The Skinny Rules: The Simple, Nonnegotiable Principles for Getting to Thin

"The Skinny Rules" is yet another diet plan promising weight loss tied to life changes. What separates this one from others such as The Zone, Southbeach, Adkins, Weight Watchers, etc is that it is tied to a rather high-impact exercise program also led by the author. Once the exercise program is added to the mix, it becomes clear that this diet and exercise program are meant primarily for those under the age of 45.Harpur begins with a very detailed explanation of nutrition and the importance of maintaining a healthful lifestyle which is aimed at those who are either obese or need a rigorous plan to adhere to - or both. This is a true effort to get participants on a path to lifestyle changes through education and physical exercise - much like those who participate in his TV reality show, The Biggest Loser. The bottom-line message is: You are responsible for your life. And this is a good thing.For those of us who are over 45 - I'm 73 and have have the usual age-related complications of arthritis, bursitis, bad knees, and hip replacement - the combination is not possible. High impact exercise has not been part of my exercise plan for several years. In addition, given my education and lifestyle, I have a pretty good background in nutrition - probably equal at least to those of the author. So I skipped most of those pages which told me things I already know. However, I was interested in Harpur's approach because I have gained/lost the same 20-30 lbs several times over the past two decades. Maybe this time I could find a way to not only lose those pounds but keep them at bay. So, let's get to the specifics:Cons: While not overtly stating it, Harpur does incorporate ideas from past diet fads, namely: drink a glass of water before each meal/snack. This harkens back to advice of a few decades ago to drink a glass of warm water 15 minutes before a meal to curb the appetite. His non-negotiable principles: while good for those who have no control over their eating habits, his meals with the rather restricted array of primary foods does bring back memories of plans of special food combination which increase weight loss. Remember the grapefruit diet, the cabbage diet, and the like? These magic combos supposedly work to control weight.Like many fitness/exercise buffs I've come across in the gym, Harpur seems to revere eggs - more precisely egg whites. His plan recommends up to 18 eggs a week in various combinations. I don't know about anyone else but that is quite a lot for those of us who buy fully organic eggs. And I, for one, am not about to throw away up to 15 egg yolks a week. His rationalization is that the yolk is mostly fat which is not needed. However, in a recipe on his webpage, he adds avocado to a dish because one egg yolk is not enough fat.He advocates the new fad - greek yogurt. I've been eating greek yogurt for years - long before it became a fad. The problem I have with the new versions of greek yogurt is that it is gelatinous and not fun to eat. Some brands also have very little protein - 4 grams compared to 11 grams/serving of my usual regular yogurt. However, Dannon's greek yogurt not only has quite a kick with protein - 21 grams - it is also thinner and easier to eat. At any rate, while the newer greek yogurts on the market are good as a replacement to sour cream, I still buy regular yogurts for daily consumption.For animal protein, Harpur sticks to chicken, beef, ground turkey and fish. Where are the lamb, goat, bison, and pork options? And, as with practically ever other diet plan, Harpur chooses to demonize at least one perfectly acceptable food (nutritionally speaking). In his case it's white potatoes. While I avoid a lot of potatoes these days because they're from GMO seeds, I do enjoy the non-GMO varieties as part of my diet on an occasional basis. I was surprised at Harpur's high emphasis on apples and berries since those fruits are high in pesticides. While I buy only the organic varieties, I'm sure a lot of people don't want to undertake the extra expense.Of course, there are several aspects of Harpur's plan which are noteworthy: Pros:The non-negotiable principles are good for those whose eating habits are out of control as is the basic nutritional information for those who need educating. I found that each week's meal and snack selections were good as were the methods of preparation. I was reminded daily of the "little" habits I had of supplementing my basically nutritionally sound meals with extras such as a few ginger snaps, a belgian chocolate here and there, and especially my penchant for wine and spirits. I like my red wine and I like my whiskey. But I also liked the meal plans from The Zone and from Southbeach. I found Weight Watchers to be amenable because I could design my own meals while keeping within a "point" range. But, having to weigh and measure absolutely everything I ate and drank became tiresome. And even though I continued the practice after achieving my weight loss goals, I found it easy to not count some things such as the second glass of wine or that little snack in the evening.This book claims that by adhering to the non-negotiable principles, one will lose 20 lbs in four weeks. Of course, implicit in this is the "suggestion" that one also incorporates the high-impact exercise program. For reasons I've already stated, I did not incorporate high-impact exercises. But I do exercises appropriate to my age and physical condition. I was pretty good at following the meal suggestions for each week. I did have lamb once and I had half a blue potato twice but otherwise, I did not sneak any "forbidden" foods. And I had no wine or liquor of any kind - quite a sacrifice on my part. So what happened? My beginning weight was 178 lbs. At 5'10" my BMI was 25.5 (the normal range for me is 18.5-24.9) so as you can see, I was a few pounds over weight but hardly obese. After one week, I was down to 174 lbs and after two weeks 170 lbs. I didn't lose any weight after three weeks - i.e. still 170 lbs. But after four weeks I was down to 165 lbs. And, my BMI was 23.7 - within normal range. That's not a 20 lb weight loss but certainly an acceptable weight loss for one month.Given my age and physical status, I am pleased with the weight loss. But since my goal is 160 lbs, I will continue with the plan for at least another week, probably two. And I will probably incorporate some changes into my regular meal routines. The increase in fish consumption will certainly stay with me. My consumption of berries will continue but I buy only the organic varieties. A surprise for me was having a mashed banana on toast and discovering how good that is - esp when a dab of peanut butter is included. Who knew?So the bottom-line is: This book is neither better nor worse than most of the other fad diets. It has it's good points such as sticking to a plan and learning something about nutrition - for those who need it. The meals are good and filling - during the first week especially, I couldn't eat everything on my plate. But it does verge on faddism with "rules" such as drinking a glass of water before every meal/snack and banishing "white" foods such as potatoes and rice. It's covert incorporation of a specific high-impact exercise routine certainly makes it better than other plans which only suggest exercise.So I'm giving it a 3-star rating. Good effort but not quite outstanding.PS: I forgot to add that I bake my own high-fiber breads thus avoiding over-priced market breads such as Ezekiel; other than being small, I don't understand Harpur's fascination with "Persian" cucumbers; and, I make my own vegetable juices usually using the pulp for soups and veggie burgers (with beans). I drink the juice during the day with my own soda from my soda streamer thus eliminating any need for another glass of water before every meal/snack. And finally, there is absolutely NO way I would ever eat something called "turkey bacon." No way Jose.Update Nov 6):It's now early Nov and I'm still basically following the rules. Weight loss has slowed a lot and I'm playing on either side of 155 lbs now. During the first four weeks I drank no alcohol and had no free day. And I went from 178 lbs to 165 lbs. I was pleased. Since then I have resumed drinking alcoholic beverages - but only on the weekends - incorporated a "free" day/weekend, but otherwise stick pretty close to the rules the other five days. I've gone from 165 lbs to 154.6 on my official weigh day (Saturdays). So while it looks like I've lost just 10 lbs, I've really lost more because I've lost not only the "official" 10.4 lbs but also the weight I've gained over the weekends which varies from none to about 2 lbs.I have re-incorporated rice into some of my meals because it is a grain I like and I've eaten it for many, many years. I do exercise portion control. I also found that Horizons provides organic egg whites (I get a four-pack at Costco). I freeze the egg whites in ice cube containers making one cube = to one egg white. And I incorporate one or two cubes in my egg dishes. I do not, however, prepare one egg with four egg whites. A one egg, two egg white, frittata along with a slice of toast is quite adequate for breakfast.It would be nice if I get down to 150 lbs but it's not a goal, per se. My goal now is to make the permanent life/eating changes that will help me maintain a weight in the low 150s without compulsively monitoring everything I eat. In other words, just keep things normal. Since this has not been a diet where I've given up a lot of things that I will now return to - none of Harpur's meal/food suggestions was new to me - I think things will turn out well for me as long as I control for ginger snaps, belgian chocolates and less than three or more glasses of wine. But we'll see. :-)

I read that being overweight is the greatest mortality factor--more than smoking, drinking excessively and not enough exercise. I went to a nutritionist some years ago to learn about eating healthy foods--and that was a worthwhile investment. She taught how to eat healthy foods that have a low glycemic index: foods that don't elevate your blood sugar. These skinny rules are similar to what she taught--eat primarily vegetables, low-fat protein 5x a day to deter hunger (protein carries the fat out of your body she said), and one serving of whole grains, lowfat dairy and fruit a day. Using that diet I reversed diabetes and dropped 30 pounds in the past 3 years. However, it's helpful to have continual reminders to focus on healthy eating. Felt I wanted a tune-up on healthy eating as I need to lose another 20-30 pounds as I'd put 10 back on, so bought this book to see what rules the author emphasizes. What should the focus be if you want to focus on only 20 primary rules?Here's the gist of what the book emphasizes regarding skinny rules in brief--recommend you buy the book for the explanations as to why these rules are the top 20 and how to apply them. The rationale and background information is instructive and motivating:1. Drink large glass of water (16 oz.) before every meal and snacks--5 a day2. Don't drink your calories--stay away from fruit juices and sodas that are high in sugar. 2 cups coffee okay3. Eat lowfat protein at every meal--protein doesn't have to be animal based. Protein minimizes hunger4. Slash intake of refined flour/grains--try brown rice, quinoa, barley, farro5. Eat 30-50 grams of fiber--he lists fiber-rich foods: 1/2C sliced strawberries-9g;1C zucchini-8g;1C spinach-7g6. Eat apples and berries each day7. No carbs after lunch--eat lean and green at night. Protein and veggies are best8. Read labels--stay away from artificial ingredients or foods that sound like bad chemistry experiments9. Get portion size right--you can bag some portions ahead of time10. No artificial sweeteners11. No white potatoes--I cut sweet potatoes in strips or round slices, toss in olive oil/cumin/garlic pepper and oven roast at 400 for 20-30 minutes. We don't miss the white potato french fries.12. One day a week meatless--eat more beans and nuts13. No fast foods and fried foods14. Eat a real breakfast: include protein, grains and fruit (lowfat plain yogurt is great protein source in fruit smoothie or mixed with fruit said the nutritionist for breakfast)15. Make your own food and eat at least 10 meals a week at home16. Banish high salt foods--use more herbs17. Eat veggies--as much as possible18. Go to bed hungry--try not to eat after 8 p.m. or 4 hours prior to bedtime19. Sleep Right--get adequate sleep20. Plan one splurge meal a week--but don't go crazy with the calories, fat and sugar in itThe nutritionist also recommended eating fruit by noon. Your blood sugar is lowest in the morning so can handle the fruit sugar better, and your daily activity burns the sugar in the fruit off. She also said to think of sugar as poison--your body will burn the sugar off before fat because it wants to get rid of the sugar then it won't burn the fat. Eat less sugar, burn more fat. Read labels for sugar content in foods. She said try to stay under 8g of sugar in whole grain cereal.I have been doing this regimen since mid-May and have lost 5 pounds. About one pound a week. There's great menu plans at the back of the book and recipes. I tried the turkey bacon in an egg and veggie omelet and love it! You may find foods you haven't tried before. He includes the latest research on foods which is helpful. Liked his suggestion of making turkey meat balls ahead to keep in frig. Want to check out the Ezekiel Bread Bob recommends. Also like the recipe for roasting multiple chicken breasts at a time to have cold in frig to cut up for salads.The book is amazingly clear, easy to read and follow. It got me back on track. Although I don't use artificial sweeteners, the nutritionist recommended Stevia--a natural sweetener from a South American herb said the nutritionist-- which I put in my daily iced coffee with some almond milk and lowfat milk and a heaping tablespoon of dark cocoa. Shake it or put in blender with the ice. The combination tastes like Starbucks iced coffee-mocha (about 400 calories) but it is only 100 calories. It's a delicious treat for the day. I try to keep to 1200 calories a day and walk 30-60 minutes a day.Just found having these skinny rules uppermost in my mind as I plan menus is helpful. Other family members have lost weight, too, eating the foods I have been preparing based on this book. I like having this information in book form as it's easy to peruse the recipes and meal plans at the back. Skinny rules is a healthy way to eat for the rest of your life.

Having watched Bob on The Biggest Loser, I was convinced he absolutely knew what he is talking about. His commitment and passion to promoting healthy, long lives and indeed saving lives was so evident in the programme and the unquestionable success of the contestants made this book an easy choice. I immediatly wanted to read it to see what I could learn from him to help in my efforts to lose weight. I have not been dissapointed:-) The book deals with diet and for me (on a personal level) this is crucial, the benefits of exercise and MOVING is now a way of life for me, thanks to the raft of great information out there, so I get I need to exercise and I will keep this going,using as many inspirations, tools etc on that journey, but, I was NOT getting the diet thing. I was kidding myself that if I jogged for 30 minutes and swam for 30 minutes I could eat what I liked. He quashes this in the first five minutes of the book and the rest is plain sailing. It is easy to read, provides real scientific reasons (without killing you on the science front) for eating certain types of food, their nutritional benefits and how they help with your appetite/weight-loss. His understanding of the dieters plight is obvious through his provision of helpful tips and funny 'tell offs' (you can actually imagine him saying some of these things) The recipes and actual diet plans I think are very simple so I wont lose the will to live dealing with huge amounts of ingredients and he deals quickly and effectively with portion size (another one of my problems) His no-nonsense but kindly approach, obvious knowledge and the fact that he actually practises what he preaches makes this book and his offerings very credible. Im off to sort out my shopping list to prepare for next week.

You would have to have the IQ of an ladybird not to already know the things he has in here. There are such blanket statements like 'don't eat carbs after lunch' - what does that even mean? Eat 0g carbs from 1pm onwards? Don't have a meal entirely of rice? You need to be more specific. And that isn't a rule, that is just nonsense. There's little reference to physical exercise...I don't know, it seems to me he bashed this out in the 5 minutes he has spare in between yelling at people on TV with little thought. A shame really, as I love Bob Harper normally. There's nothing ground breaking in here, just use your common sense or find another book to inspire you.

I just love Bob Harper!!This book is so informative about the concepts involved in losing weight & more importantly KEEPING IT OFF!When you read some of his notions about weight management and lifestyle changes, you just think - 'yes, I totally get that' or 'Well, that makes sense!'This book is easy reading and is a great bedside book to read over and over!The reason its not 4 stars is that by Bob's own admission at the beginning of the book, this is a tough lifestyle change to handle. There are lots of aspects that are non-negotiable, so if you're looking for a miracle diet faddy book - This isn't it!

Well done Bob! I am one of the most weight loss resistant people due to hormonal issues. (Slimming world / weight watches makes me GAIN weight!) And I have lost a whopping 11.5 kgs! Have about 7 to go. I just trust the process and I'm astounded that for once after all these years something is working! Oh, and working for my elderly Mum too who has lost 28kg!I find it so easy to incorporate into my life, easy life change not even a diet.Results speak for themselves!

This gives you simple rules to follow which anyone can do. I have just finished reading the book and written my shopping list ready to start on Monday and I can't wait. I already do most of what he advises you, my downfall is when I am bored I turn to the fridge or raid the biscuit tin. But no more - I will just be buying what we need and if my hubby wants a treat he will have to go out and buy it himself.If I hit a glip I will just pick the book back up and remotivate myself.I have Bob's DVD's and throughly enjoy working out to them.Anyone wanting to shed whether it be a few stones or pounds I think will find this book invaluble