Mastering Your Metabolism - Week 9, 52 in 52

Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels has a completely different tone than her previous book, Making the Cut. While the subtitle on the front cover reads "the 3 diet secrets to naturally balancing your hormones for a hot and healthy book", I personally would not call this a diet book. This is more a holistic approach to nutrition looking at a variety of factors including food intake, environmental factors, and biological factors as they relate to a persons weight.

The book itself consists of 3 parts. Part 1 provides the background information: a snapshot of the average American, an overview of the hormones that relate to metabolism, a listing of various causes of obesity, and a brief introduction to the three steps. Part 2 details the three step process it. 1. Remove hydrogenated fats, refined grains, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives and colors, and glutamates (ie MSG) and limit starchy root vegetables, tropical, dried, or canned fruit, excess soy (stick to fermented soy products ie tofu, tempeh, and miso soup), excess alcohol, full-fat dairy and fatty meats, canned foods, and caffeine. 2. Restore good foods including legumes, the allium family (onions, leeks, etc.), berries, meat and eggs, colorful fruits and vegetables, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower), dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds, organic dairy, whole grains. She places a heavy emphasis on organic foods but does break down organic choices into always buy, sometimes buy, and don't bother buying for those on a budget. 3. Rebalance by eating every four hours, not stuffing yourself, and by eating a balanced meal of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. Part 3 focuses on lifestyle. Removing toxins from your home, restoring nutrients through vitamin supplements, and taking care of yourself through sleep, exercise, and relaxation. It includes sample combination ideas for different meals with 2 weeks worth of recipes, and natural remedies for common metabolic disorders.

While I didn't learn a lot of new information as far as nutrition goes, I did find it interesting to see the link between foods or environmental factors and the body's metabolism. I wasn't thrilled with the recipes included (but then I've always been a picky eater so that's not a big surprise), but I did like the combination charts allowing you to start with any choice from column one add any choice from column two to get a balanced meal. I can actually see some possibilities that I could eat that way. The book would definitely be a worthwhile read to anyone wanting more information on nutrition or metabolism or someone like me who can use some occasional motivation to shift back into some more healthy eating habits.