You Can Drop It!: How I Dropped 100 Pounds Enjoying Carbs, Cocktails & Chocolate–And You Can Too!

by Ilana Muhlstein

Most Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Couldn’t Claim This— 
“I Lost 100 Pounds and Now I’m Sharing How I Did It with You!”
MORE THAN 240,000 CLIENTS CAN’T BE WRONG!

My name is Ilana Muhlstein and I wrote You Can Drop It! to help you learn my personal and proven system to drop weight and keep it off—without sacrifice—and it’s so simple that you’ll love it! This unique approach has become famous thanks to my renowned 2B Mindset program. The 2B Mindset is designed with the built-in ability for customization so that it is optimally effective and can work for everyone. It has already helped thousands of people lose weight—some more than 100 pounds—while never asking them to go hungry or cut out the foods that they love.

You Can Drop It! doesn’t just give you the key knowledge you need to lose weight. It adds motivational principles and real-life examples and it’s the perfect complement to my successful program.

No counting calories! 

No portion control!

No feeling hungry! 

No off-limits foods! 

No exercise required!

Finally—weight loss with FREEDOM!

 

Here’s Exactly Why YOU CAN DROP IT! Will Work:
You're going to feel full and satisfied. (You can still eat comforting foods, in big portions, and enjoy 50+ delicious recipes inside.)

You'll eat the foods you love. (Nothing is off-limits, not even dessert or a glass of wine.)

You'll be in control. (Say goodbye to emotional and mindless eating.)

You can finally keep off the weight! (These powerful weight loss tools will be yours for life.)

The 2B Mindset method changed my life and thousands of others. With this book, you’ll learn how you can do it, too. Best of all, you won’t be doing it alone! Join me now and let’s get started with a journey into the mindset that will give you a lifetime of feeling strong, lean, confident, happy and healthy!

I struggled with yo-yo dieting the whole first half of my life. I was always the big one in the group. By the time I turned 13, I weighed over 200 pounds, and I felt terrible about myself. That’s when I realized I had to break the cycle.

Through trial and error, and lots of research, I discovered a simple and effective way to lose weight, while still eating large portions and the foods I loved. Over time, I lost 100 pounds, and kept the weight off. . . even after having two beautiful children.

My secret? It’s called the 2B Mindset. It has helped thousands of my clients lose weight too— and now it will help you.

I’ve helped more than 240,000 people between my private practice and the 2B Mindset program— and this impressive group is growing by the day. I am committed to getting everyone within our growing community the results they want and deserve and I look forward to helping you, too.

That’s why I spend so much time working with my Mindset Membership community—which you will love being a part of as you read this book and beyond. That’s where I host live Q&As, have one-on-one sessions, provide new meal plans and add new recipes every single week. Now it’s your turn to finally get the body you want—and I have every tool here for you to do it! 

 
 
 

Genres: Health, Self Help, Nonfiction, Personal Development, Nutrition, Audiobook, Reference

317 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 12, 2020

About the author

ILANA MUHLSTEIN, M.S., R.D.N. is one of the most sought-after weight-loss experts in the world. She has a thriving private practice in Beverly Hills, is an acclaimed public speaker and influencer, and sits on the prestigious Executive Leadership Team for the American Heart Association. Ilana has been lecturing for the Bruin Health Improvement Program at UCLA since 2013 and is a contributing writer for distinguished publications including The Journal of Obesity, and has been featured in the LA Times, The Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, SHAPE, Health and Women’s Health. Ilana lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband Noah and two children, Olivia and Julian.

Connect on Instagram: @ilanamuhlsteinrd

Facebook: facebook.com/ilanamuhlstein

Tik Tok @nutritionbabe

Reviews

[Maximino · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t usually read this kind of book, but wow! This book is like a best friend (a highly educated one) is giving you advice on what to eat and how it is going to affect you. The best thing is that you can eat what you enjoy the most. There's no depriving yourself if not eating until you feel full.

The method of ”Water first, Veggies most” is simple but super powerful. There are no complicated rules like no cutting carbs, no eating fats, simply drink water first, eat veggies first. There's also a plate for each meal ranging from breakfast to dinner and how your plate should look.

It also goes in deep in the different types of foods, and it recommends how often you should eat them. The best thing is that it is in a language that even I can understand.

This book also has tons of recipes easy to follow to make your veggies taste delish. I'm drinking water and eating vegetables like nobody's business.

Overall as I'm writing this, I lost 10 pounds (combine with Insanity work out) and will continue to use this excellent method for the rest of my days.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is essentially a big commercial for the 2B Mindset diet plan Beachbody sells. If you’re a fan of Ilana or interested in 2B and want more info before committing, the book is worth picking up. If you’ve already bought the 2B mindset, there’s nothing new here.

[Marnie (Enchanted Bibliophile) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I’m sick of YO-YO dieting, so this year I’m going to read all the books I can
- to find a sustainable lifestyle that fits me. Whish me luck!

”You are the best person to dictate what a perfect eating system looks like for you”



What I like about this one is that Ilana actually knows the struggles, she’s not a naturally thing girl that just tell you calories in – calories out.
I get that is the math behind all weight loss – I’ve done it enough to even confirm it really works like that.
But what those girls miss and Ilana gets it that there are so much emotion and mental inputs for us “not natural skinny” girls.

”I realized it was about more of a mentality than a metabolism”

Take-away:
This is an easy philosophy to follow
It won’t break the bank.
Ilana’s tips are useful and feel attainable
There is no cutting out entire food-groups.
The drawback here is it seems the only way to watch the videos is to have a BeachBody account.

[Audrey Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. I feel like it's helped me have the proper view of food, and the simple 4 steps are easy to apply in daily life, very balanced. I just started following the guidelines and love it.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really Works!!

Very great book. Struggled with weight all my life. WORKS!!! WAY OF LIFE! I love veggies and use as a great guide.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do a lot of the BeachBody workout programs. 2B Mindset is one if their nutrition programs. This book is based on that program. There is a lot of good information on nutrition, healthy eating, breaking bad habits, what to look for on food labels and much more in this book. If you are interested in learning more about nutrition or the 2B Mindset program then this may be a good book for you.

[Carley Milberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

This is the first health story that I’ve listen to and tried on my own and it actually works and makes sense. If you are someone who struggles I would highly suggest a read. It is of course has to have some selling points in it which lost points for me but overall I truly believe in what she has to say.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems reasonable. Now, can I actually follow this plan?

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I literally found this book in a box—got it from when I did Beachbody—and I thought: sure. Let’s see what this lady has to say…..and I like what she had to say. So I’m eager to try her suggestions and see if it makes a difference.

[Denise]

Lots of great info. Will definitely be reading it again and again.

[Alison Rockrohr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Ilana and her nutrition program! I found it to be a quick read and informational. Ilana motivates you to get happy and healthy! There is a large chapter with recipes, as well as a chapter with a great monthly run-down to get started with the program. My one drawback would be that I expected there to be more included in the book than what you will find in the 2B Mindset videos, but that also could have been a mistake on my end to not read a summary of the book to discover this in advance. I simply purchased and read the book being such a fan!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, like the author, is AMAZING. Ilana's plan of "water first, veggies most," really works. I know because I have followed her plan, and have committed fully to the 2B mindset program. This book offers more than just nutrition advice (not DIET advice--her program is NOT a diet). She is a registered dietitian, and has counseled thousands of clients, who have followed her core principles, and kept the weight off. More important than losing weight is improving your mindset and relationship with food. She offers practical, down-to-earth advice in an intelligent, humorous, easy-to-understand way. I have never really enjoyed nutrition or self-help books in the past, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it is chock-full of delicious, easy to make recipes to get you started.
"You Can Drop It" details exactly what to do to drop those pounds, without spending a ton of money. All you really need is this book, a water bottle, lots of veggies and proteins (your choice what kind), a scale, and a way to track your food each day. No expensive pills, supplements, exercise equipment or gym membership (exercise is "extra credit" on this program).

[*Layali* · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st Read: September 2021
2nd Read: March 2022

Reread this to get myself in a better mindset for making my nutrition and health a number one priority. I honestly really love Ilana's tips and knowledge for making small changes in your everyday life. I took the time to really highlight & mark important points and things that relate to me.

I know I will be rereading this again and again. Simple and easy is my favorite way to make a change. Is it going to be perfect? No. But consistency makes a world of difference, and I'm ready to go!

[Tiffany Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learn about food, don’t diet, you can drop it!

I lost nearly 50 pounds with 2B Mindset. I wasn’t sure I needed to read the book after Learning so much already about nutrition and weight loss, but I’m glad I decided to read through it anyway. Ilana is an answer to prayer and an inspiration!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here are the highlights:

Water First - flavor if you need it.

Veggies Most - because nobody gets fat off salad dressing.

Use the Scale - EVERY morning before you get in the shower.

Track Your Progress


My favorite piece of advice was to focus on losing 2 pounds. You can do that and when you get there focus on the next two pounds until you reach your goal.

[Musings of a Middle-aged Mum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book with my friend as we look to encourage each other with our weightloss aims.
I suggested we read this because I loosely follow the 2B Mindest (click on the word cloud to see my other posts) and I like what it says and what it stands for. I makes sense - both common sense, and it is back by science and research. It is not a fad diet, but a skill to learn in order to approach food sensibly.

As someone who already has access to all the 2B Mindset videos, recipes and help on offer, I found the book didn't add anything. It was a good reminder, and we all know how much I like books, so I wouldn't say it was a waste of money for me, but certainly wasn't necessary.

Much of the book goes through all the different facets of the 2B Mindset, including why it's called the 2B Mindset, and why I hashtag some of my posts with #WaterFirst and #Veggies Most. There is a lot of information in this book, on not too many pages, so it shouldn't feel overwhelming to anyone.

The last chapter is a bit of a sales pitch, which is kinda understandable, but kinda annoying too. That said, I did lose weight whilst reading it! 1.5kilos over 6 weeks isn't bad going, especially if I can keep it off. I also made lots of the food and recipe suggestions too - I don't know how I lived my life before enjoying Roasted Cabbage Steaks or Noah's Ark Dressing (which goes with almost everything!).

If you haven't heard of the 2B Mindset before, I certainly recommend the book, as well as to follow the FB pages that give daily reminders of ways to think about food, and various recipe ideas.
If you already follow the 2B Mindset, it probably isn't worth getting unless you're a bibliophile like me.

[Ania · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I could I would give this book maybe 1,5 stars, but I'm feeling generous so 2 it is... Let's start with the positive aspects: I like that Ilana focuses a lot on the mindset. She drops a truth bomb pretty early on "I've never met a person who has lost weight beliving that they cannot lose weight". It's true, beliving in oneself and staying positive when trying to lose weight is important for healthy weightloss. This is often forgotten in weightloss programs, so I do want to give her credit for this.

With that said, time for the negative aspects of this book... First of all, others have mentioned it but I need to say it again: This is one long ad for her online courses and mentorships. She tells you that you must track everything you eat and your progress, and has a link for her tracker in the book. Guess what? The link goes to a page where you can buy her tracker pages for 14 dollars! So you've already spent around 20 dollars on her book and now you must pay for some journal pages? Girl, no. No. That's not right!
She goes on and on about how good her online courses are and which videos are great to watch. In a book. Kind of doesn't make sense, does it? And what really made me roll my eyes in frustration is that her online courses aren't even available unless you're in the US or Canada! So if you're European, like I am, you literally cannot make use of any of her programs and courses, even though she bangs on about them in this book. What a flop!
Overall I think she has some good ideas, but it just ends up flopping badly because she's too focused on promoting her online courses instead of actually filling this book with good useful information.

[Dr. Stephanie Douglass · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a lot to offer. Ilana shares her wisdom from her own personal experience and then how she perfected going to school to become a registered dietician. She breaks down the plan, explains it simply, so people can take control of their food without having to count in any form - just dividing your plate.
In some of the comments, people mention that she is promotes Beachbody. Yes, she does. I don't think she pushes it; I believe she provides information about it to help you make a decision if it's right for you. In addition, Beachbody published the book. It would be surprising if she didn't talk about mentioning. However, when she goes over the 2B Mindset, none of it has to do with Beachbody.
I also listened to the Audible book. I love that Ilana read it. I felt like she was talking to me. Her and the publisher did a great job bringing in the content that couldn't be read (i.e. the recipes); she transitions between the chapter content and the success stories and Ilana-isms that are spread throughout the chapter.

[fpk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I follow a lot of food groups on social media; I came across a woman on Instagram who highly recommended Ilana Muhlstein’s book after hearing her interview on a podcast.
I liked this book- a lot of Muhlstein’s strategies for healthy eating make sense. I like her emphasis on “Water First, Veggies Most”. And her philosophy of filling up on food ( veggies, lean proteins and fiber filled carbs) and not depriving oneself.
She does seem to push a few products, like BEACHBARS and Shakeology…. I don’t go for any plans that try to sell you on specific brands. But all in all her recommendations seemed good.
As I get older I find more reasons to try to maintain a healthier diet. This book helps with strategies for when you get cravings, etc. And there are good recipes included as well as a meal plan. I’ll be trying some of her recipes, though not her specific meal plan.
Good book to read, skim through and have as a reference.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had watched some of the related videos and read Muhlstein’s short guide to start implementing the changes she recommends. From there I would read a few pages of her book here and there as a bit of inspiration. I’ve been on this journey for most of the year, but I’ve been very slowly tweaking my lifestyle. I feel like I’m just now to the point where I’m noticing the change in how I feel (the scale has only just started to dip), but it is a great feeling. And I think I’ve finally gotten to the point where I can travel and not feel like crap the whole time because I no longer immediately turn to junk fast food. So still a work in progress… But I love how sensible Muhlstein’s advice is, and I do think I have learned a more positive, healthy approach to food. This latter admission is surprising to me because I thought I was a healthy eater before trying on the 2B Mindset! I guess there’s always room for growth.

[Heidi Maloney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has changed the way I feel about food and vegetables specifically. At 40, my body is not working the way it used to. After having double surgeries earlier this year, I haven’t felt the same and have felt so defeated watching the scale continue to climb all year. I feel like I finally have a plan that makes me feel incredible. This is not a fad diet; it’s a sustainable lifestyle. Gamechanger. I purchased the 2B Mindset in 2018 when it was released, but reading about everything was much more helpful for me.

Four stars simply because of the awkward placement of some of the graphics and testimonials. I don’t know how else I would have done it, but I had to flip back and forth a few times to finish a thought and then turn back to fully read a testimonial or featured text box.

Overall I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I still can’t get over how many times of emotional eating there are!

[Myranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first "met" Ilana when she introduced 2B Mindset to Beachbody in the spring of 2018. I was a pregnant and was excited to start following such a simple nutrition plan once my daughter was born. This program helped me lose over 40 pounds of pregnancy weight! When she announced that she was coming out with a book I knew that this would be a great introduction to those who didn't know what the 2 Bunnies are!

I love that she includes a 4 week meal plan with easy recipes to follow. If you're looking for something that will work and something that you can EASILY turn into an incredible lifestyle, check out this book. Her More? Sure! model is incredible and allows you to go back for 2nds if you're still hungry and still lose weight!

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yes I read a weight loss book recently, and yes the author is associated with MLM empire, Beachbody. But she’s also a legitimate RD so I think I was just curious to hear her story and philosophies on weight loss. I’m gonna be really honest here and say that I actually like some of the foundational principles of her method: water first, veggies most. that’s a nice little takeaway to tuck in your back pocket.
Unfortunately most of the book is basically marketing to steer the reader towards checking out beachbody’s programs because that’s the only way to “work with” Ilana (ie, buy the whole diet program and Beachbody challenge pack and get sucked into the networking marketing lifestyle). No thanks.

[Lovely Winters · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has good advice if you can keep reading the book. The author in every chapter on almost every page tells you about her credentials and what she’s done. I wanted to yell, “I purchased the books so I believe you”. The question then becomes does she offer any new advice, No. Drink water, eat veggies, weigh yourself, track your progress. To be 100% transparent most weight loss books don’t offer anything new but they typically put a new spin on it that may click with the reader. I would never discourage someone from finding out what works for them and this book might be the spark they need to at least try.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this program and I love this book! The 2B Mindset has helped me lose over 20 pounds so far but the real magic is the changes on the inside. I have been doing the program since before this book came out. I loved reading this because it helped me further internalize the messages Ilana teaches in her videos. There’s not a lot of new content here, but if you’re really trying to change your mindset and relationship with food or you just want to know more before you take the plunge to pay for the program with Beachbody, this book is fantastic!!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I started out preparing for the long haul. Most of these types will take me weeks to finish, this one just 3 days!
It had me craving more, written in language as if she was speaking directly to me, and so many amazing tips.
Focused on restoring the relationship w food rather then what you put in your mouth. Definitely one of the few books I will keep and re read.
The only thing that drove me a bit nuts was how some extra tips were placed mid paragraph just spacing/formatting issues.

[Kimberly Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first discovered Ilana & the 2BMindset the Summer of 2020. A friend told me about this nutrition program where exercise was considered extra credit.

I fell in love, and with hard work and a new mindset I was able to drop 60lbs.

I just listened to this as an audio book and purchased the hard cover for the first time and recommend to anyone interested in an improved lifestyle.

If you are serious about wanting to lose weight, this is a lifestyle that truly works. I have the before and after pics to prove it.

[Carol Fairman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book! Gives you a realistic approach to healthy eating. A simple concept with no crazy restrictions. She helps you shift your mindset which shows you that you are truly in control of what you are eating.

Her sweet personality shines through this book. I had the privilege to meet her last year and I can see her smile and passion as she shares her story and tips to help you overcome eating issues.

Make this book a priority. Apply it!

[Annaliese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ilana brings her knowledge of food science and her own journey to losing 100lbs together to create a book that gives many insights into why we should be eating the foods we do and what helps with weight loss. The recipes included are also delicious!!! I’ve been following Ilana’s 2B Mindset program fully since Nov 2019 and I’ve lost 67lbs without feeling any kind of deprivation and without counting calories or using containers or counting points, it’s been the lifestyle change I needed.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intersting ideas and concepts in the book to lose weight. They are focused on nutrition and health and seem simple enough but I've not tried immplementing them all yet. They may be a little too simple for those losing that last 10-15 lbs, which is what I'm trying to do. I appreciate her upbeat, positive, spin, but toward the end she really pushes a memebership or buying another one of her programs. For that I'd raete it more 3.5 stars.