Rating: 
Summary: My first copy is worn out -- coming back for a second
Review: We started this program 6-10-00 and lost 38 lbs at low point of 3-10-01. As of 12-08-01, I have given back 7 lbs but am still down 31 lbs. This program works.One positive not mentioned in other reviews is that the the meal plan rationalizes grocery shopping. Prior to this meal plan, my wife spent time figuring out what to prepare and went to the grocery store nearly daily and sometimes more than once in a single day. With Denise's plan, she does the main shopping once a week. I prepare the grocery list. The grocery list is sorted by aisles in the store, an extra bit of work to make up but more than justified by the overall time saving. There is some time (and likely even monetary) savings in the grocery shopping component of your life with this plan. Most of the menus require preparation, on the order of 2 hours per day. For example, even a trivial breakfast of strawberrys and yogurt requires washing and cutting up strawberrys. The food is generally good and varied. It is really the meal plan that has the highest time commitment impact, not the exercises.
Rating:
Summary: Common sense approach to losing weight without straving !
Review: Yes, I knew that this book would not tell me anything new. I've gone the gamut in books very similar to this one and, even knowing that there would be no oracles, I still bought it. I wanted a no-brainer program for losing ten pounds. So, I have no one to blame but myself that I wasted $24. It's not a bad book (especially if didn't already own 3-4 just like it). My main criticism is with her diet. While variety is good, she calls for too many specialty food items that you must buy. I didn't buy everything on the first week's shopping list and I spent $100.00. Do you really need five different kinds of bread (bagels, pita, tortillas, english muffins, whole wheat) to lose weight? What the heck is a haricort verte....a green bean? How often do you need capers? She also has you buy food the first week that isn't called for in her first week's recipes. Will it work? Probably. The calorie intake is so (1,500 calories)low that there's no way you won't lose weight on if you follow both the diet and the exercise program strictly. So, if you choose to follow her prescription, scan the recipes and the shopping list carefully. You may save yourself quite a bit of money if you're smart with substitution.
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