The No More Excuses Diet: 3 Days to Bust Any Excuse, 3 Weeks to Easy New Eating Habits, 3 Months to Total Transformation

by Maria Kang

Don’t let excuses stop you from having a body and a life that you love!   
            We all know that we should exercise and eat right, so why is it so hard to follow through? We make excuses for why we aren't taking better care of ourselves, saying things like, "I'm too tired," "I don't have time," or "I'm just not built to look that way." But Maria Kang, the mother of three behind the viral "What's Your Excuse?" mom photos, is here to say that the excuses stop now.
      The No More Excuses Diet combines short term goals with healthy habit-forming behaviors to create permanent lifestyle changes. Using a specially designed transformation calendar, readers set clear, personal goals and make an easy-to-follow plan for each day.  The program uses a balanced diet of 30% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fats, and includes a 10% flexible portion that can be customized depending on your goals— whether it’s extra protein for building muscles, or a sugary treat at the end of the day. The No More Excuses Diet also provides a completely customizable workout guide, with over 50 illustrated exercises designed to build strength, flexibility, endurance, and to shed fat. The program also includes 7 weeks of worth of exercise programs that can be done at home with no extra equipment. Packed with meal plans, grocery lists, lots of encouragement and a clear plan of action, The No More Excuses Diet is a must-read book for anyone who is ready to bust through the excuses the hold them back and take their health and fitness to the next level.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 10, 2015

Reviews

[JoJo Sutis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from “another diet book”…BUT this is not just another diet book.
The No More Excuses Diet was exactly the jump start I needed to continue on my personal weightloss journey.
I admit, I’ve fallen off track, gotten discouraged, read loads of books on the subject…BUT there is something special about this book!
Maria literally takes you step by step. She will help you gather supplies to lay out a personalized plan that works for you.
She will bust EVERY excuse in the book….from “I don’t have time” to “I can’t afford it” to “I just love food too much!” (The last one is definitely one of my personal fave excuses.) Maria will help you overcome excuses in very practical ways.
She tells you what to do if it’s not working. I have never….I repeat NEVER read a fitness, diet, weightloss book that gives you a step by step guide for handling failure. Most diet books say- here’s the plan, now stick to it or else! Using the acronym S.T.R.I.V.E this book will help you tackle those moments when the excitement has faded, real life kicks in and you feel like giving up. This was one of the most important aspects of this book for me personally.
Overall, this is honestly one of the most positive, uplifting, practical weightloss books I have come across. I love the At-Home Workout Plans! They are easy to understand and practical….you don’t need a lot of complicated equipment.
This book would be a wise investment of you money and time. It is jam-packed with step-by-step tips and motivation for busting your weightloss excuses. Grab your copy today!

[Readbooks16 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a big 'diet' person and I love that despite this being titled the "no more excuses diet" it's not about what you can and can't have, but about how to make healthy choices for you and your lifestyle. It's a very simple straightforward way to look at health, eating, and exercise. I'm excited to put these principles into action and see how my health and body responds!

[Marianna F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually wouldn't even call this a diet, because to me the word "diet" has a lot of negative connotations. Maria helps you realize that you need to create better habits, and rarely does she use the words "don't eat, don't do this, don't do that, etc..." so it creates a more positive and doable goal. GREAT BOOK.

[Rocio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and found that it had a lot of valuable information. The way Maria Kang breaks down how to set your goals is unique and a great resource. This book is great for anyone that doesn’t know much about fitness and nutrition. Everything is well explained and easy to understand. Only reason why it’s not a 5 star rating is because I disagree with some of her opinions and negative self talk/body shaming.

[Debi Stout · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know about any of you, but I always say there are two kinds of people that love excuses - runners and golfers. Guess which category I fall into? BOTH!! This book, the No More Excuses Diet book, helps you get back on track and shows you how to keep excuses from allowing you to have the life that you love in the body that you want. We all know that we should exercise and eat right, so why is it so hard to follow through? We make excuses for why we aren't taking better care of ourselves, saying things like, "I'm too tired," "I don't have time," or "I'm just not built to look that way."

The No More Excuses Diet book shows us how to combine our short term goals with healthy habit-forming behaviors to create permanent lifestyle changes. Using a specially designed transformation calendar, readers set clear, personal goals and make an easy-to-follow plan for each day. The program uses a balanced diet of 30% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fats, and includes a 10% flexible portion that can be customized depending on your goals— whether it’s extra protein for building muscles, or a sugary treat at the end of the day.

Here's the deal. We all know how to lose weight. To lose weight, you need to eat reasonable amounts of real food, and move more. That's it. You do that, and you will lose weight and be healthier. The trouble most of us have is in finding and keeping our motivation long enough to see results.

Ms. Kang says it takes 3 days of concerted effort to bust through an excuse, 3 weeks to form new habits, and 3 months to make a lasting change in your life, so she suggests setting healthy goals in 3 week increments. She follows a method of flexible dieting which I love, and she encourages cardio (if you love it) but primarily weight-lifting as an exercise method. She also encourages exercise such as hiking or riding bikes with your family, keeping track of non-scale victories (such as upping your weights in the gym or accomplishing a marathon), and even different forms of mental "stretches" like prayer and meditation.

The No More Excuses Diet also provides a completely customizable workout guide, with over 50 illustrated exercises designed to build strength, flexibility, endurance, and to shed fat. The program also includes 7 weeks of worth of exercise programs that can be done at home with no extra equipment. Packed with meal plans, grocery lists, lots of encouragement and a clear plan of action, The No More Excuses Diet is a must-read book for anyone who is ready to bust through the excuses the hold them back and take their health and fitness to the next level.

I liked the practical approach took with the book. Maria starts by breaking down what excuses are and how they can stop our flow. She encourages that through hard work, your goals can be met. In the Introduction she briefly explains the cycles to her program. They are The S.P.E.E.D Cycle which is the liftoff and 3-day goal setting plan. The S.T.R.I.V.E Cycle is what I call the "work" cycle. This is where you face your excuses and problems head to head in three weeks. The S.C.O.R.E Cycle is the success phase. You have reached your goal and now are working on maintaining it and conquering new goals. The plan is to see this all happen in three months.

Maria's book is easy to read, the font is large, and it is user friendly. It contains pictures for at-home workouts, recipes and ideas for a motivation calendar. The book isn't so much about being a "diet" book but instead, it's about a "lifestyle change" book.

The book is very well written and with Maria's personal story and insight weaved through her solid, simple advice, it is hugely inspirational. I believe this book can make the overwhelming journey of taking back your body and becoming healthier really "easy" because she has laid out this step by step plan that is realistic and attainable for anyone.

Maria's philosophy is very doable and sustainable. this isn't a low carb, or low fat, or low sugar, or another "cut something out completely" diet. it's a balanced diet, and an expectation that you will do some exercise. cheat meals and cheat days are allowed - just get back on track when you can.

Here's what the book jacket has to say about Ms. Kang's motivation: The No More Excuses Diet is not about making you feel guilty for how you look, or ashamed of the choices you've made; it is about getting you to a place where you feel in control of your life, love your body, and prioritize your health.

I received a free copy of this book from Blogging For Books in return for an honest review.

[Rachel DeVaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book starts off with Maria King telling her story and how her fitness picture and using the words "What's your excuse" attracted so much attention and immediate followers (and haters). I personally have been following her story and fitness journey for at least a year and have found her very motivating and real.

The first lesson she shares in her book is "The Power of Choice"-that every action begins with a choice. She continues in the book to explain how to S.P.E.E.D. towards your goals and how to set attainable goals which I found very useful.

She shares 9 program rules which I completely agree with all of them, and explains each rule in detail. They are very good rules and nothing out of the ordinary or weird.

She talks about the benefits of cardio, strength and stretching and gives examples of each. She provides several sample home workout plans along with pictures so it's easy to follow.

She explains that 80% of your results is nutrition and 20% is fitness and the importance of proper eating. She recommends the 30/30/30/10 eating plan which is 30% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fats, and 10% flexibility. She gives suggestions and meal plan options for the eating plan as well.

She continues on in the book with addressing common excuses and how to push past them.

I really liked Chapter 10 which is "Mastering Your STRIVE" which address things like plateau busting, progress not perfection, improving digestion, managing time, etc.

At the end of the book she has a posture quiz and stretches for better posture which is awesome; as well as other pictures of cool down stretches, and strength training moves which she talks about in chapter 6.

I really like this book! I think Maria Kang did an excellent job with putting this book together and I would recommend buying it and reading it if you're serious about making a healthy lifestyle change!

I received this book complimentary from BloggingforBooks in exchange for my honest review on my blog and social media. All opinions are my own.

[Chrissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be completely honest, I'm usually a little wary of reading diet books that aren't written by qualified health professionals. But, the cover of THE NO MORE EXCUSES DIET is bright, bold, and beautiful -- so I couldn't resist giving it a chance.

For the most part, the information here is VERY basic -- but the author does a really nice job of breaking things down to make it easy and digestible to readers. Eat less -- move more -- make small goals -- plan ahead.

The 3 day/3 week/3 month gimmick wasn't particularly useful or realistic. Kang asserts that a habit or craving can be broken in 3 days, a new lifestyle can be achieved in 3 weeks, and a new body can be displayed in 3 months. She gives an example of abstaining from pasta or sugar for 3 days, following up by saying that a person will be unlikely to crave the pasta or sugar after completely avoiding it for 3 days. Now, I'll give her 3 weeks -- it's always said that it takes 21 days to change a habit -- but 3 days?!

While the title of the book labels itself as a "DIET" book, there is really much more focus on exercise than diet. Kang briefly lays out a target ratio for carbs/fat/protein/free choices, but the book shines more for its layout of basic exercises, complete with a fairly large section of photographs demonstrating each exercise. Kang gives plenty of examples and options for establishing a workable exercise routine in such a way that it should be attainable to the majority of readers.

Overall, if you're already tracking our food intake and nutritional ratios and you're already comfortable with the degree of physical activity in your life, you probably won't get much out of THE NO MORE EXCUSES DIET. But, if you're looking for motivational words and simplistic explanations, this title will be right up your alley.

(And the cover is fabulous -- can't deny that!)

* I did receive a copy of this book from the publisher for the purposes of providing a straightforward and honest review.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

To me, this book did not have enough detail or substance. The rules for her program are simple, but there are no recipes and not much at all about what to eat. What there is about diet is either overly simple like eat smaller portions or too difficult to really figure out easily and follow like eat 30% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat and 10% flexibility. There is more information about exercise and some motivational type statements. There are photos of the author doing exercises in the middle of the book in the home workout section, but there are not explanations of how to do them there. I looked at the exercises. The first one was push ups. I got on the floor and could not push up. So, I looked for other exercises on the page that required one to still be on the floor. On the next page was the lying spinal twist. Since I was still on the floor, I got into that position. My daughter walked by and laughed at me and asked what I was doing. I told her that I was exercising and asked if I looked like the photo in the book. She said that I was in the correct position. It was supposed to be stretching and it did feel like some parts of me were stretching. My husband came by and told me that you are probably supposed to go from side to side or something in order to make it an exercise. I told him that it did not say that in the book, there was just photos. I also did the lying knees to chest. Then I did the seated arm circles. My shoulders make popping noises when I do that. The next day, I found instructions for the exercises along with photos in the back section of the book. I think the instructions should have been with the photos in the middle of the book or there should at least have been a note indicating what page the instructions were on. This book, even though it says "diet" in the title, seems more like an exercise focused book to me.

[Sherri Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most everyone, at some point in time, is in a quest to lose weight or get in shape. My goal is primarily to get in shape. After years of growing up thin, I put on weight over time and lost all muscle I once had. Wanting it back, I tried all sorts of methods and none of them worked. Books I read, looking for a purpose, a reason to just get started. This book did it for me.

Some reviews I read mentioned how the book is for the basics, its a general book on diet. To me, it was a motivator, a reason to get up off my duff and do something. The way she wrote, the ideas she presented it all made sense and made a connection somewhere in my brain.

The book synopsis on the front tells us that it takes three days to break down an excuse, three weeks to easy new eating habits and 3 months to total transformation. Overall, what she says is correct. We all need to exercise to a certain extent and eat a balanced diet. It is the foundation of being well the rest of our lives. And the best part is, she acknowledges that we all do make mistakes with our food choices. But her suggestion is, instead of beating yourself up about it, why not just shake it off and get back into the groove the next day.

All in all, I would most definitely recommend this book for those really wanting to get motivated to work out. There are great exercise samples and the suggestion of doing a food journal. That I did start doing, and it really does help you aware of what you are eating and whether or not you really want to eat that candy bar for snack.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be a fresh breath of air after reading other diet books. It was a nice change of pace and it really opened my eyes to how I view myself and my time. It made me take a look at what was really important to me and made me realize that if my health is really important to me (which it is) then I will find time to work on making it better instead of finding excuses as to why I don't have time. There are sections of this book that I will definitely go back to when I need a bit of motivation during the times when it is harder to convince myself that the main goal will always be making myself healthy. While I have other important responsibilities in my life I always have to keep in mind that I am worth it and taking time out of my day to work on myself is always a good thing.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review
About the Author

Maria Kang is a health advocate who believes that health begins with choice. Maria is the founder of the Fitness without Borders, as well as the No Excuse Mom movement, an organization of thousands of women around the country making a commitment to their health one day at a time. Maria lives in California with her husband and three children.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually roll my eyes when I read about books that have “changed people’s lives” because I couldn’t see how a book could possibly have such a huge impact on a person; until, I read No More Excuses. I’ve read dozens of diet/fitness/exercise books that I was pretty hesitant about this book because I assumed it would be just like the rest but when I read her actual story in chapter 1 I was left inspired, energized, and for ones moved by her fitness story. I found that I could really connect with Kang because many of her diet and exercise struggles are ones I’ve been facing myself. Often when I read diet books I find that most of the authors don’t understand binge eating or emotional eating because they’ve never been there themselves. Instead, they see people with these issues and draw conclusions about them.


Read More at The Potential Librarian

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book! I really loved it. This book has prompted me to purchase it and keep it with me at all times. Maria Kang is very motivational - not only in the fitness industry - but motivation industry as well. She seems real, and does not seem to push her ideas of dieting on you. She makes it clear that how one diets is up to the individual. Only the individual person can decide what is best for him or her. I appreciate this in her writing. I am going to purchase the book because for me there was so much useful information in there, and I already sticky-noted the library copy. I loved it. Best fitness book I have read. And I like the fact that she does not give a 100 different recipes to follow. She talks about portion control and caloric intake without pushing food recipes on you.

[Bridgit Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read a lot of diet books the past couple of years and I have followed Maria's story from the beginning she truly is a huge inspiration to me! However her book was a bit disappointing to me, it sounded pretty much the same as all of the other ones I have read. It could no doubt change your life she has everything you need to get started but I found that the book was packed with too much information and then it became hard for me to read and almost boring. I still recommend it though if you are someone trying to change their life!

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is more than just a fitness book, it is about lifestyle as well. Maria Kang took a lot of criticism for her picture that went viral. I fully believe it is because she speaks the truth. There is no excuse for not being the best that you can be. Kang's approach is solid, incorporating work outs and healthy eating to achieve your goals. There are great works outs and an eating plan that is easy to follow. There is no fad diet or weird cleanse. Just honest work that will set you up for a lifetime of success.

[Leslie Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It wasn't some fad diet idea. It's about goal setting and reaching your goals. She has you do 3 day, 3 week, and 3 month goals. It's not about perfection, but your journey to your best body. After the 3 days, 3 weeks, or 3 months, you measure again and evaluate your results. What worked, what didn't, and now set some new goals. As far as food she says if you love pizza, I'm not going to tell you to go eat salmon, just try to make your pizza healthier (homemade or with wheat flour). Make small changes little by little.

[Tabby Shiflett · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book for jump-starting a healthier lifestyle and exercise program. Kang outlines how to customize a detailed workout/exercise plan for yourself. There's a lot of helpful info in it and it's all broken down for the reader (such as the meal suggestion plans). The book also has several exercises with pictures throughout and illustrations of stretches at the end. Recommended, especially for beginners.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

[R.l. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most others, I've read tons of diet and exercise books through the years, but this one stands out as one of the better ones.
Maria literally takes you through all the steps, and helps you find ways around all the excuses.
It's like having your own personal trainer right there with you.
Great title, because after you read this book you will truly have no more excuses to a fit and helthy body.
*FTC Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fairly motivating, but it's probably nothing you haven't heard before. I did like the recommendation to start a calendar to track workouts, so you can easily see when you are slacking off. I think that has been my greatest takeaway from this book. Other than that is pretty similar to any other book of this type.

[Sverro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maria's book is no-nonsense and she writes in easy to follow steps. No crazy diet plans or workouts. Just common sense and taking things in small stages so that the change doesn't seem hard, just natural. I am already trying some of her ideas!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advanced copy of this book via From Left to Write book club. Review to come soon!

[Leejmorrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Yiye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Motivational but nothing too surprising. The author offers practical advice on fitness and balanced dieting. It also includes 7 home workout that you can take with anywhere you go. No more excuses!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

ummmm