Master Your Metabolism Review

 

Fitness trainer Jillian Michaels - strength coach on NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and face of her own self-titled line of exercise programs/products - explores the food side of weight loss with the new book Master Your Metabolism.

"If it didn’t have a mother or it didn’t grow from the ground, don’t eat it," forms the basis of Michaels' message here. It's not a diet, she says, but, a health program to fix your metabolism - the result of which will not only be weight loss, but a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancers. And why does your metabolism need fixing, you ask? Michaels says that our endocrine systems (domain of hormones) are totally messed up from all of the toxins we consume in our food, drink and medications - and are further damaged by stress and toxins in the enviroment. And a messed up endocrine system results in messed up hormonal balances - which mess up our metabolisms, making it nearly impossible for us to lose weight.

If at this point you are wondering why the woman who built a career on the legitimate, proven effectiveness of get in the gym/crack the whip/sweat the pounds off weight loss now tells you that the reason you cannot lose weight is your messed up endocrine system, you're not alone. Note that Michaels - while multi-talented - is not an endocrinologist. In any event, no one can argue with Michaels that processed foods, fast/junk food and many medications can wreak havoc with our systems - and contribute to packing on the pounds. And the subject of the damage and destruction stress hormones can sow is a topic unto itself.

So Michaels offers a three phase approach for overall better health here. First, remove what she calls "anti-nutrients" from your diet. Anti-nutrients are anything processed - chemicals, trans fats, hydrogenated fats, refined grains, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, and any other non-natural additives. Michaels says that these anti-nutrients increase production of weight gain hormones and block weight loss hormones. Next, replace the junk with whole, healthy foods - particularly those with some proven effectiveness at aiding fat-burning, like yogurt, monounsaturated fats (almonds, etc.). What she calls "power nutrient" foods include: fruits, veggies (colorful and leafy ones, not starchy ones), peas, beans, onions, shallots, berries, nuts, seeds, whole grains, meat (especially salmon), eggs and organic, low fat dairy. Lastly, get a good night's sleep and exercise regularly. As you'd expect, the exercise plan does not tread lightly - Michaels recommends 4 to 5 hours a week of intense cardio and strength training. This three-part combination, she says, should rebalance your endocrine system (rebalancing your hormones) and have you feeling and looking good.

Master Your Metabolism contains recipes, sample meal plans, portion size recommendations, shopping lists, and suggested foods to eat and avoid. Michaels advises eating three meals and a snack per day, with nothing after 9 p.m. - and she does not buy into food combining/separating theory, advising instead to have a protein, carb and fat together in every meal. Her meal plans high protein, low carb affairs averaging around (a meager) 1300 calories per day.

Overall, we give Master Your Metabolism a mixed review. Everybody knows that eating a healthy, super calorie-controlled diet and exercising regularly will both shed and keep the pounds off. Michaels is a world class fitness trainer - so her exercise advice is golden and (if adhered to) will get results. Her diet and nutrition advice here is nothing new or revolutionary - but it is quite restrictive. We find that restricting and banning foods tends to ultimately send dieters off the reservation. And 1300 calories a day will be hard to sustain for the long term - especially if you're boosting your metabolism with regular, Jillian-style exercise. So you'll probably want to adapt and modify. But the real issue we have is that there is no real scientific evidence to support the theory that toxins/artificial ingredients in food influence hormonal fluctuation - that they increase weight gain hormones/block weight loss hormones. Science has long held - including a JAMA report this year - that weight gain is simply the numbers game of calories in versus calories out. Where those calories come from matters to good nutrition and health - but is irrelevant to weight gain and loss.

Master Your Metabolism is clearly an attempt to expand the Jillian empire beyond the "hit the gym" motif. The wide ranging discussion of endocrinology, brain chemistry, biochemistry and the influences of hormone fluctuations veers off into the subjects of menopause, and toxins and chemicals in your home and yard. Interesting, sure. But as to weight loss - Jillian's advice on "The Biggest Loser" and "30 Day Shred" is better.