 Welcome the challenge! |
| Review Date: April 18, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Tracey Calvin, Joplin, Missouri |
I just got the book 3 days ago. I am only on day three, but the information in this book is eye opening. Jillian covers everything from hormones and metabolism, supplements like hoodia, even the master cleanse.
I saw the review below and can't help but wonder if that person actually read the book. There ARE in fact 3 separate 30 day menu plans. One for each oxidizer type (slow, balanced, and fast). For that reason, 1 plan will ask for non-fat cottage cheese and another will ask for low fat. Those two ingredients are not on the same meal plan and they are also on separate grocery lists (of which there are 3, one for fast, balanced, and slow).
Jillian goes on to explain that the recipes make up to 10 - 12 servings for the following reasons: Most women don't want to make separate meals for their families. Also, the book allots each reader with and individualized calorie allowance. As some of the recipes are very low calorie, some people doing the plan will require up to 5 servings of each recipe. Last, if you are like me, always on the run and finding it difficult to cook every night this book will solve your problem. This way you will have healthy food prepared when you are pressed for time. All that said, she specifically mentions in the book that if you want to make less food you can simply cut the ingredients in half and the meal will still come out perfectly making half the servings.
With regard to the workouts: There are over 100 separate exercises in the book and less then 10 of them require gym equipment. The workouts seem predominantly designed to utilize body weight exercises (no gym required).
The workouts do seem tough, that is for sure. However, you can easily modify the exercises to accomodate your fitness level. Jillian offers over 8 variations of plank exercise, 11 different variations of lunges, 8 variations of push ups, and 8 variations of squats just to name a few. For those that don't have a treadmill accessible she offers up over 10 different types of cardio intervals that require no equipment like mountain climbers, butt kicks, squat jacks etc.
As for not being able to tackle weeks 3 and 4 of the workouts on day 1, I think that is the whole point. In order to lose weight quickly you must progress your fitness level quickly. For example, the contestants on Biggest Loser couldn't walk around the block on day 1 and by day 7 she seems to have them running miles and doing push ups. This is why she instructs you to follow the plan religiously. I assume that by doing the workouts from week 1 and week 2 you will be ready to take on weeks 3 and 4, hence the books promise of delivering "the best shape of your life".
I love Jillian. I have been a fan of hers sine season one of Biggest Loser. I listen to her radio show religiously and trust her advice. I use her dvd's and have gotten amazing results. I love this book so far and although it's no walk in the park, I welcome the challenge. |
I lost 8lbs in week one
|
| Review Date: April 18, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Alissa Cooper, New York, New York |
If you want to know how people like Vanessa Marcil go from having a baby to getting back on the cover of Maxim in only a few months, get this book.
The scary part: the workout is challenging and I can't even sit on the toilet I am so sore, but the diet is a no fail. Jillian literally walks you through every second of your day for a month. From exercising, eating, sleeping, supplements you name it. She leaves you no room for error.
I have been doing her plan for exactly 1 week today and weighed in this morning 8 POUNDS LIGHTER! After a week! |
A POWERHOUSE OF A DIET/FITNESS BOOK
|
| Review Date: April 19, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Jan Idlas, Los Angeles, CA |
| True to form, Jillian comes through in a manner that is clear, concise, and no-nonsense. I lost 32 pounds utilizing her first book, "Winning by Losing." I've maintained my loss for almost a year, in part, by listening to her weekly radio show. She won my loyalty long ago, because this woman KNOWS HER STUFF! So when I heard about her new book, I decided I was ready to dive back in and go for "the cut." I've lost 5 additional pounds in 8 days. I'm so jazzed -- thank you, Jillian! |
Making the Cut will Kick Your Butt!
|
| Review Date: September 21, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Dianna Grundhauser, Maui, Hawaii, USA |
I just finished the Making the Cut 30-day program and am very satisfied with the results. I joined a gym for a month to try it out (I usually work out at home), so I would have access to more equipment and machines. I found that I can probably do the routine at home with a couple of modifications. I lost 7 stubborn pounds (I was at a plateau for about 6 weeks) - discovered that counting calories does "count" when you are trying to get those last lbs off. You have to be fairly fit to do the workout at a decent intensity level; I'm pretty fit, but had to modify a few that I just could not do (yet), like a scorpion push up and a pike crunch. Her recipes are tasty and the menu has quite a variety.
That said, there are a few improvements I would make:
#1: Structure the meal plans with a little less variety so you can use up the groceries you purchase for the week. If you don't, you will have a lot of waste.
#2: Structure every recipe based on four servings, so if you are cooking for one or two you can modify them easily. Why make a salad that serves 10? Most people are doing this program by themselves or, maybe, with a partner.
#3: Alphabetize the exercises by name in the index so you can look them up easily. I have a good memory, but I needed to refer to the exercises a few times and it was frustrating trying to look them up.
#4: There seems to be a little confusion on the exercise (with # of reps, etc.) and the description of the exercise - for instance, she'll say in the exercise description: use both hands, then, in the workout schedule, it will say "single hand" and it doesn't seem to make sense.
#5: Suggestions for what to do "next" at the end of the program, and also include some inspiration in between the daily workout schedule.
Otherwise, TOUGH WORKOUT and GOOD RESULTS if you make the effort!
It's true, there's not a lot of clinical studies, etc. to prove her theories, but it is a no-nonsense approach to taking a step to the next level. The workouts are not for sissies; they are intense and heart pounding. Yes, a couple of the exercises are difficult to figure out without a picture, but I'd say that 95% are clear and concise and simple to figure out if you've had some exposure to a gym or are familiar with basic fitness moves. |
Love it
|
| Review Date: April 18, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Dory Ouvre, Houston, Texas |
Jillian as always is brutally honest, but for all the right reasons. This book is a perfect follow up to her first, Winning By Losing.
Jillian's diet philosophy is that there is no one size fits all diet. Ain't that the truth. For this reason, Making the cut assigns you an individualized calorie count and oxidizer type. The book has 3 seperate 30 day meal plans with detailed menus and recipes even down to the sodium grams. It makes it a no brainer to figure out how much carbs, protein and fat are right for you.
What makes this book different from her first is that she goes into great detail about what foods you CAN'T eat in order to balance your hormones and maximize your metabolism. She talks about how sodium, alcohol, processed foods, supplements affect your metabolism. The information was actually new to me.
The exercise program is incredible. The way it's written it feels like she is actually training you.
Highly recommend. |
Jillian Michaels Knows How To Take It Off
|
| Review Date: April 18, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Gina, Portland |
As one who's started many diets and not finished any, I was attracted to the dustcover phrase "The 30 Day Diet and Fitness Plan" In the past, something of the utmost importance had always knocked me off a diet - holidays, a family reunion, a gift box of candy, the necessity of eating popcorn at a movie, an irresistible urge to walk into an ice cream shop. As you can see, it took very little. But, I thought anyone, even me, can stick to a plan for 30 days.
As I began to read this book I became even more impressed with the author, Jillian Michaels, Biggest Loser Trainer. Of course, she's had her share of celebrity clients, but what came through to me was the amount of space she spent in explaining the importance of motivation, and how to care for yourself during the plan. She seems to really care about her readers' well being rather than just selling books. For instance, she tell readers that if you have over 20lbs to loser to put the book back on the shelf.
Jillian's approach is two pronged - exercise and nutrition. Both are equally important. Since this is a 30 day program, the exercise requirement is a minimum of 40 minutes a day, 5 times a week. The exercises are clearly explained with photographs that show exactly how to do them.
Her nutrition plan is very detailed down to your individualized calorie allowance. She has 30 seperate full day menus for each nutrition plan with over 100 recipes.
Jillian is also incredibly candid. She discusses the pros and cons of very controversial weight loss supplements and procedures that most fitness experts might shy away from in an effort to be politicaly correct.
Well, my 30 days isn't up yet, in fact it's barely begin and I am aching EVERYWHERE, but I can already feel and see a difference. I'll finish as I'm a bit like the Little Engine That Could...."I know I can, I know I can," And, I know I'll be delighted I did! |
This isn't really a diet book but a lifestyle change
|
| Review Date: May 8, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Jamie Foster Wolcott, |
| I found this book very informative and what I loved is she realizes everyone is different thus we need to approach weightloss differently. I love that she encourages lifestyle changes not a diet to loss then gain again once you stop. The segments help you find what type you are and to approach your health from that angle. It's been very helpful and I've lost 10 pounds in 2 and 1/2 weeks. This is something that was well worth buying and I feel I'm on my way to being all that I can be and staying that way. |
WOW
|
| Review Date: April 18, 2007 |
| Reviewer: H. Whitaker, New Zealand |
I have to say that this book does it all for you when it comes to the planning. It is very detailed about exactly what to eat for the whole 30 days and the majority of the exercises can be done at home, but there is alternatives for the gym.
I have struggled with sticking to a diet plan because it became too hard to plan, but since it has every clearly laid out, even the shopping list, it's going give me one less excuse to not do it.
If you really want a guide to stick too, I would recommend you get his one. |
Great book. great plan!
|
| Review Date: December 13, 2008 |
| Reviewer: K. Pohl, Oak Park, IL USA |
I followed the 30 day plan a month back and was very successful with it. I made a few modifications. Instead of doing the workouts in the book I did workouts from Jillian's "30 Day Shred" dvd (amazing by the way!). Having had an appendectomy two weeks before going on the plan, the workouts in the book were out of my reach. Actually the first week I didn't even work out, just stuck to the meal plan, and I still lost weight!
After making a grocery list of the items I would need to make her exact recipes, I realized that I had written down around 100 items and decided that I didn't want this diet to put me in the hole financially. Instead of following her exact meal plan I picked a few simple recipes of hers that I liked (Moroccan Chicken especially) and created some of my own. I always stayed within my calorie range and balanced my protein/carb/fat ratio as Jillian did in her meal plans. I admit that I never really felt hungry, though sometimes the meals got boring (maybe her recipes would have been more exciting). I was religious in staying away from alcohol for the entire 30 days, which was really tough but totally worth it.
Results: I weighed 141 lbs on day 1 and weighed 130 lbs on day 30. At one point in the last week I got down to 129, which was the first time I had seen the 120's on the scale since the 5th grade! Making the Cut definitely got me in the best shape of my life. I have been off of the plan for a month and maintaining the weight loss has been difficult, but at the same time I haven't been an angel. I have put a few pounds back on, but now I know what to do when I want to take them off again. Making the Cut was a challenging experience. It was a test of my will power, but I proved to myself that I could do it. That was the most amazing part of it all. |
A must read
|
| Review Date: April 18, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Anne Huck, Pensacola |
This book is so detailed it was above and beyond my expectations.
For example, Jillian advises you to supplement your diet with kelp as iodine is essential for healthy thyroid function.
The book includes information on hormones, metabolism, insulin, the "glycemic load index", the thyroid hormone, cortisol, stress, the adrenal gland, the growth hormone, hunger hormones, and more. Many of the issues might seem overwhelming, but jillian makes it very simple to understand. She creates a simple plan that will help you fire up your metabolism and balance your hormones once and for all! |
This is the single best book you can buy!
|
| Review Date: March 4, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Bil. Alvernaz, Austin TX |
You don't need this book ... if you eat less (MUCH less) and exercise more (MUCH more), then you'll lose weight ... you have to break the habits of eating between meals and eating too much ... count calories and you'll see just how much you are overeating ... 3,500 calories equal one pound of fat ... you burn off, on average, 600 calories for every hour of exercising, so you'll have to work out for six days, one hour per day, to lose one pound (i.e., 600 times 6 equals 3,600 calories - just over one pound of fat) ... and that is assuming you don't consume any extra calories.
The main problem I have with Jillian's approach is that a) you really need to have access to a gym or equipment; b) she doesn't have enough emphasis on cardio; and 3) it seems to me (especially on her web site that you have to subscribe to) she is "pushing products!" I have no way of proving this, but when you see that she is recommending certain products high in sodium and not really nutritionally "fit for consumption," well, then you have to wonder if a "marketing fee" was paid to have a product placed ...
Again, you don't need this book ... you just need to be diciplined enough to be responsible about eating smart (and less) and, like it or not, you need to exercise on a regular basis ... and don't forget about walking either! |
Good complement to any workout program
|
| Review Date: May 27, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Joy Bramble, New York, NY USA |
After developing a strong workout ethic after 35 consecutive 30 Day Shred workouts, I was ready to find out Jillian's point of view regarding diet.
The book begins by making clear that it is for those with 20 pounds or less to lose. Jillian empahsizes the importance of strict adherence to the program in text peppered with what I will call "Jillian toughisms" (e.g.,"....Over the next 30 days you are mine, and this is your bible....", "..., skipping any part of this book is NOT AN OPTION....").The book continues with a fitness test, explanations of how to take body measurements, and information on the importance of counting calories.
Central to the book is a 49-question Metabolic Typing Test that helps an individual determine their metabolic type and three separate 30-day meal plans (breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner) for each of the three metabolic types...and recipes (15 breakfast, 38 lunch, 43 dinner, and 16 sauces, snacks,and sides).
The latter part of the book features 103 exercises (44 with photos of Jillian performing the exercise) to be performed in the 30-day routine(which includes rest days)outlined (while some of the exercises that use gym equipment can be modified for performance at home (e.g., dips and tricep presses),not all can be modified (e.g., wide-grip lat pull-downs and leg presses))and a 7-day diet for shedding water and "getting ripped up for that jaw-dropping effect we all need from time to time." Note: the rountines DO NOT outline warm-ups or cooldowns. The only statement referencing a cooldown is "....And don't forget to stretch after your workout--remember to hit all the major muscle groups used that day." That being the case, you would have to devise a warmup that works for you and a cooldown that, as the book says, hits all the major muscle groups used.
This would be a good complement to any workout program. It provides good basic nutritional information, motivation, exercises that can be substituted for those in the 30 Day Shred workouts from time to time to keep them interesting over the long haul, and routines that can be alternated with any workouts.
Good offering. |
Intense program with great pay off!
|
| Review Date: January 15, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Melisa Woodruff, Charlotte NC |
I bought this book only after I read all of the reviews on amazon!
I am an avid runner and run about an hour a day, six days a week. I rarely due any weight training or any other exercise besides running. I needed something to push my body out of its comfort zone and get my muscle memory confused so I could see results.
After the first day I could barely walk, and it seemed everday after that was the same story. Jillian uses so many unique exercise that you body doesn't have enough time to gain muscle memory, which continually challenges your body. She talks about doing the 45 minute circuit training program followed up with an 45minute- 60 minutes of cardio later in the day (to increase metabolic burn).
The food program was a great start for me to remember what I should be eating and help me re-learn portion control. I really like the concept of eating clean (no preservatives,hydrogentated fats and oil). Every recipe I cooked was a winner, even my boyfriend (he is very picky) loved the food. I will definately being using the recipes for a long time. I also started to notice that a lot of the food I bought for the diet had the Bob Green Best Life seal of approval on the packages, FYI.
I tried to follow the diet as best as a could, however I did cheat on more than one occassion (not the best idea to start a diet before x-mas). I found that working out twice a day was difficult with my long hours and chaotic work schedule but I was at least able to get the circuit training done everyday.
I would like to also address the other comments about needing a gym. I am always on the road for my job and a gym is always not in access. I compromised by lifting water bottles and using a resistance band to accomplish most of the exercises. So if you don't have a gym membership don't fret just be creative and find alternatives. I found that having two small weights to due the exercises would suffice,a body ball, and a resistance band. No treadmill, no problem, just open your door and run outside for 1 minute.
After all is said and done I saw amazing results. I lost 3% of my body fat, lost 4 lbs, and went down two pants sizes (hello size 0!). My abs are incredible, and my whole body is a lot more toned up. I new things were looking good when I went into a store and a girl asked if I was a personal trainer, and if I could train her! If you are in the same exercise rut, as I was in, then this is for you. Get that body that you deserve! |
Great Book!
|
| Review Date: May 21, 2007 |
| Reviewer: T. Coble, NC, USA |
| I love the book. Please be aware that this is not for someone just starting out. I thought I was in good shape but I am having a very hard time keeping up with the schedule. It gives me a goal so this is not a complaint. I am a vegetarian so I can't use the meal plans. Does anyone write low-fat vegetarian meals plans???? This is my only complaint. The book is exactly what I thought it would be and I am very pleased with my purchase. |
Highly Effective Program
|
| Review Date: April 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: RJM, United States |
I came across Jillian's book online one day and took it out of the library to read it before purchasing. I read it from cover to cover in a couple of hours and was hooked. It seemed completely do-able to me. I recruited a friend to join me and went out and bought us each a copy of the book. We spent some time the day before we were going to start doing the fitness test, weighing/measuring and determining our BMR etc. We decided to use Fitday.com to track our calories and % of carbs, proteins and fats.
The bottom line is that Jillian lays out an easy to follow program - all the work is done for you. You just have to commit and do it. She gives you a day to day meal plan for the 30 days and a work out plan for the 30 days. You don't have to eat exactly what she indicates for each meal - you can substitute what you have on hand as long as you stay within your calorie allotment and % of carbs, proteins and fats.
This program awarded me the ability to lose weight, gain strength and muscle tone, create some great habits that lose some bad habits. I'm just finishing month two - not because the first month was unsuccessful but because I will use this plan as a tool indefinitely.
To date, I have lost 9 pounds and 14.5 inches. I have reduced my body fat %. I now am in the habit of working out 4 days per week, drinking 8 glasses of water per day. I broke the habit of drinking wine with dinner every night (you will be shocked at how many calories you save). I easily eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily so I've increased my vitamin and fiber intake naturally. I have been trying for years to eat "clean" - this plan helps me do that.
A couple of tips that I can offer:
Use Fitday.com or another site to track your calorie and nutrition intake. You can even track your workouts. Once you get going, it takes only 10 minutes per day. My suggestion is to pre-plan for the next day to keep you on track. Trust me, when you have to be accountable and put it in "writing", you'll stay on track.
Don't fret over her workouts and needing a gym: I work out at home - some of her moves require gym equipment, no doubt about it. I modified what I could or just put in a different exercise altogether that worked that body part. After the first month, I decided to not follow her workouts - instead I use my DVD collection and workout 4 days alternating cardio and weight training. I have to say I did not love her workouts - they felt chaotic to me. BUT, that being said I did follow her workouts for the first 30 days.
The other thing I modified after the first 30 days was my % of carbs, fats and proteins. I read on a couple of web sites that anytime you decrease your calorie consumption or go on a "diet" your metabolism will slow down. So even though I was a "Balanced Oxidizer" eating 40/30/30, I modified myself to a "Slow Oxidizer" in month two eating 60/25/15. I then played with those % a touch because I feel that 60% carbs is too much for me. So now I eat 55/30/15. My advice would be to take the test and follow that plan for the 30 days. Then modify if you feel it's needed.
In summary, this is a no nonsense plan that uses basic principles: eat healthy, eat in moderation, work out! It takes 21 days to form a habit and you will form GOOD habits following this plan. Give Jillian 30 days! |
|
No video reviews found for this product.
Copyright © 2010