The Biggest Loser by Maggie Greenwood-Robinson (2005, Paperback)

This book is not a typical diet book, more of a "chicken soup" type inspiration and motivation book. It's old, having been written in the middle of season two of the hit show, but the diet and excercise plan is still one of the simplest and most effective I've ever seen.

The most important parts of this book are the diet, which emphasizes fruits and veggies, and low fat proteins without restricting carbs or junk food specifically. It gives you a target calorie consumption and a simple "4-3-2-1" food pyramid which includes budgeting for indulgences and favorites. It does ask you to count calories, but it remains the simplest and easiest program to follow I've ever used.

It also includes an at-home work out routine, which is a carefully planned out regimen of cardiovascular and aerobic exercises designed specifically for people who are interested in losing weight and boosting metabolism, rather than people more interested in building muscle mass. The good news is the exercises themselves are easy for beginners, with techniques for making them harder if you're already used to working out and need extra help. The bad news is they are fairly time consuming and require a good amount of commitment and discipline. Also, the book seems to push readers to try going to a gym to make the most of their workouts. Cast members of the show spend 6-8 hours in the gym, but readers will be happy to know that this book does not recommend anything nearly that extreme for the average person. They do recommend about 1 hour every day of exercise, but suggest starting slow, with even 10 minutes a day.

This book is supportive and uplifting, very motivational and "you can do it", something lacking in many dieting books, without sugar coating the effort needed for real lasting weight loss.

I gained nearly 50 pounds when I came off some prescription medicines, and have had a hard time losing it. Since putting on that weight, I found it much easier to continue to put on, and much harder than it used to be to lose. My mother and I went to Weight Watchers meetings for about a year, and did manage to lose some weight, but it was very expensive and very slow. I don't mean to put them down, I saw success all around me at the meetings, but it wasn't what we needed.

By watching the show and reading this book (which cost me less than $10 including shipping) I've lost more weight each week than ever before and the results are already noticeable in my appearance and my energy levels. I'm eating more food, not less, and I'm eating healthier foods. I'm not hungry all the time or starving myself, rather I've learned strategies to keep myself satisfied longer on less calories. I've only had the book for a month so far, but I've lost 2 pounds a week every week for 4 weeks. My net loss after a year of Weight watchers (which cost me $480 in fees) was only 7 pounds. You really have nothing to lose by getting this book, it's a one time cost that is less than a monthly membership at most weight loss places, and it will teach you the no-nonsense things you need to do for real, painless, guiltless, lasting weight loss while still being realistic and allowing you to enjoy the foods you do now.

I've been very happy with this book and if you're thinking of getting it but still on the fence, trust me, you'll be doing yourself a favor to pick it up and start on the road to a healthier, happier, and more energetic you.

I have purchased many diet books before, but this one seems the most interesting. It gives personal goals as well as motivation. Gives exercises and down to earth tips on weight loss and how to succeed-planning and tools of keeping a weight journal, being accountable not only to yourself, but your food journal and if you have a partner and be accountable to him/her. Honesty.
It gives you recipes to follow, most of them has whole wheat flour in them, nothing wrong with that if you can have wheat products.

It comes down to sacrifice.. do you want to look good, slim and healthy or stay the way you are, depending on body structure and appearance? Short term or long term? Temporary or permanent results, the choice is yours.

The whole point of losing weight with this program is not to let it get out of hand. Lose with permanent results and be a success while having fun doing it, but if it happens that you gain weight, well, it's only a setback.

The bottom line this book was and is a good choice..it tells you how to stay on track and guides you to work hard at exercise and the benefit is a healthier YOU!

Good luck with all your endeavors.

I love how this book is laid out. It not only makes it user friendly but also very easy to read. This book is not a diet plan that you have to follow precisely but more of a guide and inspiration. I hate how some diet books spend pages and pages telling you exactly what and how much of it to eat at each meal. The biggest loser teaches you how to eat healthy with what you already eat. It helps you to learn the difference between calories and fat, good carbs and bad, and even discusses a more nutritional adult food pyramid to follow. So rather than saying you need to eat 1 cup of strawberries at lunch it tells you to eat one cup of fruit. It leaves the choices of what you will eat up to you and just guides you to pick the healthier choices. I also love the exercise portion of The Biggest Loser. Again it helps you to learn the difference between the exercises you are performing, what each one is doing for your body and how it will affect you.

I think The Biggest Loser should be considered a book of inspiration and not one of diet and exercise, thats really what it does! It inspires you to become a better, healthier, happier you!

You just have to have the will power to pick up the book and let it inspire you to become a different person!

This book is so informational for all of us "yo yo dieters". Speaking from personal experience being on a "diet" is the hardest thing to accomplish. I have had a lot of struggles throughout life. Being on a "diet" is the hardest struggle. This book was so inspiring and so realistic. Reading about others stuggles with weight gain and loss, was just like my own struggles. And to read how they succeeded and didn't give up was just tremendous. The trainers are also so inspiring. Julian can speak from the point of view of being "the heavy girl". She was there once herself and can pour more heart and soul into feeling what we all feel as being the "fat person". This book is filled with recipes, meal plans, calorie guides. All you need to get started on a new accomplishment of "weight loss". Don't look at it as being another "dreaded diet". Instead look at it as a future for not only yourself but your family, friends and everyone around you. First and foremost you need to make this all about YOU before anyone else. Only you and you alone can make the change. I no longer look at it as being on a "diet" but instead look at it as part of life. I want to enjoy life and live it as long as I can and this is all the inspiration I need to accomplish this very hard goal. In my prayers and in my thoughts. I hope I have inspired you just a little. God Bless you and BEST OF LUCK.

This is the book that I hope will save my life. This is the original Biggest Loser diet and exercise plan. I got hooked on the show about a year ago and am following the diet plan at home and have recently lost 25 pounds, something I have not been able to do for many years.

There are so many helpful hints in this book about what you can substitute to cut calories and fat and it is written so the average person can understand everything. It also teaches reading nutrition labels on food packaging and explains what each label means for your body and how much you need each day.

Certainly a great book and to use as a great reference guide.