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The Belly Melt Diet (TM): The 6-Week Plan to Harness Your Body#s Natural Rhythms to Lose Weight for Good!
Most women spend their entire lives fighting their bodies in an effort to lose weight. The latest research reveals that you need to work with your body to get the best There are actually right and wrong times to eat, exercise, and sleep—and what works for one woman may not work for the next. The Belly Melt Diet - by the editors of Prevention - teaches women to tune into their own rhythms—not just their sleep/wake cycles, but also the cycles of their hunger hormones. Readers will also learn their best time to exercise, and how to tame the ups and downs of the menstrual cycle to maximize belly fatburning, overall metabolism boosting, and the soaring energy and confidence that come with feeling balanced and achieving fitness goals.
The simple 2-phase diet plan teaches women how to eat, exercise, and sleep at their best, with over 100 easy, delicious, fat-burning recipes, the Perfect Timing Workouts, and the newest research in chronobiology, the study of body rhythms. Real women who tried the Belly Melt Diet lost up to 19 pounds in just 5 weeks and embarked on a slimming, energizing, revitalizing lifestyle that will stay with them for good.
The simple 2-phase diet plan teaches women how to eat, exercise, and sleep at their best, with over 100 easy, delicious, fat-burning recipes, the Perfect Timing Workouts, and the newest research in chronobiology, the study of body rhythms. Real women who tried the Belly Melt Diet lost up to 19 pounds in just 5 weeks and embarked on a slimming, energizing, revitalizing lifestyle that will stay with them for good.
368 pages, Paperback
First published August 21, 2012
20 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 31, 2013
I was VERY interested in this book because I can't seem to lose the extra weight from my belly after having 3 kids. So, the title really appealed to me. I was a little disappointed in it, though.
Basically, the idea is that in order to lose weight, you cut calories, exercise, eat at consistent times, and get more sleep. None of those ideas is particularly revolutionary, and nothing I read was extremely helpful or insightful. The book devoted a large section to sleep, noting the importance of getting at least 7 hours a night and suggesting that adults cut out two hours of TV-watching each night to go to bed earlier. There were some suggestions as to yoga and meditation to help you relax as well. I already go to bed by 10 each night and I get about 8 hours of sleep if no one (kids, LOL) wakes me, so this wasn't particularly useful or helpful to me. The book also suggests taking a power nap each day, which is probably not possible for most of us, especially people who work full time. You should go to bed and wake up at the same time each day (weekends too).
The second section of the book deals with food. There is a 3-day "quick start" in which you eat 1200 calories per day, divided into 1 serving of fats, 1 fruit, 2-3 dairy, 3 veggies, 4 grains, and 3-4 proteins. They also suggest when you should eat what:
Breakfast: 1 pro, 1 grain, 1/2 veg, 1/2 fat
Snack: 1 dairy, 1/2 fruit
Lunch: 1 pro, 1 1/2-2 veg, 1/2 fat
Snack: 1 dairy, 1/2 fruit
Dinner: 2 pro, 2 grain, 1 veg
Snack: 1 grain, 1/2 dairy
Finally, you should schedule your meals and snacks and eat them at the same time each day. After these 3 days you can eat 1500 calories per day, following the same guidelines but increasing your servings of each group: 1-2 servings of fats, 1-2 fruits, 3 dairy, 3 veggies, 5 grains, and 5 proteins. The meal guidelines are:
Breakfast: 2 pro, 1 grain, 1/2 dairy, 1/2 fat
Snack: 1/2 dairy, 1 fruit
Lunch: 1 pro, 2 veg, 1 grain, 1/2 fat
Snack: 1 dairy
Dinner: 2 pro, 2 grain, 1 veg, 1 fat
Snack: 1/2 fruit, 1 grain, 1 dairy
The third section is regarding exercise. They suggest 20-30 minutes of cardio (walking) to be done each morning before breakfast, and 15 minutes of strength training to be done in the late afternoon/early evening. There are also 4 key ab exercises to be done each day.
So, I think most people know that eating less + exercising = losing weight. That is all well and good, but I didn't see any "magic" formula to make it happen easier or faster or better. If you are looking for specific meal plans and recipes, this is a good source, but as far as new and exciting diet information, I don't really think this is it.
Basically, the idea is that in order to lose weight, you cut calories, exercise, eat at consistent times, and get more sleep. None of those ideas is particularly revolutionary, and nothing I read was extremely helpful or insightful. The book devoted a large section to sleep, noting the importance of getting at least 7 hours a night and suggesting that adults cut out two hours of TV-watching each night to go to bed earlier. There were some suggestions as to yoga and meditation to help you relax as well. I already go to bed by 10 each night and I get about 8 hours of sleep if no one (kids, LOL) wakes me, so this wasn't particularly useful or helpful to me. The book also suggests taking a power nap each day, which is probably not possible for most of us, especially people who work full time. You should go to bed and wake up at the same time each day (weekends too).
The second section of the book deals with food. There is a 3-day "quick start" in which you eat 1200 calories per day, divided into 1 serving of fats, 1 fruit, 2-3 dairy, 3 veggies, 4 grains, and 3-4 proteins. They also suggest when you should eat what:
Breakfast: 1 pro, 1 grain, 1/2 veg, 1/2 fat
Snack: 1 dairy, 1/2 fruit
Lunch: 1 pro, 1 1/2-2 veg, 1/2 fat
Snack: 1 dairy, 1/2 fruit
Dinner: 2 pro, 2 grain, 1 veg
Snack: 1 grain, 1/2 dairy
Finally, you should schedule your meals and snacks and eat them at the same time each day. After these 3 days you can eat 1500 calories per day, following the same guidelines but increasing your servings of each group: 1-2 servings of fats, 1-2 fruits, 3 dairy, 3 veggies, 5 grains, and 5 proteins. The meal guidelines are:
Breakfast: 2 pro, 1 grain, 1/2 dairy, 1/2 fat
Snack: 1/2 dairy, 1 fruit
Lunch: 1 pro, 2 veg, 1 grain, 1/2 fat
Snack: 1 dairy
Dinner: 2 pro, 2 grain, 1 veg, 1 fat
Snack: 1/2 fruit, 1 grain, 1 dairy
The third section is regarding exercise. They suggest 20-30 minutes of cardio (walking) to be done each morning before breakfast, and 15 minutes of strength training to be done in the late afternoon/early evening. There are also 4 key ab exercises to be done each day.
So, I think most people know that eating less + exercising = losing weight. That is all well and good, but I didn't see any "magic" formula to make it happen easier or faster or better. If you are looking for specific meal plans and recipes, this is a good source, but as far as new and exciting diet information, I don't really think this is it.
October 5, 2012
If I read one more book that tells me I have to sleep to lose weight I might scream or eat the book or just not read any more of theses books! Aaaaargggh!
March 30, 2018
I know you are not supposed to pick and choose when it comes to any sort of diet book but you have to in this book. Some of the material is super dated is for an older audience (which is what I did not know when I got this book). I feel like it has some major great points. Sleep more, exercise more, eat more whole foods. With any advice you need to make it work to your lifestyle. I did learn some tips on sleep and I even called my doctor to set up an appointment to check for sleep apena. Overall I wish they would make an updated version of this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews