Customer Reviews

The 90/10 Weight-Loss Plan: A Scientifically Designed Balance of Healthy Foods and Fun Foods

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Let me first say that I am not the kind of person who believes one eating plan fits all or that the entire population of the world should be eating the same way. People are different and have varying needs so I would never advise anyone else that this book is the only choice and that everyone must or must not follow Bauer's plan. But, speaking for myself and my own progress, I am extremely glad I found this book and I do believe it spared me from a life of obesity, a direction I was headed in quickly. I was a healthy weight throughout high school because of nutritious eating and regular exercise, but after I got into college, the extra pounds piled on. And I don't just mean five or ten or even twenty-- I mean sixty or more. I am five feet tall and thus carrying around that much extra weight had a major impact on how I looked and felt. At my highest, I was at least 180 lbs. I wanted to lose this weight before I moved on to graduate studies, but, with my senior year fast approaching, I didn't know what to do. I saw plenty of ads for fad diets, pills, shakes, etc., and I was scared that following such a plan would be dangerous and leave me worse off than before I started. Fortuitously, I saw Joy Bauer on TV one afternoon promoting this book and the logic sounded simple: eat healthy foods 90 percent of the time and junk foods 10 percent of the time. Marry this notion with portion control and voila. I ordered the book from Amazon and couldn't wait for it to come in the mail. I followed her advice from the first day after I finished reading the book and I also began an exercise regimen of walking at least five days a week. What a difference! I started on the 1600 calorie diet and after about one month, I stepped down to the 1400 calorie diet. Today, I usually oscillate between the two. As of now, I have lost almost sixty pounds and am continuing to lose the rest a little at a time. (Rest assured, though, I did see results within two weeks just as the book promises. After my first two weeks on the 90/10 Plan, I had already trimmed off ten pounds, a feat I thought I might never accomplish.) There have been days when I did not follow the plan religiously, especially on birthdays and special occasions when eating cake or going out for dinner was on the agenda. But I still lost weight and I believe regular exercise carried me through the days when I wasn't eating healthy at all. I also have not eaten only Bauer's menu suggestions. She lists the breakdown of how many calories you should consume at each meal under each plan and I follow that as a guideline. If I feel like a TV dinner, can of soup, homemade meal, etc., instead of one of Bauer's suggestions, I have what I want but follow her caloric limitations. A long story short, I found this to be a plan I could stick with, a plan that helped me tremendously, a plan that I feel healthy and energetic on, and a plan that I would recommend to any friend. If you are serious about a lifestyle change, not a temporary quick fix, and are ready to exercise at least a little bit in addition, I would definitely suggest you pick up a copy of this book.

All I can say is that I've lost more than 25 lbs since I started on this plan 3 months ago! Honestly, I don't exactly follow the plan anymore, but following it religiously for about a month was enough to make me realize that I have choices. It's really all about portion control and watching calories, but I had to follow the plan to learn what an appropriate portion size was. I still refer to the book every now and then for ideas when I'm in a rut. This is not a diet, it's a lifetime eating plan.

I looked through the many books that are out there on eating healthy and dieting and didn't find anything that "clicked." I kept hearing about "Body for Life" and how great it was, but it encouraged you to eat six times a day and drink all these shakes. Yuck! But when I looked at the 90/10 Weight Loss Plan, it all began to make sense. This book is chock full of good, basic nutrition, written in an easy to read format. The plan is actually do-able because you can choose one of her plans (1200, 1400 or 1600 calorie), which shows you how to eat healthy and still have "fun food" (dessert, cookies, ice cream, even fries!) This is a plan that I can actually fit busy schedule, and hopefully will continue the rest of my life. The only reason I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 is that her menus are a bit vague. She doesn't specify the weight or brand of certain items. It kind of leaves it up to you. Also, I would have liked her to have either pictures or some way to help us judge how big a serving is (for example, a deck of cards, etc). Otherwise this book was great!

I can't begin to tell you what a Godsend Joy Bauer's 90/10 Weight-Loss has been for me. Before I found the 90/10 plan I painfully struggled to lose 30 pounds I gained from being laid up with a knee injury two years ago. I was failing with all of the ways I had kept pounds off in my 20's like trying to eat low to no fat, or eliminating carbs, or avoiding desserts (one of my reasons for living) altogether. During the past two years I would stay on these diets for several weeks but my pants still remained a cruel reminder of all those hot fudge sundaes I porked down while on crutches. I felt like garbage and had zero energy. I was back in the eighth grade again-a miserable time when I was a really fat kid and hated the way I looked.

Today all of my clothes fit, I have lots of energy, and I haven't felt this good about how I look in a very long time. The thing that has surprised me the most is how easy it's been. I haven't gnawed the edge of my desk from hunger or been angry that I couldn't have a cookie. I haven't spent my free time consumed with trying to figure out a complicated eating plan, and best of all I haven't been bored. In fact, I feel less like I've been on a diet and more like I've just changed the way I approach eating. Old habits have given way to a better lifestyle. I highly recommend this book.

This is the best weight loss book there is essentially because Joy teaches you to eat right without all the sacrifice. I was very upset with my weight and saw her on a morning tv show. I got the book and read it and thought why not? Within a week I had lost 8 pounds, within three months I had lost 30 pounds and have not gained it back now 6 months later. You take the lessons she teaches you and it becomes second nature. And with her Fun Foods, you don't feel deprived , you just feel healthier and much lighter. If you want to lose weight, you need this book!!!

This is a great book. It's easy to understand and well written. The recipes are incredibly easy to make. I've bought some weight loss books and you have to be a chef to prepare some dishes. The foods she suggests are foods anyone would normally eat. Nothing gross or unusual. She doesn't push the no wheat, no red meat, no dairy, no sugar thing at all. Just regular food from a regular grocery store. Plus, the fun foods are AWESOME. It's guilt free. ANYONE can follow this plan.

Finally, a diet that is not really a diet! These are the eating habits I have encompassed all along which have helped me to lose 30 pounds. It is basically the Food Pyramid in disguise!

It's refreshing, in a world full of books by "doctors" who tell you to eliminate whole food groups!

The 90/10 plan is what I would like to call an "undiet!" Bravo!

I tried every other diet out there and this is the only one that worked for me. I lost 20 pounds in 2 months and have kept it off for the last 7 months. It is great because you can eat any type of food you want and still lose weight. The trick is HOW MUCH you eat. This book really leads you to a healthier lifestyle and a healthier you!

As others have said, a godsend! Just knowing that I can have virtually anything I want, in moderation, has changed my mindset from temporary "diet" to permanent "way of life". Before I bought this book, I thought I would never skip the "fun foods"...why would I? But now that I am following the menu I feel healthier and have virtually no cravings. I can keep chips, cookies, ice cream, etc. in the house without scarfing them down in frustration/starvation. I can go to the supermarket without longing for foods I can't have, because there aren't any!

Do your body a favor; this book will help you get back on the road to healthy nutrition and portion control. It's easy to follow; no hard-to-find ingredients, the recipes are simple, tasty and satisfying. There are two weeks worth of menus, plus some extra dinner dishes. If I can do it, you can too!

I intended to buy The South Beach Diet, but after flipping through it and seeing all the 15-ingredient recipes, I put it right back on the shelf and started browsing. I found 90/10 and decided to take it home with me when I saw that the foods listed were really easy to prepare and that I could have a little of the good stuff (like Nutter Butters, ice cream and french fries) every day. Each meal is assigned a caloric value, so it's easy to make substitutions. This book is a great tool and I'm so glad I found it!