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Coach Yourself Thin: Five Steps to Retrain Your Mind, Reclaim Your Power, and Lose the Weight for Good

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Today dieters are more frustrated than ever Neither restrictive dieting nor a moderate middle-of-the-road approach has curtailed the obesity epidemic. As professional weight loss coaches, Greg Hottinger and Michael Scholtz have developed a new weight loss paradigm that has produced impressive results for the Biggest Loser Club online members. Hottinger and Scholtz's unique strategy helps readers identify the obstacles that are sabotaging their weight loss and gives them Five Stepping-Stones to a series of physical, emotional, and social guidelines to help them break through their barriers.

Coach Yourself Thin will help you lose weight
- giving you a sustainable, nutritionally balanced eating plan
- laying out the basics of fitness and helping you create personalized workout strategies that fit your lifestyle
- providing tools, techniques, and hands-on exercises for changing your habits

Packed with success stories and solid instruction and inspiration, Coach Yourself Thin is a guide to becoming self-aware, breaking the frustrating dieting cycle, and designing a personal plan for lasting weight loss success.

288 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2011

18 people are currently reading
181 people want to read

About the author

Greg Hottinger

4 books2 followers

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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Cynthia.
1 review
January 7, 2012
Anyone looking for Inspiration and Motivation......
This is a MUST READ for anyone who is struggling or has struggled with weight issues and is ready to finally conquer their problems and start living a healthier lifestyle!!!

This refreshing, insightful look at weight loss and how to successfully live a healthier active lifestyle was a pure pleasure to read!

The diet industry is overrun with gimmicky, quick fix, magic pill or effortless diet plans. Those plans set you up to fail. I know, I think I have tried them all. Some I did lose weight with but I always managed to find it again.... Instead, this book is an honest account of what it takes to succeed at losing weight, and keeping it off forever. This book is a valuable tool that everyone can learn from.

While reading through the different chapters and steps I experienced so many "aha" moments it was almost surreal. It was as if they had crawled into my head and piece-by-piece they put this puzzle of my struggles together to reveal to me why I had failed in my efforts in the past. Then they laid out realistic attainable means of succeeding. I actually feel very empowered by this book! No hype, just a realistic path to change our perceptions and our relationship with food.

This program successfully lays out guidelines and tools that can be used by everybody, no matter where you are in your journey to losing weight. It is not just about losing weight; they give a realistic guide on how to adopt a healthy active lifestyle and how to safely incorporate exercise as a part of your new healthier lifestyle.

The tools they reveal to you as you read through the book is like having your own little personal life coach there to turn to when ever you need. They were very thorough in tackling issues and roadblocks that we all encounter when we make lifestyle changes.
The most important thing I came away with from reading "Coach Yourself Thin" was the power that comes with knowledge and acceptance. I gained so much knowledge not only about the process but also about myself. A definite must read for anyone who truly wants to improve and change their life.
8 reviews1 follower
January 4, 2012
Have you ever wanted to sit on the couch in your living room with a trusted friend and talk about why diets don't work? Or why the diets you've tried over the years and lost 30, 50, even 100 pounds, worked for a time but then you gained it all back and perhaps even more? Maybe you want to talk with this friend about why you'd really like to lose weight but you just can't seem to get started. "Coach Yourself Thin" gives you the chance to sit down with Greg Hottinger and Michael Scholtz and hear from them as if you were hearing from a trusted friend. A trusted, reliable friend who really knows where you are, the obstacles you've faced and what you can realistically do to get past them once and for all.

You'll hear their voices guiding you as you discover the road blocks in your thinking that keep you from your own success. Reading this book is similar to hearing them cheering you on as you take the first steps in creating life-long patterns of healthy eating and exercise that will not only help you lose weight and keep it off, but be healthy and safe all along the way.

Because these authors are so well-trained and highly regarded in their respective fields of nutrition and exercise, their expertise and knowledge comes through loud and clear. But they never talk down to you, never offer jargon, and always, always provide clear, insightful steps you can take to create a new lifestyle for health.

Like me, you may start out reading the book with some level of excitement about the idea of being "thin" again, based on the book's title. It's definitely eye-catching. But I'm betting that like me, you'll close the book - and come back to it, time and again - with excitement about being healthy and losing weight for the sake of being fit, feeling better, and living the life you desire. And feeling as if you've made two new friends who are helping you on the journey.
1 review
January 4, 2012
Can it really be this simple?
Yes - it can! Combine the right portions of good, whole foods, add a moderate amount of exercise - who would have thought?! In this book, Greg and Michael give you the tools to start your journey of self-discovery, create and become your vision of an active, healthy lifestyle, and yes, lose weight too. If you're ready for the challenge, you're in for the journey of a life-time and the authors will be beside you every step of the way.

There are no quick fixes here - no one will tell you that you must eat "this" or exercise "that" way. And no one will tell you that you'll reach your goal weight on a specific date (yes - I do know of at least one plan that does that). Just know that this is a process that takes time, and that's okay because you're creating a lifestyle. There is no deadline. In my head, I can hear Michael and Greg reminding me that weightloss is a marathon; not a sprint. It's SO true.

Under Greg and Michael's guidance I've lost a little over 50 lbs and maintained that for two years. Under their guidance I was able to move from the shock of a diabetes diagnosis to managing it without any medication in just over a year. Under their guidance I've regained my life. I will always consider this book one of my most valued resources.
1 review
January 5, 2012
Are you sick and tired of plans that sell empty promises - of attaining quick weight loss and a hard body, in ridiculously little time and with little or no effort? Me too! I'm happy to tell you that you won't find any of that in this book! No gimmicks or cookie-cutter plans here. What the authors DELIVER through their perspective, their coaching and the exercises offered throughout this book is nothing short of life changing!! I know, from experience - having lost 125 pounds with their help - and having kept it off for 4 years now!

If you are willing to do the work to look inside yourself, using the book as a guide, to find (and work on) the obstacles that are holding you back from losing weight and enjoying the life you deserve, then I wholeheartedly believe that you won't find yourself needing to look at another diet book or plan EVER again! It's been 4 years since I lost my weight and I'm now living my life, happily, and doing things I never thought possible! Best of all, I've ended my battle with yo-yo diets. This book will give you all of the tools you need. I can't recommend Coach Yourself Thin highly enough, to anyone who struggles with weight or wants to become healthier! It is by far the most empowering book I've ever read, on any topic! And it WILL deliver!

Some quick thoughts on the tone of the book - I loved the flow. It is easy to read and almost conversational in nature. The authors made their points very clearly, using powerful examples that really brought their concepts home. On top of all of this, the light humor they slipped in here and there was fun. I felt like the authors were in the same room, coaching me, at many points! I found myself shaking my head in agreement, and understanding myself even better, with each paragraph I read. I love the way they provide real world solutions to the variety of challenges we face as we attempt to shift to a healthier way of living - addressing everything from the environment we live in, to our typically hectic schedules.

I feel that the real power of this book lies in how the authors are able to help us to find insight into the obstacles that hold us back from losing weight in the first place. After all, how many of us have thought that we could probably teach a course on weightloss . . . so why is it so hard to just do it - to follow our own advice?! It's our obstacles! The authors delve into 7 major weight loss obstacles that each of us may or may not face - giving us quick surveys to use to evaluate how much of a role each one plays for us. I recognize SO many of these and I know exactly which ones held me back for so many years - I distinctly remember my many A-ha moments and the resulting breakthroughs. I think this section is absolutely invaluable. With this book, you'll not only learn to identify your own obstacles, but you'll have the tools you need at your fingertips to create your own breakthroughs! It will take some work on your part, but it is worth it!

You may have noticed I haven't touched on nutrition or exercise yet?! That's because, as I mentioned above, I feel the real power of the book lies in the sections I just discussed - they are what help us to stick to a healthier way of eating and being. I think many of us have a good idea what that looks like, but have a hard time with the follow through. But don't worry; Coach Yourself Thin has it all! The authors provide comprehensive sections that detail what a healthy diet and a safe and effective workout plan look like - again, no gimmicks, no rules, no have-to's or cant's. I'm a person who likes a certain level of structure. I appreciate that I can use the building blocks in these sections to create a plan for myself. At the same time, I also appreciate the fact that I have the flexibility to pick the foods and workouts that work for me (in other words - that I ENJOY). The exercise program is adaptable from beginner to advanced and the nutrition guidelines are also easily adjustable as you lose. The authors teach us to build and adapt our own program, to what works for us, taking into consideration our own strengths, weaknesses and likes.

I'll say it again; I can't recommend this book highly enough!! If you are sick of the same `ol plans and empty promises, and if you are ready to put some real work into yourself, then this book WILL show you how to take back your life and lose the weight for good!

I wanted to share just a little more about my experience at the end here. Personally, I wasn't ready the first year I was introduced to the authors and what they had to teach (in an online weightloss community). My ultimate goal was to lose 123 pounds. During the course of a year I watched another member lose exactly that amount while I kept looking for a `quicker' fix (and gained 20). At the end of that year, their approach looked a whole lot better to me. I WAS ready. One year after that I had reached my own goal. I couldn't have done it without identifying my obstacles (thanks to the ideas shared in this book by the authors) and without the resulting breakthroughs! As a result, I'm doing things I couldn't have fathomed when I started. I made my childhood dream of completing an Ironman a reality, at age 36 after 13+ years of being morbidly obese and a couch potato. If you are ready to do more than you ever thought possible, I encourage you to read this book: Coach Yourself Thin.
1 review
January 5, 2012
If you are at a place where you know what you need to do to lose weight, yet keep asking yourself, “So, why don’t I just do it?”, this book will help you discover the answers and take steps to create the mindset and resulting lifestyle that will support the healthy weight you are trying to achieve. It can be done! I have worked with these gentlemen and have kept off over 100 pounds for two years, primarily by changing how I think and the actions that come from those thoughts. I learned that the messages that I convey to myself, especially in those moments of temptation, are what I needed to work on, not only my fitness and nutrition choices. Actions speak louder than words, and this book will help you take the actions you discover that YOU need to in order to start shifting your mindset. You really can create the lifestyle that supports a healthy body!
Profile Image for Daniela.
180 reviews
October 12, 2011
I got to read Coach Yourself Thin by Greg Hottinger through netgalley as a pre- publishing read.
I am always interested in new findings in nutrition and their effects on health and well being. The first chapters of this book don't deliver anything new regarding eating, thinking, exercising and how to manage them. They were a rehash of so much information already out there, that it was a little hard to read through.
I am glad I stuck through it though because we are finally getting to the meat of this coaching strategy: Positive reinforcement thinking!
First off the author recommends a 20/80 % thinking instead of the usual all or nothing that many of us associate with diets (i.g. Atkins). We feel guilty when we eat something not in the diet plan or don't get to to our exercise. Hottinger recommends to try stick with the program 80% of the time and allow yourself a 20% "fail rate", thus eliminating any negative thinking after eating something you know you shouldn't really or skipping exercise. In his oppinion it is much more important to feel good about yourself and encourage yourself through positive thinking than to follow a restricting diet that is unatainable with one's life style. Your feel good two fold: Knowing you have been following a healthy life style and regarding your "failure" as something of a well deserved treat in between "being good" will let your follow the idea of coaching yourself thin relatively easily.
Not quite finished the book yet, but it seems that those with great willpower will be gaining good advice from this book. Those with not enough willpower to usually follow a healthy life style might need additional professional help in the form of a co-coach.
Final review will follow shortly.

Coach Yourself Thin is yet another diet book. It has all the same charts, recipies, research and so on as countless others before. It explains a few problems with weight gain, exercise, calories etc. without going into depth, yet lists large amounts of numbers in form of numbers of calories to be consumed in which form for which body type etc. It is a complicated approach that takes the Yourself out of the title since it appears that professional help in form of a dietitian, personal trainer and possibly psychiatrist are needed, as some of the information is just too overwhelming. If you are an individual that already has a pretty good sense of self-control you are likely not needing this book and if you are not self-controlled achieving anything with this book alone is not likely.

I like that the authors' take the guilty feeling out of having a food occasionally that isn't on the healthy, low calorie list and their recommendation of 80% to 20% thinking sounds good. But just like with all the other number crunching in the book this is so not easy for those struggeling with their weight and control over what and how much they eat. Again this is so much easier said than done. Moderation is also old news, and an art that few overweight people can get a handle on.

When I told my husband once that I thought that those little pre-measured 100 calorie packages of food (cookies, chips etc) were a big cause for garbage he said it was to help people control themselves. Well first off, they never come alone, there's usually 6 bags in a pack (so right off the possibility of 600 calories if you cannot stop after one or two) and one could just read the label on a big pack and measure out the amount that makes up 100 calories. He says not everyone has that type of self control. Well, I do, but I understand that there are lots of people out there that don't and not too many of them will be able to coach themselves thin.
Profile Image for Ava.
2 reviews
January 4, 2012
Coach Yourself Thin: Five Steps to Retrain Your Mind, Reclaim Your Power, and Lose the Weight for Good

Coach Yourself Thin is straightforward and most of all a "neighborly" kind of book-the type where you can sit on your front/back porch and with a cup of "green" tea see all the amazing wonders of exactly what makes a Healthy Lifestyle. It is concise, to the point, an easy read, gives you information to think, it challenges your mind whereby having you decide the proper path of nutrition and health that you wish to journey on and move forward; and it does this in such a way that these two gentlemen are right there on that porch with you and talking directly to YOU - doesn't that make you feel good!!!

That is the pleasure I get from both Greg and Michael as I meet them on the Biggest Loser Club online website-they talk directly to ME!!! I have worked with them for 4 years now and I did lose close to 25 pounds with them-I am still on that path and will lose more and they will be there with me every step of the way and now with their new book I can meet them day after day knowing I can do even more to ensure that my journey of good health and lifestyle will be just perfect!

I also had the chance to meet them a few months ago and it was wonderful. Just two regular men who want to give of their knowledge and make people feel good about themselves-helping to make choices to better one's lives and the lives of their family, to show that it doesn't require special foods, it doesn't require scientific data, it doesn't require minute to minute scurrying to get from here to there-it only requires YOU to have the desire of WANTING a healthy, happy life-to enjoy day to day living at it's fullest, to feel free, to look great, feel great, and live great-all by your little old lonesome self (didn't think you had it in you, right)and with these gentlemen by your side you will find that new life - I GUARANTEE IT!!!!!

I am still in the midst of reading the book but finding great insights to keep wanting to read more and more and then to go back and read it all over again-this will stay with me and guide me on my journey, the journey that never quits - so how about joining me on that journey-let's you and I sit on that porch, have a cup of "green" tea, and discover this healty, happy lifestyle that Greg and Michael have set out for us-sound good??? Then what are you waiting for-let's GO!!!!!!
2 reviews3 followers
January 4, 2012
I have had the amazing opportunity of learning from the authors, both by reading articles they've written and through the one-on one coaching I've received online through the Biggest Loser Club. Since joining the Club and learning from the authors, my life has been forever changed!

With their help, I have lost over 75 lbs and maintained it for 3+ years. More than that? They have helped me to change my relationship with food, exercise and most importantly myself. After battling weight for years and trying every "quick-fix" diet out there, I realized the only way to truly be successful with weight loss was to make it a lifestyle change. I have no doubt that I will be able to maintain a healthy weight for the rest of my life because of what I've learned from the authors of this book.

Coach Yourself Thin provides a comprehensive look into what it takes to create lasting change in your life. It outlines common obstacles we all face on our journeys to health, as well as steps you can take to break free and become the healthy person you've always dreamed of becoming. Each section contains short quizzes, testimonials or "Ah-a" exercises to help with the concepts presented. The book is easy to understand and provides some practical guidelines to use in getting started. It is an amazing resource that you can go back to time and again, no matter where you are in your journey!

So, if you are truly serious about losing weight and reclaiming your life, I highly recommend Coach Yourself Thin - I know from experience - it works!!
1 review
January 7, 2012
Like many people I have spent years struggling with my weight and trying one diet after another. A journey that began a few years ago led me to Michael Scholtz and Greg Hottinger the authors of "Coach Yourself Thin". Through the techniques taught in their book they have successfully managed to turn my way of thinking around. The journey isn't about the number on the scale. The journey is about feeling healthy and being physically active and capable of being actively engaged in life. Understanding the value of accountability, trust, forgiveness, and many other important factors help you to make this a lifestyle change and not just another diet. The book is a very valuable resource. It is filled with great information as well as activities that help you to understand the need to look beyond the number. If you are ready to undertake the journey of a lifestyle change then this is the book to get you going and help you with that process.
1 review
January 7, 2012
Not "just another diet book". This book gives a broader look into what changes need to be made to not only succeed in your weight loss journey, but to maintain it as well.

My problem has always been not changing my mindset on what changes I need to make, but instead going straight to "trying" to eat right and moving my body more. Anyone can eat smaller portions and workout, and yes, of course that's what's needed to aid in your journey. However, if it's all you do, and you haven't trained your brain to truly understanding what got you to where you are, or facing the issues that keep you where you are, then how can you truly change the desire to return there once you've reached a weight goal. If I get to 128 and I celebrate, but then go back to thinking about the issues that caused stressful eating, and or being a couch potato, cause' well, "Yay, I'm at my goal!" Then it's a sure bet that in time that weight will shoot right back up to over 200 lbs.

One truly does need to "Coach Yourself Thin".

Excellent book with authors that get it and get how to help us get it!

1 review
January 7, 2012
Coach Yourself Thin is a book with on-target advice about changing your lifestyle to one focused on health rather than just weight loss. It gives very sound advice on how to make sustainable changes without getting so tied up in 'rules'. I have read many books on health and fitness and have tried many diet programs. I always seem to fall off the wagon because of the rigidity and rules. Greg Hottinger and Michael Scholtz discuss very doable strategies to help a person adopt a healthy lifestyle and outlook on weight loss rather than continuing to succumb to the all-or-nothing and quick fix approach. With the real life, sustainable strategies and the shifts in thinking Greg and Michael put forth I now realize there is no wagon...so I can't fall off it! This book has helped me realize that weight loss is the means to, not the end of, my journey to have the life I want! Yes, achieving a healthy lifestyle takes work...anything worth having takes work and my health is definitely worth it and so is yours! Buy this book!
Profile Image for Lori Staples.
63 reviews2 followers
January 7, 2012
Coach Yourself Thin speaks to the soul! It is truly a program that promotes the lifestyle changes you need to live a healthier, fulfilling life. A program that is easily followed without fancy gimmicks or products; it simply provides you with the "coaching" you need to make permanent changes that result in weight loss, better health and emotional well being. Real life examples make it personal and a program you can relate too. Coach Yourself Thin is the answer you have been looking for to finally make that lifestyle change for better health!
Profile Image for Rose.
2,023 reviews1,101 followers
January 21, 2012
"Coach Yourself Thin" has its mindset and advice in the right place as far as being a guide to weight loss, giving some practical principles for people as far as why the obesity epidemic has grown as large as it has, as well as noting that there aren't any easy solutions to take when it comes down to trying to lose weight. I also liked that they mention that finding a healthy, balanced lifestyle with diet and exercise is the most realistic one can get to achieving their goals. The structure/organization of the book is sound as it goes forward to make suggestions and recommendations that one can use on a psychological level to assess barriers to weight loss, among other aspects - I especially liked the incorporation of case studies, the self-quizzes, and the cognitive/environmental focus it has in the beginning of the book. The 80/20 approach is one of the best definitions given here, in my opinion.

Yet, I'm hesitant to recommend this dietary guide over some self-help guides covering the same topic. It's not a standalone guide, which means you're likely to get more out of it if you supplement other reading material with it alongside advice from doctors, nutritionists and fitness professionals. And I would argue that it spends too much time on certain discussions than it needs to, which makes it feel less accessible to someone who wants to be educated about the matter, but feels like they have to wade through the details to get to what applies to them. I also feel like it's less personified - it's more that it's more instructive (talking to you rather than talking "with" you - it may just be my personal preference) than it is a combination of a guiding, encouraging hand and informative. The best dieting guides I've ever come across balance both the information (leading to not so much an info dump as this one does) and the positive reinforcement. So admittedly, this feels like a struggle to wade through reading.

I'm not going to say that it isn't an effective guide for what it teaches, because from the structure and some of the advice it gives, it's quite enlightening, but I think there are far better guides out there that provide the balance of information, inspiration, and are a little more accessible in motivating those who want to lose weight and change their lifestyle.

Overall score: 3/5

Note: I recieved this as an ARC from NetGalley from the publisher Rodale Books.
Profile Image for GONZA.
7,562 reviews128 followers
November 16, 2011
This is not the usual diet even if it contains a lot fo meal plans and exercise stuff. The most important part in my opinion is the "coaching part" where psychological issues are addressed as food problems, there are targets to fullfill and steps to make and to accomplish but nothing that cannot be made.
Thanks to Netgalley and Rodale Books for the Preview
Profile Image for Tyler.
776 reviews11 followers
February 24, 2018
This book has some good things to say about addressing common mental roadblocks to weight loss. That is definitely the books greatest strength. It is also very reasonable and practical in its recommended weight loss plan and definitely takes thoroughly into account the weaknesses and foibles of human nature. Those parts were good, but I thought the methodology of the plan itself was mediocre. With the apps and technology that exist now there are simpler and better ways to track calories and nutrition and exercise etc.
Profile Image for Spook Sulek.
526 reviews9 followers
November 13, 2013
Really liked this one, it's like a good health and lifestyle book masquerading as a fad diet book! Solid recommendations about diet and exercise, as well as mental health and anticipating the tough times. Liked the A-Ha exercises (especially on pg. 55), the Everest analogy on pg. 50, and the merging of big and small picture thinking on pg. 88, the seemingly bizarre idea of putting our health before other pursuits when we're not sick (pg. 93), and most importantly, the idea of consistency being a primary goal (pg. 216). I also liked how, throughout the book, the reader is encouraged to seek outside help or further assistance if one feels that is necessary for wholeness and health. There are some resources given in the back, and the fact that they aren't all business opportunities for the authors inspires confidence. Part 5 was interesting in that it really requires one to be self-sufficient and involved in one's exercise; really turning over the responsibility to the individual. Especially liked chapters 27, 29 and 30 for making positive change permanent.
Overall, a really, really good book.
Profile Image for Katy.
2,202 reviews228 followers
September 18, 2012
This is the type of book to read, plan, review, and plan again.
It gives you some psychological tips to help you change your lifestyle to one that is more healthy.
I am not thin after reading this book, but I will not give up.
I have some plans in place and will refine revisit and recommit myself to being healthy.
1 review2 followers
August 28, 2012
The first chapters are very encouraging but by the time I got to the actual "how to eat and exercise" i was bored. Those chapters were not encouraging and it seemed like the same ole, same ole.
I would recommend it for the first few sections though because of the great optimistic view it has.
121 reviews1 follower
March 29, 2012
LOVE this!! Not your ordinary diet book, it leads you to set your goals and build a new life!
Profile Image for Kristen.
9 reviews1 follower
August 12, 2016
Great book to read when you are doing all the right things but nothing seems to work - it helps break through those mental blocks.
Profile Image for Sue.
50 reviews1 follower
July 26, 2012
Great, useful tools to manage your mind and keep your actions closer to plan in this weighty endeavor of achieving optimum health (which often includes lower weight).
Profile Image for Michelle Bercier.
12 reviews
Read
January 10, 2015
Overall very good. It helped me recognize some of my negative habits.

I will re read this again. many lessons to apply in my every day life.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews