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

13

Replies

  • janettemalecha
    janettemalecha Posts: 5
    I'm noticing a few typos. Maybe it is just my copy as I downloaded the Nook book. But, in week 2 of the prepare ahead it lists 8 of the asparagus to be roasted and that you will use this in 2 recipes during the week. However, the first recipe calls for all 8 (Spicy Asparagus & Quinoa) and the second recipe calls for 1/3 of the asparagus (Steak & Pesto Potatoes with Roasted Asparagus). Kinda odd. Also the Turkey Scramble recipe makes no mention of spinach in the ingredients but then instructs you to add the spinach in the instructions. Maybe these could be addressed on the next rewrite.

    I am struggling with the exercises, but feel they are something to work up to eventually and I just do the most I can without injuring myself. I'm sure just the yummy recipes, mandatory cardio, and attempt at exercises is worth the amount I paid for the download. I get discouraged and "fall off the waggon" occasionally, but I am able to climb back into the routine. My weight has kinda yo-yoed probably due to my occasional sneaking of alcoholic drinks or mini chocolate treats, but I am happy to be loosing. Sure, it's easy to shoot holes in Bob's diet advice, but if it works for you then I say go for it. I do not believe it is doing any kind of metabolic damage like others have warned. I mean if it does nothing else than deter you from McDonald's for 3 weeks then it is worth it! And for those who keep saying you could do all this on your own without the book, that is probably true, but the reality is the majority of the population is overweight. So, obviously the majority need help and encouragement. Hopefully this can be an aid.
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
    i dont know about your copy of his book but i bought it on line for my Ipad and i went yesterday and bought the Hard book as it was to hard to make up the calendar for the weeks as i have to have everything organized and i couldn't do it with the ebook and i dont know but the Hard copy i bought is different from the ibook . Strange hey
  • run2bfree
    run2bfree Posts: 108 Member
    hi all. i am on week two of this. so far i love the recipes. i definitely wish he included a shopping list. i've swapped out a few things out - tuna in place of the pork and tofu on a couple of salads just to mix it up.

    the calorie deficiency hasn't bothered me since we can eat as many listed veggies as we want. i go through cucumbers and celery like its no ones business! although i do get rather snacky after dinner. i am going to bed hungry every night.

    i am doing 45 mins of cardio in the mornings and then at lunch i am hitting the weights with his jumpstart moves....

    week one i lost 4 lbs. mostly water i think. i felt great though. week two now and i put ON 3.5 lbs but I think it is because I can't go to the bathroom. its been 4 days! I am going to buy some psyllium husk at Trader Joe's today. hopefully that will help.

    how is it going for everyone else?
  • Seanan1
    Seanan1 Posts: 1
    I just started Jumpstart to Skinny on April 6th. Unfortunately, I hurt my leg on day one, so I could not do the exercises. I also have knee and joint issues, so I don't see myself doing the jump-start moves, but I could do some elliptical training for those time slots. I live in a big city and don't drive, so I have been doing some walking anyway. Am I crazy or does 4 ounces of chicken seem like a lot of chicken? I find it hard to eat all of the greens, but I love them. I am normally a pretty healthy eater. However, during the long winter, I gained a few pounds. I am going on a big trip in June. I will probably be eating out a good deal, so I want to lose a few pounds and give myself a little cushion for the trip. When I get back from the trip I will kick it back into gear. I like that he has us eating so many greens. I had been doing Kale shakes/green smoothies to get in my greens before I started. It is hard to go anywhere other than the bathroom drinking all this water! I also love salt, so this has been interesting eating no salt. I use other fresh herbs, and things taste better than I anticipated. I did not weigh myself at the beginning, because I did not want to get upset. I will weigh myself at the end, though. I will be very, very happy if I lose 10 pounds. I will be able to tell somewhat how much I lost by my clothing. I think that it is totally possible. I will probably keep doing the Quinoa breakfasts after this is over. I can definitely see keeping some of the meals in my regular rotation. This is not some crazy diet pill. This is just low calorie, very healthy eating. I am excited to find people here who are also on this journey!!! We can so do this for 3 weeks! Don't give up!
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
    you would think with all the greens you eat on this diet going to the bathroom wouldn't be a problem .
  • bethzaletski
    bethzaletski Posts: 1
    Pure _of_Heart, I noticed in an earlier post, you said someone listed all the recipes in the food database. Could you please tell me exactly what that is? I, too, bought the e-book and it's really difficult to "flip around" for the recipes. I'm on day five of week one and I'm down 4 lbs. I love the food on this plan, and I agree that it's VERY filling.
  • LaraMc71
    LaraMc71 Posts: 29 Member
    I have been able to pull up the recipes using "Jumpstart" in the search when I am logging. I think these recipes are GREAT because they are so filling! I am not following the plan to the mark but am instead eating a fruit for for dessert and after I log all my snack veggies I am close to my 1200 kcals of food. I am following the Complex Carb rules and eating all the protein. This is the end of my 1st week and I have lost 3 pounds, which I believe will stay off. I am happy with that loss.

    PS: I am still having my 'normal' morning coffee w/Milk and Sugar :)
  • mocarranza2000
    mocarranza2000 Posts: 4 Member
    I just wanted to add my experience so far... I'm on Week 2, Day 5 and am down 8 pounds so far. I'm not following the plan to a "T" since I have had a couple of cocktails, and occasionally hashbrowns for breakfast, but other than that I've stuck to it pretty close. I'm also not only doing his exact recipes, but just using MyFitnessPal to get to the correct ratios using foods I enjoy. Lots of Chicken breast and salad though.

    I've noticed I feel a lot better doing this, and I'm not hungry at all! I think it is definately working, and since it is only for 3 weeks and I'm taking my vitamins, eating a ton of veggies, and drinking extra electrolytes I'm not worried that I'm not getting adequate nutrition. I'm also not having a ton of cravings for "bad" things, so I'm not too worried I will gain it all back when I transition off the plan. I feel great!

    Good luck to anyone else trying this approach!
    -Mo
  • ichefmastersgirl
    ichefmastersgirl Posts: 4 Member
    So I am on week 3 and have lost 13lbs so far. Not feeling hungry at all I have and one day that I did have a few drinks for my Mother in laws Birthday and had no problem starting right back up the next day. I have been able to find all the food except for the Fennel and we don't have a health food store near us. And one of my favorites was the Pasta Scramble :) Now here on week 3 you get no fruits and I don't seem to be missing them at all. I do the 45min of cardio but I do not follow the work outs I do follow my own free weight program though. Anyone have any questions ask away. And I do not use the recipes put in the database because my calories don't match up every time due to different products or switch outs that I might have made.
  • MayaSPapaya
    MayaSPapaya Posts: 735 Member
    Bob Harper says himself that it's only meant to be used for a few weeks at most, if you're looking to fit into a dress or something. So its more of a crash diet...800 calories, even with as many veggies as I could eat wouldnt keep me satisfied for more than like a day.
  • MayaSPapaya
    MayaSPapaya Posts: 735 Member
    .week two now and i put ON 3.5 lbs but I think it is because I can't go to the bathroom. its been 4 days! I am going to buy some psyllium husk at Trader Joe's today. hopefully that will help.

    This is probably because you're not eating enough-it happened to me at 1200 calories, then I upped, and it hasnt been a problem since.
  • mariarose88
    mariarose88 Posts: 37
    I'm now on Week 2, day 5! I did a juice fast the weekend before this and kept all that weight off once I went on to this program so I'm counting that as a part of my total loss - as of today I am 11.6 lbs down. The diet is surprisingly easy to follow, once you get used to taking the time to make the meals, etc. It takes a lot of prep and planning, but once you do it's so easy to stick with the plan at least for me. The foods already bought and made each day so all I have to do is eat it! I've learned a lot of lessons about healthy eating so far with this and I'm so pleased with my progress. I was afraid I wasn't going to lose at all since I'm about 20 lbs away from my goal weight, but I've been losing steadily. I'm doing my own cardio/weights routines though so I think that's also been part of my success. I'll have weird cravings from time to time, but I'm rarely hungry so those don't really last long. The steak and pesto "potatoes" has by far been my favorite so far. The orange and fennel fish pockets were the worst :P The hardest thing for me is remembering to drink enough water. I have phased myself down to black coffee as of today though!
  • Heat853
    Heat853 Posts: 5 Member
    Well I have been doing the Jumpstart for a week now and I have to tell you I have lost weight just doing the meals and part of the workout. I have to tell you though I don't feel "good" though. I am always hungry unless I'm in starvation mode, plus I'm sick of all the vegetables! I love veggies more than most and I want to throw up now every time I see spinach in a recipe. It's definitely only meant to be used as a short term diet!
  • msbabigi
    msbabigi Posts: 2
    Hi. I just finished the 3 week program. At the start my weight was 146. Now Im 136. I lost 10 lbs. I lost 6 pounds at the end of the first week (water weight) Held it steady at 140 the second week and dropped 4 more pounds at the end of the 3rd week. Now I have transitioned to his other book The Skinny Rules which allows 1200 cal per day for women. I loved it! never was hungry. The hubby is on his last week. He was 209 and now weighs 191 that's 18 lbs pounds so far. I think Bob did an excellent job with this program. We have learned a lot from the book and glad we tried it!
  • msbabigi
    msbabigi Posts: 2
    Its okay to swap around..it says in the book just no fruit the last week
    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!
  • gmurphy5
    gmurphy5 Posts: 1 Member
    I downloaded a sample of the book last week and did a 4 day trial run. Lost a pound a day! My weight watcher leader was surpassed as I'd been on the plateau with no loss for 6 weeks... I am following the 40-40-20 guidelines this week again toward a Saturday weigh-in. I've picked a few meals I like from the plan and am eating those instead of such a large variety. 5 kids and work don't allow me much time. lots of water has kept me full. If I lose 12 over 3 weeks I will be ecstatic.
  • SweetLilCarrie
    SweetLilCarrie Posts: 2
    can anyone give me an approx on how much it will cost per week for the food?
  • Julipax
    Julipax Posts: 47 Member
    I did my shopping for week 1 yesterday and spent $196 plus $14 at a health food store.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
    I've lost a fair bit of weight and I never, ever had to eat below 1600 calories/day to lose weight. I can't imagine living on 800 calories a day! What a miserable existence that would be. I'm certain that if I went back to eating at a more suitable deficit in order to continue to lose weight, I'd end up gaining and would freak out. I see this happen a lot with women on here who consistently net very low calories.

    Do what you want--it's your body. But very low calorie diets aren't at all healthy or "nutritious", no matter what some celebrity trainer says. There is no way you can fit enough nutrients into 800 calories/day to remain healthy.
  • Julipax
    Julipax Posts: 47 Member
    Also, it is a ton if food! I'm always hungry and on this I'm not. Day 2 and no hunger and I had one snack! No, not a long term diet, but this is good food!
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
    agree with you on this so much i posted awhile back stating the same thing
    i was so disappointed In BOB as i all ways thought he was all about losing weight the healthy way not a fast unhealthy way and yes i now its only 3 weeks but by even doing that for 3 weeks reeks havoc on your bodies and a lot of people dont get that and they also think because he is a celebrity trainer they think he ALWAY right

    I've lost a fair bit of weight and I never, ever had to eat below 1600 calories/day to lose weight. I can't imagine living on 800 calories a day! What a miserable existence that would be. I'm certain that if I went back to eating at a more suitable deficit in order to continue to lose weight, I'd end up gaining and would freak out. I see this happen a lot with women on here who consistently net very low calories.

    Do what you want--it's your body. But very low calorie diets aren't at all healthy or "nutritious", no matter what some celebrity trainer says. There is no way you can fit enough nutrients into 800 calories/day to remain healthy.
    [/quote]
  • Cese27
    Cese27 Posts: 626 Member
    hmm idk but i do know that christine only eats veggies all day..and like no meat. you should also eat every 2 hours. cutting dairy and carbs is good for you too to lose weight..
    Why should you eat every 2hours ? This statement has me intrigued.what are the benefits of this over say 1 or 2 meals per day.
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
    hmm idk but i do know that christine only eats veggies all day..and like no meat. you should also eat every 2 hours. cutting dairy and carbs is good for you too to lose weight..
    Why should you eat every 2hours ? This statement has me intrigued.what are the benefits of this over say 1 or 2 meals per day.
    One of the benefits of eating every two hours is that you'll keep your metabolism running constantly.Eating every two hours will also allow you to keep your blood sugar levels steady. Eating too much at one meal can cause blood sugar levels to rise, which can promote fat storage. Eating smaller meals prevents this from happening and keeps you satisfied yet not completely full.The types of foods you eat every two hours should be nutrient-dense foods like vegetables and fruits are high in vitamins and minerals while relatively low in calories.

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/489586-eat-every-two-hours-diet/#ixzz2Tl1jccGd
  • Cese27
    Cese27 Posts: 626 Member
    Lol,total BS.the notion that eating every 2 hours in some way stokes the fires to burn more is fiction,1meal or 20 makes no difference whatsoever,the less said about livestrong the better
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
    Cese you asks i posted if you don't care to know the fact then why ask on a board
  • Cese27
    Cese27 Posts: 626 Member
    I don't see how posting information that is dated and proven to be incorrect helps anyone,that's just my point of view.sorry if I have come across a been rude it just annoys me when statements like those you made are made
  • bevmcarthur
    bevmcarthur Posts: 341 Member
    ok i will reword this then
    eating ever few hours for me has helped me to lose weight and to keep it off it may not work for all but it works for me . And ho is right and who is wrong with things like this some will believe it is what is best and some will not
  • difabu
    difabu Posts: 143
    I did my shopping for week 1 yesterday and spent $196 plus $14 at a health food store.

    WHOA! For *one* week's worth of food??!!
  • Cese27
    Cese27 Posts: 626 Member
    I have no problem whatsoever with that statement and congrats on you're results
  • memork
    memork Posts: 1 Member
    I'm on my second day. I really didn't feel good for the first day, and this morning. But then sometime around 1:00 today I just felt...fabulous. Bouncy...energetic...something along those lines.

    I will say the hardest thing for me is the time commitment for cooking the food. My fiance and I are both high school music teachers...we don't have a whole lot of time on our hands, but the weekend prep really made the difference.

    Also.. thanks to this book...I realized I actually like celery! I've been going my whole life saying I hated it :) (Chicken and Celery Salad is now my favorite)
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