Bob Harper's new book--only 800 calories/day?!

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  • hdkerr
    hdkerr Posts: 145 Member
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    I read one of his books (not the newest one, but the one about "Skinny Rules") and he said across the board all women should eat 1200/day. So when I started on here and they (MFP) recommended 1200 I didn't see a problem with it.

    But when I started to hang around the message boards and listen to some posts--aka In Place of a Road Map: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0 I started to realize 1200 was stupid. Since I've upped my calories I have never been happier and I'm still losing weight.

    Here's the interview from the Today show if you wanna see what he had to say. Apparently you don't count the calories from vegetables and no carbs after your breakfast. http://www.today.com/video/today/51619342#51619342
  • MissFitee
    MissFitee Posts: 106 Member
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    Eating a VLCD for a set period is no problem for most people, especially the morbidly obese. Alot of people will find the motivation and strength to continue once they see those first pounds melting away. There are many ways to go from point A to point B. This is just one of them. As you get closer to your goal and the weight loss slows down, it's a good idea to start eating a more realistic amount of food rather than starving yourself for a long period of time..
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
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    Not sticking up for him per se... However, if you only saw a brief excerpt there might be more to it. For example, I heard he said in his book that he doesn't count fruits and vegetables as calories. So maybe he means 800 calories of just meats, dairy, grains and oils?

    i was thinking this as well, that maybe it only counts other foods then fruits and veggies are "free"
    sounds like the hsgd. oh boy :ohwell:

    I never could understand how come he says vegetables are "free" foods. This man has never seen me put vegetables away. I have been known to eat six servings or more of vegetables in a sitting.
  • gr8pillock
    gr8pillock Posts: 374 Member
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    Starvation mode does not happen as easily as people think. It would take over 30 days of water only fasting to go into starvation mode for most people.

    This.

    And fasting/caloric restriction has health benefits beyond weight loss, when done within certain parameters. The myth of starvation mode and the power people give it has always confused me.

    If his diet says to stick with 800 long term, I would be surprised. Short term isn't as unreasonable, but even still... I am surprised.
  • Tercob
    Tercob Posts: 151 Member
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    bump for later
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    Considering that he showed people improper kettle bell swings on his DVD and when other people called him out on it he didn't give a _____.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Starvation mode does not happen as easily as people think. It would take over 30 days of water only fasting to go into starvation mode for most people.

    30 days of no food huh? I think that might be an over-estimation!
  • ashleynicoleb
    ashleynicoleb Posts: 376 Member
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    Looks like he's definitely succumbed to society's obsession for fad diets. Not sustainable.
  • LosingMyMarbles
    LosingMyMarbles Posts: 168 Member
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    He was on Dr Oz this afternoon. I only watched to see what Bob had to say. Not impressed. I just unfollowed him on Facebook because all he does is post about Quaker Oats.
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
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    BURN IT WITH FIRE
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
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    Thats crazy!
  • Hadabetter
    Hadabetter Posts: 941 Member
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    "I am a huge fan of The Biggest Loser". Fail!
    "...and of course all the trainers". Fail!

    This abusive show, and these abusive people are dedicated to making money, not to health and fitness.
  • surreygirl23
    surreygirl23 Posts: 85 Member
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    I was reading about this the other day - yes, he means 1) no complex carbs after breakfast (he then started on about how many carbs in a blueberry, which lost me). Also 2) vegetables are free, so stuff yourself with these. 3) eat in the right proportions 40/40/20 - protein/carbs/fat.

    To be honest, the title of his book 'jump start to skinny' is enough to put me right off - I don't want to be skinny, I want to be healthy, and fit into my old clothes!
  • timberowl
    timberowl Posts: 331 Member
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    I'm sure that there's a *specific* 800 calories he wants you to intake (i.e. a list of foods, if not a meal plan), but I still think it's unhealthy.

    I paid for an online personal trainer, and the guy was trying to have me work out for 2 hours a day *plus* eat between 900-1000 calories a day *total*. I immediately unenrolled and blocked his email.
  • ggxx100
    ggxx100 Posts: 520 Member
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    ....and he calls himself a trainer?


    For shame, for shame.
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
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    In some ways I don't think it's stupid at all. Alot of trainers begin with a large deficit and say unlimited fruit n veg. It gives a quick result initially..just a jump start to motivation.I've seen Lyle McDonald mention that he does this too...only for a short period of time. If you think about it..an average morbidly obese person needs to maintain at 3000. If you tell them they can only eat 800 cal of protein, dairy, complex carb that's quite substantial but then unlimited fruit n veg...how many apples etc can they eat before full? You can bet they still have a deficit from that 3000 but eat way more than 800. Not forgetting that the more they think they can eat psychologically makes that food more attractive and are ones high in nutrients to boot. We're also forgetting that we can bet that a lot of morbidly obese folks do have hormonal issues even if they are unaware of it themselves. It's the nutrients they get from these "free" foods that Harper is tricking them into eating and addressing those hormonal imbalances. It's the psychology he's tampering with more than anything at the beginning.

    However, having not read the book I'm going out on a limb I realise. I'd be disappointed if he wasn't more educational about the reasons behind what he does. Also I'd like to know how specific he is about those fruits n veg. Also how does this change after 3wks?
  • yaybazinga
    yaybazinga Posts: 54
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    I was reading about this the other day - yes, he means 1) no complex carbs after breakfast (he then started on about how many carbs in a blueberry, which lost me). Also 2) vegetables are free, so stuff yourself with these. 3) eat in the right proportions 40/40/20 - protein/carbs/fat.

    To be honest, the title of his book 'jump start to skinny' is enough to put me right off - I don't want to be skinny, I want to be healthy, and fit into my old clothes!

    how do you get to a 40/40/20 ratio when you're not allowed to eat complex carbs? loooooooots of veggies? :noway:
  • gateauxloseweight
    gateauxloseweight Posts: 18
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    With all those veggies it should be retitled the Bob Harper 'Fart yourself fit and s*** yourself slim diet'
  • worldsbestauntie
    worldsbestauntie Posts: 280 Member
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    800? I am on a 1200 one and I am finding myself hungry at night and wanting to eat more but it will take me over my calorie count if I did!
  • samsharp88
    samsharp88 Posts: 1
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    Not sticking up for him per se... However, if you only saw a brief excerpt there might be more to it. For example, I heard he said in his book that he doesn't count fruits and vegetables as calories. So maybe he means 800 calories of just meats, dairy, grains and oils?

    This is what I'm thinking he maybe meant.. I hope... I eat 900 to 1000 calories a day.. kinda.. I don't count fruit or veggies, & since I'm a vegetarian it equals out to me getting alot of "good" calories & nutrients that I don't actually "count" if that makes sense. But either way, I do find it odd that he is promoting it.. because he has such a following & I feel like no matter what he actually means by his advice, there will be people out there that take it too literal, or to an extreme, & end up doing some very unsafe things with their diet.

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