THE LAST DIET BOOK YOU’LL EVER NEED
With so much conflicting weight-loss advice out there to confuse your efforts, it’s no wonder you haven’t been successful losing weight and keeping it off. But with Bob Harper, superstar trainer and co-host of NBC’s hit show The Biggest Loser as your personal authority and coach, you can and will finally shed the pounds—whether you want to lose two or two hundred!
Distilling Bob’s vast knowledge of nutrition, weight-loss strategy, and human nature down to twenty simple, nonnegotiable principles, The Skinny Rules will help you step away from a reliance on processed foods and the need for so much sweet and salt and step into a newly thin lifestyle. And Bob’s methods couldn’t be more straightforward.
Taking the guesswork out of implementing the Skinny Rules, Bob offers a month’s worth of menu plans and more than 90 delicious, rule-abiding recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks to keep you cooking and eating skinny for life. You’ll be happily astounded to see the variety and volume of the tasty food on your plate! He also includes terrific tips for what to stock in your fridge and what to prepare every weekend in order to set yourself up for success during your too-busy-to-cook weekdays.
A virtual GPS to your weight-loss goals, The Skinny Rules takes the mystery out of the process, offering the fastest route to your skinny destination.
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOW AS SIMPLE AS 1-2-3 . . . AND 3-15-18-20 TOO!
Rule #3: Eat protein at every meal, making some kind of fish your go-to protein as often as you can. Take your weight and divide it by two—that’s more or less how much protein you should be eating in grams every day.
Rule #15: Eat at least ten meals a week at home (and cook them yourself). Restaurant portions are usually 40 to 50 percent bigger than what you’d serve at home—the more you eat out, the more you overeat. Set yourself up for success by preparing my turkey meatballs, hummus, and roasted vegetables on the weekend so that you will have go-to staples and no excuses!
Rule #18: Go to bed slightly hungry. Denied fuel for more than five hours, your body will start burning its own fat and sugar. Make a point not to eat after dinner and you’ll be burning fat while you’re sleeping.
Rule #20: Enjoy a splurge meal once a week. Unlike episodic bingeing, splurge meals are an ingredient in your diet. When you plan something, you are in control.
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About the Author
Bob Harper is a world-renowned fitness trainer and star of the NBC reality series The Biggest Loser, which finished thirteenth season in 2012. With several bestselling fitness DVDs, his own line of supplements, an online fitness club, as well as the inspirational book Are You Ready? to his credit, Harper still teaches a local spin class where he resides in Los Angeles with his dog Karl.
Greg Critser is a longtime science and medical journalist. The author of the international bestseller Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World, he lives in Pasadena, California.
Greg Critser is a longtime science and medical journalist. The author of the international bestseller Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World, he lives in Pasadena, California.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
RULE 1
DRINK A LARGE GLASS OF WATER BEFORE EVERY MEAL—NO EXCUSES!
This has got to be the easiest rule there is. Which is a good place to start. But it’s also one of the most important rules there is. You simply must stay hydrated. At a minimum I want you to drink a large glass of water before every meal. But I’d prefer that you drink at least five glasses of water a day, the first one within fifteen minutes of waking.
Now, do I really need to harass you about this? I do. Because during the process of losing weight, nothing is so crucial to your success. Water keeps your organs healthy while you’re sweating, keeps food moving through the system, and makes you feel full.
Let me put this plainly: drinking water helps you lose weight. You can see this most vividly in very overweight children. Recently, a group of Israeli researchers examined the resting energy expenditure (REE) of twenty-one obese children. REE refers to the rate at which you burn calories when you are sleeping, watching TV, or just simply sitting there and staring into space. The researchers gave the kids a large serving of cold water, then began measuring the REE every 10 minutes. The reaction was more robust than anticipated. Within 24 minutes, REE began increasing. By 57 minutes, REE had increased by 25 percent, and this effect lasted 40 minutes.
Did you get that? Just by drinking water, your body increases its burning of calories. The scientists estimated that, if you just do this, you’ll burn off an extra three pounds over the next year.
That doesn’t sound like a lot, but I’ll take it. Won’t you?
The contestants on The Biggest Loser are usually chronically dehydrated, and their collective experience shows another reason to drink lots of water. They are usually pretty big consumers of salt before they come on the show. They eat it unknowingly—in the fried and highly processed foods that are their usual mealtime fare and that helped make them so overweight in the first place—and knowingly; too many of them often add salt to whatever they are served. They are usually eating so much salt that they have begun to mess up the delicate mechanisms of chemical balance so vital to our bodies. When the kidneys are swamped with salt and without adequate liquids, you don’t get enough potassium. That and other minerals are absolutely key to weight loss.
And as my private fitness clients have shown me, drinking more water helps in other physical ways as well. When they start conscientiously drinking lots of water, their workouts improve. They get less muscle fatigue, they recuperate faster, and they don’t feel groggy in the afternoon.
Simple Hydration Tips
Make it your premeal policy: drink a large glass of water before every meal. No excuses.
End the day with preparation for a good start to the next: put a large, full glass of water on your bedstand every night and drink it when you wake up, every morning.
Get a little extra bang for your effort: mix a pitcher of water with a noncaloric vitamin and mineral supplement. I like ElectroMix (one little packet makes a quart), and having the pitcher all mixed and right in front of you will make it that much easier to pour yourself a glass when you open the fridge at every meal; I usually drink mine when I work out.
RULE 2
DON’T DRINK YOUR CALORIES
Caloric beverages steal your health and they steal great food from you. That’s right. They steal it because they are so heavily caloric themselves and will fill you up with all the wrong stuff. Think of the kinds of caloric beverages all around you.
Soft drinks: As you heft one of those cans or buckets of sugar water to your mouth, consider that you are actually eating the equivalent of what should be your entire lunch.
I came to this rule while working on TBL. When I reviewed their pre-TBL meal plans I saw that most contestants were drinking Big Gulps or other massive jugs of soda that had 500 calories. Some people would nurse several of them during the day (that’s upwards of 1,500 calories of soda a day!). Think of it this way: all that corn syrup? It’s a bushel of corn! And remember, when factory farms want to fatten their cattle, what do they do? They feed them corn. So if you are drinking things with corn syrup, think about that. Are you a cow? No you are not.
Moreover, when you drink soda, you are ingesting what just about every legitimate medical authority in the world has named as suspect number one in today’s sprawling diabetes epidemic. A friend of mine tells me that his teenage kids really got the message a few years ago when their father was diagnosed. Now, when a family member asks for a soda, they cheerily reply: “Sure. What kind of diabetes do you want?”
Out of the mouths of babes.
If, like most Americans, you are used to drinking lots of liquid calories, cutting out soda might be a tough adjustment. But it’s essential that you kick your soda habit ASAP. If you’re a full-calorie soda drinker, you’re guzzling empty and unsatisfying calories. If you’re a diet/zero-calorie soda drinker, you haven’t dodged the problem. Hello?! You’re guzzling artificial sweeteners and, as you’ll hear again and again in this book, I don’t think highly of these at all. They only serve to whet your appetite for more sweet! Stop the madness. Kick the habit.
To help wean yourself from your soda habit, start experimenting with other flavored, noncaloric drinks that you can make yourself. Try seltzer water with lime or lemon juice. Stock up on unsweetened, naturally flavored herb teas. Make a quart or so at a time and keep it in the refrigerator to go with your afternoon snack. And there is my tried-and-true alternative—the “soda eliminator” described in Rule 15. Check it out.
Juices and juice drinks: Most juices have exactly the same number of calories—and the same amount of simple sugars—as a cola. Oh, you’ll protest, but doesn’t the fiber in a “natural” juice obviate that problem? No. That’s just what you’ve been told. It is the same as drinking a soft drink. You want fruit? Eat fruit. The whole piece of fruit. Not the extracted and manipulated juice.
Yeah, well, juice smoothies are healthy, right? Maybe “healthy” if you order one with no preservatives or added sugar, but regardless, fruit smoothies that you haven’t made yourself (i.e., you have controlled the portions and know exactly what’s gone in it) will make you as fat as a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float—just like a 32-ounce soda.
Energy replacement drinks: Well, yeah—if you’re training for a marathon. Otherwise, look at the label! A 20-ounce sports drink—let’s face it, that’s how much you’ll “need” to quench that big thirst—weighs in at 130 calories. Like a 12-ounce cola, but without the nifty zing of bubbles and caffeine. I’ve always seen drinks like these as particularly insidious, because they are, in our heads at least, deeply associated with sports, which are deeply associated with health and fitness. You have to break that connection.
Artificial Sweeteners
Though the scientific jury is still out on whether there is a direct relationship between consuming artificial sweeteners and the urge to eat more sweet-tasting things, I know this from experience with clients, with The Biggest Loser contestants, and with myself: the more “sweet” you eat, the more you want it. Another way to put it: when you taste sweet (even the tiny-calorie, artificial kind), you are conditioning yourself to continue wanting and even craving that same sweetness. That continued craving isn’t going to help you lose weight—ever. The biggest favor you can do yourself is to leave your sweet consumption to your splurge meal and learn to keep sweet indulgences in perspective: they are treats, not everyday affairs.
A latte on the way to the gym? Sorry. Milk also has a tanker-full of calories. True, coffee itself—which most of the world drinks without milk, by the way—is turning out to be a positive dietary element, although it’s still unclear why and how much. I’ll get back to that later, but for now, no lattes or chais, frappes, or mochas. If you must get something Euro, get a cappuccino, which contains very little milk (if made the right way), or even an Americano, in which you can better control the amount of milk. And if you must add milk, opt for the low- or no-fat varieties. No cream. No half and half. Whole milk? No again.
Alcohol: Although it might sound odd, if there’s one source of liquid calories that warrants some leeway in my no-sweetened-beverage world, it’s booze. Wine, particularly red wine, deserves a place on your shelf—and on your table. But not when you are trying to lose weight! Until you are at your goal weight, it’s best to view alcohol the same way you would a Big Gulp. When you get to your goal, red wine is the thing. When you’ve kept to your goal, we’ll talk beer.
In the same way I want you to step down from soda, I want you to immediately lay off the cream or half-and-half in your coffee. Don’t even go for the whole milk. Step down, step away! Start putting 2% milk or nonfat (skim) milk in your coffee and ordering any coffee-based drink that way too. Today.
Now, why am I so down on liquid calories? Most of us know the basics: sugary drinks contain, uh, sugar, and sugar is made up of molecules that encourage the formation of new fat cells, as well as keeping existing ones filled. This applies to all sugars, from “natural” ones like honey and juices, to the twin demon spawn of ...
DRINK A LARGE GLASS OF WATER BEFORE EVERY MEAL—NO EXCUSES!
This has got to be the easiest rule there is. Which is a good place to start. But it’s also one of the most important rules there is. You simply must stay hydrated. At a minimum I want you to drink a large glass of water before every meal. But I’d prefer that you drink at least five glasses of water a day, the first one within fifteen minutes of waking.
Now, do I really need to harass you about this? I do. Because during the process of losing weight, nothing is so crucial to your success. Water keeps your organs healthy while you’re sweating, keeps food moving through the system, and makes you feel full.
Let me put this plainly: drinking water helps you lose weight. You can see this most vividly in very overweight children. Recently, a group of Israeli researchers examined the resting energy expenditure (REE) of twenty-one obese children. REE refers to the rate at which you burn calories when you are sleeping, watching TV, or just simply sitting there and staring into space. The researchers gave the kids a large serving of cold water, then began measuring the REE every 10 minutes. The reaction was more robust than anticipated. Within 24 minutes, REE began increasing. By 57 minutes, REE had increased by 25 percent, and this effect lasted 40 minutes.
Did you get that? Just by drinking water, your body increases its burning of calories. The scientists estimated that, if you just do this, you’ll burn off an extra three pounds over the next year.
That doesn’t sound like a lot, but I’ll take it. Won’t you?
The contestants on The Biggest Loser are usually chronically dehydrated, and their collective experience shows another reason to drink lots of water. They are usually pretty big consumers of salt before they come on the show. They eat it unknowingly—in the fried and highly processed foods that are their usual mealtime fare and that helped make them so overweight in the first place—and knowingly; too many of them often add salt to whatever they are served. They are usually eating so much salt that they have begun to mess up the delicate mechanisms of chemical balance so vital to our bodies. When the kidneys are swamped with salt and without adequate liquids, you don’t get enough potassium. That and other minerals are absolutely key to weight loss.
And as my private fitness clients have shown me, drinking more water helps in other physical ways as well. When they start conscientiously drinking lots of water, their workouts improve. They get less muscle fatigue, they recuperate faster, and they don’t feel groggy in the afternoon.
Simple Hydration Tips
Make it your premeal policy: drink a large glass of water before every meal. No excuses.
End the day with preparation for a good start to the next: put a large, full glass of water on your bedstand every night and drink it when you wake up, every morning.
Get a little extra bang for your effort: mix a pitcher of water with a noncaloric vitamin and mineral supplement. I like ElectroMix (one little packet makes a quart), and having the pitcher all mixed and right in front of you will make it that much easier to pour yourself a glass when you open the fridge at every meal; I usually drink mine when I work out.
RULE 2
DON’T DRINK YOUR CALORIES
Caloric beverages steal your health and they steal great food from you. That’s right. They steal it because they are so heavily caloric themselves and will fill you up with all the wrong stuff. Think of the kinds of caloric beverages all around you.
Soft drinks: As you heft one of those cans or buckets of sugar water to your mouth, consider that you are actually eating the equivalent of what should be your entire lunch.
I came to this rule while working on TBL. When I reviewed their pre-TBL meal plans I saw that most contestants were drinking Big Gulps or other massive jugs of soda that had 500 calories. Some people would nurse several of them during the day (that’s upwards of 1,500 calories of soda a day!). Think of it this way: all that corn syrup? It’s a bushel of corn! And remember, when factory farms want to fatten their cattle, what do they do? They feed them corn. So if you are drinking things with corn syrup, think about that. Are you a cow? No you are not.
Moreover, when you drink soda, you are ingesting what just about every legitimate medical authority in the world has named as suspect number one in today’s sprawling diabetes epidemic. A friend of mine tells me that his teenage kids really got the message a few years ago when their father was diagnosed. Now, when a family member asks for a soda, they cheerily reply: “Sure. What kind of diabetes do you want?”
Out of the mouths of babes.
If, like most Americans, you are used to drinking lots of liquid calories, cutting out soda might be a tough adjustment. But it’s essential that you kick your soda habit ASAP. If you’re a full-calorie soda drinker, you’re guzzling empty and unsatisfying calories. If you’re a diet/zero-calorie soda drinker, you haven’t dodged the problem. Hello?! You’re guzzling artificial sweeteners and, as you’ll hear again and again in this book, I don’t think highly of these at all. They only serve to whet your appetite for more sweet! Stop the madness. Kick the habit.
To help wean yourself from your soda habit, start experimenting with other flavored, noncaloric drinks that you can make yourself. Try seltzer water with lime or lemon juice. Stock up on unsweetened, naturally flavored herb teas. Make a quart or so at a time and keep it in the refrigerator to go with your afternoon snack. And there is my tried-and-true alternative—the “soda eliminator” described in Rule 15. Check it out.
Juices and juice drinks: Most juices have exactly the same number of calories—and the same amount of simple sugars—as a cola. Oh, you’ll protest, but doesn’t the fiber in a “natural” juice obviate that problem? No. That’s just what you’ve been told. It is the same as drinking a soft drink. You want fruit? Eat fruit. The whole piece of fruit. Not the extracted and manipulated juice.
Yeah, well, juice smoothies are healthy, right? Maybe “healthy” if you order one with no preservatives or added sugar, but regardless, fruit smoothies that you haven’t made yourself (i.e., you have controlled the portions and know exactly what’s gone in it) will make you as fat as a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float—just like a 32-ounce soda.
Energy replacement drinks: Well, yeah—if you’re training for a marathon. Otherwise, look at the label! A 20-ounce sports drink—let’s face it, that’s how much you’ll “need” to quench that big thirst—weighs in at 130 calories. Like a 12-ounce cola, but without the nifty zing of bubbles and caffeine. I’ve always seen drinks like these as particularly insidious, because they are, in our heads at least, deeply associated with sports, which are deeply associated with health and fitness. You have to break that connection.
Artificial Sweeteners
Though the scientific jury is still out on whether there is a direct relationship between consuming artificial sweeteners and the urge to eat more sweet-tasting things, I know this from experience with clients, with The Biggest Loser contestants, and with myself: the more “sweet” you eat, the more you want it. Another way to put it: when you taste sweet (even the tiny-calorie, artificial kind), you are conditioning yourself to continue wanting and even craving that same sweetness. That continued craving isn’t going to help you lose weight—ever. The biggest favor you can do yourself is to leave your sweet consumption to your splurge meal and learn to keep sweet indulgences in perspective: they are treats, not everyday affairs.
A latte on the way to the gym? Sorry. Milk also has a tanker-full of calories. True, coffee itself—which most of the world drinks without milk, by the way—is turning out to be a positive dietary element, although it’s still unclear why and how much. I’ll get back to that later, but for now, no lattes or chais, frappes, or mochas. If you must get something Euro, get a cappuccino, which contains very little milk (if made the right way), or even an Americano, in which you can better control the amount of milk. And if you must add milk, opt for the low- or no-fat varieties. No cream. No half and half. Whole milk? No again.
Alcohol: Although it might sound odd, if there’s one source of liquid calories that warrants some leeway in my no-sweetened-beverage world, it’s booze. Wine, particularly red wine, deserves a place on your shelf—and on your table. But not when you are trying to lose weight! Until you are at your goal weight, it’s best to view alcohol the same way you would a Big Gulp. When you get to your goal, red wine is the thing. When you’ve kept to your goal, we’ll talk beer.
In the same way I want you to step down from soda, I want you to immediately lay off the cream or half-and-half in your coffee. Don’t even go for the whole milk. Step down, step away! Start putting 2% milk or nonfat (skim) milk in your coffee and ordering any coffee-based drink that way too. Today.
Now, why am I so down on liquid calories? Most of us know the basics: sugary drinks contain, uh, sugar, and sugar is made up of molecules that encourage the formation of new fat cells, as well as keeping existing ones filled. This applies to all sugars, from “natural” ones like honey and juices, to the twin demon spawn of ...
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
220 of 228 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read that being overweight is the greatest mortality factor--more than smoking, drinking excessively and not enough exercise. I went to a nutritionist some years ago to learn about eating healthy foods--and that was a worthwhile investment. She taught how to eat healthy foods that have a low glycemic index: foods that don't elevate your blood sugar. These skinny rules are similar to what she taught--eat primarily vegetables, low-fat protein 5x a day to deter hunger (protein carries the fat out of your body she said), and one serving of whole grains, lowfat dairy and fruit a day. Using that diet I reversed diabetes and dropped 30 pounds in the past 3 years. However, it's helpful to have continual reminders to focus on healthy eating. Felt I wanted a tune-up on healthy eating as I need to lose another 20-30 pounds as I'd put 10 back on, so bought this book to see what rules the author emphasizes. What should the focus be if you want to focus on only 20 primary rules?
Here's the gist of what the book emphasizes regarding skinny rules in brief--recommend you buy the book for the explanations as to why these rules are the top 20 and how to apply them. The rationale and background information is instructive and motivating:
1. Drink large glass of water (16 oz.) before every meal and snacks--5 a day
2. Don't drink your calories--stay away from fruit juices and sodas that are high in sugar. 2 cups coffee okay
3. Eat lowfat protein at every meal--protein doesn't have to be animal based. Protein minimizes hunger
4. Slash intake of refined flour/grains--try brown rice, quinoa, barley, farro
5. Eat 30-50 grams of fiber--he lists fiber-rich foods: 1/2C sliced strawberries-9g;1C zucchini-8g;1C spinach-7g
6. Eat apples and berries each day
7. No carbs after lunch--eat lean and green at night. Protein and veggies are best
8. Read labels--stay away from artificial ingredients or foods that sound like bad chemistry experiments
9. Get portion size right--you can bag some portions ahead of time
10. No artificial sweeteners
11. No white potatoes--I cut sweet potatoes in strips or round slices, toss in olive oil/cumin/garlic pepper and oven roast at 400 for 20-30 minutes. We don't miss the white potato french fries.
12. One day a week meatless--eat more beans and nuts
13. No fast foods and fried foods
14. Eat a real breakfast: include protein, grains and fruit (lowfat plain yogurt is great protein source in fruit smoothie or mixed with fruit said the nutritionist for breakfast)
15. Make your own food and eat at least 10 meals a week at home
16. Banish high salt foods--use more herbs
17. Eat veggies--as much as possible
18. Go to bed hungry--try not to eat after 8 p.m. or 4 hours prior to bedtime
19. Sleep Right--get adequate sleep
20. Plan one splurge meal a week--but don't go crazy with the calories, fat and sugar in it
The nutritionist also recommended eating fruit by noon. Your blood sugar is lowest in the morning so can handle the fruit sugar better, and your daily activity burns the sugar in the fruit off. She also said to think of sugar as poison--your body will burn the sugar off before fat because it wants to get rid of the sugar then it won't burn the fat. Eat less sugar, burn more fat. Read labels for sugar content in foods. She said try to stay under 8g of sugar in whole grain cereal.
I have been doing this regimen since mid-May and have lost 5 pounds. About one pound a week. There's great menu plans at the back of the book and recipes. I tried the turkey bacon in an egg and veggie omelet and love it! You may find foods you haven't tried before. He includes the latest research on foods which is helpful. Liked his suggestion of making turkey meat balls ahead to keep in frig. Want to check out the Ezekiel Bread Bob recommends. Also like the recipe for roasting multiple chicken breasts at a time to have cold in frig to cut up for salads.
The book is amazingly clear, easy to read and follow. It got me back on track. Although I don't use artificial sweeteners, the nutritionist recommended Stevia--a natural sweetener from a South American herb said the nutritionist-- which I put in my daily iced coffee with some almond milk and lowfat milk and a heaping tablespoon of dark cocoa. Shake it or put in blender with the ice. The combination tastes like Starbucks iced coffee-mocha (about 400 calories) but it is only 100 calories. It's a delicious treat for the day. I try to keep to 1200 calories a day and walk 30-60 minutes a day.
Just found having these skinny rules uppermost in my mind as I plan menus is helpful. Other family members have lost weight, too, eating the foods I have been preparing based on this book. I like having this information in book form as it's easy to peruse the recipes and meal plans at the back. Skinny rules is a healthy way to eat for the rest of your life.
Here's the gist of what the book emphasizes regarding skinny rules in brief--recommend you buy the book for the explanations as to why these rules are the top 20 and how to apply them. The rationale and background information is instructive and motivating:
1. Drink large glass of water (16 oz.) before every meal and snacks--5 a day
2. Don't drink your calories--stay away from fruit juices and sodas that are high in sugar. 2 cups coffee okay
3. Eat lowfat protein at every meal--protein doesn't have to be animal based. Protein minimizes hunger
4. Slash intake of refined flour/grains--try brown rice, quinoa, barley, farro
5. Eat 30-50 grams of fiber--he lists fiber-rich foods: 1/2C sliced strawberries-9g;1C zucchini-8g;1C spinach-7g
6. Eat apples and berries each day
7. No carbs after lunch--eat lean and green at night. Protein and veggies are best
8. Read labels--stay away from artificial ingredients or foods that sound like bad chemistry experiments
9. Get portion size right--you can bag some portions ahead of time
10. No artificial sweeteners
11. No white potatoes--I cut sweet potatoes in strips or round slices, toss in olive oil/cumin/garlic pepper and oven roast at 400 for 20-30 minutes. We don't miss the white potato french fries.
12. One day a week meatless--eat more beans and nuts
13. No fast foods and fried foods
14. Eat a real breakfast: include protein, grains and fruit (lowfat plain yogurt is great protein source in fruit smoothie or mixed with fruit said the nutritionist for breakfast)
15. Make your own food and eat at least 10 meals a week at home
16. Banish high salt foods--use more herbs
17. Eat veggies--as much as possible
18. Go to bed hungry--try not to eat after 8 p.m. or 4 hours prior to bedtime
19. Sleep Right--get adequate sleep
20. Plan one splurge meal a week--but don't go crazy with the calories, fat and sugar in it
The nutritionist also recommended eating fruit by noon. Your blood sugar is lowest in the morning so can handle the fruit sugar better, and your daily activity burns the sugar in the fruit off. She also said to think of sugar as poison--your body will burn the sugar off before fat because it wants to get rid of the sugar then it won't burn the fat. Eat less sugar, burn more fat. Read labels for sugar content in foods. She said try to stay under 8g of sugar in whole grain cereal.
I have been doing this regimen since mid-May and have lost 5 pounds. About one pound a week. There's great menu plans at the back of the book and recipes. I tried the turkey bacon in an egg and veggie omelet and love it! You may find foods you haven't tried before. He includes the latest research on foods which is helpful. Liked his suggestion of making turkey meat balls ahead to keep in frig. Want to check out the Ezekiel Bread Bob recommends. Also like the recipe for roasting multiple chicken breasts at a time to have cold in frig to cut up for salads.
The book is amazingly clear, easy to read and follow. It got me back on track. Although I don't use artificial sweeteners, the nutritionist recommended Stevia--a natural sweetener from a South American herb said the nutritionist-- which I put in my daily iced coffee with some almond milk and lowfat milk and a heaping tablespoon of dark cocoa. Shake it or put in blender with the ice. The combination tastes like Starbucks iced coffee-mocha (about 400 calories) but it is only 100 calories. It's a delicious treat for the day. I try to keep to 1200 calories a day and walk 30-60 minutes a day.
Just found having these skinny rules uppermost in my mind as I plan menus is helpful. Other family members have lost weight, too, eating the foods I have been preparing based on this book. I like having this information in book form as it's easy to peruse the recipes and meal plans at the back. Skinny rules is a healthy way to eat for the rest of your life.
283 of 300 people found the following review helpful
By OldAndSmart
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
My wife saw Bob Harper on morning television around the book launch and said she was ready to try it. She's lived the high carb, low protein, and low fat lifestyle and never struggled with her weight. But as we've gotten older, managing weight has gotten a little harder for her too, and she would like to drop a size or two. As an avid biggest loser fan (in the early seasons), I thought Bob would have a good plan for eating. Based on the few snippets my wife told me, I thought this might be a plan we could both use. It would increase my wife's protein (which I've always thought was not enough). So we decided to buy the book and give it a try.
I have struggled with my weight most of my adult life. Been 30-50 lbs overweight for most of it. I have been following a low carb Atkins-inspired diet for about 6 months. Not "no carbs", but carbs limited to veggies, nuts, low carb wraps, and recently select fruits. No bread or white potato. Almost no sugar or HFCS. Lots of protein and not worried about fat. I've lost 25 lbs, and 6 inches from my waist. I've been exercising and getting closer to my goals. But the hard part about Atkins is adding back more carbs. Its the point in the diet that people struggle the most, and the reason many regain the lost weight IMO. I have been trying to alter my diet into something "healthy" for the longer term, but with so many changes as to what healthy eating even means, I needed an expert to instruct me. With high hopes I bought the book. There are lots of positives but a few negatives too. I feel I am pretty objective, but you'll have to be the judge for yourself.
Here are my comments on the book and diet:
1 - This is very well researched book. Lots of good information. If you are interested in not just the whats, but the whys, this book is very good at taking you to a satisfying level of detail without being boring or turning into a text book. A+
2 - There are 20 rules in this book. Wow! Atkins had 1. This is a lot to take in.
3 - Some of the rules make a ton of sense and are easy to follow. Drink a full glass of water before every meal. (Bonks self on head). Very easy to remember and do. Great tip. Been doing it. But others are near impossible (no carbs after lunch). Huh? Who can really do that? Lots of advise for eating whole grains which requires planning and prep time, and lots of little baggies. Would I do all of that? Probably not. My wife? Maybe once or twice. After reading the book I was left feeling a little overwhelmed with preparation details and foods I've never heard of.
4 - Splurge meal sounds good, but few specifics. He hints this doesn't mean eating everything is sight. What are the rules? Can I go out and have chips and salsa, fajitas, and a couple of Margaritas or not?
5 - One thing that was sorely missing and disappointing is that there was absolutely no discussion of exercise, and how exercise impacts how and what we eat. I consider exercise the single most important ingredient in managing my weight. Not that I expect to exercise away every extra calorie I eat, but it limits my appetite, makes me feel good, gives me positive feedback as I reach exercise goals, makes positive impacts on my appearance that make me want to watch what I eat, as well as burning extra calories. Even Atkins advocates exercise, while Bob, the "fittest of the fit" completely ignores the topic? Wow. I think there should have been recommendations around exercise, and info about how exercise affects eating. He could have explained what to eat before and after heavy strength training, and before and after cardio. Would exercising in the evening affect the "no carbs after lunch" rule? A chapter on exercise would have made a big difference to me (easily taken me from 3 stars to 4)
6 - One tremendous appeal of Atkins is the ability to walk into almost any restaurant and get something to eat without cheating. Steak and salad, chicken and broccoli, eggs and bacon, hot wings and bunless burger. Much harder with the Skinny Rules IMO. I think the only way I'd feel I was with the program is to eat at home a lot more than the 10 times a week he suggests.
Bottom line. I think this book has a lot to offer to someone who is truly serious about not only losing weight, but eating healthy based on current diet research. Embracing the diet will have you eating more protein, eliminating refined carbs, exploring new foods, and learning food preparation techniques. It would be an investment of time and effort, but would definitely have you eating about as healthy as is possible without hiring a private nutritionist/chef to do all your cooking for you. But many will find fully embracing the diet impossible or at least impractical, but will still pick up valuable tips and recipes to improve their eating habits. I am in this group. I've found that several of the rules were relatively easy to implement and I've incorporated them into my eating habits. Many others I already do (increase protein, cutting refined carbs, cutting out high-carb drinks) based on low-carb lifestyle. But others like no artificial sweeteners, no carbs after lunch, and advice around grains are just too much for me.
I think reading this book would benefit most everyone that reads it, and help them make at least some positive changes in their eating habits. Definitely recommended.
I have struggled with my weight most of my adult life. Been 30-50 lbs overweight for most of it. I have been following a low carb Atkins-inspired diet for about 6 months. Not "no carbs", but carbs limited to veggies, nuts, low carb wraps, and recently select fruits. No bread or white potato. Almost no sugar or HFCS. Lots of protein and not worried about fat. I've lost 25 lbs, and 6 inches from my waist. I've been exercising and getting closer to my goals. But the hard part about Atkins is adding back more carbs. Its the point in the diet that people struggle the most, and the reason many regain the lost weight IMO. I have been trying to alter my diet into something "healthy" for the longer term, but with so many changes as to what healthy eating even means, I needed an expert to instruct me. With high hopes I bought the book. There are lots of positives but a few negatives too. I feel I am pretty objective, but you'll have to be the judge for yourself.
Here are my comments on the book and diet:
1 - This is very well researched book. Lots of good information. If you are interested in not just the whats, but the whys, this book is very good at taking you to a satisfying level of detail without being boring or turning into a text book. A+
2 - There are 20 rules in this book. Wow! Atkins had 1. This is a lot to take in.
3 - Some of the rules make a ton of sense and are easy to follow. Drink a full glass of water before every meal. (Bonks self on head). Very easy to remember and do. Great tip. Been doing it. But others are near impossible (no carbs after lunch). Huh? Who can really do that? Lots of advise for eating whole grains which requires planning and prep time, and lots of little baggies. Would I do all of that? Probably not. My wife? Maybe once or twice. After reading the book I was left feeling a little overwhelmed with preparation details and foods I've never heard of.
4 - Splurge meal sounds good, but few specifics. He hints this doesn't mean eating everything is sight. What are the rules? Can I go out and have chips and salsa, fajitas, and a couple of Margaritas or not?
5 - One thing that was sorely missing and disappointing is that there was absolutely no discussion of exercise, and how exercise impacts how and what we eat. I consider exercise the single most important ingredient in managing my weight. Not that I expect to exercise away every extra calorie I eat, but it limits my appetite, makes me feel good, gives me positive feedback as I reach exercise goals, makes positive impacts on my appearance that make me want to watch what I eat, as well as burning extra calories. Even Atkins advocates exercise, while Bob, the "fittest of the fit" completely ignores the topic? Wow. I think there should have been recommendations around exercise, and info about how exercise affects eating. He could have explained what to eat before and after heavy strength training, and before and after cardio. Would exercising in the evening affect the "no carbs after lunch" rule? A chapter on exercise would have made a big difference to me (easily taken me from 3 stars to 4)
6 - One tremendous appeal of Atkins is the ability to walk into almost any restaurant and get something to eat without cheating. Steak and salad, chicken and broccoli, eggs and bacon, hot wings and bunless burger. Much harder with the Skinny Rules IMO. I think the only way I'd feel I was with the program is to eat at home a lot more than the 10 times a week he suggests.
Bottom line. I think this book has a lot to offer to someone who is truly serious about not only losing weight, but eating healthy based on current diet research. Embracing the diet will have you eating more protein, eliminating refined carbs, exploring new foods, and learning food preparation techniques. It would be an investment of time and effort, but would definitely have you eating about as healthy as is possible without hiring a private nutritionist/chef to do all your cooking for you. But many will find fully embracing the diet impossible or at least impractical, but will still pick up valuable tips and recipes to improve their eating habits. I am in this group. I've found that several of the rules were relatively easy to implement and I've incorporated them into my eating habits. Many others I already do (increase protein, cutting refined carbs, cutting out high-carb drinks) based on low-carb lifestyle. But others like no artificial sweeteners, no carbs after lunch, and advice around grains are just too much for me.
I think reading this book would benefit most everyone that reads it, and help them make at least some positive changes in their eating habits. Definitely recommended.
96 of 110 people found the following review helpful
By Tina K
Format:Hardcover
The Skinny Rules presents a list of 20 straight forward rules that will help you lose weight. Some of the rules are far more important than others, and some are quite obvious and should be already familiar to anyone who has invested any time at all in researching how to lose weight. For example, "Don't drink calorie-laden beverages" is sort of a no-brainer (and yet overweight people still consume soda in vast amounts).
The best rules, aside from not drinking excess calories, are: Drink a glass of water before every meal, slash intake of refined flour and grains, eat fiber every day, no carbs after lunch, and stop eating fast and fried foods. The other rules seem as though they'll have less of an impact, and maybe 20 rules is too many (but fewer would make for a pretty short book.).
One other very important rule is to eat protein with every single meal. I a strong believer in a high protein, low carb diet. Protein (along with exercise) helps prevent muscle loss. The book recommends lots of fish, but you have to be careful because of mercury and other impurities when eating a high volume of fish. Fish can also be difficult if you don't have a lot of time for meal preparation.
I would also strongly suggest checking out The Protein Express Diet: Rapid Weight Loss with a Simplified Dukan/Atkins-Syle Low Carb, High Protein Diet, which offers easy to prepare high protein, low carb meals that suite a busy lifestyle, as well as a simple and easy to follow diet.
The best rules, aside from not drinking excess calories, are: Drink a glass of water before every meal, slash intake of refined flour and grains, eat fiber every day, no carbs after lunch, and stop eating fast and fried foods. The other rules seem as though they'll have less of an impact, and maybe 20 rules is too many (but fewer would make for a pretty short book.).
One other very important rule is to eat protein with every single meal. I a strong believer in a high protein, low carb diet. Protein (along with exercise) helps prevent muscle loss. The book recommends lots of fish, but you have to be careful because of mercury and other impurities when eating a high volume of fish. Fish can also be difficult if you don't have a lot of time for meal preparation.
I would also strongly suggest checking out The Protein Express Diet: Rapid Weight Loss with a Simplified Dukan/Atkins-Syle Low Carb, High Protein Diet, which offers easy to prepare high protein, low carb meals that suite a busy lifestyle, as well as a simple and easy to follow diet.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gets Results
This book provides a great method for changing your lifestyle.
My wife and I have been following the Rules for 4 months now and have lost over 100 pounds between us. Read more
My wife and I have been following the Rules for 4 months now and have lost over 100 pounds between us. Read more
Published 1 day ago by H. Fuller
5.0 out of 5 stars
After Jumpstart - The Skinny Rules will be part of your life.
I have read the book and like what I see. I am going to incorporate these rules as soon as I am done with this Jumpstart book.
Published 6 days ago by jb
4.0 out of 5 stars
Easy read, great tips, but...
Bob, you needed to go in depth a little more. You'd say "more about that later" and not elaborate. I forgive you because I like you so much. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Placidic
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great advice
This a wonderful book..simple to understand and follow it would highly recommend it to anyone who has struggled with weight loss in the past... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Trying hard
3.0 out of 5 stars
cookbook
More of a cookbook then a book. Started off great but then lost me in the recipes. Got some good advice.
Published 13 days ago by John Harte
4.0 out of 5 stars
Balanced Approach
Good balanced approach to eating. Bob's plan is reasonable and simple. He makes you feel like he's your friend. The PDF of the rules at the end of the book was a nice touch.
Published 14 days ago by A. Boreing
5.0 out of 5 stars
Downloaded to my Kindle!
Good book -- description was accurate and information if applied is an effective weight loss strategy! Read more
Published 18 days ago by Geneva Hochstetter
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simple to follow, and it works!
It works! Finally something that works!! It has changed my life. The whole family is losing weight just by my cooking differently!
Published 18 days ago by C. Albin
5.0 out of 5 stars
This really works
I have been following Bob's skinny rules for 3 months & have gone beyond my weight loss goal.
The rules are easy to follow (for the most part), but planning, preparing, &... Read more
The rules are easy to follow (for the most part), but planning, preparing, &... Read more
Published 21 days ago by K. Mascaro
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
What a awesome book for Biggest Loser Bob Harper. Easy read with a lot of good advice. No problems with purchase or delievery.
Published 24 days ago by Byron M. Smith, III
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