Customer Reviews

Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones for a Hot and Healthy Body!

5 star:		(184)
4 star:		(61)
3 star:		(41)
2 star:		(22)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

Interesting book though far, far too much science in it for the average person (BTW - I have a Master's degree and a former college roommate is now a registered dietician so I've been around related books and discussions and still found this hard to follow).

Also, it's far too extreme for the average person. For example, we can't all afford 100 percent organic all the time nor can we completely avoid plastic wrap and related carrying containers. Also, the book contradicts itself in a lot of places. I suspect the editor was MIA when it came to cross referencing.

The bottom line in this book is to stop eating all the fake food that we currently put into our systems and you'll lose weight. Since reading this book, I've significantly cut processed foods loaded with chemicals (yes, that means the Activia yogurt, low calorie jello and pudding, cool whip and other so called low calorie snacks that actually make you gain weight). I've replaced a lot of food staples with organic and have seen a big difference in my weight and disposition.

For the person who wants to get smarter about the way 'the man' is ruining our diets and making money through cheap, processed foods, the core elements of this book could have been better addressed in a 500-750 article along the lines of 'Top 10 Ways to Lose Real Weight and Keep it Off.' Here's some key tips from the book to save yourself the time and expense of reading it:

1. Stop eating chemicals because your body doesn't know how to process them, therefore, you gain weight.
2. Choose the real food (real cheese, for example) over the lower fat because you'll eat less and feel more satiated.
3. Go organic when possible.
4. You can still eat chocolate and drink wine but everything in moderation.
5. Opt for glassware over plastic to cut down more chemical absorption.
6. Those 100 calorie snacks are pure marketing and chemicals.
7. You still have to work out, people. And really work out to break a sweat.
8. The amount of chemicals that have snuck into our food system has reached an alarming rate. Makes you wonder about the rise in cancer, diabetes and auto immune diseases.
9. Think twice about OTC drugs as they also contain chemicals.
10. Eat better/eat right and you can cut down a lot of health issues and drop a few pounds while you're at it.

FINALLY seeing progress again! Wasn't sure to purchase this book or not but the points seemed to fit my situation to a 'T' so I gave it a shot.
I'm not an organic person and never avoided anything processed before. So this is all a HUGE jump for me.

Let me first sum up my situation: Lost 50 pounds in the last 2 years and still need to drop another 50 pounds. I was eating between 1200 and 1400 calories a day and working out EVERYDAY for 45 minutes cardio/weights. I was doing everything right and everything that went in my mouth went in my food journal. There was no cheating and no excuses. According to my calorie intake and calorie burn I should have dropped 2 pounds a week consistantly. And every week when I got on the scale it was up 2 pounds or didn't move! Total frustration and wanted to just SCREAM!

Then I see this new Jillian Michaels MASTER YOUR METABOLISM and the point of the scale not moving no matter how good you ate and how hard you worked out. HEY what did I have to lose!?

So it has been 10 days on her program and sticking to it faithfully and the weight is just pealing away! Down 8 pounds in just 10 days, like my body has finally said "OK... time to let it go". I haven't changed my workouts, they are still constant. I am following her main guidelines for eating and am consuming WAY more in volume of food and the calories I'm keeping at the 1200-1400. I feel soo full, never craving any junk. And I think, no way I'm going to lose weight because I feel soo bloated but in the morning.... the scale shows another drop!

It works for me and I'm not going to go back! 3 months of perfect work and no results VERSUS changing to a healthier eating plan and more food volume with RESULTS! Took about 5 days before the scale and my body agreed to start releasing the pounds.

I have read a lot of books on physiology, more specifically hormones and metabolism, written by people with board-certified medical degrees. This book explains almost all of what the others do, plus more recent research, in a much easier to read format with helpful charts and references. I was very surprised a book of this quality could come from a non-degreed personal trainer. I have a new respect for Jillian Michaels for passing along medical researched-based facts (many pages of peer-reviewed medical references in the back if you want to check the sources) and dispelling myths like working out on an empty stomach, and the problems with soy and other substances interacting with hormones. Her own story is very interesting and there is a very thorough section explaining hormones and their interconnecting roles in our health. I've already started cleaning out my fridge and cabinets.

Let me first say that in the past year I have increasingly been drawn to basic foods (without all the packaging etc.) and have loved it. My favorite breakfast is a hot cereal made of oats, millet, quinoa and other grains. My husband makes bread in our house. We've increased our fruits and veggies. Still I think that many people take "organic" too far for our family.

Jillian starts out with her experiences of her childhood and her connections to food and then goes on to her youth where she started to get fit and healthy. Still everything was a struggle for her. Then she found her hormones were out of whack.

Jillian talks about a number of different hormones, what they do and how they affect your body - weightwise and other ways. She helps you to identify the hormones that may be giving you problems.

Once she does that she goes through the 3 steps of her program which include getting rid of all the foods with additives of different kinds (she tells you just what to look for) and then gives you ideas of organic foods you should look for. It isn't just foods though - she talks about other items in your house that may cause problems such as cosmetics and plastics.

I love how much information was in the book and that it was easy to understand. She has a ton of resources listed in the back.

If you want to learn more about how your hormones affect your weight you might like this book (I do wish though there was more that talked to type 1 diabetics directly though as I've had a number of questions for myself). If you're ready to go organic the book may be for you. If you're not ready to go organic you will probably find some good information anyway. If "organic" annoys to you no end I would pass on the book.

Personally, I will be able to use some of the information, but won't be going to the extremes she suggests.

First off, let me say I'm a huge Jillian fan and have all of her books and videos (which up until now have been impeccable), but this book was a major disappointment to me. I felt like I read through an entire book that could have been summed up in one sentence, "Go organic and stay away from chemicals". I agree with the major premise of this book - that people need to eat whole, unprocessed food and steer clear from sodas and anything with artificial or chemical ingredients. But a lot of her recommendations I thought were utter nonsense.

In the remove section of the book, Jillian advocates for us to clear out our cupboards of all the processed garbage and rather than give it to a food shelter, we should throw it away because it is not fit for human consumption. In theory I agree with this, but in our current economic climate I would rather see a family eat a box of Hamburger Helper I give to the food shelter rather than go hungry. It's not ideal nutrition, but it's still food.

In the replace section we are purchasing all organic foods which in an ideal world would be doable. But these foods are costly and sometimes difficult to come by. I live in a fairly small town and trying to find organic produce and meat can be difficult. She indicates that everyone has the money to buy organic it's just a matter of choosing to give up your "gossip rag" and buy organic. I disagree and think a lot of people really can't afford to buy organic (heck - plenty of people are finding it hard to pay bills).

Where Jillian lost me is the section in which she discusses removing all medication with an anti- in front of it - such as antihistamines, anti-inflammatories, and antidepressants. What? Now I realize that these medicines do indeed interact with our bodies chemistry, but we have to weigh the pros and cons. I'm a seasonal allergy sufferer and my symptoms are severe. If I quit my antihistamine my eyes almost swell shut, my sinuses completely clog, I can't breathe, what is she thinking? I'm a healthy, active, normal weight individual who eats clean the majority of the time, so my symptoms can't be attributed to my diet or what I'm ingesting. And what about people on antidepressants? I personally don't like antidepressants for myself, but I have plenty of friends who have seen drastic improvements in their feelings of well-being. Going off medication should be something that is done when a person has all the information, not just done to get rid of chemicals in the body.

I believe in the major concepts of this book, eat clean, remove toxins, exercise and take care of yourself, but the book felt like a big sermon from a soap box and I simply didn't get it. I was so excited about this book, that I downloaded it to my Kindle the moment it became available - and I was so disappointed at the information presented by the end of the book. Jillian is my motivational gal when it comes to fitness and nutrition, but this book was a waste of money.

I've been seeing an endocrinologist for about 6 months and much of what I've paid a lot of money for is in this book. As I've incorporated his suggestions, I've also seen the following changes: my cholesterol went down 80 points; my antihistamine use went from 3 months of the year to 2 weeks; I've reduced the quantity of antidepressants I take every day; my exercise tolerance has increased; my sweet tooth has nearly disappeared (which alone is remarkable) and I very rarely need my asthma inhaler. I don't buy organic everything --but generally the foods I eat the most, I do. I'm in my mid-50's, so I'm looking for quality of life rather than a "hot body" (this is a secondary goal) but my mood and mental actuity have improved so much I would swear the clock turned back 25 years. This book is a lot cheaper than my consultants have been -- read it and slowly incorporate the suggestions and you'll see improvement in your daily life.

Jillian's book (Master your Metabolism) is incredible. I've read countless books, and often nodded my head (yeah I knew it all) - but this... Master Your Metabolism has (so far) blown me out of the water.

I've been completely shocked at a lot of what I'm reading. I'm half way through so far and wasn't going to post until I had actually implemented it 100%, but I felt I had to comment now after reading a few of the negative posts. (Everyone's entitled to their opinions - but I felt the need to dispel some points).

I think some are completely missing the point... perhaps not actually reading the book (and basing it on the reviews or synopsis as some have admitted), or aren't taking it in logical stance. (Which seems to be the only bad comments are from those who downloaded it on the kindle rather than buying the full size book with charts, etc.)

1) If you are of normal weight and think this isn't helpful - Most of us reading this are NOT and are dealing with the exact issues Jillian (and others) have... PMS issues that doctors can't find answers for... metabolism issues they refuse to look further into (cuz you know, we're likely just gorging our faces even though we claim we're not and we're lazy... )... knowledge is power, and if you're facing ANYTHING related to hormones and metabolism (very specifically, trouble losing weight!) then this is a MUST READ

2) Frankly while the aspect of eating healthy is a given, MUCH of the information was NOT well known to the extent she's gone to give it. (Do you know how hard it is to get a referral to a half decent doctor who WILL look further and not brush you off here in Canada anyway?? Often they won't even look further no matter how much you beg and plead, they tell you to lose weight and you'll be better. Yeah - DUH... thats why many are seeking help!)

I consider myself to be quite knowledgable on the aspect of healthy food etc. after everything I've done and tried and read, but if you've ever struggled with weight loss after working out 1-2 hours *per day* faithfully and had it crawl (when you ARE eating perfectly etc etc), and (like Jillian) suddenly gained 10 pounds back for no reason, then this book is absolutely excellent.

Regarding the comments of those who are complaining about Going off the "anti" stuff (okay I'm half way into the book so haven't totally gotten to that point yet) - frankly is just common sense. If you NEED it, you don't go off it especially without seeing a dr. first.

Example: I take Claritin sinus for 2 reasons - a) antihistamine - I can't eat fresh fruit or veggies without it or my throat itches like crazy... b) I was told by my doctor to take the claritin sinus regularly because I'm very prone to sinus infections due to mold/seasonal allergies. So its - I take the antihistimine to be able to eat fresh fruit/veggies... or I get none and have to cook it all (which loses nutrients... salad doesn't cook well LOL)

If a person is on antidepressants or something that a dr prescribed, they should use their best judgement and incorporate things one at a time... Even Jillian at the beginning of the book very clearly states, use it all, use only some - its your call. (Not her exact words, just paraphrasing).

Eat healthy. Get started. Take control of your life - then gradually you'll likely be able to get rid of those other things (anti...) And if not, then that's that.

My point is, Jillian makes it very informative - like anything should be - so you can make an informed decision.

You wouldn't have a surgery without knowing the risks, etc. - so why on earth would you complain because she recommends going off some of these things? The choice is ultimately yours, by weighing the pros and cons, by working with your dr if needed, and by improving your overall health. (It's a known fact that many people who are obese or overweight DO go off of many medications once they lose the weight).

Eat healthy, organic as much as you can - its not always possible, but the point is - even eating fresh fruit/veggies/, etc., eating healthier foods even not organic is far better than the chemical laden packaged foods that most of us had NO idea what was seriously in them (even though we thought we understood).

Did you know there were so many different names for MSG? I certainly didn't! Did you know that some colas (Hint: Even a bottle of gingerale I had in my house for when someone is sick!) contains that BPA(?) chemical that in the sun turns cancerous! EEK!

You think carbonated water and sugar... Most of us have *no idea* what's truly in the things we eat/drink. This book is an incredible eye opener.

The 6 Week Body Makeover is a great program... I lost the 30 pounds then gradually gained most back... now I know why: while they were on the right track, they totally missed how hormones actually affect you and your metabolism. Several foods the 6WBM "banned", Jillian is okay with, in moderation of course.

If you use your brains and logic, but gradually implement this, I bet you'll see a huge difference. I'm half way through the book, beginning to implement, and looking forward to some improvement in my overall health.

Jillian is giving the info *beyond* info to help us tackle everything holding us back.

I haven't yet bothered to recommend a book on Amazon - but this book should be absolutely everywhere. And no, I'm not a fanatic;) - just finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, finding that there's actually some legitimate hope, that I'm NOT at my whits end for no reason.

If you don't own it - buy it - hard copy. Devour it. It's worth ten times the price in information.

I bought this book for someone as a gift, I opened it to read a couple of pages and literally could not put it down, so I kept it for myself, finishing it in one day.

I consider myself informed on healthy living and eating but this book brought a whole new dimension to it. Jillian explains how chemicals and toxins in food may be affecting our metabolism and the benefits of eating pure whole "clean" foods. Everything in the book is a simple concept but it just makes SOO much SENSE! Something I had never considered before as I ate healthy but my diet had harmful chemicals in it.

Honestly this book has completely changed the way I look at food, I look at it as nourishment and I want the most pure untainted food to go into my body. Now when I look at processed items or things with aspertame I just think chemicals and that it will harm my body. So this book is very helpful to learn how to eat healthy on a whole new level, the peace of mind is a wonderful result but the physical result is also amazing. I have been following her guidelines for 2 weeks now and see amazing results and I just feel so pure and healthy, knowing my body has clean energy to burn off.

I highly recommend this book for ANYONE, I think it is written wonderfully and you have the ability to go into as much detail as you would like or to just get the main concepts and go back later. Also as far as the "diet" which really is not dieting, you can follow that as little or much as you would like. Even if you just got a few helpful tips from her, it is well worth the health of your body, the vessel that is bringing you through this life. Jillian explains what items are more important to buy organic (ex:dairy and berries) and what items you may not have to..

All in all GET THIS BOOK :) It is soo informative and helpful

I love Jillian Michaels and own 3 of her kick butt workout DVD's. Since I didn't own any of her books, I was very interested to hear her thoughts on metabolism. The content in this new book is certainly impressive and makes a lot of sense. Although I already knew a lot of the information, she did surprise me with a few things that I'm starting to integrate into my own life. I feel that going totally organic would never work for our family unless we win the lotto but I do try to find things on sale here and there and believe that organics are a good thing. I think that even if you take just a few ideas from this book it would improve your life and your health, however, to follow it to the letter would prove extremely difficult unless you are one of the lucky few that can afford to do all your shopping at the natural foods market. My only disappointment with this book is that I bought it for the Kindle and could not read any of the charts or food lists (a large and important part of the book). Even with the font enlarger on the Kindle, the tiny print could not be expanded for legibility. What a bummer. Please learn from my mistake and buy this book on paper, do NOT buy this book for your kindle!!

I am a self proclaimed health guru. I have read many books gone to ND's, herbalist, Iridogist etc... so much of this information was not new to me. Somehow however in these pages Jillian was able to really get to me in a way that no other information has before. I am horrified at what we all subject our bodies to and what is thrust upon us without our knowledge but happy to finally be ready to do something about it! I am tired of being "skinny fat" and thrilled that someone understands the problem with this type of body composition and why I am this way. I get it now and I know how to change it. It is a reasonable solution. I also have problems with blood sugar and endometriosis that I believe these changes will help dramatically. Thank you to Jillian and all the worked with her on this research. Phenominal job!

I want to comment on some of the negative comments. Jillian does suggest not taking drugs however she also mentions to check with your doctor and that she wouldnt want to live in a world where there isnt modern medicine. Also, the part where she says to REMOVE toxic foods, chemicals, household and cosmetics that are toxic and throw them away she makes a good point. Junk is junk and no one should have it. I did opt to give mine away just because the people I gave it to are not interested in a healthier lifestyle at this point. Each person needs to make their own decision but she was making the point that it is JUNK.

This is the first book on health/diet that I agree with almost 100% there were only a few things I didnt agree on for one using Xylitol as a sweetner it is also a chemical and should not be used.

All and All this is a MUST read and is now my number 2 health bible!