The Skinny Rules

rebprest
rebprest Posts: 149 Member
I just read Bob Harper's Skinny Rules and loved it. I'm just starting working on my health and exercise (day 4 woooot) and I really love most of his advice. I'm just curious if anyone has had success using the rules or the recipes?

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Replies

  • silverstarrlyte
    silverstarrlyte Posts: 83 Member
    Never heard of it...
  • murph1349
    murph1349 Posts: 8 Member
    I've had a lot of success with Bob's 20 Rules, even by missing out on a couple rules (no carbs after lunch? I don't think so - and I'm not great with cooked vegetables, although I like raw). Stick with Bob's rules - REALLY read labels, watch your calories, fat, and protein grams daily (easy with fitnesspal), and you'll do great! The key for me was ridding the house of what I wasn't supposed to eat and having plenty of WHOLE grains (Ezekiel bread, farro, barley, wheat berries, etc), lean meat, plain yogurt, and fresh produce. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are great for finding food items you might not have had before that fit the plan. Good luck!!
  • murph1349
    murph1349 Posts: 8 Member
    Part II - I have made some of the recipes, but not a lot of them. One of the pancake recipes (it had blueberries in it), the turkey meatballs, an herb chicken one,smoothies, pesto, omelet... I can't remember what else. Items we've found great - Trader Joes uncured turkey bacon (30 calories w/ 6g. protein each), Trader Joe 10 minute barley and 10 minute farro (great recipes on the sides of both bags), TJ Multigrain and Steel Cut oatmeal, Shadybrook Farms has some decent recipes on their website for turkey meals, Frontier Soups Wheat Berry Chili... Always cook your eggs with 1 egg + 2 egg whites for a protein boost. (Get a carton of egg whites so you can just pour). Also I got Bob's Red Mill ground flax seed (refrigerate after opening in an airtight container) and add a Tablespoon to yogurt and oatmeal whenever I have them.
  • RejsGirl
    RejsGirl Posts: 205 Member
    My cousin had successful heart surgery. They told him to read this book and live by it. Must be pretty much on the mark!
  • rebprest
    rebprest Posts: 149 Member
    Sweet! I just bought a copy, having already read it at the library and loving it! I wish I could find Ezekiel bread near me. The questing continues. So far the water drinking has helped me the most, and snacking on as many vegetables as I want! But yeah...I doubt I'll ever get to the point where I can just drop carbs after lunch completely.
  • murph1349
    murph1349 Posts: 8 Member
    Ezekiel bread is sold in the freezer section of most grocery stores. Did you look there? Sometimes the brand is called "Food for Life" too.
  • rebprest
    rebprest Posts: 149 Member
    No! I only looked in the bread section, there is still hope!
  • Malgorzata79
    Malgorzata79 Posts: 87 Member
    Jewels ells it in the freezer aisle.
  • marissanik
    marissanik Posts: 344 Member
    Found the rules posted online:

    RULE 1: Drink a Large Glass of Water before Every Meal – No Excuses!

    RULE 2: Don’t Drink Your Calories

    RULE 3: Eat Protein Every Meal – or Stay Hungry and Grouchy

    RULE 4: Slash Your Intake of Refined Flours and Grains

    RULE 5: Eat 30 to 50 Grams of Fiber a Day

    RULE 6: Eat Apples and Berries Every Single Day – Every Single Day!

    RULE 7: No Carbs after Lunch

    RULE 8: Learn to Read Food Labels So You Know What You Are Eating

    RULE 9: Step Guessing About Portion Size and Get It Right – for Good!

    RULE 10: No More Added Sweeteners, Including Artificial Ones

    RULES 11: Get Rid of Those White Potatoes

    RULE 12: Make One Day a Week Meatless

    RULE 13: Get Rid of Fast Foods and Fried Foods

    RULE 14: Eat a Real Breakfast

    RULE 15: Make Your Own Food and Eat at Least Ten Meals a Week at Home

    RULE 16: Banish High-Salt Foods

    RULE 17: Eat Your Vegetables – Just Do It!

    RULE 18: Go to Bed Hungry

    RULE 19: Sleep Right

    RULE 20: Plan One Splurge Meal a Week

    Disagree with no carbs after lunch (my lunch is carb-less). Go to bed hungry he means don't eat after dinner? Which is fine. Everything else lines up with what I do.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    I'm confused. Rule 7 & 12 contradict each other. If I had a "meatless" day, what may I for dinner that has zero carbs and is meatless? Nothing I know of, except oil, water, and coffee or tea. My diary shows every single food I've eaten except those I listed contain carbohydrates. Even eggs, cheese, meat alternatives, etc.

    This seems silly and overly complicated for my lifestyle (of course, there seems to be some very valuable lessons here as well, just sorta--demanding and restrictive for my tastes, YMMV).
  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
    RULE 7: No Carbs after Lunch

    RULES 11: Get Rid of Those White Potatoes

    RULE 18: Go to Bed Hungry

    If I had to follow these 3 rules someone would die from me becoming super cranky :laugh:

    Best of luck though OP different methods appeal to different people if this fits you thats aweomse :flowerforyou:
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
    I do not do 7, 12, 18 or 20. Other than that I'm already following his "rules". I thought those were "my" rules!! Hey, did Bob steal my rules and add a few of his own?

    BTW, who is Bob?
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    RULE 1: Drink a Large Glass of Water before Every Meal – No Excuses! 

    Never did this but okay.

    RULE 2: Never drink Your Calories 

    Oops, sometimes I do

    RULE 3: Eat Protein Every Meal – or Stay Hungry and Grouchy 

    I typically do but not doing so doesn't affect my mood or typically satiety. .

    RULE 4: Slash Your Intake of Refined Flours and Grains 
    Never...bagel, bagel, bagel

    RULE 5: Eat 30 to 50 Grams of Fiber a Day 

    I'd be pooping furiously. ...

    RULE 6: Eat Apples and Berries Every Single Day – Every Single Day! 

    I would burn out sooo fast. . I eat them sometimes...

    RULE 7: No Carbs after Lunch 
    Lmfao. No. How in the world am I to eat my pint of Talenti at 10pm while I watch Fairy Tail?

    RULE 8: Learn to Read Food Labels So You Know What You Are Eating 
    Cause knowledge is power! Once I learn to read, I can ignore almost every "skinny rule"


    RULE 9: Stop Guessing About Portion Size and Get It Right – for Good! 

    Yes, L2foodscale

    RULE 10: No More Added Sweeteners, Including Artificial Ones 

    Why? Theys calorie freeeeeeeee.

    RULES 11: Get Rid of Those White Potatoes 

    NEVER!

    RULE 12: Make One Day a Week Meatless 

    BOO. HISS. Make every day bacon day.

    RULE 13: Get Rid of Fast Foods and Fried Foods 

    No. Mcflurry and Mcwraps for life

    RULE 14: Eat a Real Breakfast 

    As opposed to a fake one? Mine Is at 12pm....

    RULE 15: Make Your Own Food and Eat at Least Ten Meals a Week at Home 
    K.
    RULE 16: Banish High-Salt Foods 
    Why? Sodium isn't really problematic unless you have a medical condition. I sweat sometimes..

    RULE 17: Eat Your Vegetables – Just Do It! 
    Okay...

    RULE 18: Go to Bed Hungry 

    FUUUUUU! Nope. Never have, never will

    RULE 19: Sleep Right 

    I Agree... Not hungry

    RULE 20: Plan One Splurge Meal a Week
    ....okay , but if I'm practicing moderation, I don't even need this really. ..
  • Lizabelle1212
    Lizabelle1212 Posts: 252 Member
    I'm confused. Rule 7 & 12 contradict each other. If I had a "meatless" day, what may I for dinner that has zero carbs and is meatless?

    Eggs or fish would be my guess.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    Half the "rules" are okay. The other half are straight up nonsense, unless you hate yourself.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    Half the "rules" are okay. The other half are straight up nonsense, unless you hate yourself.

    Agreed. There is no way I am doing 7,10,12 or 18. I would rather just exercise like a beast and not stress too much over calories.
  • imju5tme
    imju5tme Posts: 85 Member
    RULE 1: Drink a Large Glass of Water before Every Meal – No Excuses! 

    Never did this but okay.

    RULE 2: Never drink Your Calories 

    Oops, sometimes I do

    RULE 3: Eat Protein Every Meal – or Stay Hungry and Grouchy 

    I typically do but not doing so doesn't affect my mood or typically satiety. .

    RULE 4: Slash Your Intake of Refined Flours and Grains 
    Never...bagel, bagel, bagel

    RULE 5: Eat 30 to 50 Grams of Fiber a Day 

    I'd be pooping furiously. ...

    RULE 6: Eat Apples and Berries Every Single Day – Every Single Day! 

    I would burn out sooo fast. . I eat them sometimes...

    RULE 7: No Carbs after Lunch 
    Lmfao. No. How in the world am I to eat my pint of Talenti at 10pm while I watch Fairy Tail?

    RULE 8: Learn to Read Food Labels So You Know What You Are Eating 
    Cause knowledge is power! Once I learn to read, I can ignore almost every "skinny rule"


    RULE 9: Stop Guessing About Portion Size and Get It Right – for Good! 

    Yes, L2foodscale

    RULE 10: No More Added Sweeteners, Including Artificial Ones 

    Why? Theys calorie freeeeeeeee.

    RULES 11: Get Rid of Those White Potatoes 

    NEVER!

    RULE 12: Make One Day a Week Meatless 

    BOO. HISS. Make every day bacon day.

    RULE 13: Get Rid of Fast Foods and Fried Foods 

    No. Mcflurry and Mcwraps for life

    RULE 14: Eat a Real Breakfast 

    As opposed to a fake one? Mine Is at 12pm....

    RULE 15: Make Your Own Food and Eat at Least Ten Meals a Week at Home 
    K.
    RULE 16: Banish High-Salt Foods 
    Why? Sodium isn't really problematic unless you have a medical condition. I sweat sometimes..

    RULE 17: Eat Your Vegetables – Just Do It! 
    Okay...

    RULE 18: Go to Bed Hungry 

    FUUUUUU! Nope. Never have, never will

    RULE 19: Sleep Right 

    I Agree... Not hungry

    RULE 20: Plan One Splurge Meal a Week
    ....okay , but if I'm practicing moderation, I don't even need this really. ..

    Ok... water sprayed all over my monitor! :laugh:

    *looks for paper towels and then goes to refill her water bottle*
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    RULE 2: Never drink Your Calories

    I read this book a few years ago and found a good smoothie recipe in it. I never caught onto this contradiction until now.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Few good suggestions, but a bunch of rubbish on the majority of points.
  • nancy10272004
    nancy10272004 Posts: 277 Member
    Found the rules posted online:

    RULE 1: Drink a Large Glass of Water before Every Meal – No Excuses!

    RULE 2: Don’t Drink Your Calories

    RULE 3: Eat Protein Every Meal – or Stay Hungry and Grouchy

    RULE 4: Slash Your Intake of Refined Flours and Grains

    RULE 5: Eat 30 to 50 Grams of Fiber a Day

    RULE 6: Eat Apples and Berries Every Single Day – Every Single Day!

    RULE 7: No Carbs after Lunch

    RULE 8: Learn to Read Food Labels So You Know What You Are Eating

    RULE 9: Step Guessing About Portion Size and Get It Right – for Good!

    RULE 10: No More Added Sweeteners, Including Artificial Ones

    RULES 11: Get Rid of Those White Potatoes

    RULE 12: Make One Day a Week Meatless

    RULE 13: Get Rid of Fast Foods and Fried Foods

    RULE 14: Eat a Real Breakfast

    RULE 15: Make Your Own Food and Eat at Least Ten Meals a Week at Home

    RULE 16: Banish High-Salt Foods

    RULE 17: Eat Your Vegetables – Just Do It!

    RULE 18: Go to Bed Hungry

    RULE 19: Sleep Right

    RULE 20: Plan One Splurge Meal a Week

    Disagree with no carbs after lunch (my lunch is carb-less). Go to bed hungry he means don't eat after dinner? Which is fine. Everything else lines up with what I do.


    No carbs after lunch? Not even lettuce? Dude - that's pretty hardcore.
  • amandzor
    amandzor Posts: 386 Member
    RULE 1: Drink a Large Glass of Water before Every Meal – No Excuses!

    I drink water heavily throughout the day, so I guess this counts as "before" every meal.

    RULE 2: Don’t Drink Your Calories

    Exception: Coffee creamer, but that's carefully measured/logged.

    RULE 3: Eat Protein Every Meal – or Stay Hungry and Grouchy

    I try to, as often as I am able. Chicken is my friend.

    RULE 4: Slash Your Intake of Refined Flours and Grains

    I have, dramatically. The only grains I get any more are oatmeal, brown rice and the occasional tortilla. Oh! And quinoa.

    RULE 5: Eat 30 to 50 Grams of Fiber a Day

    Check.

    RULE 6: Eat Apples and Berries Every Single Day – Every Single Day!

    Love apples, dislike berries. I have an apple probably 3-4 times a week.

    RULE 7: No Carbs after Lunch

    I disagree with this, but my carb intake is already fairly low. As long as it fits in to my macros, it's in.

    RULE 8: Learn to Read Food Labels So You Know What You Are Eating

    It took me a long time to be good at this.

    RULE 9: Step Guessing About Portion Size and Get It Right – for Good!

    Measuring cups/spoons are my friends!

    RULE 10: No More Added Sweeteners, Including Artificial Ones

    Nope. Will not do.

    RULES 11: Get Rid of Those White Potatoes

    I haven't had potatoes -forever-. I love them D=

    RULE 12: Make One Day a Week Meatless

    Usually.

    RULE 13: Get Rid of Fast Foods and Fried Foods

    No fast, no fried in over a month.

    RULE 14: Eat a Real Breakfast

    Every day!

    RULE 15: Make Your Own Food and Eat at Least Ten Meals a Week at Home

    I make all of my own food. Breakfast lunch and dinner.

    RULE 16: Banish High-Salt Foods

    I avoid high-sodium as much as I can. Working on cooking with spices instead of salt.

    RULE 17: Eat Your Vegetables – Just Do It!

    With pleasure!

    RULE 18: Go to Bed Hungry

    I can't. I have terrible dreams about eating everything.

    RULE 19: Sleep Right

    7-9 hours most nights.

    RULE 20: Plan One Splurge Meal a Week

    Eh...I'm not sold on this one. I'll splurge on an item, but I won't go more than 200 over my cals for the day.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    RULE 2: Never drink Your Calories

    I read this book a few years ago and found a good smoothie recipe in it. I never caught onto this contradiction until now.

    GOLD
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    Ok... water sprayed all over my monitor! :laugh:

    *looks for paper towels and then goes to refill her water bottle*

    :drinker: oops. I drank calories 'gin
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    I'm confused. Rule 7 & 12 contradict each other. If I had a "meatless" day, what may I for dinner that has zero carbs and is meatless?

    Eggs or fish would be my guess.

    Fish is meat...Eggs have 1g carb per egg. Boo, it's a contradiction that was clearly missed by the author. Unless they use the "net carb" magic (not that it's bad, people do have a legitimate use for that, I think?).
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Found the rules posted online:

    RULE 1: Drink a Large Glass of Water before Every Meal – No Excuses!

    RULE 2: Don’t Drink Your Calories

    RULE 3: Eat Protein Every Meal – or Stay Hungry and Grouchy

    RULE 4: Slash Your Intake of Refined Flours and Grains

    RULE 5: Eat 30 to 50 Grams of Fiber a Day

    RULE 6: Eat Apples and Berries Every Single Day – Every Single Day!

    RULE 7: No Carbs after Lunch

    RULE 8: Learn to Read Food Labels So You Know What You Are Eating

    RULE 9: Step Guessing About Portion Size and Get It Right – for Good!

    RULE 10: No More Added Sweeteners, Including Artificial Ones

    RULES 11: Get Rid of Those White Potatoes

    RULE 12: Make One Day a Week Meatless

    RULE 13: Get Rid of Fast Foods and Fried Foods

    RULE 14: Eat a Real Breakfast

    RULE 15: Make Your Own Food and Eat at Least Ten Meals a Week at Home

    RULE 16: Banish High-Salt Foods

    RULE 17: Eat Your Vegetables – Just Do It!

    RULE 18: Go to Bed Hungry

    RULE 19: Sleep Right

    RULE 20: Plan One Splurge Meal a Week

    Disagree with no carbs after lunch (my lunch is carb-less). Go to bed hungry he means don't eat after dinner? Which is fine. Everything else lines up with what I do.

    Way too complicated. I do the exact opposite of quite a few of them and I manage just fine. For one thing I've never gone to bed hungry. And I eat carbs all day long.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    RULE 1: Drink a Large Glass of Water before Every Meal – No Excuses! 

    Never did this but okay.

    RULE 2: Never drink Your Calories 

    Oops, sometimes I do

    RULE 3: Eat Protein Every Meal – or Stay Hungry and Grouchy 

    I typically do but not doing so doesn't affect my mood or typically satiety. .

    RULE 4: Slash Your Intake of Refined Flours and Grains 
    Never...bagel, bagel, bagel

    RULE 5: Eat 30 to 50 Grams of Fiber a Day 

    I'd be pooping furiously. ...

    RULE 6: Eat Apples and Berries Every Single Day – Every Single Day! 

    I would burn out sooo fast. . I eat them sometimes...

    RULE 7: No Carbs after Lunch 
    Lmfao. No. How in the world am I to eat my pint of Talenti at 10pm while I watch Fairy Tail?

    RULE 8: Learn to Read Food Labels So You Know What You Are Eating 
    Cause knowledge is power! Once I learn to read, I can ignore almost every "skinny rule"


    RULE 9: Stop Guessing About Portion Size and Get It Right – for Good! 

    Yes, L2foodscale

    RULE 10: No More Added Sweeteners, Including Artificial Ones 

    Why? Theys calorie freeeeeeeee.

    RULES 11: Get Rid of Those White Potatoes 

    NEVER!

    RULE 12: Make One Day a Week Meatless 

    BOO. HISS. Make every day bacon day.

    RULE 13: Get Rid of Fast Foods and Fried Foods 

    No. Mcflurry and Mcwraps for life

    RULE 14: Eat a Real Breakfast 

    As opposed to a fake one? Mine Is at 12pm....

    RULE 15: Make Your Own Food and Eat at Least Ten Meals a Week at Home 
    K.
    RULE 16: Banish High-Salt Foods 
    Why? Sodium isn't really problematic unless you have a medical condition. I sweat sometimes..

    RULE 17: Eat Your Vegetables – Just Do It! 
    Okay...

    RULE 18: Go to Bed Hungry 

    FUUUUUU! Nope. Never have, never will

    RULE 19: Sleep Right 

    I Agree... Not hungry

    RULE 20: Plan One Splurge Meal a Week
    ....okay , but if I'm practicing moderation, I don't even need this really. ..

    Gave me a good laugh, good reply+++++

    Don't understand why people flock to overly-restrictive diets when they can have all the foods they want, just practice moderation.
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
    RULE 12: Make One Day a Week Meatless

    I don't even think I have one meal a day that's meatless . . . . snacks yes, but actual meals almost always have lean meat of some kind in them . . .
  • sinistras
    sinistras Posts: 244 Member
    too many rules for me...
  • hnsaunde
    hnsaunde Posts: 757 Member
    I have the Kindle version, bought it a couple of years ago, and I don't follow any of the "rules", however, I do like to use the omelet, chicken and fish recipes every once in a while.
  • da_bears1008
    da_bears1008 Posts: 354
    RULE 7: No Carbs after Lunch

    RULE 10: No More Added Sweeteners, Including Artificial Ones

    RULES 11: Get Rid of Those White Potatoes

    RULE 12: Make One Day a Week Meatless

    RULE 13: Get Rid of Fast Foods and Fried Foods

    RULE 14: Eat a Real Breakfast

    RULE 15: Make Your Own Food and Eat at Least Ten Meals a Week at Home

    RULE 16: Banish High-Salt Foods

    RULE 18: Go to Bed Hungry

    RULE 20: Plan One Splurge Meal a Week

    These are ones that i find either complete BS or completely worthless.