The Cheat to Lose Diet: Cheat BIG with the Foods You Love, Lose Fat Faster Than Ever Before, and Enjoy Keeping It Off! (Paperback) Review

The Good -
The diet is sound, appears to work well and most importantly (for most people) it's easy to follow. The book is easy to read, gives good information on this diet and why some others fail.
The Bad -
If you are a numbers person (like I am) - and you want to be able to check off "perfect diet day", you won't be able to. Joel gives no recommendations on number of calories, grams of carbs, fats, protein etc. He gives size recommendations (a piece of chicken breast about the size of your palm counts as a protein item in a meal) and he has a bunch of great recipe's in the book, but I would have like to know what counts as a "low carb day" for instance - if I'm under 100g?, 50g? 30g? As I'm sure this was conscious decision on Joel's part to make the diet easy to follow, and so as not to scare off the masses, I can't really kill the book because of this.
The Ugly -
OK 2 things here.
1) The book has almost as many pages of references as it does diet information. At the end of each chapter he just lists a ton of references - sometimes 8-10 pages of them! It honestly looks to me like the books editor said "The books great Joel, but without the recipe's it's only 100 pages - we need another 50 or so" and they just found a bunch of studies on leptin and threw them into the book (by the way my numbers - 50 pages - are probably an exaggeration, but the point is there is a lot of "wasted" pages.)
2) The web site - if you go to the web site for the book, it's set up to have you pay $5/month to use "The Cheat to Lose Diet" - I didn't buy the book to be upsold on a web site - if they are going to put a site up for the book, it should have a free area for the people that buy the book, and then maybe a pay area for extra recipes, one on one Joel info etc. It almost looks like the book is just a marketing tool for the web site which is kind of annoying.
That said - the book is cheap and contains enough info to execute the diet, so I can't complain too much.
My review sounds more negative than my real feeling about the book. The 4 stars is my feeling, so don't skip the book because I didn't say it was perfect. I think, for the average person, this might be the "perfect" diet because you can eat whatever you want at times.

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Product Description:
Burn Fat Faster with your favorite foods

Author, fitness expert, and Body-for-Life champion Joel Marion often found himself doing exactly what we all do when a diet simply isn't working: quitting. But through a series of diet "screwups," Joel discovered a startling truth: cheating on your diet can actually accelerate fat loss. Here, finally, is a diet that works with your body to help you lose fat faster than restrictive dieting ever could. The Cheat to Lose Diet includes a simple weekly plan in which more carbohydrates are deliberately added with each passing day, leading up to the "Cheat Day," when you'll cheat BIG with all your favorite foods. Never again will you feel guilty for indulging in the foods you love, because you'll learn that dietary cheating is absolutely vital to your success.
This innovative new diet plan has already helped dieters around the world lose weight and keep it off-so start cheating and losing today!

"Based on cutting-edge medical research, The Cheat to Lose Diet reveals the hormonal connection between strategic cheating and fat loss that will change the way you diet forever."
-Muscle Magazine International

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The Alternate-Day Diet [Bargain Price] [Hardcover] Review

I have been following this lifestyle for over two years since discovering it online, and I consider it utterly revolutionary; I plan to do it for the rest of my life and I believe that everyone (who is medically capable) should do so as well. Few things have changed my life as dramatically as this diet. I moderate an online community with over 300 members and the overwhelming majority agree with me.

In addition to the obvious benefit of achieving and maintaining a slender figure, this diet can improve inflammatory disorders (arthritis, asthma, tendonitis, allergies), expand cognition, increase your energy levels, reduce your risk of developing cancer, and extend your life (while maintaining a youthful state). It's also an incredibly easy diet to follow and stick to, which is rare when it comes to weight-loss inducing diets. My personal benefits include weight loss, body fat reduction and redistribution (especially targeted loss of abdominal fat), reduced environmental allergy symptoms, complete remission of my crippling tendonitis, more energy & less need for sleep,improved exercise strength & endurance, and most notably, enhanced cognition. I'm now able tofully comprehend material, such as advanced topics in physics, that I formerly failed to grasp despite numerous attempts, and I can juggle more ideas and trains of thought in my mind at at time.

The book is reasonably well-written and generally enjoyable and easy to read. I feel that Dr. Johnson makes good use of evidence (and does not dumb down the data), and only rarely makes unfounded or exaggerated statements. I would certainly recommend this book for people who are not swayed by the general concept and online information alone, as they will almost definitely consider an actual BOOK by an actual MEDICAL DOCTOR more seriously. In that vein, it would make a great gift, and you can make sure the giftee has read the book by asking their opinion on the diet. However, the book is not necessary to do the diet (which is so inherently simple) - though it may be quite helpful for some - as essential information can be found online.

Predictably, the book does focus on weight loss, despite discussing the numerous other health benefits of the diet. Dr. Johnson dubs the major gene that the diet activates (SIRT1) the 'skinny gene' and I find this a bit gimmicky. I realize that many people (myself included) are almost obsessively interested in being slim, but I truly think the other health benefits are much more interesting and worthwhile. Also, people who are happy with their weight may be turned off by what they perceive to be a weight-loss oriented 'diet', as opposed to an eating pattern that will revolutionize their lives both physically and mentally.

A significant portion of the book goes into general nutrition and exercise information, and while it's mostly solid enough, I think there are better books for such principles. For example, I disagree with Dr. J's assessment of red meat, cholesterol, and saturated fats - all things I consider perfectly healthy and woefully demonized in the public eye. I appreciate that the diet alone will not gain one optimal health - and it does not exist in a vacuum - even though one can lose weight and improve one's health by doing nothing else, exercise and actual food consumption still matter. But again - there are better sources for both, and Dr. J does acknowledge this to an extent.

The down day meal plans (30 days of such days!) suck, frankly. Total calories average about 600, which is above 20% of the recommended caloric intake for much of the population. I feel that 20% is too high anywayas I personally stick to near-complete fasting, so nearing 35% is even worse! The recipes, on the other hand, are actually pretty decent. Some of them sound quite tasty and creative, and many of them are under 200 cals/serving. Standalone or for up days, they could indeed be useful. Ones which caught my eye: Creamy Oats and Berries, Lemony Hummus, Mixed Greens Tossed with Noodles, Chicken with Pineapple, Bell Peppers, and Onions, Sesame-Crusted Baked Chicken Breasts on Napa Cabbage, Turkey-Stuffed Bell Peppers with an Italian Accent, and Zucchini Ribbons with Tomato Sauce. The recipe section also piqued my interest in Kojac (an Asian yam high in soluble fiber which slows sugar absorption and promotes fullness) and Shirataki noodles (made of tofu and kojac, they average 40 calories/8 oz), both of which I plan to explore.

As I said initially, while the book may not be necessary in order to do the diet, it can be a useful tool and as analternate-day eating fanatic andhealth-obsessed scientist, I learned many interesting tidbits reading the book. I imagine that anyone seriously contemplating the diet as a permanent lifestyle choice will want to have read this.

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Product Description:
Diet only half the time with this simple, safe, and science-based weight-loss program.

The Alternate-Day Diet is a revolutionary eating plan based on the animal studies documenting alternateday calorie restriction, which indicate that limiting caloric intake every other day can turn on the 'skinny' gene (SIRT1). Applying this same model in humans, Dr. Johnson discovered that a similar cascade of positive effects occurs -reduced inflammation, lower free-radical stress, improved insulin resistance, and better cellular energy production, among others. Most important, it also promotes fat loss by releasing fat cells from around the body's organs.

But, perhaps, the most significant benefit for those who want to lose weight is that every-other-day calorie restriction eliminates feelings of chronic deprivation-the reason that most diets fail.

Easy-to-follow and scientifically sound, the diet is already a worldwide Internet phenomenon. And this book will provide Dr. Johnson's legion of followers-plus those new to the diet- with all the guidance and recipes they will need to make the diet work best.

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The Power of 4: Your Ultimate Guide Guaranteed to Change Your Body and Transform Your Life [Paperback] Review

I recommend this book to everyone who wants to look great, feel great and develop a sustainable lifestyle for being healthy the rest of your life, no matter what your age.
What's unique about Paula's book is that she integrates the four essential areas that must be addressed in order to improve body composition.
Most diet books take a low calorie approach, which only depletes brain chemistry and sets a person up for depression, anxiety and future failure in weight loss. Most fitness books talk like all you have to do is work out like a fiend.
Those of us who actually get long-term results in this industry understand that most of our clients have to overcome brainwashing about low fat, low carb, low calorie diets accompanied by high intensity aerobic exercise. It's not a matter of calories in versus calories out. It's all about building your metabolism, building your health and developing a healthy relationship with food and exercise.
Paula walks her talk. She is also one of the sweetest, most humble and generous people in the fitness industry. She is a great mentor for women in particular, many of whom have destroyed their self image, their looks, their brain chemistry and their hope by following the recommendations of the traditional diet and fitness industries.
Please read this book if you are serious about knowing what it really takes. Yes, you can lose weight. Yes, it is fun to lift weights if you do it correctly. No, you don't have to do aerobics, join a boot camp, run marathons or work out until you feel like you are going to pass out to lose weight and keep it off. Yes, you can eat five times a day. Please get lots of rest and read and reread Paula's great book until you have taken her advice to heart.

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Product Description:
Paula Owens, Holistic Practitioner, Nutritionist, Fitness Expert and Weight Loss Coach, is the author of THE POWER OF 4 - Your Ultimate Guide Guaranteed to Change Your Body and Transform Your Life.

THE POWER OF 4 is a 'must read' for health, vitality, longevity and fat loss. The four powers include nutrition, lifestyle, exercise & supplements.

THE POWER OF 4 "guarantees to change your body and transform your life" enlightening the reader with information based on scientific research, functional medicine and the authors' 20+ years ofexperience transforming physiques and helping people attain health - naturally.

An informative book on educating and empowering you to your highest level of health and wellness by selecting two simple, yet profound, Winning Formulas each week with topics on:
•Digestive health
•Foods to include and ingredients to avoid for health, vitality, longevity and fat loss
•Holistic remedies for food cravings, inflammation, hypertension, diabetes, fatigue, depression, hormone imbalances, osteoporosis, elevated cholesterol, etc.
•Preventative measures for cancer
•Sleep - The fountain of youth
•Stress busters to manage stressors
•The best exercise for fat loss and anti-aging
•The top supplements for health, vitality, longevity and well-being
•Your thoughts, value system, meditation, breathing and affirmations
•Non-pharmaceutical, natural healing modalities for various health conditions plus more!
www.PaulaOwens.com

"Do you want practical, scientific and up to date information that will transform your health and your life? You must add this incredible book by Paula Owens to your personal library." ~Mark Houston MD MS FACP FAHA Author of " What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Hypertension"

"Paula Owens walks the walk! This is a terrific program that can benefit and empower you!" ~Jonny Bowden, PhD, CCN Best Selling Author

"Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Paula's book is that it took so long for someone to transpire all of this information to share with the public," said Harry O. Eidenier Jr., Ph.D. "I sincerely believe this book should be used as a text in any institution of higher learning where the student is pursuing a degree in nutrition, exercise physiology or dietetics."

"I love this book. Paula's book is one of the best nutrition books I have ever read. The information is cutting-edge, presented so well and simply. It is a great mix of scientific knowledge, holistic wisdom, and practical information designed to maximize results. The Power of 4 is a must read for all trainers as well as people genuinely interested in enhancing their health and fitness performance. I recommend this book to all my clients looking to improve their nutrition." ~Todd Durkin, Trainer for the San Diego Chargers and 2010 SuperBowler Drew Brees

"The Power of 4 is a very informative book on how to navigate the challenges that are associated with today's lifestyles. Paula provides insight, experience, and opportunities to create better health. Her research and experience gives unique insight that motivates one to recapture their optimal wellness. I recommend The Power of 4 to my new patients in an effort to empower them to feel better as quickly as possible."~Dr. Steve Osterhout, D.C., Specialized Family Chiropractic, Kalamazoo, MI--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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THE 3:00 PM SECRET: Live Slim and Strong, Live Your Dreams [Paperback] Review

The 3:00 PM Secret is a strong combination of inspiration and information that appeals to both heart and mind. It has motivated and equipped me to make choices in 'when I eat', as well as in my nutrition, exercise, sleeping, and other patterns that have already produced a weight loss of nearly 25 lbs, a lean, more rested body, and great optimism toward the future. I'm feeling and acting stronger, younger, and just plain happier. I know many many people whose bodies can't keep up with their dreams, who have repeatedly tried and failed to slim down, and have just given up hope. I am recommending Ms. Lawrence's book to them (in some cases giving them copies) because I want them to succeed, too! I must also add that one feature that sets this book apart from others is the amazing amount of research that backs up the author's propositions. While the text does not read at all like a text book, it will remain a wonderful reference book, and the numerous footnotes that tie back to scientific findings gave me confidence that I was receiving sound and proven advice and information, worthy of my reliance.

I know it seems difficult to change our living habits, even though we know our current practices are unhealthy and sometimes lethal. This little book will show you how to live a healthy, hopeful, happy life, and have the body that will carry you through all the wonderful adventures that lie before you. There is a lot of info on the book's site, but here is a summary of the contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.
A Man's Perspective.
Preview.
Chapter 1. The Decision.
Chapter 2. The 3:00 PM Secret.
Chapter 3. Ten Tips for Good Nutrition and Foods to Emphasize.
Chapter 4. The Ten-Minute Maximized Workout.
Chapter 5. Sleep Well.
Chapter 6. Successful Aging.
Epilogue.
Appendix 1: Essential Nutrients and Where to Find Them.
Appendix 2: Body Mass Index (BMI).
Index.
Cut-Out Pages of "How to Begin".
Cut-Out Pages of "Daily Workout Summary".

All in all, a unique and valuable book that will put you on a new path to health and longevity.

- - - - UPDATE
I am updating this since I have been following this book for another year since my review.I have EASILY held my weight loss and am down another five pounds.I am at my perfect weight.I don't even have to try to keep my weight where I want it - it is just so natural and easy.Something really does change with your desire when you follow this method, and you no longer need to fight temptation, you just don't want to eat at night or eat unhealthy foods anymore.I feel sorry for and frustrated with people I care about who are overweight since they think they cannot live without their nightly dinner ritual. I see them waddling around with their health issues and aging bodies, while I feel more youthful and athletic every day. I also highly recommend the new 3: 00 PM SECRET 10-DAY DREAM DIET.

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Product Description:
"Since ancient times Sumo Wrestlers have perfected the ability to become very very fat! Their livelihoods depend on it! They are experts! We can learn the SECRET to being slim from the experience and wisdom of the Sumo's - by doing the opposite - The 3:00 PM SECRET!" * * "The 3:00 PM SECRET will give you results so fast, you will never look back!" * * "The 3:00 PM SECRET is the last book you will ever need on losing weight." * * "Living The 3:00 PM SECRET is so easy and such a positive experience, it seems like magic." * * "When your life is devoted to your dreams rather than dinner, you will focus on those dreams and becoming slim just happens." * * "The 3:00 PM SECRET shows you how to quickly and permanently become slim and strong. If you are feeling hopeless, it will inspire you to rediscover your dreams and show you how to have the body worthy of those dreams." * * "The book was written for you if you have tried and failed at losing weight and have given up on your dreams." * * "The 3:00 PM SECRET is unique because of its motivation and its simple and innovative approach to eating." * * "By focusing on your life and dreams rather than dinner, food cravings vanish." * * "The book has a site where readers can ask questions and share their ideas and success stories." * * * BOOK REVIEW 1: "After Debra distilled her principles for healthy living and proved them in her life, she discovered a passion for sharing her discoveries with others, particularly those who have lost hope that their bodies will ever cooperate with their dreams. Observing that most human beings are, well, human, Debra designed a set of lifestyle choices we all can embrace in our daily rituals. She hopes you will hope again, and finally set yourself free to pursue your true destiny." Judge David A. Lawrence, 'Secret' Admirer. * * * BOOK REVIEW 2: "Finally a treatise on achieving and sustaining one's trimness and fitness based not on no carbs, low carbs, medium carbs or high carbs! Debra has cut through the contemporary and often baseless fads to weight control and health. These two issues are inextricably linked one with the other, and success in achieving both requires an understanding of the ways they relate. She presents an insightful tour d'force of reaching one's goals of not fearing the mirror, the scale or your next birthday. A practical and easy to read journey to discovering The 3PM Secret. This is a must for all of us who seek an end to the race for the next best fad, which most likely will fail as miserably as the one before it. Debra's approach to becoming trim and fit is reasonable, simply presented, understandable and most importantly - attainable!" Professor Channing Robertson, Stanford University.--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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