Bob Harper's "Jumpstart to Skinny"...anyone tried it?

Look forward to hearing how you get on pure at heart - I have nine weeks to a holiday and lose weight very very slowly on 1400 cals a day, coupled with lots of exercise, maybe this would be good for me, just 21 days.. sounds like you have made a good start - will go and check the book out for myself.

I have 15 lbs of baby weight to lose and am thinking of doing it for 3 weeks.

And to the people that think it's not healthy, it is almost identical to the diet I was on with a very respected nutritionist- 750cal/day, mostly in shakes/soups, so not even real food. It was EXTREME but I was healthy (other than the extra 25 lbs) so I could handle it. I think for people with underlying health issues, it needs to be taken very seriously.
However, it's not meant to be a long term thing either.

Glad to hear people aren't too hungry on the diet either!

my husband and i are starting this on MOnday. I have read the book and he has you eating that many calories with out all the extra veggies i dont think that its low on the calorie rang but i think we will add more to each day he has some really good recipes in this book so i will use them his idea of no carbs after noon i like so i guess we will have to see how it goes

I'm on day 6 of the Jumpstart plan and I've lost 5 lbs so far.

I'm never really hungry. You eat A LOT of veggies. I sometimes find myself struggling to eat my meals, but I do so knowing that I need those calories.

I do experience a dip of energy in the afternoon. Yesterday I tried an espresso and that helped. Yesterday was my hardest day, I'm not sure why, I was a bit blue, I suppose. The other days have been fairly easy, surprisingly so. I did have 1 cookie Wednesday night as I was at a party and the host had made everything from scratch - hard to explain when there's a table in front of you full of desserts and the host chatting up each one. Sigh. But in hindsight, I praise myself for selecting the smallest thing I could and then walking away. I've not had mad cravings for sugar, a few emotional moments where I recognize I want a treat to support or "fix" something in my personal life, but nothing like what I've experienced on other plans, including ones that have desserts.

The early morning 45 minute low intensity work out seems like a drag, but it's all done and attainable so I find myself pleased that it's taken care of by 8 or 9 am. I am use to some severe drops in energy/borderline hypoglycemia, but no such problems on this plan so far. Am curious to see what Week 2 will be like.

The exercise rounds were too intense for me so I scaled them back and am trying to work my way up. I like the challenge and can see incorporating them into my days - they can all be done from home for 15-20 minutes. I'm working out less than I used to and not starving and losing weight. Week 1 is a success!

You do need to sit down and prepare your shopping lists, prep and chop food and have your meals ready to roll out. Today felt like a long kitchen day, but I'm finally beginning to see how this approach works as a system. I am learning how to rely more on veggies, less on easy carbs or processed foods. I feel better. I am taking each week as a commitment unto itself and trust, do dream of introducing several more items back into my meals, but overall, I'm really taken with this plan. I don't know if I'll lose the 20 lbs, but I can foresee 10 or even 15. I'd been struggling and keeping my calorie intake between 1500-1700 plus working out 1 - 2 hours cardio plus 15 - 20 minutes light weights in an attempt to budge some pounds. This is far easier.

Will let you know how it goes. But for those worried about being hungry. There's a giant list of veggies that you can snack on or supplement any meal with and you're encouraged to do so. I told myself that depending on my results and how I felt that I would check out Bob's Skinny Rules. This jumpstart is helping me feel full, successful and more in tune with my health. I wasn't expecting that.

Re the fat %: would guess that this might be connected to the type and quantity of olive oil spray you are using. I use one of the manual pumps - I feel like I am hitting the fat.

It's a set-up for failure.

So basically this diet is just eat clean and healthy and nutrient dense veggies? I.E common sense? cool. I should write a book.

No, veggies have calories and carbs.

The plan is 40/40/20 protein, carbs and fats. You need these. Then you add veggies and there is a list he's specific about, along with limited fruit. He says that veggies are fiber rich and low in calories, which will help you stay on this short term plan, fill you up and assist with losing weight. There are no potatoes on the list, for instance, and the plan is heavy on greens. Additionally, it illustrates how to replace a lot of the processed carbs many rely on, showing you ways to integrate more fresh produce once you return to your regular way of eating or skinny rules if continuing with his day-to-day approach after the 3 week period ends.

Skinny Rules may be what you're seeking if you want ways to approach lifestyle changes that are reasonable and fit within a normal schedule. Or there may be another approach that works for you. My only intent in coming here was to test this plan and find some support.

So is he pretending that veggies don't have calories if you're allowed to snack on them when you want?

Not at all. The list happens to be very low in calories. I find it hard to believe anyone would go over a 100 calories in just one snack of his list. Plus, the list are the vegetables that are mostly water and fiber, which is probably another reason he doesn't see the addition having a major slow down in your weight loss.

So basically this diet is just eat clean and healthy and nutrient dense veggies? I.E common sense? cool. I should write a book.

If you have some kick-*kitten* and tasty recipes, go for it ! I've never knew "clean eating" could be so easy and yummy!

Just out of curiosity (I have not read the book), can anyone give me some examples of the nutrion dense foods? And examples of those expensive and hard to find foods? Thanks!

Just out of curiosity (I have not read the book), can anyone give me some examples of the nutrion dense foods? And examples of those expensive and hard to find foods? Thanks!

Nutrition dense foods: Lots (like 5 cups in one meal lots) of green leafy vegetables... broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, tomatoes, berries, apples, avocado (also a fat)... then lots of bulky veggies like squash, zucchini. Protein includes salmon, haddock, and boneless/skinless turkey & chicken breasts as well as eggs and walnuts. Complex carbs focus on quinoa (required a trip to Whole Foods for me), Ezekial bread (in the special frozen "health section" at my store and more expensive than regular bread) and whole wheat pasta (50% more expensive than regular pasta in my store).

I've heard that some local stores don't carry persian cucumbers. My store didn't have spaghetti squash yet and was out of Swiss chard the day I shopped but had it the next day.

The herbs can get expensive too... I relied mostly on dried ones I already own as I hate wasting and that is what would have happened as some recipes only call for a tablespoon and you have about 2 cups worth!

I started today. It is a calorie deficit diet by the recipes are delicious and I think it's a great way to get out of a plateau. In my case I'm exercising and eating healthy but I'm not losing that much weight anymore, so I'm doing this for 3 weeks and then continuing with healthy habits and exercise.

Does anyone on the plan see any issue with swapping lunches and dinners for each other? I made an extra portion of the herbed turkey soup, easy lunch the next day, that way you aren't ONLY eating salads for lunch?

I made the turkey bolognese last night, yummmm, I will make that again soon to use the rest of the marinara. My fiancee gobbled it right up too!

I've gotten sick of salads for lunch and switched out... they seem to be the same combo of simple carbs, protein and fat.... whereas breakfast works in the complex carb.

And I love the turkey bolognese! I had switched that out for a lunch last week when I was really tired of salads! It is another one of the recipes I intend to make a permanent part of diet!