So On 11/2 I started Bob Harper's Skinny Rules in an effort to reduce my mass (lose weight). It's been almost 4 weeks and I thought I would take a minute and grade my effort. Kinda like in school, except not to much or something. These are non-negotiable rules… well, I negotiated.
Rule #1 – Drink a large glass of water before ever meal – no excuse!
C+ – I need to work on this. I simply forget. I don't eat specific meals during the day very often. I forget when cooking … breakfast I've done pretty well.
Rule #2: Don't drink your calories.
A- – I average about 75-100 calories a day on creamer/cream in my coffee. It's something I truly love – my morning coffee.
Rule #3: Eat protein at every meal
A – I've done VERY well with this – I was originally worried that I would not be able to hit the protein goal but I've had little problem.
Rule #4: Slash your intake of refined flours and grains
B+ – I don't eat much bread any more, I've tried to stay away. I've had some – here and there, but not much at all.
Rule #5: Eat 30-50 grams of fiber a day
D – I haven't been tracking or worrying about this. I've failed.
Rule #6: Eat apples and berries every day
A- – I've had one or the other just about every day, but not always both. It's hard to keep berries in stock, they are pricey and go bad fast. Bob suggests frozen – that doesn't work out well for me. Eaten a lot of apples.
Rule 7: No carbs after lunch
C – I don't get this one – I need to re-read the chapter because even broccoli has carbs. I've had ZERO pasta this month.
Rule 8: Learn to read food labels.
B- I read some, but not enough. I'm trying. Just not thinking all that much.
Rule 9: Stop guessing about portion size and get it right, for good
C – See – here is where I get really confused. If I eat X, Y and Z and eat the right portion sizes – I'd be at like 1000-1200 calories which just isn't enough for me to live. Also, he is telling me to get 125+ grams of protein a day. If a 4 oz chicken breast has 26 grams, but I have to stick to 4 oz, how am I going to get to 125/day? I've eaten bigger portions of the right things – so maybe i am grading myself to hard.
Rule 10: No more added sweeteners
B- I'm not going to lie, I put splenda in my coffee. I will likely not change. That being said – I have basically QUIT all diet sodas. My beverage selection has basically been water … water…. water…
Rule 11: Get rid of white potatoes
A – haven't had many. A couple chucks in some vegetable soup.
Rule 12: Make one day a week meatless
F – Haven't tried. I'm not that smart.
Rule 13: Get rid of fast food and fried foods
A – I really don't recall eating much fried food and I dont eat fast food.
Rule 14: Eat a real breakfast
A+ I've really tried to rock this one.
Rule 15: Make your own food and eat at least 10 meals a week at home
A+ We have averaged eating out 1-2 time/week. I've made 7 breakfasts a week, 6 dinners and packed my lunch every day.
Rule 16: Banish high salt foods
A – I've been pretty good on this.
Rule 17: Eat your veggies
A – I feel like a freekin rabbit some days. I've been eating a lot more.
Rule 18: Go to bed hungry
A – Yeah – I really have been.
Rule 19: Sleep right
C – not so much. I'm a night owl. Very hard for me
Rule 20: Plan one splurge meal per week
A- I give myself an A- on this because one week, we didn't plan. We did have one, but we left it to chance. I think its better to DESIGNATE it and EXECUTE than wait until the last minute.
So – in summary, adding it all up and calculating it out like I would a report card, I'm looking at about a 3.165. I'm not happy with that. That's a B. I wish I could say I was earning an A and I will continue to try. Ultimately – I thank +Cindy Patton for working with me on this and hope we keep it going. Reading and reviewing the rules has helped me get my mind back in the right place. Maybe you actually read this far…. who knows!
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While some of those rules have sound basis in reality, most of them are exclusively in the domain of fad diets.
+Eric Hansen point out a rule that wont lead you to being healthier? I can't find anything unhealthy.
…and have you lost any weight?..,
+Scott Patton Going to bed hungry is a horrible rule. Essentially it means that your body begins to eat your muscle when it is in that long of a "fasting" period while u sleep. U should drink a casein protein shake or eat a slow digesting protein (like cottage cheese) before bed. Doing this before bed will help ur body to not go into that state of fasting & as a result, cause your metabolism to work all night long. If u want a tasty casein shake (one we use) try Optimum Nutrition ' Gold Standard chocolate supreme. U can get it on Supplement Warehouse for cheap because they price match + % 5.
Your body will only start to "eat your muscle" if you plan on sleeping for about 3 days. You've got stored muscle glycogen and liver glycogen which will be burnt directly and used to trigger fat metabolization way before you'll start breaking down muscle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation_response
Personally – I'd like to get to about 7 hours – that seems dreamy!
+Ruth Wood good question – probably should have put that in there. I'm lost about 11 pounds. My endurance is up. I'm running 3.5 – 4.5 miles without walking (as long as the hills are moderate). I'm definitely healthier.
Not entirely true, but not something I can discuss to the extent it needs to be via a G+ hangout post. But, anyone who understands metabolism & the way it works, understands the insulin surge that occurs when your body's tank is running on empty & how your body stores glycogen upon periods of not eating longer than 5-6 hours. Additionally, anyone trying to lose weight needs the extra protein at night when typically the body stores carbs if that's what it last had in it to process. Most importantly, I'm not here to argue, but to provide Scott with some additional info on what could help him.
Sorry for the tardy reply. I was working outside, and felt a proper response required a keyboard.
As to which of the rules are specifically harmful, all of them. Telling someone an abnormal thing to do with the expectation of some result, and the prescribed or proscribed action has no connection to the desired result, is harmful.
But if you're into homeopathic measures, and don't subscribe to normal medical ethics, there are still several rules that cause harm. #4 "Slash intake of refined foods" – will directly harm your pocket book for no gain. No peer reviewed study has ever found the amount of processing to relate to the potential weight gain caused by the product. Rule #7 "No carbs after lunch" Not only have no peer reviewed studies shown a correlation between time of consumption and effects of consumption of a food, but in fact they have shown the opposite. Zero correlation between consuming the same thing at different times and getting different results. #8 "Learn to read food labels", presumably so you can be another ignorant crusader against GMOs. Does nothing but waste your time. Rule #11 "Get rid of potatoes" Why? What did a potato ever do to you? (Hint, it isn't why you're fat) Rule #12 "Make one day a week meatless" Again, why? Along with the other proscribed foods, namely "eat no carbs after lunch", what the shit are you supposed to eat? On your meatless day, you can't have protein, OR carbs. So you're just supposed to starve, I guess. This will actually be effective in causing a temporary weight loss, but it is quite obvious what will happen the very next day. Rule #15 Wastes your time, but will could cause you to create some very delicious foods. But then again, not if you follow any of the rest of these "Nonnegotiable rules". Rule #16: "Banish high-salt foods" Based on erroneous conclusions drawn from studies conducted in the 1980's, and since then misapplied to EVERY situation, even though the original study only looked at those patients pre-disposed to hypertension. If you do not have a heart condition, there is no reason to avoid salt. In fact, sodium chloride is necessary for effective functioning of your body and brain. Particularly among active people (I do have you in my Bieks! circle), it is imperative that you keep your electrolytes topped up. Rule # whatever "Go to bed hungry" Yes. So you can shovel your face full of food at 6 AM. Going back to #7, there is no relation between the time you eat a food, and the effect that food has on your body. Eat 3000 calories before going to bed, it will not matter any more than if you ate that much at any other time of the day. Rule #19 "Sleep right". Yeah. Because if there's one thing everyone agrees on; sleeping makes you lose weight.
It is very, very simple. If calories in > calories burned, you will get fatter. This is a really hard truth, and until you're willing to accept it, you will not see any lasting results in your quest to be healthier.
+Eric Hansen it really is all or nothing with you? All cops are bad – ALL OF THEM…. ALL OF THESE RULES ARE UNHEALTHY… yeah, when you start off saying the following are bad for you, you are starting on a pretty bad foot:
– Drinking water
– Make your own food and eat at least 10 meals a week at home
– Eat your veggies
– Stop guessing about portion size and get it right, for good
– Eat apples and berries every day
All of those things are ABSOLUTELY KILLERS to your health – yeah, nobody ever suggested fruits and vegetables were healthy.
#8 "Learn to read food labels", presumably so you can be another ignorant crusader against GMOs. ….. COMPLETELY WRONG You aren't even close – but you are smarter than most – so we will just point out the word GMO doesn't come up in that chapter – at all.
"Rule #12 "Make one day a week meatless" Again, why?" … Since you asked – to find other sources of protein, new foods, different things to eat. Wow… that's SO unhealthy….
"On your meatless day, you can't have protein" … Where or when did I say that? Your making shit up – probably because you are so smart you don't need to investigate before teaching us lessons on the internet.
"Rule #16: "Banish high-salt foods" Based on erroneous conclusions drawn from studies conducted in the 1980's, and since then misapplied to EVERY situation," unless…. you read the food labels you realize you already get enough salt – so why bother.
You've obviously not battled with your weight – nor have you thought about the emotional or chemical relationships in the body affected by eating certain foods. While I agree the key to weight loss is eating less than you burn, I can show you countless weeks of food logs that are consistently thousands of calories below what I supposedly burned. It't not a perfect equation. Eating THIS vs THAT can and will affect what you WANT to eat in 30 minute… 3 hours … or later.
Since you haven't read the book – I got what I expected. A know it all college student spewing crap. Your valid points are hidden behind your incorrect information or assumptions that you did NOTHING to clear up.
Is the book the key to being a perfect weight and healthy living? No – but it's certainly better than living a fast food lifestyle… and its quite enjoyable.