A Review of Bob Harper's Newest Plan: Jumpstart to Skinny

I have to say that I have been feeling SO much better since doing this - really its just clean eating (as other posters have noted). What I'm taking away is portion sizes, new recipes, and how to live without non-naturally occurring sodium (I'm a salt fiend...). You stay surprisingly full, but again it isn't for everyone. You do actually learn to eat properly, prepare ahead, etc....but everyone is right in that the 800 calories (it is usually more like 900 or so...not that that makes my argument any better!) is very restrictive and not sustainable. I'll be adding more to it after Monday (and looking forward to a non-veggie snack...).

And alas, no fruity pebbles allowed. I'm okay with that because I'm not a big FP fan, but, the no Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs is tragic :happy:

Hi, I was wondering if any of you have tried the "Quinoatmeal", it calls for only 1/3 cup Quinoa, along with 1/2 cup almond milk. This was like soup. How did your's turn out?

Does anyone have a spreadsheet of the meals and shopping list? I find it so hard to coordinate this the way he has done it in the book. Help please anyone!!!! You can email me at georgia121@hotmail.com

First of all, don't let the title "skinny" throw you... he's not advocating that weak, emancipated look.

What edzachary do emancipated people look like?

Great catch: emaciated

Glad you think so. I just got a strike for this post...

I have read all the posts to this forum, a majority of the negative posts are from rather foolish or perhaps stupid people that have not read the book.

Firstly, I am an adult male, 66 years old and now weigh exactly 300 pounds. When I was 55 years old I was exposed to respiratory anthrax along with 3 co-workers. I survived, the others did not. No headlines, we simply became exposed to the bacteria from dust/dirt that harbored the bacteria. That resulted in me essentially having COPD because of the damaged lung tissue. Stroke (recovered from that) an also a MI, (heart attack) which essentially caused a portion of my heart to die. I could easily sit and slowly walk short distances, but any normal exercise or even walking down the block was not possible. When I became ill I weighed 155 pounds and averaged around 3000 calories, and worked and exercised. After the first 5 years of dissability I had gained a bunch of weight, and ended up with a weight of around 250 pounds. I then followed diets by my physician, and two different professional nutritionists employed by a local hospital. Following their diets EXACTLY, over the next 5 years I gained an additional 83 pounds (333 pounds total) . I recently changed Doctors, my old one retired, and the new young doctor told me to loose weight I needed to eat 40% Greens, 40% lean protein, a tablespoon of Olive oil in preparation or used as a salad dressing. I could intake NO SALT, and NO added SUGAR and No Flour. He said that if I wished to have additional guidance, I should buy or get from a library Bob Harper's book "Jumpstart To Skinney" as that was what he based my diet on, with the exception of NO SALT, SUGAR, or FLOUR of any kind.

I modified Bob Harper's diet plan to be somewhat simpler in meal preparation, a tossed salad with varied greens, and then a broiled chicken breast or broiled tuna, or broiled salmon, or a small lean broiled steak. I try to limit the protein to between 4 and 6 ounces per meal, the breakfast has perhaps fewer calories and grams of protein, but usually includes four or five fresh or frozen strawberries, a cup of black coffee, and a tablespoon of psyllium husk fiber to provide added fiber in my diet.

I drink at least a gallon of water per day.

I have lost 33 pounds in three weeks, now weigh exactly 300. My Dr told me to stay on this diet for the next 3 months, and he will then re-evaluate me and the diet.

The book is good, gives great advice, and its diet can be modified to work, as long as one does not cheat on the (essentially) 40% approved Greens, 40% lean Protein, and 20% approved fat.

People are allowed to disagree and voice their opinions.

The SITE ITSELF is not in any way shape or form supportive of VLCDs. So no, this site isn't about supporting a diet like this regardless of how long it is for.

SiouxCityBoy, I highly recommend reading the forum rules seeing as you're so fond of reading and all. Might notice that name calling isn't allowed.

800cals per day isn't enough to properly and healthfully sustain your body's basic functions in the long term. It has nothing whatsoever to do with how hungry or not you are.

I have read all the posts to this forum, a majority of the negative posts are from rather foolish or perhaps stupid people that have not read the book.

Firstly, I am an adult male, 66 years old and now weigh exactly 300 pounds. When I was 55 years old I was exposed to respiratory anthrax along with 3 co-workers. I survived, the others did not. No headlines, we simply became exposed to the bacteria from dust/dirt that harbored the bacteria. That resulted in me essentially having COPD because of the damaged lung tissue. Stroke (recovered from that) an also a MI, (heart attack) which essentially caused a portion of my heart to die. I could easily sit and slowly walk short distances, but any normal exercise or even walking down the block was not possible. When I became ill I weighed 155 pounds and averaged around 3000 calories, and worked and exercised. After the first 5 years of dissability I had gained a bunch of weight, and ended up with a weight of around 250 pounds. I then followed diets by my physician, and two different professional nutritionists employed by a local hospital. Following their diets EXACTLY, over the next 5 years I gained an additional 83 pounds (333 pounds total) . I recently changed Doctors, my old one retired, and the new young doctor told me to loose weight I needed to eat 40% Greens, 40% lean protein, a tablespoon of Olive oil in preparation or used as a salad dressing. I could intake NO SALT, and NO added SUGAR and No Flour. He said that if I wished to have additional guidance, I should buy or get from a library Bob Harper's book "Jumpstart To Skinney" as that was what he based my diet on, with the exception of NO SALT, SUGAR, or FLOUR of any kind.

I modified Bob Harper's diet plan to be somewhat simpler in meal preparation, a tossed salad with varied greens, and then a broiled chicken breast or broiled tuna, or broiled salmon, or a small lean broiled steak. I try to limit the protein to between 4 and 6 ounces per meal, the breakfast has perhaps fewer calories and grams of protein, but usually includes four or five fresh or frozen strawberries, a cup of black coffee, and a tablespoon of psyllium husk fiber to provide added fiber in my diet.

I drink at least a gallon of water per day.

I have lost 33 pounds in three weeks, now weigh exactly 300. My Dr told me to stay on this diet for the next 3 months, and he will then re-evaluate me and the diet.

The book is good, gives great advice, and its diet can be modified to work, as long as one does not cheat on the (essentially) 40% approved Greens, 40% lean Protein, and 20% approved fat.

I find this very interesting. I mentioned Bob Harper on another thread earlier today and I was eaten alive by know-it-alls and my posts were deleted by the moderator. Then I go out to dinner, have a good time, come home and search for Bob Harper and find a ton of posts about his book. Unbelievable. Glad to find some sane people over here. I enjoyed the book very much and will most likely tailor it to fit my needs as I have the 5:2 plan. Nice to meet you all.

I think the best thing is for the people doing this diet to check back in a year and tell us what happened in the months that followed the three weeks.

It seems like some people are just intent on hating pop-fitness stars selling diets, no matter how reasonable they are. Why do people have a problem with other's paying a measly $12 for three weeks of a healthy menu plan, along with other tips to maximize weight loss? You are just mad that it's that easy for them to make money off something that others could, in theory, invest their own time and effort into doing for free?

I think spending money on a gym membership is a waste of money for most, because you could work out at home or outside, but I'm not going to tell anyone who posts about going to a gym, "oh, you know you could work out at home for free, right?" Duh, I know I could develop my own meal plan...I'd rather pay a few bucks to make it easier for myself. But hey, if it really makes you feel good to tear down others for wanting to pay for that information instead of researching and planning it all themselves, well...I guess that's your right.

Thank you, pure of heart, for taking the time to address what others are saying-- but it seems like no matter how you or I respond, they will just talk past whatever we say and settle on " it's dumb to follow a prescribed diet". Hey, what works for me might not work for you, but don't tell me its an automatic recipe for disaster .

But in a way, I want to thank all of those who are saying this diet is doomed to result in relapse, because now I am even more determined to follow the plan, wean myself off it after 3 weeks and keep the weight off just to show all you naysayers that you are wrong!

My kind of logic. My kind of person. Hope you are still on MFP so we can be friends.

I am two weeks into the plan. It has been amazing! I was very skeptical at first, but I figured I would give it a go. The first few days were hard, because I believe I was going through a detox/withdrawal from sugar, salt and carbohydrates. After day 5, things seemed to pick up for me and I have absolutely loved it. I don't feel hungry (I did the first few days) and my body feels great. I actually sleep better too, which is something I wasn't expecting. I already exercise and so I haven't followed Bob's exercise.

I have 9 more days and I have already lost 6.5 lbs. I was expecting to lose 5 total, so I am pleasantly surprised. I recommend Bob's book to anyone who is at a platue or needing a jumpstart to losing weight. I had 15lbs I wanted to lose after my 4th kid and believe this will help get me half way there. I plan on picking up with Weight Watchers to finish the remaining weight.

Thanks BOB!

gretsl1 wrote: »

Couldn't I just follow the 1,200 calories a day recommended for men, even though I'm a woman?

@gretsl1 1200 is the lowest recommended for women and 1500 is the minimum a guy should be eating.
However, 1200 may not always be a good idea it really depends on how much you actually have to lose. I have 22 pounds I want to lose, so I eat 1500 calories. I'm trying to lose at a rate of 0.5 pounds, but the calorie intake was given to me my MyFitnessPal because of my height, setting weight, and loss rate. So yours may be different.

Op, thanks for your review but I personally wouldn't see myself eating 800 calories a day. That's a very low calorie diet (VLCD) and I think it's strongly discouraged by MyFitnessPal. Secondly, it should only be done under doctor supervision if done so. But it's been a few years if you want to provide an update feel free to do so.

Bob Harper is not a registered dietitian or medical doctor. If you want to spend money on a diet plan book IMO, at least buy one from someone with some training.