The No More Excuses Diet by Maria Kang
Published by Crown Publishing Group on March 10th 2015
Genres: Diet & Nutrition, Diets, Exercise, Health & Fitness, Women's Health
Pages: 304
Don't let excuses stop you from having a body and a life that you love! We all know that we should exercise and eat right, so why is it so hard to follow through? We make excuses for why we aren't taking better care of ourselves, saying things like,
I don't know about any of you, but I always say there are two kinds of people that love excuses - runners and golfers. Guess which category I fall into? BOTH!! This book, the No More Excuses Diet book, helps you get back on track and shows you how to keep excuses from allowing you to have the life that you love in the body that you want. We all know that we should exercise and eat right, so why is it so hard to follow through? We make excuses for why we aren't taking better care of ourselves, saying things like, "I'm too tired," "I don't have time," or "I'm just not built to look that way."
The No More Excuses Diet book shows us how to combine our short term goals with healthy habit-forming behaviors to create permanent lifestyle changes. Using a specially designed transformation calendar, readers set clear, personal goals and make an easy-to-follow plan for each day. The program uses a balanced diet of 30% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fats, and includes a 10% flexible portion that can be customized depending on your goals- whether it's extra protein for building muscles, or a sugary treat at the end of the day.
Here's the deal. We all know how to lose weight. To lose weight, you need to eat reasonable amounts of real food, and move more. That's it. You do that, and you will lose weight and be healthier. The trouble most of us have is in finding and keeping our motivation long enough to see results.
Ms. Kang says it takes 3 days of concerted effort to bust through an excuse, 3 weeks to form new habits, and 3 months to make a lasting change in your life, so she suggests setting healthy goals in 3 week increments. She follows a method of flexible dieting which I love, and she encourages cardio (if you love it) but primarily weight-lifting as an exercise method. She also encourages exercise such as hiking or riding bikes with your family, keeping track of non-scale victories (such as upping your weights in the gym or accomplishing a marathon), and even different forms of mental "stretches" like prayer and meditation.
The No More Excuses Diet also provides a completely customizable workout guide, with over 50 illustrated exercises designed to build strength, flexibility, endurance, and to shed fat. The program also includes 7 weeks of worth of exercise programs that can be done at home with no extra equipment. Packed with meal plans, grocery lists, lots of encouragement and a clear plan of action, The No More Excuses Diet is a must-read book for anyone who is ready to bust through the excuses the hold them back and take their health and fitness to the next level.
I liked the practical approach took with the book. Maria starts by breaking down what excuses are and how they can stop our flow. She encourages that through hard work, your goals can be met. In the Introduction she briefly explains the cycles to her program. They are The S.P.E.E.D Cycle which is the liftoff and 3-day goal setting plan. The S.T.R.I.V.E Cycle is what I call the "work" cycle. This is where you face your excuses and problems head to head in three weeks. The S.C.O.R.E Cycle is the success phase. You have reached your goal and now are working on maintaining it and conquering new goals. The plan is to see this all happen in three months.
Maria's book is easy to read, the font is large, and it is user friendly. It contains pictures for at-home workouts, recipes and ideas for a motivation calendar. The book isn't so much about being a "diet" book but instead, it's about a "lifestyle change" book.
The book is very well written and with Maria's personal story and insight weaved through her solid, simple advice, it is hugely inspirational. I believe this book can make the overwhelming journey of taking back your body and becoming healthier really "easy" because she has laid out this step by step plan that is realistic and attainable for anyone.
Maria's philosophy is very doable and sustainable. this isn't a low carb, or low fat, or low sugar, or another "cut something out completely" diet. it's a balanced diet, and an expectation that you will do some exercise. cheat meals and cheat days are allowed - just get back on track when you can.
Here's what the book jacket has to say about Ms. Kang's motivation: The No More Excuses Diet is not about making you feel guilty for how you look, or ashamed of the choices you've made; it is about getting you to a place where you feel in control of your life, love your body, and prioritize your health.
Maria Kang is a health advocate who believes that health begins with choice. Maria is the founder of the Fitness without Borders, as well as the No Excuse Mom movement, an organization of thousands of women around the country making a commitment to their health one day at a time. Maria lives in California with her husband and three children.
I received a free copy of this book from Blogging For Books in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own
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