to be used for 6 days so consider it a mini-fast which is not harmful in such a short period of time.

If you eat the average amount of salt that Americans eat and are in the American perpetual state of dehydration, women especially will loose excess water weight quite quickly when they start hydrating with the 10 glasses of water and eliminating excess salt. This is the cause of the initial rapid weight loss and is not fat (this is not a bad thing). With the large percentage of proten, some exercise is a must as that is the reason why the percentage is so high (this doesn't mean killing yourself--just get moving--start somewhere). Without beginning to exercise and having a commitment to eating good whole foods this "kick start" will not benefit you.

If you already eat quite well, drink plenty of water, and have just been over eating calorically, you will NOT see the dramtic results promised and this book is not for you. If you want to use this program longer than 6 days, then this book is not for you as in that context it would be just another severely calorie restricting short term diet and you will be setting up yourself for failure (the menus are extremely monotonous).

Use herbs and spices generously with NO SALT added (no cold cuts). This will give the turkey, chicken, beef, fish, eggs, tofu, beans more flavor and you won't miss the salt. Critics of the books complain that they are encouraged to eat meat all day. Yet the average American already eats meat all day (and they aren't always lean). People will ofen have bacon for breakfast, turkey cold cuts for lunch and then go out to a restaurant and think nothing of ordering the prime rib, chicken parm, or salmon and eating it all in one sitting (depending on the restaurant that is 2-4 servings on a plate and a serving is 3oz)! The book advocates eating lots of lean protein (protein is in more than meat) throughout the day rather than all at once.

The fact is that the majority of the BUYING public eats meat.

I would not reccomened this book to Vegetarians and Vegans, however, if one feels that a 6 day mini-fast would be beneficial to them, substitute 1 to 1 the meat items with tofu, beans, TVP and egg whites (if not vegan). Be very careful of processed veggie product which can be very high in sodium content and should not be eaten in large quantities. Pescetarians will have no problem, just substitute fish and the recommended items for vegetarians for all instances of chicken or beef.

I can not emphasize enough that this is a 6 day, kick-start, mini-fast plan not a long term solution. After the six days is up, consume more calories so that you can up your exercise routine, add more carbohydrate foods to balance, add more variety of fruit and vegetables, and make salads more interesting with a small amount of nuts. Learn what a portion size is so that you can enjoy, for example, some WHOLE WHEAT spaghetti with no-salt added tomato sauce (or make your own) with your vegetables without over indulging.

FIRST the CONS. You WILL lose weight on this diet but you will lose weight on almost any diet. I feel VERY strongly however, that the vast majority of people are dropping ONLY water weight in the first week on this plan.

ANY DIET THAT ELIMINATES 100% SALT will make you shed weight quickly. But is it FAT you are losing in that first week? NO!
The hideously unhealthy Atkins diet makes you lose some dramatic weight and "inches" in the first week too, because, even though you are eating the opposite kinds of foods, the result is SIMILAR in the short term: you are temporarily flushing out the water weight from your system!

To show you how extreme Thurmond's diet is: it even forbids CELERY. Celery is a no-no because of its natural sodium content. The truth is that celery is a helpful, low calorie food that adds roughage to the stomach and if you can eat it you are better off.

IF YOU THINK YOU CAN ELIMINATE ALL SALT AND ALL FATS from your diet, then MAYBE you can stick with this.

Example: My body type guidelines tell me I am allowed 2-3 egg whites cooked ONLY in a DRY teflon pan with nothing added. Puke. Isn't that appetizing in the morning? My mid-morn "snack" is 2 oz. of water packed tuna (that's about 1/5 of a tiny can) with NO SALT added. I would rather eat nothing at all than eat like this.

I think the diet is VERY misleading to suggest you will EAT MORE and loss weight. This is nonsense. If you get out an electronic scale and measure the portions he allows you will see they are miniscule... about right for 108 lb. anorexic model!

This guy Thurmond is a millionaire because so many hoped he had the next magic bullet. I have to say I pretty thoroughly agree with the past reviewer, "Send me the money, here's your answer." There are NO easy shortcuts. Diets do NOT work. If they did work, everyone would have only been on one. Instead, most of us have been dieting all our lives, and are STILL all too willing to part with our money thinking the next one will work the magic.

It doesn't. It won't.

The REAL answer is the one thing we hate most of all to hear: Exercise and correct eating of healthy foods in great moderation (meaning major lifestyle changes folks) does work. Eating for health and not for pleasure also works.

If you CAN follow this diet, God bless you. But you STILL have to exercise and make those lifestyle changes if you don't want to gain it back.

The PROS of this program consist of two real GEMS...

1. Thurmond's super advice on HOW to exercise at the proper level and intensity was extremely helpful. I was finally able to understand why aerobics are a joke for some of us. SLOWER and longer are far better.

2. Thurmond correctly helps you identify and focus on doing the right exercises to slim down (not bulk up) for your particular body type. Why do grueling lunges if you already have well-developed legs? Better to concentrate your energy where you need it. He explains this very nicely.

Overall, Thurmond is a wonderful on exercise advice. I was exercising too much and doing the wrong type of exercise. I am grateful to know this now.

I recommend getting this from your library. You can learn the gems he offers in a couple hours of reading and forget the diet itself.

I'm a 34 yr-old male. Being about 25 lbs over-weight almost all my life and hating sports and long cardio workouts, I tried the plan in Michael Thurmond's book and was astonished to find that I lost 4 lbs in the six days.

I can honestly say that I didn't expect to lose any weight at all because I was still eating lots of real food and not sweating in the gym. The big secret of this plan is eating the right food for your body type at the right time. The only negative thing I can say is that you have to buy and prepare a lot of natural food ahead of time so that when it comes time for a meal, you're not scratching your head wondering what to make while starving. The recipes included are all very delicious, and because you're eating whole, natural food, there aren't a lot of ingredients. For my body type I had to buy and eat lots of chicken breast and fresh fish (which can get expensive) along with lots of veggies and some fruit. Do yourself a favor: plan to start your 6 days on a Sunday, do all your shopping for the week on the Saturday before, prepare your first 3 days worth of meals on Saturday and then do another round of food prep on the Tuesday night for the last 3 days.

For exercise during the 6 days, all I did was go on a brisk walk (as if I was in a hurry to get somewhere but didn't want to run) around the block for 45-60 mins 3 times during the week. That's it - that's all he recommends! There is also a free support website with a huge community of other people following the plan, which helps a lot.

Note: If you think you can't live without breads, cereal, pasta, or dairy for 6 days, then don't even try it. My wife lasted only one day because she claims her body craves milk and dairy foods too much. You need the will power to stick with this plan for 6 days. I did it and lost 4 lbs. I was never hungry during the week. Actually, I felt full most of the time because I was eating a small meal every 3 hours.

I highly recommend this book if you have an important event to attend and don't have much time to get back into shape. Once you successfully complete the 6-day plan, you can either modify it (by introducing small amounts of carbs and dairy back into your meals) for a life-long plan, or repeat the plan once a month.

If you don't have the desire and discipline to stick to a 6-day plan, then I guess you better save your money for that tummy tuck! Good luck and best wishes!

I'm trying to get my weight back on track. I'm 100 lbs. overweight, I have knee problems and it's difficult to do much walking and exercising since I can't get up and down to exercise on the floor. Also, I was retaining fluid in my ankles, and my shoulders were really hurting with tingling in my hands. Actually my arthritis was pretty much making me hurt all over--all I wanted to do was sit in my recliner and sleep. TWO DAYS AFTER STARTING THE DIET (I'm an Endomorph), I FELT IMPROVEMENT -- LESS SHOULDER PAIN, LESS TINGLING IN MY HANDS. The greatest motivation to stay on the diet was the fact I was feeling better, I don't want to eat sugar, or flour products. Plus, I'm down 10 pounds in 10 days. I have more energy and am able to get up out of my chair and walk without difficulty. My shoulder pain and tingling in my hands is almost gone. I'm looking forward to continued improvement.

Regarding negative comments of this plan, it is not intended to follow the strict six-day diet past 10 days. In the chapter, "The Seventh Day and Beyond," you can add additional foods which make it easier.

I'm writing this on day 6 of the 6 day body makeover. I lost 5 pounds! I didn't expect to loose so much because I'm not that much over weight, in fact five pounds was my goal! I'm going to Hawaii in two weeks and wanted to be swim suit ready. This way of eating is very foreign to me because two servings of meat a day is my usual max. I stuck to it though and now jeans that were too tight last week fit again. My stomach is flatter than it has been in a long time. This diet rocks! p.s I'm over 40 and loosing weight wasn't easy anymore, until now!!!!!

I have to say...WOW. I'd give this book ten stars if I could. This is one of the most amazing things I've ever encountered. The surprising thing is that nothing in it is particularly revolutionary--it's stuff I've always known, but just never really GOT. Processed foods, sugar, salt, etc...not good for you. Duh, we all know this, but somehow just having it all set down in a nice, neat, no-nonsense fashion did the trick. I lost eight pounds in six days (not quite enough for a whole size for me, but a substantial loss), my husband lost nine (we did the plan together), and when the six days were over, we had no problem adapting the eating plan to continue losing weight at a slower pace. I started the plan on Sunday, April 9, and lost eight pounds by Saturday, April 15. It's now May 4, and I have lost another seven pounds for a total of fifteen. Fifteen pounds in a month! And I'm not hungry, not fatigued, not even BORED with this diet. I'm in heaven.

The ONLY critique I have on this diet isn't even really a complaint for me, but I could see how others might have a hard time with it: the food prep. Since you eat so frequently, you really do have to take a day or two and prepare all the food ahead of time. For me, it was no problem; I absolutely love to cook, and a whole day of trying out new recipes was an exciting challenge instead of a chore, but others who don't like to spend the day in the kitchen might find it tedious.

And the food...one reviewer said it was "bland," but, with all due respect, I think maybe he/she might have just accidentally picked some of the less-exciting recipes. The Indian marinade for poultry? Stunning. And the lemon-cilantro fish filets are incredible. Plus there are quite a few salt free seasonings and marinades out there, though you might have to search a bit; they don't jump out at you, but once you know where they are...bingo.

My eating habits have changed; my exercise habits have changed; heck, my whole mindset about food, weight, and discipline...it's all changed. It sounds crazy, and maybe this diet isn't for everyone, but it's certainly for me. I've made more progress in a month than I have in the past year, and I expect to reach my goal weight by the end of the summer. I never thought I'd be so happy to have seen an infomercial in my life!

I stuck to it, and cut out all the salt and sugar and drank all the water and I lost 10 pounds in 5 days actually. I read all the reviews here about the book and yes I agree with some that say that any diet if stuck to will work. With this one however I was not hungry, I was not left guessing what to eat and I had no questions about what to do. It works plain and simple. I am now doing his 6 week body makeover and so far I have lost 25 more pounds and I am learning about portion control, what to eat, when to eat, how much, etc. I honestly don't miss the salt, but then I am not a salt fiend and there are enough sugar substitutes that I am okay. The weight pretty much melts off with this diet. Its amazing. Not easy, but it works and alot of other things have not worked for me. I reccomend it if you are serious and can stick to an eating plan. My blood pressure has also improved and people at work have noticed a difference.

I am a huge fan of Michael Thurmond and have a great deal of respect for him. I have started the 6-day program four times, and each time I only make it to the third or fourth day. Why? Because it is just sooooo tiring having chicken in the morning, chicken for lunch, chicken in the afternoon and chicken for dinner. You are constantly eating rice and vegetables too. You'll find that unless you get very creative, you'll be eating the same food over and over and over again. It is very difficult to stick to a program when you don't enjoy the food you eat. It was hard for me to enjoy my meals & snacks because I was just so tired of eating the same things day in and out. If you can get creative and try to vary the meals, I think it will work better. This system DOES work. However, it is difficult in that most days you eat the same things.