Jillian Michaels: Making the Cut
The famed Biggest Loser coach pens her second book about serious weight loss.
BACKGROUND
Fitness guru, Jillian Michaels, known for her tough approach for losing weight on NBC's The Biggest Loser, has written a guide on how to drop those pesky last 10 or 15 pounds in 30 days. "Making the Cut: The 30-Day Diet and Fitness Plan for the Strongest, Sexiest You" sets itself apart from the myriad of fitness and weight loss books at your local bookstore because Michaels' program uses the process of oxidizing as a way to determine what kind of a metabolism your body has in order to lose weight effectively.
Michaels takes you through the steps to determine what kind of an oxidizer you are: slow, balanced or fast. Your new body classification then dictates what you'll eat supported by Jillian's own menus and recipes. She promises that you will feel comfortable in a bikini if you commit to her disciplined fitness and diet regimen. As part of Making the Cut, you must take a body fat percentage test and a "fit test" before starting the program as a measure to evaluate your pre and post self.
Michaels does not under estimate the power of the mind in the battle to lose weight. She includes helpful tips and advice for how to improve self-esteem and confidence. The book is also full of various exercises to improve strength, flexibility and endurance. Michaels also unveils some well-kept celebrity diet secrets to get your body prepared before a big event.
PRO
- Inexpensive
- Making the Cut’s approach to weight loss is personalized and sensible
- Program focuses on the mental aspect of losing weight in addition to the exercise and nutrition components
- Jillian Michaels is a popular weight loss coach with nearly 20 years experience
CON
- 30-day promise may be ambitious for many individuals aiming to lose weight
- Making the Cut is not for individuals wanting to lose more than 20 pounds
- Science behind the oxidizer theory has not been firmly established
DIET and NUTRITION
Michaels supplies a list of recipes and menus for each of the three oxidizer classifications. As part of your commitment to the Making the Cut program, you are supposed to adhere to her menu and calorie plan.
EXERCISE
During Making the Cut, you'll take a “fit test” which is outlined in the book. The test establishes your level of fit-ness and you are then required to exercise about 5 hours each week. Michaels provides you with various exercises to do. She also has her own line of exercise DVDs that can be purchased at an additional cost over the book.
CONCLUSION
There is no refuting Michaels’ knowledge and training expertise when it comes to getting in shape and losing weight. Her 30-day promise, like any similar promise is no guarantee but it packs a three-pronged approach of diet, exercise and mental awareness to help you to lose those lingering pounds. The clinical science behind her oxidizer theory is scanty but her belief that the road to weight loss is a personal journey that begins with changes in behavior, lifestyle and self-motivation is an important component that many diet plans disregard.
Common Misspellings
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Related Diets: Biggest Loser Club, Bob Harper: Are You Ready!, Jillian Michaels, Jillian Michaels Meal Plan, Jillian Michaels' Master Your Metabolism, Kim Lyons: Your Body, Your Life, Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum
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I'm a week in and have already lost a good 3 pounds. Everything feels tight and my husband even commented that there is less of me! The diet is fairly easy to follow and I have had results even though I cheated occasionally :-) I can't wait to keep this up for 30 days! A must buy!!
I just started this a few days ago and am doing a blog every day along with it - please follow me and feel free to ask questions and help keep me motivated!!
http://jillianmichaelsmakingthecut.blogspot.com/
i dont think people who have the last 20-5 pounds to lose are looking for a magic 30 day plan. we know it doesn't happen like that. the workout plans are something that mix up your workouts and help you get past that wall that we all feel at some point in our workouts!
i love it! i feel like i'm back in high school conditioning again!
good luck!
I just completed day three...I've lost 4 lbs so far. The day by day diet and exercise plan work for me!!!
The food is amazing and Jillian's pancakes take some work but are worth the effort!!!
this is response to ande's posting. How can smart start be the cereal when it says the melt it sometimes. What is everyone else using as smart start?
I'm about to start this tomorrow with my mom and my sister. We've been preparing for a few days. I'm so excited! My goal is to lose 10 pounds and tone up. I've looked through the workouts and they'll kick my ass but hey...real results don't come cheap! :)
This is my second attempt at Making the Cut. I have always been athletic. Running track/playing basketball, and now I am an aerobics instructor at a gym. But this really helps to shock my regular routine. I am making conscious food choices and i do feel that it has made a great difference. My workout partner and I are now on Day 9 and pushing! Be sure to use good form!!!!
Thank goodness you girls posted about the Smart Start. I had no idea what this was, so I googled it. I found Kellog's Smart Start, and a vile looking liquid fish oil mixture called Smart Start...I was just about to make one of the chicken dishes in the book, and was going to add Smart Start CEREAL!! Haha, I guess it's supposed to be the butter substitute instead
I am on day 3 and I can already tell my body is getting healither. Just drinking all the water has made a huge difference. And I got one of her videos to help me along and they are hardcore but I feel stronger the day after.
Hi I'm Amber. I'm starting Making the Cut tomorrow & I'm so excited to get started! I want to lose 20-25 pounds but I don't think 5 pounds over the book's recommendation is going to hurt anything. If I don't lose the full 25 in thirty days then I'll just continue the diet until I do. The only problem I have is that some of the exercises require gym equipment that I don't have access to. I'm 17 (almost 18 though) and I still live with my mom so I can't really afford a gym membership. I guess I'll just try to find different exercises that work the same muscles & do those in place of the gym exercises. I'm so glad to see all of these positive diet reviews! It just gets me that much more motivated to start! I'll be sure to update as I make progress! :)
I am definately into this program. I am only on day 5 and I have lost 3lbs and feeling good. I have stepped up the workouts to do each circut twice. I feel like I want to throw up when I am done but my body feels great and I am wet with sweat!!
I'm on day 9 of the plan, and I love it! I'm seeing results, and I've lost over 5 pounds. My body just feels better!!!! The recipes are awesome, and the workouts kick butt! I too have felt like I'm going to vomit at times, but I just keep pushing myself. I definitely miss the margaritas, but it will be WELL worth it in the end!!
Her exercises are challenging nut keep ypu motivated. Her program is never boring. I lost 4lbs in the first week and 3 in the second!
I've been doing this program for only 9 days and I love it. I worked out before, but the circuits are a really great combination for a full-body workout and cardio bursts. I can already see a difference in the tone of my stomach. As for the diet, I haven't followed the menu plan to a T, but have just been sticking to the calorie count and the basic idea of the diet. It's definitely a commitment, but every diet should be especially for the results that I am seeing. It's worth it.
I just started the workout today and I felt like I was gonna throw up after! It was so intense! You definitely have to put in everything you have, but it is worth it. I can definitely see that there will be results. I copied the workouts and brought the paper with me so I didn't have to carry around the book. Any workout I didn't know how to do, I made little notes for myself. I also just went shopping and got everything I needed to make my meals! I can't wait to see results!
I’m on Day 9 and so far so good! I needed to get rid of some bad habits from the holidays and get back to proper eating habits again. This did it – I had about 10-12 lbs. to lose and I lost 4 in the first week. I love the workout program – it’s different than anything I’ve ever done. I like the circuit layout, however, I agree that it’s tough to keep going when you have to keep referencing the book. I try to read through the workout in advance, so I’m not slowed down at the gym. The diet is tough, but worth it. I don’t mind spending the extra money on food since I’m saving so much money by not going out to eat, not buying coffee daily and not buying liquor. My husband and I are doing it together, which makes it much easier.
I cannot imagine how people have followed this exercise plan! 5 days a week you do the prescribed exercise plan which includes 5 sets of different circuits. a few times these are repeated, however mostly they are not. Its very hard to keep the workout seamless when you have to refer to the book so often. I couldn't even fit one day on a 3x5 index card - front and back. I feel like this makes the exercise difficult to follow. If you go to a gym that is empty, or have a home gym, then this might work better, but there are quite a few of embarrassing moves to be doing in the gym - like burpies, crab walk, and mountain climbers - then sprinting 1 min or jumping rope. I am a believer in making things simple, and I do not feel like this program is simple. Then again, its only for 30 days - and Jillian's moto is you have to work for it...
I went from practically no physical activity straight into this workout. I was afraid I'd never be able to force myself to stick with it, but it really motivates me to keep up. I'm already on week two and I'm feeling great. It's a huge challenge, but I can tell it's really worth it!
Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.
I got the book about 3 weeks ago. Even though I have not started the entire routine yet, I have taken what I learned about my self. Slow Oxidizer and modified my eating habbits and what do you know, I have alread dropped a dress size...from a 14 back to a 12. I can't wait to see what happens when I really start the program!!!
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