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The Metabolism Miracle: 3 Easy Steps to Regain Control of Your Weight Permanently

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There is a reason that some people can eat all they want and seemingly never gain a pound, while others count every calorie, exercise, and can't lose an ounce. Millions of people--an estimated 45 percent of dieters--have Metabolism B, a condition that causes the body to over-process carbohydrate foods into excess body fat. Registered dietitian Diane Kress's scientifically based, easy-to-follow program has helped thousands of people with Metabolism B lose weight and keep it off.As someone who struggled with Metabolism B for years, Kress knows firsthand the frustration of diets that don't work. The solution? A simple, three-step, carb-controlling program that stabilizes blood glucose levels and reprograms the metabolism to melt away fat. "The Metabolism Miracle" starts working on Day 1.

356 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2008

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Diane Kress

12 books2 followers

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5 stars
105 (28%)
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104 (28%)
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105 (28%)
2 stars
33 (9%)
1 star
17 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Jaylin.
93 reviews9 followers
November 22, 2010
There are parts of this book that I can incorporate into my life because I am definitely a Metabolism B but there are parts that I completely don't agree with. That she advises the use of splenda and processed food so much; not healthy at all.
Profile Image for Andrea.
46 reviews
August 5, 2016
This book saved my life.

It really is a miracle for me. After years of battling insulin resistance and PCOS, and eating healthy, exercising, and STILL gaining weight... there is finally an answer for me. I've been doing the Metabolism Miracle program for almost a year now and I feel better than I have in years, look great, I've lost 50 pounds, and my cholesterol and triglycerides are better than they have been in over 15 years. I highly recommend this book for anyone with insulin resistance and/or PCOS (they often go hand in hand, but people can have insulin resistance without having PCOS- men, for example.) If you are overweight and can't lose weight on regular diets, there is a chance you may have insulin resistance or prediabetes. You can read the symptoms listed in the book, have your blood checked and determine if that is you.. and if so, this program can really help. It combines healthy eating tailored to this condition along with exercise and lifestyle changes. The Metabolism Miracle has really helped me, where no other diet/program could have- believe me, I've tried them all, and this is the only one for me. Other diets just don't work for people with insulin resistance. It is a hormonal issue which this book addresses. I truly feel it has saved my life.


6 reviews1 follower
August 16, 2011
Diet Update 8/15/11: I've weighed myself after dieting two months, two weeks of which have been on the Miracle Diet. I lost a total of 14 initial pounds. To accurately judge this diet's efficacy vs my regular low carb diet, I weighed myself again two weeks later. It seems Kress' Miracle Diet left me with a 2.5 lbs lost per week versus 1.5 lbs per week on my standard diet (e.g. Weight Watcher's). That's a significant difference! It will be interesting to see what my next cholesterol count will be in October and to see if I miss the usual diet plateau.

From what I understand from a friend of mine, this diet is very similar to the South Beach and/or Adkins which are also low carb diets. I think the difference is the amount of time (8 weeks) you are on an extremly restrictive carb diet before incorporating those carbs into your diet again.

The first five days were difficult; I felt very cranky without being able to eat my usual granola bar, yogurt, cereal, or crackers. Looking at the Carbs to Avoid list, I had the same sensation I imagine an alcoholic would when told to avoid bars. I must be a Carb Addict huh?

And having my favorite vegetable, carrots, on the carbs to avoid list was awful! Thankfully I was able to find low carb tortillas at Trader Joe's or I would have gone crazy. Also, I've been finding it rather difficult to eat enought calories (trying for between 1100-1200 a day) on this diet because the meats fill me up too much! I do think some of the recipes are good, tasteful and balanced. I especially liked the idea of adding sweetner and cinnamon to ricotta cheese.

Her casual mention of walking as a form of getting exercise without mentioning the importance of cardio and strength training on any diet and as part of your everyday life was inexcusable.

I have been on it about ten days and have not yet gotten on the scale; as she suggested. My clothes have been fitting better; but I was on a calorie-reducing diet before switching to hers. So I'm not sure yet to which plan I can attribute it to.
3 reviews1 follower
June 25, 2011
Excellent book for anyone looking for a low carb way of eating. Diane Kress is a nutrionist who specializes in insulin resistance and the affects on what she terms Metabolism B (people who are carb sensitive and will lose weight and inches by eating accordingly). She is extremely supportive and will answer emails or questions from her website for anyone on the diet who has questions or ongoing issues. The "miracle" is that this is a totally doable program that leaves you feeling great with lots of energy.
Profile Image for Ryan.
3 reviews
January 28, 2011
Read, and do it. You will see the result..:)
Profile Image for Justin Tapp.
704 reviews89 followers
September 7, 2016
The Metabolism Miracle: 3 Easy Steps to Regain Control of Your Weight . . . Permanently is another book repackaging old information and bad statistics as a "miracle." I automatically have a bias against any book selling a "miracle" because the author doesn't know how miracle is really defined.

I'll start with some advice, instead of buying this book just jump to Phase 3: Find an online calculator to help you figure out your macronutrient balance with 30-35% of your calories coming from carbs. Work out 30 minutes a day, including regular weight training, and see what happens...for my reasoning, see the below.

First, like most self-help books the author always writes to "YOU." She also preys on the insecurity that many people feel "My friend works out less than I do but stays skinny..."
She presents a long list of "symptoms" (like "stress...fatigue...fat roll around the middle") that every human being suffers from and if you identify with it then it must mean that you have "Metabolism B," a term that the author makes up. Even the most physically fit die-hard fitness buffs I know struggle with their cravings, it's part of the human experience-- particularly for women who have other harmonal imbalances to consider.

But Kress uses bogus reinforcers like "Your strong reaction to this list of foods is just one more affirmation that you have Metabolism B." She makes up bogus statistics like "more than 45 percent of people struggling to lose weight are born with genetic predisposition to Metabolism B." This is a completely unverifiable (therefore, false) claim. She is selling the message that you were born differently therefore this "Miracle" is the only thing that will work for you. That's not science, it's dishonest salesmanship. While she claims "modern" research supports her, she conveniently provides no references.

So, the process is three-fold: 8 weeks of nothing more than 5 net carbs in a 5 hour period. Another period where you can have a bit more. And the last period, where 30-35% of your calories can be carbs. Meanwhile, you're supposed to be exercising 30 minutes a day and focusing on muscle/strength training (which IS medically recommended-- you don't need her book to tell you these things). I don't see how this is much different than Atkins or South Beach with three phases that include progressively more net carbs.

In Phase 3, Kress simply repackages the TDEE-based calorie and macronutrient calculators that you can find on hundreds of websites, these take into consideration your age current weight (she provides her own chart for this). She is not the only dietician who says "everyone is different," and she tears down straw men repeatedly to sell her "Miracle." One problem is that she also hints that the other 65-70% of your calories be low on fat (and therefore high-protein) without helping you figure that out (I assume because that's been covered in plenty of other non-"Miracle" diet plans.) And it requires looking at ingredient labels and counting calories, something she wants to make you think you don't have to do in the first few pages of the book. Phase 3 logically requires that you do it.

Not all exercise programs are equally efficient in burning calories, chances are that if you bought this book you're not working out 30 minutes a day or are simply using a treadmill/elliptical or only focusing on cardio workouts. Kress is right to point out (toward the end) that building muscle shreds fat and boosts metabolism. Part of the reason weight gain becomes more of a problem after age 30 is because your muscles begin deteriorating unless you're working harder to build them up (it's called sarcopenia, and has nothing to do with "Metabolism B"). This is why people are more likely to fall into her Metabolism B "symptoms" as they get older. High-intensity interval training will boost your metabolism more than 30 minutes on an elliptical and actually make an impact on your DNA, that actually is supported strongly by scientific evidence. And if you're working out regularly, then the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends a diet consisting of 40-60% carbs (read the linked report for reasons). Nothing "miraculous" about it, this is old news.

I have problems finding anyone publicly online who has completed all three phases, kept the weight off, and feel good about their lives. The author cautions those who want to stay on Phase I or II that this is "dangerous" and "not healthy." Ketogenic diets (what Phase I is) should only be used by a select group of people and has a wide range of potentially harmful side-effects. The author addresses the source of the fears of people who mistakenly stay in Phase I-- they've been burned by going off of other low-carb diets and experiencing weight gain. This book isn't going to help you with your fears or help you achieve your health goals without exercising.(The author has apparently reversed her decision about staying on Phase I).

The promise by Kress that your body will be "permanently reprogrammed" is also false, as she recommends spending time repeatedly "reprogramming" your body if you mess up. In the end, you'll be getting 30-35% of your calories (requiring counting) from your diet and working out (with weight training) 30 minutes/day. Why not just start doing that now?

Zero stars.
Profile Image for Jeannette.
327 reviews
November 25, 2013
The book is well written with a lot of valuable information. I am only just beginning week 2 of Step 1, so I can't report on the effectiveness of the plan. However, I am feeling better, having less digestive problems and not feeling hungry.
Profile Image for Christy Parker.
Author 5 books2 followers
February 13, 2015
I've never really been a fan of Low Carb diets, but when I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes (DM), my doctor suggested that I look into a Low Carb diet for weight loss. Atkins and South Beach have never really set well with me (I think that the carb level is far too restricted, and that they don't have a solid plan in place for returning carbs to the diet when the weight is lost).

Then my mother suggested the Metabolism Miracle. It is the only thing that really works for me (I've tried DASH, which I highly recommend, but with my DM combined with some food allergies, I found it difficult to meet the requirements of DASH while still maintaining my Blood Sugar.

Kress has come up with a Carb-controlled Lifestyle Plan. I don't call it a Low Carb diet, because Kress has made a complete plan, not only for Weight Loss, but for Weight Management after weight loss goals are achieved.

It is important to note that this diet APPEARS to only allow you 5 net carbs every 5 hours. This is a common complaint that I hear about the Metabolism Miracle plan. However, if you read the book closely, you realize that that isn't factual. The diet allows you 5 bonus carbs every 5 hours. You still get carbs out of the "Free" foods that you get to eat. Vegetables have carbs. Anything that has fiber has carbs. This diet allows you a sizable list of foods that you can eat WITHOUT counting their carbs (meats, veggies, nuts, dairy, etc), but requires that with all other foods, you limit them to 5 net carbs per five hour block. So, you get more than 5 carbs, you just only get 5 carbs from foods that require counting.

Their are only two negative points about the book, as far as I am concerned, neither of which is significant enough for me to subtract a star from my rating.

The first draw back is that the book is LOADED with anecdotes. Anecdotes about Kress's clients. Anecdotes designed to clarify points and rationales about the diet. I think that they are a bit excessive. I didn't really need THAT many success (and failure) stories to drive home the points of the plan. I don't deduct a star for this because I realize that many people PREFER to read many stories to provide anecdotal evidence for proof of concept. I'm not one of those people, but I do think that many people prefer it.

The second (and final) drawback to the book is the title. "The Metabolism Miracle" makes this sound like another crash diet or fad diet. It is not, it is a complete lifestyle, designed to promote healthy living, long term, in the real world. Unfortunately, the title may turn some people away, as it sounds very "fad."

Profile Image for Amanda.
259 reviews67 followers
July 17, 2012
First, I want to clarify that I am reviewing the BOOK, not the diet itself. Since I am only on my third week of step one, I can't give a fair review of the whole program. I am only reviewing the book.

My knowledge of biology/anatomy/etc. is only at the high school level. (In other words, I did not major in any of those fields in college.) So, I can't say for sure that this is based on 100% sound science, but it does seem to make sense to me. I have the majority of the Metabolism B symptoms (my mother has ALL of them), and we have both struggled with dieting and our weights for our entire lives.

I will say that not everything is going to go exactly the way it is predicted. Diane said that there is only a 3-day withdrawal period when you stop eating carbs, and on the fourth day you'll feel great. Well, it didn't work quite that way for me. I went through a 5-day withdrawal, and on that fifth day, I contemplated killing someone for a slice of bread. But I held out, and to be totally honest, I woke up feeling amazing on day 6. I did my chores and errands in record time, and couldn't seem to get to the gym fast enough. I don't feel like that every day, but I do have more energy than what I had before.

Also -- ladies, if you are like me, you will still have cravings during your "time of the month." That was NOT a pleasant time for anyone around me (and that hit me during week 2).

Anyway, I feel like she included everything you could possibly need to be successful on this diet. The plan is there, the recipes are there, even a glossary of medical terms is there if you need more information. It is a very well put together book.

The one thing that impressed me the most about this book was the brutal honesty. I've read practically every diet book on the market, and just about all of them promise that you will "lose weight while you sleep" without exercising. Diane says MANY times throughout the book (really driving the point home to people like me) that exercise is crucial for success. Even if it's just walking, you've got to do something, or your body will burn fat AND muscle. That was the kick in the pants I needed to go the gym every day. I have to respect that kind of honesty.

Good luck to my fellow dieters.
Profile Image for Aili.
132 reviews20 followers
February 12, 2013
After reading "Why We Get Fat..," I was looking for a diet plan to go along with my new knowledge. This one has been great! I'm on week 3, and feeling fantastic!
Profile Image for Dixit Nagpal.
198 reviews1 follower
October 25, 2020
I think , this book is totally against the mechanism of intermittent fasting and helping people to cleanse internal issues with the plant based eating, human construction is same and for sure you will hit plateau at some stage whereby burning calories will match your intake ; and thus you need a different sort of training to burn more calories , I don’t think there is something called Metabolism B , obviously once uou are closer to your diet intake that matches your metabolism , it’s tough to go more and low carb diet is essential to get your body to burn those extra fat inventories however I don’t think you call yourself as a made up of different metabolism.
Profile Image for garfunkelgrass.
147 reviews
January 23, 2021
This book turned me onto keto, which I swore as a carb lover I would never do. The information is really outdated, which is expected because it's over ten years old. That being said, she does a good job explaining how the body processes insulin, and this turned me onto other books and information regarding keto.
Profile Image for Petra Kadar.
1 review9 followers
August 30, 2015
I have been reading nutritional related books for years and years. This book has a lot of misleading informations.

"It is not necessary to look at sugar grams as sugar is only one small part of the carbohydrate picture. Total carb grams will show you all of the carbs in the food item." This is a false information. Sugar is the worst you can eat, and the whole point is to avoid sugar. The is a type of sugar called fructose which is responsible for the fat. So I would suggest highly to avoid sugar and not carbohydrate. You need carbohydrate for your brain but not the sugar,fructose..

Also she suggests to drink soy milk. Don't it's full of with fructose drink full milk, or low fat, but for sure not fat free! It's full of added sugar. Every diary product below 4.7g/100ml is just lactose, a different type of sugar, what you need.

i'm still reading the the book, so my review might continues.

please guys don't believe everything what's in a book. Get the ideas what you think fits you. Build your own program based on you and not on someone who says don't eat something for 8 weeks. Decide what's the best for you. If you have been eating foods which are full in sugar and you suddenly decide to quit all, your whole system will crash! Take care of yourself and decrease your sugar or carbohydrate intake gradually.
156 reviews
May 2, 2020
I'm at Week 5 right now so still in Step 1. So far I have lost 16 pounds. I've never lost more than 10 pounds on a diet before and I've tried many over the years, all low calorie diets. I've always plateaued at the 10 pound mark. So that is what I expected this time. I was very pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen. It is a very restrictive diet in Step 1 but surprisingly, I'm having no trouble sticking to it. I must be in just the right frame of mind and I'm hell-bent on giving this a fair shot. Nothing else has ever worked. Update: I got through Week 8, which is completing step 1 and I lost a total of 28 pounds. Unfortunately, the day I was to start Step 2, I came down with a stomach virus, then the pandemic started in the US. I've been off the diet as I've had trouble getting fresh food when I need it. Plus I've been stress eating. I've tried to eat as healthy as I can considering and I've only gained back a few pounds. I'll go back to it once fresh food is more available. This book has really helped me see I can lose weight if I eat right and limit my carb intake. I would recommend it to anyone with a Type B metabolism.
Profile Image for Jessica Buike.
Author 2 books25 followers
December 20, 2011
This book was a very good read, but I found it to be lacking in studies that backed up the data. As someone who has struggled with losing weight, I thought this might work for me - but it didn't. It also didn't work for my husband, who is a different body type than I am. However, it worked for a friend of ours, so it might still be worth it to try if you are interested. I wasn't floored by anything in this book, but it was a decent read.
Profile Image for Tammi.
167 reviews11 followers
March 12, 2011
Not a fan. This is too extreme. Not being allowed to eat any carbs over 5 grams for 8 weeks is too drastic. No fruit allowed at all. I prefer the other two books I read this week (The Insulin Resistance Diet and the Glycemic Index Load). I will try some of the recipes in this book though.
Profile Image for Gail.
79 reviews
June 20, 2011
This is hubbies strategy for getting in shape. It is killing my baking .Very low carb..no wine..what has our baby boomer life come too?Okay so Kris has lost two pant sizes. I am trailing way behind because I am a carbaholic!
Profile Image for Tamahome.
610 reviews198 followers
Read
February 17, 2012

Yet another book in the low carb/high fat camp. Being sure you eat every 5 hours to keep your liver from spitting out sugar sounds like a good rule to me. :) She was on the livin la vida low carb podcast.


Profile Image for Delia.
1 review3 followers
May 25, 2012
After following her advice, I realized her program was NOT for me! It's too harsh and too restrictive for those of us who are self-proclaimed carb addicts. I've moved on to another program and lost 122 lbs.
Profile Image for Kay Little.
7 reviews1 follower
June 23, 2013
I'm giving it this high rating because the concept of this book works. I've suffered my whole life with the issues outlined in this book and feel so relieved that someone has finally figured out a solution!!
Profile Image for Gita.
114 reviews1 follower
January 14, 2015
Makes complete sense to those who struggled their entire life, ate much less than all of the other family members eating same food cooked in the house, yet remained much more heavier than all. Metabolism B type? Yes, that is their problem indeed! This diet works on B types! Amazing but true!
1,157 reviews11 followers
February 5, 2016
It's a diet book, so I'm only giving it 3 stars. And, I will judge it's effectiveness by the results I get. So, I may change my star rating depending on the results, but as a book, I will only give it a 3.
17 reviews
July 7, 2016
Excellent book for those who have struggled to lose weight in the past. Basically a lower carb diet but allows for small servings of carbs which help the "I just want a little piece of bread" that all low carbers suffer through. Includes recipes, many of which sound delicious.
142 reviews6 followers
July 2, 2009
Simple, quick read. Inspired me to try it--I'll let you know if it works!Q
26 reviews2 followers
March 27, 2011
Great book. Little different take than South Beach. I'm hoping it'll help me get back on track for a few more pounds off the middle part of my body. We'll start back on Monday!
Profile Image for Terri.
937 reviews12 followers
June 2, 2011
Best diet book ever. So much better than the South Beach diet. It has helped me tremendously!
Profile Image for Sarah.
14 reviews4 followers
April 25, 2012
This book makes a lot of sense and describes me perfectly! I am going on the plan next week. I hope it works as well for me as it has for others.
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