We Kin Get Thin!

My friend at work lent me this book to read. It's called TurboCharged by a brother/sister team Dian and Tom Griesel.

Yes, I know my nails are ridiculous. Awesome though, no?

So, the book...

Starting from the beginning, I immediately thought it was silly and annoying. Just the title "TurboCharged" is silly. But a brother/sister team!? Adorable, so I'll keep reading.

They make this big stink about "forgetting everything you've been told about dieting!"  But then proceed to tell me everything I've already been told about dieting.  Perhaps they misjudged their intended readers.  Someone who would buy and read this book is most likely someone just like me...  someone who has dieted for a long time, and has "heard it all."

The first half of the book is just tips and tricks I'd heard all along -
1. Drink a LOT of water. If you feel hungry, just drink 32 oz of water.
2. If you still feel hungry, brush your teeth and then you won't want to eat.
3. Activity, not exercise.  Move a lot more throughout the day as opposed to just working out once a day.

Yep, heard it all before.

But... #1. Drinking a crap-ton of water.  Yes, I get it. Yes, it's good for you.  Yes, sometimes when you feel hungry you're actually just thirsty.  I agree with all of that.  But drinking 32oz of water immediately upon awakening and then anytime you feel hungry... sounds more like a sloshy punishment. 

#2. Brushing your teeth or using mouthwash when you feel hungry...
also I get it, but it's just a little tip or trick, I don't think this is a hard-fast rule to a weight loss program.

#3. Activity vs. exercise.
Again.... I absolutely understand this.  The part that bothers me is that they say exercise is boring, tedious, and unnecessary. That it's hard to schedule it into your day and then when you do, it's boring. 
I agree with that as well to an extent, but then they say that walking is the miracle cure. Just walk and walk and walk some more.  Who in the world doesn't have time for a work out, but has time to walk excessively? And I'm sorry, I know it's zen-like for some people... but walking be b-o-r-i-n-g!
Small side note : I was also annoyed that they said women should not buy anything over a 10lb weight. (if you do decide to buy weights to supplement your activity) Come on now!

Then finally the book gets into the actual diet plan. Which is very similar to the paleo diet. No grains and no sugar. They tell you multiple times not to count calories, but then proceed to give you a list of 100 calorie snacks. 
The diet plan is 600-800 calories per day (but don't be counting!)

You all know my stance on the Paleo diet already, so I certainly don't disagree with that way of eating.
The calories do seem low, but at least the principles of what types of foods you eat seems healthy enough.

Would this diet work? I think yes, absolutely.  But I would also fear that it could be very triggering to those who have or are prone to eating disorders.  The idea of tricking yourself out of being hungry doesn't always seem safe to me.

If you were interested in a similar way of living I would definitely recommend reading the Paleo Diet over this. It just has a clearer voice of reasoning.

Trainer Bob asked me to read this book. I shook my head no, because, well, I don't like to read.  But I peeked inside, and the font was huge so I agreed :-)  (If only there were pictures, too!)

Based on the cover, I assumed I was going to hate this book.  I don't believe in God, and so I had no desire to read a religious-based book.  Secondly, that little stock image is so cheesy. But what the heck.
I started reading it.. and, I almost liked it!  The author, Geneen, writes in a fun style. Her descriptive passages—when she is writing about herself, her feelings, and her thoughts—are well-phrased and conversational. However, when she writes dialog (which is often, since the book takes snippets of supposed real-life exchanges during her weight loss seminars), it is horrible.  It's flowery and ridiculous.  The women in the book instantly cry at everything, and then describe their reasons in the most preposterous of terms. I'd love to find you a quoted example, but I gave the book back to Bob already!

Anyway,  the book is, essentially, about what every other overeating self-help book is about - finding your "why".  She makes it sound completely simple.  When you want to eat something, think about WHY you want to eat, and then make the decision. 

Uh.  No Shit, Lady.

Throughout the second half of the book she mentions "following The Guidelines" constantly, and yet nowhere in this book are there Guidelines. 
Nowhere.

So, here's my Pro's and Con's

Good 

• Easy and fast to read
• Half of it is written well, and those parts are almost insightful
• Solidified the same things I've read and believed in, about questioning your motives before eating

Bad
• Not about God in any way.  God is IN THE TITLE. This is such a misleading book. People like myself would never pick this up. Whereas people who legitimately want to read about the correlation of spirituality and food are getting gypped.
• The examples given are the book are ridiculous.
• No real-life tips, or promised guidelines.