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Master Your Metabolism: The 3 Diet Secrets to Naturally Balancing Your Hormones for a Hot and Healthy Body!
Does it feel as if you’re fighting your body to lose even one pound—or just to maintain your current weight? Respected health and wellness expert and bestselling author Jillian Michaels has been there, too. So she consulted top experts in the field of metabolism and discovered that she’d inadvertently been abusing her endocrine system for years. After “fixing” her own metabolism, she decided to share what she learned by devising this simple, 3-phase plan that engages all the weight-loss hormones (including the friendly HGH, testosterone, DHEA; and the insulin, cortisol, and excess estrogen).
In Master Your Metabolism , discover how
• REMOVE “anti-nutrients” from your diet
• RESTORE foods that speak directly to fat-burning genes
• REBALANCE energy and your hormones for effortless weight loss
Michaels offers a wealth of information throughout, shopping lists and online shopping resources, hormone-trigger food charts, how to eat “power nutrient” foods on a budget, smart strategies for eating out, quick and easy recipes, as well as mini-programs for addressing PMS, andropause, metabolic syndrome, PCOS, and menopause.
In Master Your Metabolism , discover how
• REMOVE “anti-nutrients” from your diet
• RESTORE foods that speak directly to fat-burning genes
• REBALANCE energy and your hormones for effortless weight loss
Michaels offers a wealth of information throughout, shopping lists and online shopping resources, hormone-trigger food charts, how to eat “power nutrient” foods on a budget, smart strategies for eating out, quick and easy recipes, as well as mini-programs for addressing PMS, andropause, metabolic syndrome, PCOS, and menopause.
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Jillian Michaels
20 books281 followersJillian Michaels is an American fitness trainer, nutritionist, businesswoman, media personality, and author known for her influential role in mainstream health and wellness. She rose to prominence as a trainer on the NBC reality series The Biggest Loser, where her direct, motivational style became a defining feature of the program. Before entering television, she developed her expertise across multiple training disciplines including kickboxing, yoga, Pilates, plyometrics, and weight training, later becoming a certified nutrition and wellness consultant. Michaels built a broader platform through bestselling books, fitness programs, and digital media, including the award-winning Jillian Michaels: The Fitness App and her long-running podcast Keeping It Real. She launched her company Empowered Media and the streaming fitness service FitFusion, expanding her reach across broadcast, online, and on-demand platforms globally. Her work emphasizes sustainable health, mental resilience, and accessible fitness education. Michaels also supports a number of charitable causes focused on health, children, and humanitarian relief, and continues to serve as a prominent public advocate for personal well-being and empowerment.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 570 reviews
December 26, 2010
I read this book from cover to cover and changed my diet completely. Before it, I was keeping myself at 1200 to 1400 calories a day and honestly I was losing about a 1/2 pound to a pound a week...but i was miserably hungry and had no energy and was pretty grumpy. If I went over my calories by having a glass on wine or dessert I would gain a couple pounds right away - it was not making sense! Once I read this book I learned about how certain foods, toxins, preservatives, etc...effect your hormone levels. My hormones that told my body I was full were lacking and the ones that were telling me i was hungry were running rampant! I decided to give it a shot - I started trying the recipes and eating the recomended foods and most importantly, didnt eat ANYTHING artificial. I dropped almost 4 lbs in 5 days and my calorie intake was between 1400 and 1800 calories so I finally felt satisfied. (and that has been through the Christmas Holidays!) I even have the energy to work out again!
I agree with some of the posts that there is alot of confusing science in this book and I was glad I have some anatomy/physiology education to help me understand some of it. But even if you don't get all the science of it, this book will help you understand the basics. Even if you just focus on what foods help you recognize when your full...foods that don't trigger the hormones that tell your brain to eat...and most importantly, not to eat artificial processed toxic foods (!!!) you will benefit from the book.
I agree with some of the posts that there is alot of confusing science in this book and I was glad I have some anatomy/physiology education to help me understand some of it. But even if you don't get all the science of it, this book will help you understand the basics. Even if you just focus on what foods help you recognize when your full...foods that don't trigger the hormones that tell your brain to eat...and most importantly, not to eat artificial processed toxic foods (!!!) you will benefit from the book.
August 16, 2016
This is a good resource for those interested in restoring some natural balance to your body. Jillian gives advice on removing chemicals and toxins from both your home and your food, and instead going organic. She has extensive DO and DON'T lists, which can get overwhelming, but I'll summarize my takeaways from this book:
Don't eat it unless it came from the ground or had a mother. Choose organic whenever possible. Avoid crash diets and don't starve yourself. Take time to exercise.
Obviously, there is a lot more information in here (Jillian includes good details about the different hormones in the body and how they can get out of whack), so I do recommend this book if you're interested in reading more on the topic.
Don't eat it unless it came from the ground or had a mother. Choose organic whenever possible. Avoid crash diets and don't starve yourself. Take time to exercise.
Obviously, there is a lot more information in here (Jillian includes good details about the different hormones in the body and how they can get out of whack), so I do recommend this book if you're interested in reading more on the topic.
June 14, 2010
Well, this book mostly made my head hurt. She makes a few helpful suggestions such as throwing out everything in your fridge and cabinet that didn't grow in the earth or have a mother (does that mean we can eat people?!) and she tells you to eat 4 small meals, 4 x's a day and not to eat after 9 but I learned a whole lot more about hormones and how they effect your body and your metabolism than I ever wanted to know. I seriously don't think I'll retain any of it as I couldn't stay focused on the content. I read an abridged version, I can only imagine how painful the full version must be. It's very clinical and wasn't what I expected. What was I expecting? I guess food combos to help speed up the metabolism. Instead I got endless info. dumps about toxicity in food, makeup, cleaning supplies making me afraid to crawl out of bed (ugh, my cotton sheets are from Target and are not organic so I'm probably not safe there either!). I've read most of this info. in other publications, articles and books and I know she has a point but realistically to live as organically as she does is a full time job and a costly endeavor and I don't have the resources. I clean with vinegar and baking soda, eat as clean as possible but if I bought all organic stuff my family would be extremely hungry because the budget is already stretched as far as it'll go. She tosses off the issue of cost saying something insensitive like "Stop buying gossip rags and you'll have the cash". If only! This tells me she doesn't know what it is like to struggle to feed a family and pay a mortgage and make the payments for two kids in braces when your pay has been cut and your options are few. The audio comes with a PDF which includes an eating plan and other stuff but I'm going to skip it for now because I'm doing the P90X plan and I also don't feel like I could do it justice because of the high price of organics in my area.
Glad I borrowed this one from the library and didn't trade in something to get it.
Glad I borrowed this one from the library and didn't trade in something to get it.
November 10, 2012
This is a great book to read around the campfire late at night--it will scare the heck out of you.
I'll sum it up so you don't have to read it:
- The world is full of toxins.
- We're all going to die.
- Buy everything all-natural and 100% organic. All your food, clothes, sheets and pillowcases, towels, cosmetics, household cleaning agents. Toss everything you own. Now.
- Move into a bubble.
OK, and here's the actual useful stuff that we already knew anyway:
- Processed foods: bad. Whole foods: good.
- Eat fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors.
- Eat whole grains, legumes, lean proteins (include some fish), lowfat dairy.
- Eat organic when possible. Eat out less.
- Exercise most days. Some cardio, some strength/resistance, some stretching.
The rest is too complicated to follow ("Three Diet Secrets," my foot). To be fair, though, the scary stuff does kind of motivate you to do the healthy stuff you know you're supposed to do. Like you're in some thriller movie running from the toxins as fast as you possibly can.
I'll sum it up so you don't have to read it:
- The world is full of toxins.
- We're all going to die.
- Buy everything all-natural and 100% organic. All your food, clothes, sheets and pillowcases, towels, cosmetics, household cleaning agents. Toss everything you own. Now.
- Move into a bubble.
OK, and here's the actual useful stuff that we already knew anyway:
- Processed foods: bad. Whole foods: good.
- Eat fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors.
- Eat whole grains, legumes, lean proteins (include some fish), lowfat dairy.
- Eat organic when possible. Eat out less.
- Exercise most days. Some cardio, some strength/resistance, some stretching.
The rest is too complicated to follow ("Three Diet Secrets," my foot). To be fair, though, the scary stuff does kind of motivate you to do the healthy stuff you know you're supposed to do. Like you're in some thriller movie running from the toxins as fast as you possibly can.
February 4, 2019
When I picked this up, I was looking for information on hormones more so then dieting. I'm glad I did too because there was a ton of medical information on hormones and your metabolism which was exactly what I needed. Very informative!
April 24, 2010
As a lifelong dieter who has "tried everything," I found Jillian Michael's book to be informative and thought provoking. It prompted me to do a lot more reading and thinking about the impact that processed foods, artificial sweeteners and other chemical additives have had on the functioning of my body. I want to emphasize this first because I think that this is probably the greatest value of having a book like this out on mainstream bestseller lists.
Having said that, here's problem #1 with the book: you need to quit your job or hire Oprah's personal chef(s) to produce all of the recipes. We all know that healthy eating is not come by easily in this society, but how many of us have time to wash, cut and cook vegetables for our morning omelets, broil chicken for our low-fat high protein lunch and prepare the grain of the Inca's for dinner every day of the week?
Problem #2: The book is poorly organized. It's a major project trying to figure out a daily meal plan.
If you are inclined toward healthy foods and have had nagging concerns about chemical additives and what's leaching into food from plastic containers, as do I, then you will probably learn more from this book. I also think that if you have the time to put into all of the recipes that you can lose weight, as well.
The book suggests going to the website for more recipes and a personalized plan, for an additional fee. I submitted my e-mail for more information only and got bombarded with in-your-face promotions for supplements and other products, which I found kind of crass. That was enough reason not to sign-up online!
Having said that, here's problem #1 with the book: you need to quit your job or hire Oprah's personal chef(s) to produce all of the recipes. We all know that healthy eating is not come by easily in this society, but how many of us have time to wash, cut and cook vegetables for our morning omelets, broil chicken for our low-fat high protein lunch and prepare the grain of the Inca's for dinner every day of the week?
Problem #2: The book is poorly organized. It's a major project trying to figure out a daily meal plan.
If you are inclined toward healthy foods and have had nagging concerns about chemical additives and what's leaching into food from plastic containers, as do I, then you will probably learn more from this book. I also think that if you have the time to put into all of the recipes that you can lose weight, as well.
The book suggests going to the website for more recipes and a personalized plan, for an additional fee. I submitted my e-mail for more information only and got bombarded with in-your-face promotions for supplements and other products, which I found kind of crass. That was enough reason not to sign-up online!
April 18, 2017
There is nothing new in this book. It is basic common sense about not eating Frankenfoods and making every effort to eat clean. She stressed eating every 4 hours so your body doesn't slip into starvation mode. I liked the detail she went into when describing the different hormones and the need to keep them where they need to be for healthy living. So three stars.
December 8, 2012
This book changed the way I look at everything I consume! As a personal trainer I do not lecture organic. It's hard enough to get people to eat chemical ridden "supposedly" healthy foods. The problem with our society is we want to lose weight for vanity, not health. Only do people come to me with nutrition help because their doctors have told then to or they're going on meds or border line diabetics. They think they don't need advice lol!
We as a family are on a strict budget. I gave up a lot of things to put healthy food on the table. Hmmmm?? Give my kids growth hormones found in dairy (which is banned in Mexico, Canada and Europe), feed them pesticides to wreak havoc on their metabolisms or teach them that preserving their future and our planet is more important than a new video game. I even juggle our utility bills in order to maintain this lifestyle. Not only was this book educational it changed my energy level, my skin, my body!! I have 2 kids and a flat tummy and I'm 45. It's not genetic! Its 90% NUTRITION. People just don't want to be called out on something they know they could be making better choices!
Yes this book goes into detail and science. Who wouldn't want to educate themselves on something we need for survival - FOOD!
We as a family are on a strict budget. I gave up a lot of things to put healthy food on the table. Hmmmm?? Give my kids growth hormones found in dairy (which is banned in Mexico, Canada and Europe), feed them pesticides to wreak havoc on their metabolisms or teach them that preserving their future and our planet is more important than a new video game. I even juggle our utility bills in order to maintain this lifestyle. Not only was this book educational it changed my energy level, my skin, my body!! I have 2 kids and a flat tummy and I'm 45. It's not genetic! Its 90% NUTRITION. People just don't want to be called out on something they know they could be making better choices!
Yes this book goes into detail and science. Who wouldn't want to educate themselves on something we need for survival - FOOD!
March 7, 2012
This book is like attending a dinner party where you know and like all the guests and you're having pre-dinner drinks, laughing and talking about the food you're about to eat; and then you all sit down at the table with smiles on your faces and dinner is revealed: it's a big ol' can of crazy. How can this book have gone from making sense to making a case for the asylum in mere pages?
For someone like me, this gave me basically nothing new. For years, I've done all that Michaels says to do, minus the meat. The parts about toxin elimination were compelling and she makes a good case for going completely organic (which we're already doing with anything that's available organically). I was hoping Michaels would give me a little something to work with, some new ideas of eating, etc., but she gave nothing. In fact, she didn't even address veganism or vegetarianism (except in passing). Anyone who cares even moderately about one's health will, at some point in life, consider the benefits and drawbacks of vegetarianism and/or veganism. Michaels ignores this.
About halfway through, she started to get crazy: saturated fat may be okay (where's the study for that???), you can get off of your medicines if you eat the right diet and start exercising (put a medicine-free schizophrenic on a treadmill and see what happens; also, I tried this and IT DOES NOT WORK), and then go obsessively inventory every single object in your house and freak out about the toxins they could or could not be leaching into your body. I suspect her editor removed the chapter about saving your own urine in a jar. Oh, my personal favorite - use condoms instead of birth control pills. OMG - what planet did she come from? They break. They break. They break. Even if they don't, they're still not nearly as effective as birth control pills. Birth control, in a large way, is what has given women the freedom and independence we enjoy. I'm not compromising on that or taking chances with it - ever.
As someone who was a strict (calorie-counting, nutritional-information-recording, etc.) vegan for over six straight months and exercised daily, I can tell you that lifestyle drops your cholesterol by five points. Yes, five. You cannot beat biology.
This book was certainly not a waste of time; the resources listed in the back should definitely be used by everyone. But I think she went overboard in many areas and giving a neurotic person something else to fret about is a dangerous thing.
For someone like me, this gave me basically nothing new. For years, I've done all that Michaels says to do, minus the meat. The parts about toxin elimination were compelling and she makes a good case for going completely organic (which we're already doing with anything that's available organically). I was hoping Michaels would give me a little something to work with, some new ideas of eating, etc., but she gave nothing. In fact, she didn't even address veganism or vegetarianism (except in passing). Anyone who cares even moderately about one's health will, at some point in life, consider the benefits and drawbacks of vegetarianism and/or veganism. Michaels ignores this.
About halfway through, she started to get crazy: saturated fat may be okay (where's the study for that???), you can get off of your medicines if you eat the right diet and start exercising (put a medicine-free schizophrenic on a treadmill and see what happens; also, I tried this and IT DOES NOT WORK), and then go obsessively inventory every single object in your house and freak out about the toxins they could or could not be leaching into your body. I suspect her editor removed the chapter about saving your own urine in a jar. Oh, my personal favorite - use condoms instead of birth control pills. OMG - what planet did she come from? They break. They break. They break. Even if they don't, they're still not nearly as effective as birth control pills. Birth control, in a large way, is what has given women the freedom and independence we enjoy. I'm not compromising on that or taking chances with it - ever.
As someone who was a strict (calorie-counting, nutritional-information-recording, etc.) vegan for over six straight months and exercised daily, I can tell you that lifestyle drops your cholesterol by five points. Yes, five. You cannot beat biology.
This book was certainly not a waste of time; the resources listed in the back should definitely be used by everyone. But I think she went overboard in many areas and giving a neurotic person something else to fret about is a dangerous thing.
February 3, 2011
Jillian Michaels is the weight loss drill sergeant on Biggest Loser but that’s not what sold me on this. I don’t even like reality TV. No, it was the write up for the book that suggested it would give healthy eating suggestions for metabolic issues for being overweight. Having a couple of those, I was intrigued. Overall, I have to say I was impressed with the science and physiology presented in this. I was a doctor and teach science now and a lot of this jived with what I know of physiology so someone did their research. There are healthy food choices, vitamin/supplement suggestions, exercise suggestions naturally and even recipes.
On the downside, her voice in this is a lot like her voice on TV, in other words annoying. I think that’s supposed to be a cheerleader type of thing but it turns me off. It makes me want to do the opposite but I could live with that. While I thought it was a worthwhile book overall there was one thing in this that did suggest Michael has been living a little too well lately, her claim that ANYONE can and MUST buy organics. She contends we can all afford organics and we can cut out things like cell phones, internet and TV if we must to do so.
Frankly, this is so out of touch with reality it hurts. I do try to buy organic when I can. I grow my own. I go to the farmer’s markets and I live alone. I can still barely offered just a few organic things, let alone convert my entire diet to organics. I’m not arguing that the food we buy is bad. It is. I just wanted this book to reflect a little bit more what the middle class/lower class person can do and not rely 100% on food that might be out of our price range. This book made me feel if I couldn’t do that, there wasn’t much point in it. I know that’s not true either but she makes this point so many times and so stridently it was a turn off. I almost didn’t finish the book as a result. Might be one you want to check out in the library before buying.
On the downside, her voice in this is a lot like her voice on TV, in other words annoying. I think that’s supposed to be a cheerleader type of thing but it turns me off. It makes me want to do the opposite but I could live with that. While I thought it was a worthwhile book overall there was one thing in this that did suggest Michael has been living a little too well lately, her claim that ANYONE can and MUST buy organics. She contends we can all afford organics and we can cut out things like cell phones, internet and TV if we must to do so.
Frankly, this is so out of touch with reality it hurts. I do try to buy organic when I can. I grow my own. I go to the farmer’s markets and I live alone. I can still barely offered just a few organic things, let alone convert my entire diet to organics. I’m not arguing that the food we buy is bad. It is. I just wanted this book to reflect a little bit more what the middle class/lower class person can do and not rely 100% on food that might be out of our price range. This book made me feel if I couldn’t do that, there wasn’t much point in it. I know that’s not true either but she makes this point so many times and so stridently it was a turn off. I almost didn’t finish the book as a result. Might be one you want to check out in the library before buying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2010
I read this book because I got it free from Parade Magazine. I normally wouldn't read Jillian because she's always seemed like too much of a self-promoter for me to take her seriously. But I also thought this would be an interesting read given that my wife is a dietitian. I would read a section and then quiz her to see what she thought. Generally, Jillian's research was in-line with what my wife had learned. In fact, by the end I sort of found myself skimming and saying, "Michelle already taught me this." So if you are looking for a basic overview on healthy foods and how to combine certain foods to maximize their benefit and minimize negative effects like spikes in blood sugar, this is a pretty good book.
HOWEVER...what I would ignore is all of the freaking out about "poison." Jillian gets way too zealous about going organic and avoiding anything with a chemical. Not that the chemicals are healthy per se, but some of her concerns seemed a bit unfounded. For the average person, her plan to get rid of all these chemicals she talks about is probably unrealistic. That being said, I did like her very simplified summary of how decide what to eat: "If it didn't grow from the ground or if it didn't have a mother, don't eat it." Pretty good words of wisdom.
One other thing: she confirmed my belief that drinking soda (diet or not) is just not that great of an idea.
HOWEVER...what I would ignore is all of the freaking out about "poison." Jillian gets way too zealous about going organic and avoiding anything with a chemical. Not that the chemicals are healthy per se, but some of her concerns seemed a bit unfounded. For the average person, her plan to get rid of all these chemicals she talks about is probably unrealistic. That being said, I did like her very simplified summary of how decide what to eat: "If it didn't grow from the ground or if it didn't have a mother, don't eat it." Pretty good words of wisdom.
One other thing: she confirmed my belief that drinking soda (diet or not) is just not that great of an idea.
June 3, 2010
I generally avoid fad diet and fitness books by celebrities. So I was surprised a couple months back to read a recommendation for this book in an article about natural eating - not only in the article but also in the comments section. So I put it on hold at the library and then, once I got it, let it sit on my desk for a couple of weeks - I mean, yes, I watch The Biggest Loser, but well, Jillian Michaels doesn't exactly limit her endorsements to natural products. But after finally reading this book, I wish she did - this is a great book for those looking to get out of the diet, industrial-food complex rat race. There's nothing new here (although I have to give Jillian credit for trying to create a new diet), but it's a great overview with just enough science to back up the suggestions. I've followed some of these suggestions for either a couple of years or my entire life (thanks, Mom!), and it really does make a difference - and there are a couple of things mentioned in this book that are going to be changing what's in my kitchen (goodbye, Morningstar). Bottom line, it's nice to be informed about what we put into our bodies, and this book does a good job of reminding us why we are what we eat and why eating well is as simple as keeping it natural and unrefined. Surprisingly recommended.
March 22, 2012
First of all, I love Jillian. Completely. I started with watching Biggest Loser, of course, but grew to love her expertise by listening to her podcasts as I went to and from work. She knows her stuff! As a result, I'm not working her Body Revolution program, which is working well for me and I'm losing weight as a result.
The book is more than a "how to eat" book - it focuses on the WHY of your body, and introduces the novice to the world of hormones and what they do to your body. The only downside that I had to the book was that I listened to it. I don't think the problem was the abridged version - I think it's that there were pdf files that were referenced, and I downloaded from audible.com, so I didn't have those in front of me. I feel like I missed something in that translation.
However, I was still able to gain a lot of insight into my past yo-yo dieting and why it hadn't worked, as well as the past facinations I've had with no/low fat, no/low carb concepts - I'm looking forward to a healthy way of life that actually sounds manageable. Will most likely try and find the cookbook to look through.
The book is more than a "how to eat" book - it focuses on the WHY of your body, and introduces the novice to the world of hormones and what they do to your body. The only downside that I had to the book was that I listened to it. I don't think the problem was the abridged version - I think it's that there were pdf files that were referenced, and I downloaded from audible.com, so I didn't have those in front of me. I feel like I missed something in that translation.
However, I was still able to gain a lot of insight into my past yo-yo dieting and why it hadn't worked, as well as the past facinations I've had with no/low fat, no/low carb concepts - I'm looking forward to a healthy way of life that actually sounds manageable. Will most likely try and find the cookbook to look through.
July 23, 2020
Super basic and a quick read, I love health books that are part memoir. Michaels inserts enough about herself and where she thinks she went wrong screwing up her metabolism ( which is a little like an engine that has to be kept in top form) before she would up a wreck in front of an endocrinologist. She will lay out all the info for you on your hormones, how they get out of whack, and how to get them back to not being so confused. It's alarming, at times, as the info on pesticides and preservatives is terrifying, but it will certainly make you want to cook your own REAL food.
December 21, 2024
This is a good book to start with if you are looking to change your health and you don't know where to start. It is not as helpful if you are already living a healthy lifestyle, but it still has good information in that case. Mostly, I would recommend it for beginners that are focusing on diet changes.
November 2, 2019
Easy to read with good info about awareness of eating cleaner and healthier. Everyone should read this.
October 27, 2023
It was a good refresher on nutrition. Lots of fluff, easy to skim
February 15, 2023
Good information in the book.. But not much we don't already know I suppose, just presented as to how it can affect your hormones and weight issues.
I did find it semi hypocritical as Jillian also has many "diet" books... Not that I've read them.
But basic gist, eat real, unprocessed food. And if you have issues, get your hormones checked.
I did find it semi hypocritical as Jillian also has many "diet" books... Not that I've read them.
But basic gist, eat real, unprocessed food. And if you have issues, get your hormones checked.
March 23, 2012
So, there were things I really liked about this book. I like the focus on the science behind how your endocrine system works and found all of that REALLY interesting and enjoyable to read. However there were also things I really DIDN'T like. For one, Jillian goes on and on about organics and eating real food and how fat is a necessity in the diet. She talks about how the fats found in grass-fed, pastured cows' products (both milk and meat) are important to our health as protective fats and we need to consume them. And I agree with all of these things whole-heartedly! And then she goes on to recommend fat-free pepper jack cheese, non-stick cooking spray, and xylitol in her recipes. Ugh. Cooking spray? For real? Why is olive oil not good enough? I really prefer to avoid propellant in my food, if possible. Cooking spray has it's place (I have been known to use Bakers Secret when in a rush), but its place is not in your everyday repertoire. She recommends xylitol, but xylitol works just like any other sugar alcohol (which she recommends avoiding), in that it has less calories for the sweetness it has and therefore doesn't trigger an endocrine response to make you feel satiated by the sugar you've consumed, which then confuses your body.
Also, I have never seen any pastured, organic, non-fat cheese. Maybe I'm just not looking for it (I'm not, I believe in eating real cheese, if you're going to eat cheese), but really wouldn't it just be better to limit the amount of cheese you eat than to eat non-fat cheese?! Plus you JUST SAID those fats are important! Why would I take them out before I even make the cheese? Nonsense.
There were also some things in the fish section that just weren't right. She talks about the Seafood Watch at Monterrey Bay Aquarium and how they have created a list of good and bad fishes to eat. She has some on her "yes" list that are the absolute WORST on the Monterrey Bay Aquarium list. Tilefish is one of them - it has one of the highest levels of mercury of any fish.
April 13, 2009
Let me first say that in the past year I have increasingly been drawn to basic foods (without all the packaging etc.) and have loved it. My favorite breakfast is a hot cereal made of oats, millet, quinoa and other grains. My husband makes bread in our house. We've increased our fruits and veggies. Still I think that many people take "organic" too far for our family.
Jillian starts out with her experiences of her childhood and her connections to food and then goes on to her youth where she started to get fit and healthy. Still everything was a struggle for her. Then she found her hormones were out of whack.
Jillian talks about a number of different hormones, what they do and how they affect your body - weightwise and other ways. She helps you to identify the hormones that may be giving you problems.
Once she does that she goes through the 3 steps of her program which include getting rid of all the foods with additives of different kinds (she tells you just what to look for) and then gives you ideas of organic foods you should look for. It isn't just foods though - she talks about other items in your house that may cause problems such as cosmetics and plastics.
I love how much information was in the book and that it was easy to understand. She has a ton of resources listed in the back.
If you want to learn more about how your hormones affect your weight you might like this book (I do wish though there was more that talked to type 1 diabetics directly though as I've had a number of questions for myself). If you're ready to go organic the book may be for you. If you're not ready to go organic you will probably find some good information anyway. If "organic" annoys to you no end I would pass on the book.
Personally, I will be able to use some of the information, but won't be going to the extremes she suggests.
Jillian starts out with her experiences of her childhood and her connections to food and then goes on to her youth where she started to get fit and healthy. Still everything was a struggle for her. Then she found her hormones were out of whack.
Jillian talks about a number of different hormones, what they do and how they affect your body - weightwise and other ways. She helps you to identify the hormones that may be giving you problems.
Once she does that she goes through the 3 steps of her program which include getting rid of all the foods with additives of different kinds (she tells you just what to look for) and then gives you ideas of organic foods you should look for. It isn't just foods though - she talks about other items in your house that may cause problems such as cosmetics and plastics.
I love how much information was in the book and that it was easy to understand. She has a ton of resources listed in the back.
If you want to learn more about how your hormones affect your weight you might like this book (I do wish though there was more that talked to type 1 diabetics directly though as I've had a number of questions for myself). If you're ready to go organic the book may be for you. If you're not ready to go organic you will probably find some good information anyway. If "organic" annoys to you no end I would pass on the book.
Personally, I will be able to use some of the information, but won't be going to the extremes she suggests.
October 25, 2016
This book will scare the hell out of you! She kind of makes you paranoid to breathe with all the chemicals lurking in your home, food, water, makeup and anything else you might touch or ingest everyday. Yes, it's probably all true, but sometimes ignorance is bliss when we can't afford to live in a HEPA air house and eat organic foods at every meal. I did learn that Doritos has 5 different glutamate type additives that make them so addictive. I freaking knew it! Those are my crack snacks. I now have an excuse that it is not my will power that makes me hide a bag so I don't have to share with those boys living in my house, NO, it's the 5 glutamates, damn it!
There was A LOT of information on what vitamins and minerals your body needs depending on what hormones you lack. I lost interest and skipped a few chapters. Basically, her message is, eat organic and exercise and you will be healthier and happier. Nothing new here.
Anyway, I did think the diet made sense to regulate hormones. I am getting closer to the dreaded menopause and I am willing to get a head start on what might help deal with it and currently PMS. There weren't a lot of recipes, just a two week sample of her hormone diet. I will try the diet for two months to see if I feel any different. My husband will let me know how well it works, I'm sure.
There was A LOT of information on what vitamins and minerals your body needs depending on what hormones you lack. I lost interest and skipped a few chapters. Basically, her message is, eat organic and exercise and you will be healthier and happier. Nothing new here.
Anyway, I did think the diet made sense to regulate hormones. I am getting closer to the dreaded menopause and I am willing to get a head start on what might help deal with it and currently PMS. There weren't a lot of recipes, just a two week sample of her hormone diet. I will try the diet for two months to see if I feel any different. My husband will let me know how well it works, I'm sure.
May 24, 2009
I've read MANY health and exercise books in my time, but this one is probably up there with the best. Jillian, with clear insights from others in sports medicine, health science and endocrinologists, has potentially discovered what it takes to get a person's metabolism back into balance because of the discovery of so many items that is wreaking havoc with our hormone balance, that ultimately, controls how hard it is to lose fat from the body. I was taken aback a little bit that she gets into hardcore science in this book with the regulations of testosterone, estrogen, leptin, ghrelin, cortisol and many other hormones that make us feel hunger, make us feel full, etc. As a scientist myself, I discovered some new information that makes a lot of sense from a theoretical position. The format of the book pushed my rating from 4 to 5 stars because it's well organized in finding certain types of foods that can help rebalance the hormones that you think you might have too much of or too little (although that's where getting an endocrinology test would be needed for 100% accuracy). I'm also giving it a 5-star because after following certain foods in the book and eliminating others, I've already seen an 8 pound reduction with little effort in 15 days.
August 8, 2009
I was prepared to like this book, and I expected to like it, but in the end I had a number of problems with it. First, the 2 chapters on hormones were really confusing. I'm a reasonably intelligent reader, but after awhile, my eyes just glazed over. There was a lot of information presented, and not always presented well.
Second, and much more importantly, there is a second topic to the book that is not mentioned in the title. Michaels has a certain world view about local farmers, one's "carbon footprint", and corporatism. All that is fine, except it has nothing to do with Mastering Your Metabolism. As such, I got weary hearing her thoughts about "greedy corporations" and how I should do things that are "good for the planet". That is not why I picked up this book. So, the more she strayed off-topic, the less credibility she had with me regarding her views that were on topic.
I wish Ms. Michaels had written a more balanced book and saved her off-topic opinions for a different book. She and her co-author should have spent more time improving the quality of the on-topic presentation and ditched everything else. I like her on Biggest Loser but I won't be rushing to pick up any of her other books.
Second, and much more importantly, there is a second topic to the book that is not mentioned in the title. Michaels has a certain world view about local farmers, one's "carbon footprint", and corporatism. All that is fine, except it has nothing to do with Mastering Your Metabolism. As such, I got weary hearing her thoughts about "greedy corporations" and how I should do things that are "good for the planet". That is not why I picked up this book. So, the more she strayed off-topic, the less credibility she had with me regarding her views that were on topic.
I wish Ms. Michaels had written a more balanced book and saved her off-topic opinions for a different book. She and her co-author should have spent more time improving the quality of the on-topic presentation and ditched everything else. I like her on Biggest Loser but I won't be rushing to pick up any of her other books.
September 12, 2009
All nutrition books say this is not a diet...but I have to say this is not a diet. Jullian Michaels (love her or hate her, Biggest Loser fans) goes into great length on chemicals in our foods that do not belong in our bodies. Further, she recommends eating all organic. I will be a while considering that one at the current price of a gallon of organic milk, as a for instance. But I have no argument with the premise that we are eating alot of chemicals and non food additives that cannot be good for us. I will try harder to eat things that have a mother or grow in the ground, as Jillian says and to read those ingredients. Most thought provoking for me was her comments on high fructose corn syrup and glutamates. I looked on my mayonaise bottles (I had several) and all mayonaise now seems to contain high fructose corn syrup. Also, I recognize msg as a glutamate but was not familiar with many other terms that are also glutamates. Doritos has about four different glutamates. They are flavor enhancers. This book represents a way of life that is probably more regimented than most of us can muster (even though it represents a simpler way of life!) but we can sure take baby steps to a healthier life style.
June 27, 2011
I love Jillian Michaels. Some people whine about her tough love approach, but like it or lump it, what she says is the truth. You are not going to get healthy if you continue to eat crap, processed foods and if you don't challenge your body for at least 5 hours a week. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator a few times a week is NOT going to cut it - you have to work your ass off. Switching to low-fat or "diet" crap food isn't going to do it, either. Eat REAL food, just eat less of it.
Financially, my family is not in a position to go 100% organic, but we do it where we can and with the produce we eat the most (especially the 'dirty dozen') - for example, apples. Use common sense: It's still better to munch on regular broccoli than "organic" potato chips!
As for eliminating other chemicals - being an aromatherapist, I've been using natural methods of scenting & cleaning my home for some time now. Vinegar, baking soda & hydrogen peroxide are actually cheaper than commercial cleaners.
I borrowed this book from the library, but I'd consider buying a copy if I wanted to use her recipes & meal plans.
Financially, my family is not in a position to go 100% organic, but we do it where we can and with the produce we eat the most (especially the 'dirty dozen') - for example, apples. Use common sense: It's still better to munch on regular broccoli than "organic" potato chips!
As for eliminating other chemicals - being an aromatherapist, I've been using natural methods of scenting & cleaning my home for some time now. Vinegar, baking soda & hydrogen peroxide are actually cheaper than commercial cleaners.
I borrowed this book from the library, but I'd consider buying a copy if I wanted to use her recipes & meal plans.
April 6, 2012
Very informative. I am on the same page as Jillian, eat green (natural foods without chemicals & hormones). Glad to see the mainstream fitness professionals promoting this way of eating. Forget faux foods (100 calorie snack packs, etc...) and get back to eating real nutritious food.
While eating green (organic) is not new to me, the hormonal effects of food on my body is. I feel this book was well written and didn't confuse me as other more technical books have. With that said, the book does tend to repeat itself and most likely could have been condensed quite a bit.
Jillian promotes an organic diet and while I can't buy 100% organic due to the huge costs involved, I do try to choose organic whenever I can. Just choosing fresh foods is better than boxed, so I keep that in mind. Jillian talks about the harmful effects of plastics, again I cannot afford to throw out my plastic, but I will start replacing them slowly with products that do not contain BPA.
Overall this book taught me many things and I'm more informed after reading it.
While eating green (organic) is not new to me, the hormonal effects of food on my body is. I feel this book was well written and didn't confuse me as other more technical books have. With that said, the book does tend to repeat itself and most likely could have been condensed quite a bit.
Jillian promotes an organic diet and while I can't buy 100% organic due to the huge costs involved, I do try to choose organic whenever I can. Just choosing fresh foods is better than boxed, so I keep that in mind. Jillian talks about the harmful effects of plastics, again I cannot afford to throw out my plastic, but I will start replacing them slowly with products that do not contain BPA.
Overall this book taught me many things and I'm more informed after reading it.
March 18, 2012
Muito bom para quem quer aprender a comer, aprender mais sobre os avanços na sociedade e impacto na comida e no nosso metabolismo!
O livro “Domine o seu metabolismo” tem uma vertente mais física. Dá-nos conhecimentos para conhecermos melhor o nosso corpo, melhor o que compramos para cozinhar, alguns factos interessantes e gostei muito de ler este livro por isso. Pensar que não só as bolachas fazem mal pelas toneladas de propriedades que têm artificiais mas como até o plástico que está em contacto com as mesmas influenciam o nosso organismo e têm influenciado o desenvolvimento das gerações.
Avalio “Domine o seu metabolismo” em 4.
http://the-door-to-my-imaginarium.blo...
O livro “Domine o seu metabolismo” tem uma vertente mais física. Dá-nos conhecimentos para conhecermos melhor o nosso corpo, melhor o que compramos para cozinhar, alguns factos interessantes e gostei muito de ler este livro por isso. Pensar que não só as bolachas fazem mal pelas toneladas de propriedades que têm artificiais mas como até o plástico que está em contacto com as mesmas influenciam o nosso organismo e têm influenciado o desenvolvimento das gerações.
Avalio “Domine o seu metabolismo” em 4.
http://the-door-to-my-imaginarium.blo...
November 4, 2010
I LOVE Jillian Michaels and wish she would be my trainer (for free!). This is more of a diet and hormone explanation book than an exercise book. I haven't necessarily changed my eating habits but it did make me think more about what I put in my body that isn't necessarily food. She talks a lot about processed foods and basically how they aren't things our bodies recognize (because they are chemicals and man-made) and that is partly/possibly/probably the cause of a lot of our health issues. She even talks about cleaning products, food containers, and more.
October 29, 2011
So much information that I already knew made this feel like a major waste of $10. Maybe it might be helpful to some people, but a quick google search about "organic foods", "balancing hormones" or even "mastering your metabolism" could probably give you all of this info in this book...for free. Also, without all of her own personal opinions put in there! I do love Jillian. She kicked my butt many times doing the 30 Day Shred, but this book was a waste of time. I gave this two stars only for her awesome eating plan which I do love and plan to use.
August 25, 2013
I was disappointed by this book. It's the type of diet book that seems to point out the negative in everything (this is bad for you, that is bad for you, everything contains hormones that are bad for you) and leaves you with that just-got-off-of-WebMD mindset that everyone probably has cancer and if they don't, everything is probably going to give it to them. The bottom line is, she had a thyroid problem and started taking medication for it. It wasn't a diet-only change that gave her results.
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