Side Effect: Skinny: Denise Austin's Fat Blast Diet

by Austin Denise

It’s a common sentiment among all women: we want to be fit, we want to get healthy, and we want to have more energy to live our busy, beautiful lives! Denise Austin, the internationally-renowned fitness guru, understands women’s wants, needs, and the hurdles that they face. In her newest book, Side Effect: Skinny, Austin shares her secret fat-blast diet and healthy, delicious eating plans, alongside her fun and effective workout regimens. A culmination of Austin’s decades of research and experience getting real-life women to look and feel their very best, Side Effect: Skinny introduces easy-to-implement weight loss solutions and simple yet powerful methods that encourage women of all ages to stay fit. She’s redefining “skinny” and showing you that you don’t need to be rail-thin to look gorgeous and live healthier.Possessing straightforward, real-life health tips, meal plans and fitness solutions, Side Effect: Skinny reveals:

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Self Help

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 23, 2012

Reviews

[Michael Andrzejewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally when review books I try to stick to areas with which I'm most comfortable - pastoral care, family interests and church matters. Today, I'm stepping out of the comfort zone to let you know about a book that could very easily have a major impact on your life for years to come. Side Effect Skinny: Denise Austin's Fat-Blasting Diet punches both your fat cells and your guilt gene in all the bad, bloated areas while encouraging the "skinny" you to run away from cravings and master those tough temptations.

Could it really have a major impact on your life for years to come? Absolutely. Too early in my marriage and ministry I neglected my physical health in the name of being "too busy" to go to the gym, both my marriage and ministry began to suffer. About four years ago that changed when I realized that I needed to pay more attention to my physical health so that I could remove stress, take care of myself for my wife and children's sake and actually be more productive on a daily basis.

Side Effect Skinny backs up that hypothesis by teaching a balanced approach to a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, proper eating habits and getting enough rest. So, who is Denise Austin and what qualifies her to write her latest book?



According to her online bio Austin,

Denise Austin is a pioneer in the fitness industry who has sold more than 24 million exercise videos and DVDs, authored 12 books on fitness, and starred in the longest running fitness show in the history of television. Denise's trademark zest for life, positive outlook, and can-do attitude have endeared her to millions of fans across the country — and around the world — and earned her the reputation as "America's favorite fitness expert."

A native of San Pedro, Calif., Denise started gymnastics at the age of 12 and earned an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Arizona. In 1979, she graduated from California State University at Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education with an emphasis on exercise physiology. She began her career teaching aerobic exercise classes in the Los Angeles area and went on to cohost The Jack LaLanne Show in 1981. (Denise considers the late Jack LaLanne one of her role models and remained great friends with the fitness icon until his death in 2011.) In 1982, she earned her own television program on KABC in Los Angeles and released her first two workout videos,Rock Aerobics and Rock Hard Abs. From 1984 to 1988, she was the fitness expert on NBC'sToday Show.

What the bio doesn't say about Austin is one of the most refreshing aspects of this book. In a world where everyone seems to have an agenda that they want to see fulfilled regardless of the truth, Side Effect Skinny stood out to me because the author proved trustworthy with her objectivity. Ask most health food experts about whether we should eat overpriced organic produce and the chorus screams, "Of course!" In Side Effect Skinny Austin writes,

While there is currently no solid research that proves organic foods are better for you, there are several good reasons to buy organic, and several things to keep in mind when you buy organic.

She goes on to cite benefits to the environment and the lack of antibiotics and growth hormones in dairy and meat products. But, objectively urges caution by reminding us that organic is more expensive and the pesticides should be washed off of any non-organic grown produce whose peel you intend to eat.

So, with the biography and objectivity taken care of, I'd love to tell you both the strengths and weaknesses of Side Effect Skinny as I perceive them.

Strengths of Side Effect: Skinny

Austin encourages "Calorie Confusion" in her regimen. Like the increasingly popular theory of muscle confusion, calorie confusion is simply modifying your calorie intake every couple of days to trick your body into keeping your metabolism running at a higher rate. This allows you some cheating so you never feel like you have to starve yourself for days or weeks.
The book is easy to read. Its conversational style flows well and along with the publisher, Bird St. Books, Austin breaks up the material with bullet points, lists and quick tips. She writes well and provides a lot of great content.
The plan itself has practicality written all over it. Stretching, home workouts, quick meal ideas, and creativity all go together to make this a lifestyle change that virtually anyone could adopt. It is not a crash diet, but is promoted as a diet that could help someone lose stubborn pounds quickly and keep them off for a long time. You can even follow her personal blog for more tips and suggestions.
Weaknesses of Side Effect: Skinny

As with almost everything there are some downsides to Side Effect Skinny. You may not see them as such, but I feel like they should be noted.

I got the feeling several times while reading Austin's book that some topics were dealt with repeatedly. It is true that we learn from repetition, but I felt like some topics could be arranged better to improve overall reading experience.
The book is not currently available through Amazon.com. It was released about 2 months ago, and one of the largest online retailers doesn't offer it. Nor does Amazon say when the book will be made available. It is available at the Book Nook for $22.06. $3.89 cheaper than the list price.
Speaking of the price...as a hard back book it is a little steep for me, especially needing it shipped to Europe. A Kindle version would be great, and maybe that will one day be available.
My overall recommendation? Pick up a copy and start 2013 with a new outlook and determination to shed those extra holiday pounds with help from Denise Austin. A special thanks goes to NetGalley.com and Smith Publicity (on behalf of Bird Street Books) for providing me with a temporary review copy in exchange for my thoughts on the book.

[Steven · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just another diet and lifestyle plan - suggesting you can be as slim as Denise Austin (which is emaciated) if only you follow the advice in this book ... ignoring genetics and body shape that says otherwise. Still if we follow the advice, we would shed a few pounds because the calorie intake is only around 1200 a day.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy to follow book that includes great exercise ideas, information on foods and their effects on your body, and delicious recipes! Denise Austin is extremely knowledgeable on the best foods that will give you energy, subside your food cravings, and best benefit your body. This book supplies you with a great layout to easily jump into. Denise talks about how it isn't about starving yourself, it is about moderation.

For those who work in an office or are sitting at a desk all day, Denise provides you with exercises you can do at your desk. I found this book extremely informative on what foods contain super antioxidants, which foods will give me more energy throughout the day, and which foods are great for your skin. She also includes some snacks during the day that will keep you on track! The recipes are quick for those who don't have a lot of extra time to make a big dinner.

I received a copy of this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Denise Austin a lot and I think she's a great motivator. I used to watch her exercise videos when I was in college. She does a really great job of easy to make recipes and easy ways of eating healthy throughout the day with whole foods. I also like her tips for exercising throughout the day.

My only issue with this book is that it's targeted audience is for women with children and families or going through menopause. And as a single woman it was just started becoming annoying. You can still put on weight and have a busy lifestyle without having children. I also wish that some of her meal plans would include ways in using leftovers from the day before. But maybe cooking for one is just a single person's issue.

[Debra S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been trying to lose 10 lbs. since my baby was born...21 years ago!
I received Denise Austin's Side Effect Skinny as an early Christmas present and didn't wait for the New Year to arrive to begin Denise's Fat Blast Diet. I can already see a positive difference in the way I look, and I feel so much better. I definitely have more energy. The recipes are easy to prepare and tasty, too. Denise's plan is a common sense approach to exercise and weight loss making the transition to following her plan seamless. Denise just gets it, and I am grateful to my brother who gave me Denise Austin's Side Effect Skinny.

[Lesley Albers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always been an avid fan of Denise Austin. For someone in her mid-50's she looks fantastic! With all of Denise's books I tend to take away something that I remember and incorporate into my daily living. This book reminds me to eat only between 7a-7p because that's when your metabolism is at its best. Book was short and sweet, less than 300 pages but still a good book!

[Chris Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic Denise Austin. As she would say, "You can DO it!" It's a short read, and informative, although I would say it's a lot of the same information that's in her other books.

[Chrystal Mahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Side Effect: Skinny is an empowering and practical guide to weight loss and fitness from renowned fitness expert Denise Austin. In this long-awaited book, Denise not only shares her revolutionary fat-blast diet and exercise plans, but also provides readers with realistic, sustainable strategies to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The book emphasizes the power of calorie confusion to boost metabolism and offers insightful advice on choosing the right foods to target different parts of the body. Denise’s holistic approach focuses on both physical fitness and energy-boosting nutrition, helping readers achieve a balanced body, mind, and heart. She also includes useful tips for “cheating” on your diet, proving that flexibility can still lead to weight loss success.

With clear, actionable steps and motivational guidance, Side Effect: Skinny is an accessible and enjoyable read for anyone looking to improve their fitness and adopt healthier habits. The side effect, as promised, is getting thin—while feeling great inside and out.

Let me know if you'd like to adjust anything!

[bookedrightmeow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Denise Austin is one of my favorite fitness experts. This is more of a health and wellness book rather than a "diet" book. I really like how Austin emphasizes the need to make smarter choices every day, which will result in better health and also the "side effect" of slimming down.

I read this more for motivational purposes rather than following her meal plans and exercises word for word. However, I did prepare some of the recipes and they were pretty good. Some of the nutritional information toward the end of the book seemed kind of repetitive, but no less useful. As for the exercises, there are no photos of the different workout moves, which is probably the biggest drawback to the book. (One of Austin's other books, Denise's Daily Dozen, is really heavy on photos and probably much more helpful in that respect.) In light of that, this book is a good companion to any of Austin's DVDs, which are the best resource as far as her workout recommendations are concerned.

In this book, Austin says that you should approach your weight loss 7 days at a time because you can do anything for 7 days. It sounds like such a simple statement, but it really resonated with me. Weight loss can be such a slow process, but putting it in those terms makes the overall goal seem less daunting. Also, Austin is just really motivational in general and I find that refreshing. Some workout gurus are extremely harsh and in-your-face; I'm over that.

I should probably also mention that the book is obviously steered toward a female reader--I think most of Austin's fans are women, so that focus seems appropriate.

Overall, this is a good book if you want to make positive changes and become a healthier person. If you already dislike Austin, I'm sure you'd want to avoid the book since her peppy tone comes through quite clearly. If that's the kind of thing that motivates you, though, this would be a good choice for you.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I won this in a FR Giveaway.

I really love Denise Austin and have been using her exercise videos since I was in high school! Denise looks AMAZING for her age, so I will definitely read any book she writes! This book was easy to read, and more of a lifestyle book and not a diet book, which I like because I don't really need to diet, but I'm always looking to learn about and read about healthy lifestyles. There are some great recipes at the back of the book, and I passed this on to my sister, who actually does want lose some weight, and she thought it was great as well!

[Andrea McKinnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So smart and so simple! What I enjoyed was the simplicity, no fad dieting, no cutting anything out or weird food binges.

I really like the interval walking and 7 Minute Slimmers exercises - I find myself doing them (stomach crunches) just because I read how to do them.

Highly recommended if you want a realistic diet plan, all spelled out for you, with SIMPLE exercises included. Flat bread pizza recipe is DELICIOUS, too.

[Melissa Plantz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and Denise Austin's advise is common sense as usual. Tracking calories can be a bit hard since switching up calories per day is the foundation of starting the program. However, i have been following her advise from the book for the past week and have lost 4 pounds so far. Her excitement for health and fitness is contagious even in book form! I recommend.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

very helpful info .. enjoyed reading and getting ideas.. not that i can do everything in the book, but most helpful info...

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

We'll see how amazing it is in about 5 weeks when I am 15 lbs lighter hopefully!!

[Karin]

Some good recipes and ideas to think about.

[Terri Palermo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always loved Denise Austin. This is the first diet-related book I've ever read that addresses night shift work :)
Now, if only I did instead of read LOL

[Gaylynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love her exercise DVDs, basically to stay skinny - exercise daily, eat healthy, and count/watch your calorie intake.

[Winter Sophia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Effective Information!

[rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. Very Informative.